Curated OER
Misic: Stephen Foster's Folk Songs
Fifth graders examine the life and music of Stephen Foster. Via a Powerpoint presentation, they inspect a timeline of the composer's life. On a Website, 5th graders listen to different Foster songs including his parlor ballads,...
Curated OER
Deciphering the Mechanics of Poetry
Eighth graders analyze a variety of poems to develop the ability to recognize and explain a variety pf poetic devises.
Curated OER
The Witch of Goingsnake
Students listen to The Ballad of Ira Hayes and write paragraphs about his character. In this The Witch of Goingsnake lesson, students read the verses and chorus of the ballad aloud and make notes about Ira Hayes. Students write a...
Curated OER
English Folk Music
In this English folk music worksheet, 8th graders read about the characteristics, instruments, and purpose of traditional music. They read about the history of folk music and contemporary uses of this type of music. They answer 10 short...
Curated OER
Read "El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez"Americo Paredes version
Students see examples of other types of written stories. They are introduced to the ballad in literature. Students obtain ideas for their own family story. They discuss how ballads can relate true stories through music. Students discuss...
Curated OER
Sing Me a Story!
Sixth graders explore lyrics, phrases, and the beats in each phrase. They select a nursery rhyme, set it to a simple tune they already know, and match the tune with the same number of beats per phrase with a poem with the identical...
University of Florida
Baldwin Library: The Book of Brave Old Ballads by John Gilbert
This is an online photocopy of the original text of the children's book The Book of Brave Old Ballads by John Gilbert [1870]. This illustrated book of poems and songs is also known as The Boy's Book of Ballads.
Other
David Holt: The Roots of Mountain Music
This is a short history of the major influences that have combined to create mountain music, one of which is minstrel music. Provides a good decription of minstrel music in general. Includes names and descriptions of specific songs,...
World Wide School
World Wide School: The Bab Ballads
An online book by W.S. Gilbert containing lyrics to many Bab Ballads.
University of Toronto (Canada)
University of Toronto: Sir Patrick Spence
Original text of the medieval popular ballad "Sir Patrick Spence" (also known as "Sir Patrick Spens")
Other
Mad River Theater Works: The Ballad of John Henry [Pdf]
Scroll down this study guide to find the lyrics to the Ballad of John Henry, which was collected from individuals in the West Virginia mountains in the 1920's. Discusses the different versions of the song and the history behind it.