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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Baltimore's Jazz Legacy

For Teachers 4th
Explore Marylanders, Eubie Blake, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, and Chick Webb.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Jazz Singers: Online Exhibition

For Students 9th - 10th
Library of Congress online exhibition of Jazz singers provides a short bio and photos of each of these influential artists offering perspectives of the art of vocal jazz from the 1920s to present.
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Learning the Blues

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson plan introduces young scholars to the blues. The origin and development of the blues is explored as well as its distinctive structure.
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Website
York University

York University: African Canadian Online: Music

For Students 9th - 10th
African-Canadian music encompasses the West Indies, Africa, the United States, South American and the Maritimes. This excellent reference resource provides information about the many kinds of music and the talented individuals who make it.
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Website
Scott Alexander

The Red Hot Jazz Archives

For Students 9th - 10th
Lots of information on jazz bands and musicians at this RedHotJazz.com site.
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Article
Scott Alexander

Alberta Hunter

For Students 9th - 10th
This site contains an article on the singer and composer Alberta Hunter. It also includes audio clips of some of her most famous songs. Excellent resource.
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Website
PBS

Pbs: Jazz: A Film by Ken Burns

For Students 9th - 10th
The companion website for a documentary film about jazz is home to a storehouse of resources and unique features about the historical, cultural, and artistic significance of jazz. With a timeline of key events in the history of jazz,...
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Handout
Rutgers University

One More Once: A Celebration of the Life of Count Basie

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is a truly wonderful site devoted to the life and music of Count Basie. A musicography tracks his creations through the decades of his life, and there are also photo essays to add celebrity interest to this excellent site.
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Interactive
PBS

Pbs Kids Go: Chuck Vanderchuck "Something Something" Explosion!

For Students 9th - 10th
Interactive site that teaches kids about jazz, jazz instruments, and writing jazz music. Includes games,videos, and lots of great sounds.
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Handout
Other

Federal Focus Jazz Band: Traditional Jazz Style Guide

For Students 9th - 10th
A stylistic breakdown and analysis of traditional jazz. Distinguishes between the different types of this unique genre.
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Lesson Plan
Other

The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz: Jazz in America

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Locate many lesson plans for grades 5, 8 and 11 concerning jazz education. This site provides student handouts, printable tests and answer keys.
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Handout
Other

Down Beat: Albert Ayler

For Students 9th - 10th
A detailed article containing the following sections: biography, discography, photos, and news articles about Albert Ayler.
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Handout
Other

Down Beat: Cecil Taylor

For Students 9th - 10th
A detailed site containing information in the following sections: photos, biography, and archived news articles about avant-garde pianist/composer Cecil Taylor.
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Article
Other

Abbey Lincoln: Spirited and Spiritual

For Students 9th - 10th
Information on the life the work of Abbey Lincoln. This article discusses her philosophy on jazz and the spirituality of music.
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Website
Other

The Duke Ellington Society

For Students 9th - 10th
The Duke Ellington Society maintains this wealth of information on Duke Ellington and his works including news, information on the singers who worked with him, audio clips, and links to other Ellington sites.
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Website
PBS

Pbs: Jazz Timeline

For Students 9th - 10th
With this timeline, learn about how the history of slavery, Jim Crow laws and other forms of racial oppression impacted the rise of jazz in America. Also highlights the achievements of women, including Viola Smith in this world of music....
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Handout
PBS

Pbs: Biography of Dizzy Gillespie

For Students 9th - 10th
This PBS biography about trumpeter and jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie includes photos, multiple audio features, and links within the text to other famous musicians.
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Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Documents Gallery: Ellington and Strayhorn

For Students 9th - 10th
Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, two of the greatest jazz composers, collaborated on hundreds of works. As you explore this exhibition, you will have an opportunity to view original music scores, listen to audio clips, and view videos...
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Smithsonian Jazz

For Students 9th - 10th
Smithsonian Jazz is home to several online exhibits, an interactive "Duke Ellington class," recordings, publications, oral histories, and similar resources.
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Website
Other

A Passion for Jazz

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource is dedicated to all topics related to jazz music, such as jazz history and jazz theory.
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Activity
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Smithsonian Jazz: Duke's Music Class

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about jazz from the master, Duke Ellington. Three activities explore his role as jazz composer, orchestra leader, and pianist.
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Website
Other

Amg: All Music Guide: Charlie Parker

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive resource devoted to all aspects of Charlie Parker including a biography, links to his contemporaries and influences, a complete discography with reviews, and a bibliography.
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Website
Other

Jazz Institute of Chicago: Homepage

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource from the Jazz Institute of Chicago focuses on the Chicago jazz scene but contains many unique and interesting articles that are relevant to all jazz.
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Website
Stanford University

Sulair: The Monterey Jazz Festival Collection

For Students 9th - 10th
This fabulous site describes the repository of the digitized collection of music from the Monterey Jazz Festival from 1958 which is housed on the Stanford University campus. On this site you can read about the performances, watch and...