The Brazilian Pífano: Fourth-Graders’ Responses to a Curriculum Unit

The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and analyze a curriculum unit using the Brazilian pífano into two classes of fourth-grader students from an urban public elementary school in the US. The research questions: (1) How the selected fourth-grade students respond to the Brazilian curriculum unit? and (2) What are the challenges of teaching this curriculum unit in a public school in the US? The methodology consisted of (a) the development of six lesson plans focused on Arrasta-pé and Baião music styles; (b) the revision of the developed curriculum unit by specialists in ethnomusicology and education and by Brazilian music educators’ experts; (c) the implementation of the curriculum unit with two classes of fourth-graders from an urban public school in the US; (c) the collection of data (i.e., video recordings; pre-and post- questions with full class discussion; researcher voice memos; and researcher and student journals); and (d) the codification and analysis of the information. There were many challenges in teaching this curriculum unit, such as constructing the instrument with a large group of students, teaching the pífano embouchure, and some syncopated rhythm patterns. However, most of the students were motivated to play and demonstrated new connections with Brazilian culture. Supported by the findings, I could conclude that exposure, connection, and knowledge were the key elements of developing Brazilian culture’s awareness in participants. In addition, the challenges did not prevent students from enjoying the new music styles in a participatory way and starting the processing of developing cultural awareness. Music educators interested in using this Brazilian curriculum unit might want to work in partnership with other teachers in the school as an interdisciplinary project to enhance students’ learning. Future research is needed to see the extent to which the Brazilian pífano can be used as a pre-instrument for the flute in urban schools where musical instruments are scarce.