Curated OER
Dancing Hands, Abstract Drawings
Young scholars discover African musical rhythms by performing Ancestral Spirit Dances. In this musical instructional activity, students research Willis "Bing" Davis and the abstract work he created. Young scholars listen to Yoruba drum...
Curated OER
Musical Rhythm Instruments
Students design a unique instrument using containers, beans, markers, crayons and colored construction paper. At the end of the lesson each student have a working rhythm instrument decorated with at least two colors.
Curated OER
Music in Nature
Students research the Incan civilization. In this Incan civilization activity, students study the geography of the Andes mountains and play an Andean siku. Students discuss how the sounds of nature influenced their musical piece.
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Singing About Zoo Animals
Fifth graders sing a variation of "The Muffin Man" with lyrics dedicated to zoo animals. As a class, 5th graders sing the song as a round and maintain a stead beat and rhythm while singing.
Amani Project
Make an Instrument
Create a little harmony with Amani Project! Young musicians create their instruments using found or recycled objects. As an introduction, class members first experiment with sounds they can make with their bodies (clapping, stomping...
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Native American Friendship Dance
Students demonstrate the proper steps in sequence to the Native American Friendship Dance.
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Makeshift Tambourines
Students use everyday materials to make their own tambourines. As a class, they play the tambourines and discover beats and rhythms. They work on creating their own song and beat and play to the rest of the class to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Reading Music Notation
Ninth graders develop an understanding of music notation and become proficient at reading rhythms by sight. They explore rhythms base on divisions of two and four and triplets.
Curated OER
Rhythm-Music
First graders identify and keep a steady beat by playing instruments and playing the game stated in the lesson. Then they use what they know about rhythm and apply it to the use of instruments. Students also perform on instruments, alone...
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Notating a Rainy Day
Young singers learn how to notate the rhythms and melodies of a familiar song using Kodaly hand signals and manipulatives. Individuals then create their own compositions and sing them using Kodaly notation.
Curated OER
Rock Till You Drop!
Young scholars study rhythmic patterns and phrases on percussion instruments. They form a drum circle and take turns playing the beat. After listening to styles of rhythms, students compare styles of music. They compose a short piece...
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Tumbling and Movement
Students perform basic tumbling activities. In this movement lesson, students practice tumbling and balancing moves while listening to music. Students are "frozen" into place while in certain positions.
Curated OER
Scrambled Eggs Super!
Students study rhythm and rhyme. In this rhyming lesson, students read Scrambled Eggs Super! by Dr. Seuss. Students explore the rhythm of rhyming words found in the book. The students decorate eggs and place rhyming words inside to use...
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Up From the Streets: Hip Hop as a Recognized Art
Students discuss the historical roots of Hip-Hop to the present as an example of an art form that arose from the street into popular culture. Emphasis is placed on in-class discussion and written reflections in this introductory lesson.
Curated OER
Keyboard centers with Music You Can Read
Students play the letters provided in the format "Keyboard/Xylophone/Tone Bells" with the intention of using the "Music Only" format as skills progress. They study fingerings and chords when appropriate to skills.
Curated OER
Music: The Experience of a Lifetime
Students use rhymes, songs and games to help them study music. They discover how music can be used with movement, speech and singing.
Curated OER
Music: Individual and Group Practice
Third graders, in groups and individually, perform various musical pieces on their instruments. After demonstrating how to play steady beats, they also play counter melodies to songs such as "Peace Like a River." While some students...
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Tony Bennett: With Special Guests The Backstreet Boys - Lesson 2
Students clap four-beat rhythm patterns containing whole, half, dotted half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests in a given tempo. They clap the tempo as their teacher holds up flash cards.
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Creative Dancing
Students dance a Cossack dance. In this dance lesson, students learn to keep the beat and follow a movement sequence to dance a Cossack Dance.
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Wyclef Jean for VH1 Storytellers
Students use recordings of Wyclef Jean's music to study and explore different styles and techniques.
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Note Bowling
Students practice recognition of different music notes and their values and work on throwing cues, scoring, and addition.
Curated OER
Dancing the Colors of Birds
Students explore colors through storytelling and dance. In this visual arts lesson plan, students view the painting "Bird and Cornstalk Rug" and identify three colors. Students express how the colors make them feel through the rhythm of...
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Introduction to African Culture Through Music & Dance
Students explore various elements in West African Culture through the medium of a traditional music and dance from Ghana. They take an imaginary tour of a village dance-drumming event in West Africa.
Curated OER
Rhythmic Expression
Students discover movement and expression to music/sound through a series of teacher-led exercises and role plays. This lesson is ideal for the middle school drama class with possibilities for adaptation to any level of drama or general...