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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rebuilding and Recovering

For Teachers 6th - 12th
What does it mean to rebuild and recover after a major event? Your class will explore this theme while they discuss and discover the events surrounding September 11. They will also look at other examples and then create art pieces that...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music in America - Lesson 4

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students choose a theme for a song. They compose a poem, and write music to go along with their poem. The instructor plays the musical accompaniment, and the class votes on the most appropriate rhythmic pattern.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crossroads Blues

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
The crossroads, and the decisions made and entities met there, are a common theme in literature, pushing readers to examine the choices and encounters that shape life experience. The theme has also been explored in blues music, most...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building Canons on Pachelbel's Canon in D

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students demonstrate the structure of a canon by composing melodies and variations over Pachelbel's Theme from the Canon in D. Requires a networked keyboard lab and computers.
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Activity
Curated OER

Romeo and Juliet Project: A Perfect Album Side

For Teachers 7th - 12th
In this Romeo and Juliet worksheet, students combine music, lyrics, and drama to analyze Romeo and Juliet. Students select music to fit the theme, mood, and feeling of each act and research the lyrics. Students compose an essay about why...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Different! Diverse! Dynamic! Lesson 2: Teaching Peace Through Literature And Song

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners investigate bullying and discrimination and draw pictures of a personal response to being bullied. They read Thank You, Mr. Falkner by Patricia Polacco, to determine the philosophic act that the main character performs. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

AT THE CORRAL

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study dotted eighth/sixteenth note rhythm pattern using percussion instruments and alternating from "corral to corral" in groups of 4-6. They play the pattern while listening to selected American western theme songs.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seuss-Perb Stations

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students practice previously learned skills to the theme of "Dr. Seuss books".
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Self

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine a variety of songs, poems, and books exploring and analyzing the theme of self reliance and being true to one's self. They write a poem, essay, or letter that captures their true spirit and individuality and then they...
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Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

We're off to see the Wizard!

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students explore the process of play and movie making from books. They study the basic elements of drama and write and produce a play based on a chosen theme. Students explain the basic elements of a play by looking at "The Wonderful...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trash or Treasure?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore their experiences and reflect on how one person can make a difference in our world. In this service learning lesson, students analyze themes in music related to encouragement. Students perform a service learning project...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heaven or Ground Hog Day?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discover the ideas of enlightenment by reading historical poetry. In this philosophical lesson, students read poems by Sir Walter Scott and Sergeant Joyce Kilmer while discussing the themes of the writing with classmates....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Really Love This More

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Young language arts learners choose between two activities and then attempt to convince their classmates of their choice as a way of practicing persuasive speech. This particular lesson uses Valentine's Day as a theme; learners chose...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing Lyrics

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners examine the themes and structure of a bluegrass song and identify the common themes in bluegrass music. They practice songwriting by rewriting the lyrics of "Oh! Susanna" as a bluegrass tune.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

"West Side Story"

For Students 5th - 6th
In this music history worksheet, students discover the musical "West Side Story" by first reading a summary of the plot. Students answer 5 questions about the story line. Students then read and analyze the lyrics to "America" and discuss...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Les Mis'rables

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students read, understand, and enjoy Les Miserables. They improve their skills in literary analysis, writing, and listening. Through the study of biblical and historical allusions, symbols, metaphors, and other figurative language, they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Musical Makeover

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the importance of folk music is various ethnic cultures.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Patriotic Arts: Influencing Canadians At War

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Students study how war has shaped Canadian life, patriotism, propaganda, and music. They research primary source documents, novels, videos, and songs before celebrating Remembrance Day.
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Lesson Plan
San Francisco Symphony

Beethoven's Sixth Symphony and the Expression of Feeling through the Arts

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Here is an activity used originally to finish off a unit on country life and nature. It requires learners to have a basic understanding of harvest, rural life, and autumn. They'll use what they know to construct dance movements showing...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Individuality vs. Conformity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Have your middle schoolers participate in numerous activities designed to spark their awareness of literature. They express ideas and concerns clearly and respectfully in conversations and group discussions. Next, they view a music...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Talking Stick

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners examine the lives of the Aboriginal peoples of Saskatchewan. In this talking stick lesson, students discover dance, art, music, and traditions of the First Nations people.  Learners design and create a talking stick to represent...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Orchestra: Focus on Rhythm and Arranging

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High school orchestra is a great place to play music, like The Star Spangled Banner. Upper graders create new rhythms to the old song and perform them with the class. They rehearse their updated versions of the song using their...
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Lesson Plan
Japan Society

Akutagawa Ryunosuke and the Taisho Modernists

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Japan's Taisho Period was a time when authors like Akutagawa and other Japanese modernists began to experiment with point of view and literary form, making the literature produced during this time period a natural choice for teaching...
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Activity
Orlando Shakes

It’s a Wonderful Life: Study Guide

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
George Bailey learns that it truly is a wonderful life when he discovered how many lives he has touched—not to mention how many new generations of lives the story touches every year. A study guide on It's a Wonderful Life  introduces...