Curated OER
American Music Styles - Lesson 1
Students describe some of the distinguishing characteristics of rock, folk, blues, and country music. They identify two main musical roots of today's American popular music.
Curated OER
American Music Styles: European Roots and African Influences - Lesson 3
Learners describe some of the characteristics of country and blues music. They see how country music rose to a nationally known music style. They write a two-paragraph essay on what they think country music be like in the next 100 years.
Curated OER
Rockin’ the World: Rock and Roll and Social Protest in 20th Century America
Students explore protest songs. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students examine issues-based music by summarizing lyrics and revealing inferences, generalizations, conclusions, and points of view found in the songs.
National First Ladies' Library
Ragtime: The First "American" Music?
Learners investigate the concept of ragtime music and the times associated with it in American history. They conduct research using a variety of resources and listen to a sample before writing down some of the results of the information...
Curated OER
Songs that Bring Us Together - Lesson 5
Learners compose song as a classroom effort. They write a one-paragraph essay about "message" songs in 100 years and include three ideas for topics along with the style of music (such as folk, rock, blues, rap, etc.) that would match.
Curated OER
VH1 Fan Club Dave Matthews Band
Students study how the music of Dave Matthews Band is based on jazz, blues, bluegrass, rock and roll, and rap.
PBS
Pbs: Independent Lens: Strange Fruit, the Film
Website on Strange Fruit, a documentary film about the history and legacy of the protest song "Strange Fruit." Includes the lyrics and audio for the song.
University of Pittsburgh
Center for American Music Stephen Foster's Career
This University of Pittsburgh site provides a wealth of information about American songwriter Stephen Foster. This link discusses his professional career with various other links within the text about minstrel shows, etc. Return to the...
University of Pittsburgh
Center for American Music: Minstrelsy
This site explains the origin of the minstrel show and how it evolved over the decades.
PBS
Pbs: The Blues Classroom
Access the educational resources developed by a Seattle-based museum to supplement the PBS documentary series "The Blues." Includes background essays on the blues; biographies, video clips, and sound clips from the series; a blues...
PBS
Pbs: Archives of the West: Songs of the Plains a Selection of Cowboy Folk Songs
Explore the lyrics of five cowboy songs from 1860's and 1870's.
Other
American Film Institute: 100 Years . . . 100 Songs
With this list, the American Film Institute presents its choices for the 100 greatest songs in film. The list includes choices from popular films such as The Sound of Music, Cabaret and The Producers.
Library of Congress
Loc: Song of America
Commemorates the history of the American song featuring reowned baritone Thomas Hampson. See first editions of sheet music, information on the songs and their authors as well as sound recordings.
PBS
Mpr: The Meaning of Sioux Music and Song
This site from the Minnesota Public Radio provides the text of a 1915 article written by musician and self-trained anthropologist, Frances Densmore. Densmore spent years studying the music and culture of the Teton Sioux and other native...
Library of Congress
Loc: Lyrical Legacy: 400 Years of American Song and Poetry
Explore eighteen American songs and poems each represented by an original primary source document, along with historical background information and, in many cases, sound recordings and alternate versions.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Music Across America
This curriculum unit devoted to the study of American music features five lesson plans that help learners identify instruments, recognize styles and genres of American music and begin to comprehend the rich diversity of American music.
Rutgers University
Rutgers University: Fats Waller Forever
This digital exhibit provides a basic overview of Fats Waller and his music. Divided into sections that cover Life and Times, Ed Kirkeby Collection, the music, recordings, European and US tours, notes, and more.
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.
New Georgia Encyclopedia: Gertrude "Ma" Rainey
Known as the Mother of Blues, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey performed in a traveling minstrel show for over twenty years before recording over 100 songs for Paramount records. Because of her legacy as a blues singer, she has been inducted into...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Music of the United States
Very thorough resource for music in the United States. History, genres, and references can be found on this site. Includes sample audio recordings.
University of Pittsburgh
Center for American Music: Stephen Foster Chronology
This is a timeline of the life of songwriter, Stephen Foster. Very good as a quick reference to the major events of his life, as well as major events that were going on during his time. Also provides events that are not during Foster's...
University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh:frequently Asked Questions About Stephen Collins Foster
This website has answers to common questions about songwriter, Stephen Foster, including "Where can I get recordings of Stephen Foster's music?" and "How much money did Foster make from his songs?" Very useful for basic information about...
Library of Congress
Loc: Patriotic Melodies
The Library of Congress site profiles 26 American patriotic songs with commentary, supporting visual material, and recordings of "America the Beautiful," "Fanfare for the Common Man" and the like.
PBS
Pbs: Crossroads Blues
Your student will discover more about the life and work of Robert Johnson with this informative lesson plan. This resource features lesson plans, web resources, and more.
Other
Stephen Collins Foster: American Dreams
This site provides a wealth of information about the American songwriter, Stephen Foster. This link leads you to the biographical information which is divided into five sections: beginnings, his life's work, the legend, the problems, and...