Curated OER
Music: Elgar (1962)
High schoolers examine how the creation and performance of music is affected by contextual influences. They specifically examine anthems and discuss the elements that contribute to that musical genre and how the nature of a piece of...
Curated OER
Composing Music on Computers
Students compose pandiatonic works using computers as a compositional tool. Following the anticipatory set, they work individually to create their own pieces. The lesson concludes with a "concert" of the created student compositions.
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Rhythm Patterns
Fractions can be tricky. Why not have kids think of fractions like they think of eighth, quarter, and half notes? In teams, the class creates four-measure patterns with their percussion instruments. They need to explain their rhythm...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Angles on Kandinsky
Not only is Wassily Kandinsky fun to say, his art contains tons of angles. Learners discuss Kandinsky's music-inspired abstract art and four types of angles. They search one of his paintings for obtuse, right, straight, and acute angles,...
Curated OER
Behind the Movie Chicago - Lesson 1
Learners are introduced to the genre of the musical film. They become aware of the music and dance trends of the 1920s. They identify musical motive as a basis for unity in composition.
Curated OER
Storytellers: Bruce Springsteen
Students use the correct music terminology to evaluate a performance, composition, and arrangement of the song "Blinded by the Light" by Bruce Springsteen and compare it to another version recorded by Manfred Man.
Curated OER
Dizzy Gillespie
Students compare and contrast two songs by Dizzy Gillespie and identify elements of bebop. They construct a Web page about Gillespie and his music.
Curated OER
The Bolero
Students discuss the structure of the musical film "The Bolero." In this film arts lesson, students watch "The Bolero" before participating in discussion questions and watching a second performance of the same musical. Included in this...
Curated OER
Red, White, and Blue Notes
Students explore the history of major American music genres. Then, through mock radio shows, students examine the distinguishing features of each genre and how each has changed throughout the years.
Curated OER
Kandinsky Color Studies
Students study the artist Wassily Kandinsky as well as his art and and music. In this art appreciation lesson, students view a variety of Kandinsky's work and circular color studies. Students relate the use of color to emotion and listen...
Curated OER
Manipulating Sound
Students use music software to create and refine a musical composition. They use music software to create a sequence of musical phrases. Students use music software to create and refine a musical composition and adapt it in the light...
Curated OER
Play Me a Story - Sorcerer's Apprentice
Students explore the story taht accompanies the musical composition, The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Using the 5W-how questions, they explain what is happening in the story as they listen to the musical.
Curated OER
Chinese Calligraphy
Students explore Chinese culture and Chinese calligraphy. In this Chinese calligraphy lesson, students create paintings using Chinese techniques. Students describe the differences in Chinese art and other culture's art. Students listen...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan for Danse by Claude Debussy
Students study the life and music of Claude Debussy. They listen to and compare the orchestration and compositional technique of the Debussy composition, 'Danse.' They compare a piano arrangement to an orchestrated version.
Curated OER
A Journey Through The Seasons
Second graders demonstrate creative movement, singing in canon or rounds, and playing instruments while taking "a musical journey through the seasons" in this second grade General Music lesson. Songs and discussion questions are...
Curated OER
Singing In Canon
Third graders analyze and discuss the four seasons and how each can be represented in song form. This lesson is intended for the third grade Music classroom but could be adapted for any elementary grade. State and National Standards...
Curated OER
A Little Kandinsky For All
Learners create abstract compositions based on the later works of Wassily Kandinsky using the primary colors in this early elementary Art lesson. The lesson emphasizes the use of color, lines, and shapes to create the abstract works of...
Curated OER
Classroom Singing
Students sing a song performing rhythms accurately with a steady beat, pitches accurately with excellent intonation, and a clear, focused tone in this music instructional activity for the high school Choir class. The instructional...
Curated OER
In My Dream
Students listen to various selections of music and discuss the use of form in musical compositions. They choreograph and perform movements to correspond with identified forms.
Curated OER
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
Students improvise then compose and notate melodies with appropriate accompaniments that are inspired by events that transpired during their summer vacations. Requires a networked keyboard lab.
Curated OER
Singing The Blues with Garage Band
Young scholars demonstrate writing lyrics for a twelve-bar blues pattern by writing two verses of a blues song and then recording themselves singing over a stock blues pattern using Apple's Garage Band. Requires a networked keyboard lab.
Curated OER
Learning through The Duke
Students study Duke Ellington's contributions to the field of jazz. They write poetry using language that was popular in the 1920's. They listen to a piece of Duke Ellington jazz and respond with at painting.
Curated OER
Jazz Forms and Improvisation
Young scholars listen to an original recording of Louis Armstrong and discuss instrumentation. They identify an AABA song form as they listen. They list similarities between the following: traditional meets modern and small group vs. big...
Curated OER
Black and Blue: Jazz in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man
Students analyze the impact of jazz on the novel, "Invisible Man," by Ralph Ellison. They read and discuss excerpts of the novel, write an essay on the influence of jazz on Ralph Ellison as a writer, and view video excerpts on jazz...