Penguin Books
Up Close: Ella Fitzgerald
A reading of Tanya Lee Stones' biography of Ella Fitzgerald lets middle schoolers get up close and personal with the First Lady of Jazz. Stone recounts details of Fitzgerald's life from her early days through her experiences as a teenage...
Look! We're Learning!
Ella Fitzgerald Biography Mini-Unit
Before there was Beyonce, before there was Madonna, before there was Cher, there was Ella. Introduce Ella Fitzgerald, The First Lady of Jazz, with a reading comprehension exercise that presents a brief biography of her life and then asks...
Curated OER
Ella Fitzgerald: Something to Live For
Students examine the basic characteristics of jazz, and its relationship to African-American culture and history. They listen to examples of jazz, conduct research, and create a 20th century timeline of music and historical events.
Curated OER
Ella Fitzgerald
Young scholars examine the life and music of Ella Fitzgerald. They participate in a matching game, explore an Internet website, and write in response to Ella Fitzgerald's music.
Jazz Academy
Let Freedom Swing
Three lessons in the Let Freedom Swing concert tour resource guide packed with information, materials, and activities that provide the context for any study of American history.
Curated OER
Women in Jazz
Students watch a video: "VH1 Millennium Jazz Festival From The White House" to become familiar with prominent women in jazz. They discuss the vocally oriented nature of jazz and the contributions made by women on and off stage.
Curated OER
Draw Me the Music
Middle schoolers explore and investigate the foundation and history of jazz music. They listen to various pieces of music while creating drawings, develop a timeline of jazz history, and read and discuss biographies of famous jazz...
Curated OER
There Ya Go, Bobby McFerrin, Creativity ans Jazz
Students examine the percussion sounds used to create percussive sounds and identify the instruments that Bobby McFerrin imitates in his scat vocals. A scat version of the musical piece "So What" is improvised in this instructional...
PBS
Pbs: Jazz: Biographies: Ella Fitzgerald
Learn about the life of Ella Fitzgerald, from her childhood as an orphan to her rise as a successful jazz singer. Includes audio (requires RealPlayer).
Library of Congress
Loc: First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald
This article about the life and music of Ella Fitzgerald explores major moments in the jazz singer's career.
PBS
Pbs: American Masters: Ella Fitzgerald
Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald is featured on this PBS site. Find out about her life and musical career. Be sure to check out the interactive career timeline as well.
PBS
Pbs American Experience: The Casual Excellence of Ella Fitzgerald
By challenging conventional links between black women's lives and their art, Ella Fitzgerald made space for imagination, virtuosity, and play.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Ella Fitzgerald
Brief biography of famous singer and Grammy winner Ella Fitzgerald.
Black Past
Black Past: Fitzgerald, Ella
This encyclopedia entry details the life of Ella Fitzgerald, the incredible jazz singer.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Great War & Jazz Age (1914 1928)
This Library of Congress time-line series surveys World War I and the Jazz Age. When World War I broke out in Europe, many changes were going on in the United States. Women were voting for the first time and African-American culture was...
Danuta Bois
Distinguished Women of Past and Present: Ella Fitzgerald
This is a very short article on Ella Fitzgerald, a jazz singer who was discovered while "singing in a Harlem talent show."