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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: An Interview With Vusi Mahlasela

For Students 9th - 10th
Here, Vusi Mahlasela talks about music, its social impact, and his hopes for how we relate to each other in this challenging world. [6:29]
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Southern Mosaic

For Students 9th - 10th
This site, from the Library of Congress, provides a recording project by the WPA during the Depression Era of folk music collected throughout the southern states of the U.S. Supplemented by photos and other material to document life...
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Website
PBS

Mpr: The Meaning of Sioux Music and Song

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Minnesota Public Radio provides the text of a 1915 article written by musician and self-trained anthropologist, Frances Densmore. Densmore spent years studying the music and culture of the Teton Sioux and other native...
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Hispano Music & Culture of the Northern Rio Grande

For Students 9th - 10th
Collection of online resources on the Hispanic arts and culture of the Southwestern United States. Exhibits include essays, audio files, and links to related sites.
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Website
Mex Connect

Mexconnect: A New Generation Embraces Centuries Old Music of Mexico

For Students 9th - 10th
An article on mariachi music, which originated in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
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Website
Other

California State University: Folklore: The Traditional Ballad Index

For Students 9th - 10th
The traditional ballad index is an extensive bibliography of folk ballads. There is some summary information.
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Website
PBS

Pbs: American Masters: Joni Mitchell

For Students 9th - 10th
This is an excellent resource covering the life and musical career of Joni Mitchell. Be sure to check out the interactive timeline.
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Website
Other

English Folk and Traditional Music on the Net

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a resource for English traditional music. It includes libraries, archives, magazines, and discographies and provides access to many other connected links.
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Article
Other

Roots World Traditional Music Magazine

For Students 9th - 10th
Magazine site that specializes in roots music, such as traditional, celtic and folk. International scope with an archive of reviews, interviews and feature articles.
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Website
Other

Ifduc: International Folk Dance

For Students 9th - 10th
This site contains link to related news groups, music sources, dance groups, and links to folk dance information.
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Website
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Bob Dylan

For Students 9th - 10th
One of the premier songwriters of his time, one cannot think of folk music without thinking of Bob Dylan. This legendary singer was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988 and has five songs on the top 500 list of most influential songs.
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Article
PBS

Pbs: American Roots Music: Episode Summaries

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides summaries for each of the four episodes: Episode One: When First Unto This Country, Episode Two: This Land is Your Land, Episode Three: The Times They are A-Changin', and Episode Four: All My Children of the Sun.
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Website
Other

Pop and Rock Music in the 60s: A Brief History

For Students 9th - 10th
This site has an web-article of the origins of 60s rock. Sections include "The Roots of Rock 'n' Roll," "The 1960's Begin," "The British Invade," and "1968 & 1969: The Unraveling." Also includes a bibliography section called...
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Website
University of Pittsburgh

Center for American Music Stephen Foster's Career

For Students 9th - 10th
This University of Pittsburgh site provides a wealth of information about American songwriter Stephen Foster. This link discusses his professional career with various other links within the text about minstrel shows, etc. Return to the...
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Website
University of Toronto (Canada)

University of Toronto: Stephen C. Foster, Old Folks at Home

For Students 9th - 10th
This website from the University of Toronto not only provides the lyrics to Stephen C. Foster's song, "Old Folks at Home," but also includes general information about the song.
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Article
State of Florida

Florida Historical Resources: Musical Brocade: Ann Yao and Zheng Music

For Students 9th - 10th
An article on the history of the "Zheng," an ancient Chinese stringed musical instrument and how it is still used today in music performances.
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Interactive
South Carolina Educational Television

Etv: Gullah Net: Got the Blues

For Students 2nd - 5th
Learn about music called the Blues, and then write, play, and sing an original blues song.
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Graphic
Other

Hungarian Customs: Hungarian Folk Art

For Students 9th - 10th
A small page on Hungarian folk art. Not much in the way of information, but the images aren't bad.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America Singing: Nineteenth Century Song Sheets

For Students 9th - 10th
Song sheets, which containedonly lyrics, were a popular form of printed music. The Library of Congress holds over 4,000 of these from the 1800s that can be viewed online.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier

For Students 9th - 10th
At this site from the Library of Congress, you can listen to an 82-year-old Virginia fiddler, Henry Reed, playing tunes recorded in the 1960's. Many of the tunes have been transcribed and the notation can be viewed on line as well. The...
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Handout
Other

Judy Collins

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical information on Judy Collins, folk singer and songwriter.
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Website
PBS

Pbs: American Masters: Bob Dylan

For Students 9th - 10th
The companion website of a film documentary directed by Martin Scorsese about the life and music of Bob Dylan. Understand Dylan's career and the impact of his music on the politics of the time, his influences, and his many musical...
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Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs: Continental Harmony

For Students 3rd - 8th
PBS presents several activities and lesson plans that cover the concepts of identifying different forms of music, learning about musical imagery, writing in response to music, and creating lyrics. The Sound Lounge has many interactive...
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Website
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Pete Seeger

For Students 9th - 10th
Covers expansive details on influential folk musician, Pete Seeger, a 1996 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key life events, recommended reading list, and essential songs.

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