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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Save the Music Concerts: Parts 1 & 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Music aficionados classify pop music into by musical genres or styles. They evaluate the positive and negatives of collaborative performances, view segments of VH1's "Save the Music" concert, and discuss the difficulties of categorizing...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: The Power of Music

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The sounds of the past echo through art and our social understanding. Will the sounds of today echo into the future? Learners discuss the cultural and social impact of music, then analyze the art on an African Drum. They develop...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Poetry In Song

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Investigate poetry and song lyrics with your class. They will identify poetic elements in their favorite modern music. Then they will play their song choice aloud for their classmates.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Duking It Out

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars read and discuss 'Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra: Mixing Treasures by Duke Ellington and Edvard Grieg,' exploring how jazz transformed European music and the influence jazz has had on modern music. They write musical reviews.
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Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Modern Music: 1900 1960

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete, undergraduate level online class on the topic of modern music in the 1900s. Includes complete course material.
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

Lemelson Center: Invention of the Electric Guitar

For Students 9th - 10th
Can you imagine music without the electric guitar? The Lemelson Center provides us with a comprehensive overview on the history behind its invention and design. Includes photos depicting how the design has changed over the years and...
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Website
Other

Music History Online: Music of the 20th Century

For Students 9th - 10th
This page covers a wide range of topics concerning 20th century music. Included are many references to styles and composers and terms found in 20th century music.
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Interactive
John F. Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center: Perfect Pitch

For Students 9th - 10th
Perfect Pitch is an interactive learning environment that lets you form orchestras and create your own orchestral arrangements of music from the baroque, classical, romantic, and modern periods. Clever game design, including a...
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Handout
California Institute of Technology

Benjamin Britten: Cal Tech Project Page

For Students 9th - 10th
The focus of this project is Britten's War Requiem, but there are good photos, a bibliography, links and biographical information. The index page has information on many other Britten works.
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Website
Internet History Sourcebooks Project

Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: Music and Nationalism

For Students 9th - 10th
Fordham University provides college-level reading on how the Nationalism of the 19th Century affected the music of the 20th, especially Classical music. These composers lived most of their lives in the 1800's, but are often classified...
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Handout
Other

George Crumb: Echoes of Time and the River

For Students 9th - 10th
Part of a program, these notes on Crumb and his composition have some good information, and some good quotes.
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Handout
PBS

Pbs American Masters: John Cage

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about this unusual but creative modern classical composer. Highlighting his major works, this short biography explores his philosophy of music.
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Handout
PBS

Classics for Kids: Benjamin Britten

For Students 3rd - 8th
A short biography of Benjamin Britten (1913-1976 CE). Click to the past radio shows to hear his music and learn more about this famous composer.
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Handout
PBS

Classics for Kids: George Gershwin

For Students 3rd - 8th
A short biography of George Gershwin (1898-1937 CE). Click to the past radio shows to hear his music and learn more about this famous composer.
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Website
Other

The Official George Crumb Home Page

For Students 9th - 10th
The official site, with sections devoted to his life, compositions, recordings, writings, and news. The news section has internet links, and the site has a search function!
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Website
Other

Music Web: Benjamin Britten (1913 1976)

For Students 9th - 10th
Quite a bit of biographical information here at Music Web, a very complete listing of his compositions, and a good list of recordings as well.
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Website
Other

Carl Orff Music Project

For Students 9th - 10th
Resource describes the innovations in music instruction and education of Carl Orff. Details how Orff technique is applied specifically in performance oriented projects.
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Website
Other

What Is Orff Schulwerk?

For Students 9th - 10th
A short bio, part of a resource about an American group that advocates the use of Orff's Schulwerk to teach music, the link back to that site is at the bottom of the page.