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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Duke Ellington: Great American Musician and Composer

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students delve into the life and music of Duke Ellington as a major American musician and composer. The elements that made the sound of his orchestra unique and the talents of his band members are explored in this lesson.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tradition through storytelling and music

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discover how storytelling can shape a person's tradition.Students examine different methods of storytelling such as music, biographies, and African folktales. They then demonstrate their knowledge of storytelling by writing...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Giants of American Music and Quarter Notes

For Students 1st - 2nd
In this music worksheet, students are asked to "name a Giant among Musical Monsters." Students also draw quarter notes in the space provided.
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Lesson Plan
Berklee College of Music

Create Your Own Afro-Latin Groove

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The backbone of Latin American music is the beat! Young musicians work on blending Afro-Latin rhythms and beat patterns before incorporating the major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and blues scales in their own compositions.
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Lesson Plan
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Museum of Tolerance

The Role of Citizens in a Participatory Democracy

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Groups research participatory democracies and compare the role and rights of citizens in ancient history with those in recent U.S. history. Guided by a series of questions, individuals compose a persuasive essay in which they discuss the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Baroque Composers

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study Baroque composers. In this music activity, rotate trough three stations, collecting information on particular Baroque composers. Worksheets, information cards, and procedure included.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders read lyrics for "My Hometown" and complete a worksheet to identify setting and tone in the song. In this Romanticism activity, 12th graders read Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey by Wordsworth and discuss the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Music Styles: Blues - Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students describe some of the distinguishing characteristics of blues music. They compare and analyze two versions of the same 12-bar blues song. They read and identify notation symbols for rhythm and tempo.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Grand Canyon Suite

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Take a trip to the Grand Canyon! Lesson one explores how Ferde Grofe painted a musical landscape of America when he wrote the Grand Canyon Suite. Learners then examine art that shows the Grand Canyon in lesson two. Finally, lesson three...
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Lesson Plan
San Francisco Symphony

By the Great Horn Spoon!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
By The Great Horn Spoon is a fantastic novel for introducing learners to life during the California Gold Rush. First, kids research and analyze American folk songs, then they connect to the text as they listen to symphonic pieces written...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History of Aaron Copland

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders study the history of Aaron Copland, the famous American composer. They dance to the song Hoe-Down composed by Aaron Copland.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African American Heritage in Arkansas

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students research and write about three African American composers from Arkansas: Scott Joplin, Florence Price and William Grant Still.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nos Creemos Americanos: Braceros in History and Song

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Mexican folk songs offer an authentic look at WWII immigrant workers. This study of the U.S. Bracero Program sets historians up with context information so they can write their own corrido. The class reviews themes and formulas of...
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Unit Plan
San Francisco Symphony

Learning Adjectives through the Duke

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Duke Ellington, jazz, and jive kick-off a fun and creative lesson on responding emotionally to music. The class will learn about jive talk used in the 1920s and the life and music of Duke Ellington. They'll listen to a selection of his...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Global Music: Steve Reich – Ghana, Bali, America and Germany

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students explore the music of Steve Reich. In this global music instructional activity, students compare the music compositions of Steve Reich to African and Balinese music. Students discuss their personal comparisons.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

International Curiosity and National Pride

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students investigate the national, local, and ethnic traits of the Bulgarian culture. They discuss patriotic American songs, analyze a map, play a '20 Questions' game about Bulgaria, read a letter, and identify American culture...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Gospel Music

For Students 5th - 6th
In this music worksheet, learners read about the origin of gospel music. Students answer ten essay questions related to their reading.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Gospel Music

For Students 5th - 12th
For this gospel music worksheet, students read a brief introduction to gospel music and respond to 10 short answer questions regarding it.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Movie Music

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students discover film making by participating in a music performance.  For this performance arts lesson, students perform music and physical acting to convey an already written script for their peers.  Students collaborate with their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

True Music

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders research a given decade in US History.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders interview a person who lived during the decade to gain a personal perspective on it.  Students rehearse and present their composition. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

James Brown: Life and Times

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students trace James Brown's rise from "Little Junior" in Depression-era Augusta, Georgia, to the "Minister of the New Super Heavy Funk" and create a collage that captures his impact on American music.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Buffalo Soldiers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate the role of the buffalo soldiers. In this African American history lesson, students research the African American soldiers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Middle schoolers discuss their findings and compose...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moccasins Are Made for Dancing

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore two Native American legends. In this cultural traditions lesson, students read "The Legend of Blue Bonnet," and "The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush." Students then study basic Native American dance movements prior to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ragtime: 1880-1920

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Build an understanding of the social, economic, and cultural changes that were incited by the American Industrial Revolution. Learners will research the historical context of the Ragtime Era, and compose an oral presentation in the voice...