Curated OER
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
Learning Crescendo and Decrescendo
Third graders examine the sounds and notes for crescendos and decrescendos. They attend a concert by a symphony orchestra and when they return to the classroom they identify the crescendos and decrescendos in music they hear.
National First Ladies' Library
Language Arts: The Rise of the Operetta
Students develop an appreciation for the musical theater form, the operetta. In addition, they present parodies of songs from The Mikado. Working in small groups and accessing provided Websites, they compose their parodies. Once...
Curated OER
How Would the World be Different?
Learners examine the impact of Martin Luther King, Jr. In this civil rights lesson, students imagine the outcome of the Civil Rights Movement had King never been born. Learners compose essays that feature King's roles in the movement.
Curated OER
James Van Der Zee
Students recognize James Van Der Zee as an outstanding photographer who documented and reflected life in Harlem during the 1920s. They identify important aspects of Van Der Zee's life and artwork and compose and shoot their own...
Curated OER
Ferde Grofe
Students participate in three different activities centered around Ferde Grofe. The different lessons are used to introduce music and the artist to the class. They listen to stories that music tells, and create their own sand painting...
Curated OER
A Journey Through France
Fourth graders examine France and its culture. They create a passport, convert collars to francs, listen to French music, research Impressionism and Monet, and compare/contrast the French version of Cinderella.
Curated OER
Make a Statement
Fifth graders make a statement about their position on the Revolutionary War using various means of expression. One half of students remain loyal to England and the other half want a revolution for independence. They express themselves...
Curated OER
Compositional Techniques: Are There Similarities Between
Students recognize how chromatic scales create tension and pentatonic scales create relaxation as compositional techniques used to create tonality. Also, students aurally recognize the use of mixed or alternating meter as a means of...
Curated OER
"The Block": Romare Bearden's and Mine
Students study Bearden's style of collage and create their own collage that reflects their neighborhood. They are read "The Block" and poems about neighborhoods and write one about theirs.
Curated OER
How To Be Persuasive in an Entertainment Review
Students write persuasively through description and word choice while reviewing a topic of interest to them.
Curated OER
Historical Background Leading to the Declaration of Independence
Students examine why, when our Fathers, signed the Declaration of Independence they were placing in jeopardy their freedom, property and lives.
Curated OER
Immigration Unit
Third graders develop an appreciate for the various cultures that are present in their local community. Through reading and research, they explain how various culture came to live in their area. At the conclusion of the unit, 3rd...
Curated OER
Be ready for your English exam
In this reading worksheet, students read each line and at the end of the line they write "correct" if the line is correct and if there is a word that should not be there, they write that word. Students complete this for 15 lines and then...
Curated OER
George Gershwin
Students explore the life and accomplishments of George Gershwin. They listen to Latin rhythms and practice the rhythmic parts. Students identify Latin instruments George Gershwin added to the orchestra. After practice, they perform a...
Curated OER
Songs That Bring Us Together
Students listen to the song, Get Together, and discuss the theme. They list topics that bring people together, write the lyrics to and sing a class song, and write a paragraph about message songs.
Library of Congress
Loc: African American Sheet Music, 1850 1920
View 1,300 pieces of sheet music composed by and about African Americans between 1850-1920.
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Aaron Copland
Detailed biography of American composer. Site includes photos and timeline of major works.
PBS
Pbs American Masters: Richard Rodgers
This site has a comprehensive biography of the American composer. Site details Rodgers collaboration with lyricist Lorenz Hart and later work with Oscar Hammerstein. There is also the "Career Timeline" or the audio/video resources found...
Brown University
Brown University Library: African American Sheet Music: James Bland
This website is an excellent source for information on James Bland and his music. Includes images of his sheet music, complete with notes and links to related information on African-American music and popular music from the post-Civil...
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Listen by Composer: George Gershwin
A brief overview of composer George Gershwin, accompanied with audio samples of his music.
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Leonard Bernstein
A brief biography of American composer Leonard Bernstein is presented here. Read the highlights of his career and contributions to music.
Naxos Digital Services
Naxos Digital Services: Composers
From a major publisher of classical music, this website provides a brief biography and picture of literally hundreds of composers of classical music. The discographies at the bottom of each biography allow you to find CDs and often...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Smithsonian Jazz: Duke Ellington
This site provides audio clips, photos, and biographical information of this legendary composer and performer. A match game teaches and tests your knowledge of Ellington.