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Unit Plan
Other

About Scotland: Pythagoras: Music and Space

For Students 9th - 10th
A study on Pythagoras and how he used geometry to explain parts of music, including harmony, proportion, and space.
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Activity
Other

Primera Escuela: First School

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
A diverse variety of fun activities for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners. Among other subjects you'll find: alphabet, animals, holidays and events, coloring pages (for fairy tales, holidays, vocabulary, etc.) crafts and more....
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Patriotic Melodies

For Students 9th - 10th
The stories behind patriotic songs that have become part of American musical culture, such as "Anchors Away," "Over There," "U.S. Air Force Song," and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again." Drill into the site to find lyrics, listen to...
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Ragtime

For Students 9th - 10th
Includes background essays, artist biographies, sheet music, video, and audio resources about ragtime.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Seraphic Melody

For Students 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read an autobiographical account of the narrator's discovery of a type of music he never knew existed. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Musical Instruments Woodwind Instruments

For Teachers 3rd
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about woodwind instruments. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Musical Instruments: The Symphony Orchestra

For Teachers 3rd
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the instruments in a symphony orchestra. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Musical Instruments: Brass Instruments I

For Teachers 3rd
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about brass musical instruments. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: About You How Music Affects Your Mood

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] This nonfiction piece discusses how music influences mood. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and establishes scaffolding for...
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Handout
OpenStax

Open Stax: Catherine Schmidt Jones: Conducting

For Students 9th - 10th
The basics of conducting are presented here in this well written tutorial. Included are simple pictures and animations of simple conducting patterns.
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Article
PBS

Pbs Newshour Extra: Week of 2 17 14: Daft Punk Fans Are Likely Democrats

For Students 9th - 10th
Article reports that Pandora radio will soon be allowing political candidates to advertise on the service, and the use of musical preferences to target political affiliation.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Billie Holiday Was Born

For Students 9th - 10th
Billie Holiday is one of the most well-known blues singers of all time. Visit this Library of Congress site for more about her early years and some great photographs.
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Website
Other

The American Bandmasters Association

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the website for the American Bandmasters Association which "is a select group of some 260 members and 60 associate members who have been recognized as outstanding concert band teachers/conductors [and] composers." Here, there are...
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Article
The Guardian

Guardian: The Death of Al Jolson

For Students 9th - 10th
Contains a newspaper article about Al Jolson's death.
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Website
Other

Musicbus.it

For Students 9th - 10th
Web application with the aim of providing written music and accompanying sound to students. Learn about the background of the application as well as access sheet music and audio. Although much of the site is in English, part of it is in...
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Website
Other

I Was Doing All Right: Ear Trainer

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent online ear training tool is available at this website. Identify intervals, chords and short melodies.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Uncommon Instruments

For Students 9th - 10th
The emigration of various cultures into the U.S. gives birth to many many instruments such as the piano, guitar and oboe. Discover the history behind these instruments.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Music in Your Ear

For Teachers 1st Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about guitars. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
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Handout
Songwriters Hall of Fame

Songwriters Hall of Fame: Hoagy Carmichael

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides information about Hoagy Carmichael.
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Website
Other

University of North Texas College of Music

For Students 9th - 10th
Description of the program at the University of North Texas in the Division of Music History, Theory, and Ethnomusicology.
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Handout
Other

Gilbert & Sullivan Archive: William S. Gilbert, Producer

For Students 9th - 10th
Chapter from the book "Gilbert & Sullivan Opera, A History and Comment" by H.M Walbrook, about William Gilbert as a producer.
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Handout
Other

The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive: The Grand Duke

For Students 9th - 10th
The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive provides the operetta theme, audio files, plot summary, text, glossary, and more for "The Grand Duke."
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Activity
Bill Nye

Bill Nye: Coco Nutty Music

For Students 9th - 10th
This tutorial from Bill Nye explains how a coconut (and the air inside it) can transform the energy of movement into a variety of interesting sounds.
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Website
Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College: Lutes, Old and New

For Students 9th - 10th
A great website for a wide range of information about the lute. Includes pictures, questions and answers about the instrument, and even a directory of lute makers. Very useful for those interested in buying a lute.