Curated OER
Past Presence
Learners examine British Black History. In this current events lesson, students visit selected websites to research the history of Blacks in Great Britain. Several lesson enhancement ideas are included.
Curated OER
Tradition through storytelling and music
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...
Curated OER
Draw Me the Music
Students explore and investigate the foundation and history of jazz music. They listen to various pieces of music while creating drawings, develop a timeline of jazz history, and read and discuss biographies of famous jazz musicians.
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In My Dream
Students listen to recordings of early jazz and identify examples of ostinato and syncopation. They discuss important personalities from jazz cultures and take a quiz on aspects of jazz.
Curated OER
Global Music: Steve Reich – Ghana, Bali, America and Germany
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.
Curated OER
Artistic Influence - Lesson 3
Learners discuss how musicians' messages can influence society. They think of examples of artistic expression in music, the visual arts, dance, and theater that can lead to a society's self-examination.
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Jazz and World War II: A Rally to Resistance, A Catalyst for Victory
Students examine the impact of WWII on the development of jazz music and consider how jazz music helped to boost morale of both soldiers and those left at home. They identify the function of jazz as a cultural export and discuss its...
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A Cure for the School-Day Blues
Lessons on the Blues will have students singing for joy!
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Duke Ellington
Students read Duke Ellington by Andrea Davis Pinkney. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the life of the 20th century composer. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and...
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Good Times and bad; The Roaring Twenties
Changes in society through 1900 to 1930 in the suburbs and work culture are covered in this presentation on aviation and the automobile. Music, movies and the Harlem Renaissance are the other main topics, with 6 or so bullet points...
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The Harlem Renaissance Movement and its Music
Harlem Renaissance lesson plans can bring the music, poetry, and literature of this time period alive.
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Whites, Blacks and the Blues
This instructional activity enables students to explore and measure the distance between blacks and whites in the past and present United States. By thinking about the intersections of whites, blacks, and others around the blues,...
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Empress of the Blues
In this informational comprehension activity, students read the passage of Empress of the Blues and answer 5 multiple choice comprehension and 5 multiple choice vocabulary questions.
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Racism in Jazz
Students listen to the Louis Armstrong song, "What Did I Do to Be So Black and Blue?" and consider it as a protest song. They write in their journals about Armstrong, his music, and civil rights.
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Visual Art: Romare Bearden and Group 306
Students examine the life and art of Romare Bearden. Using his "Mill Hand's Lunch Bucket" for inspiration, they write a first chapter for a book. Students observe numerous other works of his art and discuss them from artistic and...
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Blues Improvisation
Students practice playing and improvising while playing the 12 bar blues. They practice compositional skills, evaluate and perform musical pieces focused on the blues.
Curated OER
I See The Rhythm : The Study of Blues and Jazz
Learners gain an appreciation for various types of music. Using the music of the past, they compare it with the music of today. In groups, they research periods in which blues and jazz were most popular and write their own piece of music...
Curated OER
Rainbow Joe and Me
Young scholars complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book Rainbow Joe and Me. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, answer short answer questions, have...
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Romare Bearden
Learners examine and discuss a collage by the artist Romare Bearden. They analyze the impact of jazz on art, listen to jazz, and create an original collage.
Curated OER
Modern Dance and the Harlem Renaissance
Pupils create an artistic rendering based on what they have learned from the film and the lesson.
Curated OER
Six Trait Writing with Jack Prelutsky and the Brothers Grimm
Students identify and discuss six traits of writing and complete some beginning drawing and writing utilizing the traits. Six lessons on one page.
Library of Congress
Loc: African Immigration: Africans in America: Life in a Slave Society
An excellent overview of the African American experience in America beginning with West Africa during the slave trade, through emancipation and reconstruction, to "New beginnings."
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Black List Project: Charley Pride
A biography of famed country music singer Charley Pride, one of few African Americans in the industry to both perform at and be inducted to the Grand Ole Opry.
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Quincy Jones
PBS highlights American Masters in music and provides a thorough biography, feature essay, and career timeline on Jones.