Curated OER
Misterioso: Thelonius Monk
Students examine the musical style of Thelonius Monk, particularly Misterioso. They write in their journals how the song sounds and fits with the way Monk dresses. They journal about how their own music might sound if they wrote jazz music.
Curated OER
And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop
Students discuss the role of the rapper in Hip Hop music and how the rapper promoted their group's DJ. They compose a short rap about a fellow student highlighting that student's accomplishments and good traits.
Curated OER
The History of Rock and Roll: Part 6 - My Generation - Lesson 2
Students identify musical characteristics of baroque, jazz, and psychedelic music. They arrange traditional music into the style of baroque, jazz, and psychedelic music.
Curated OER
Songs from the Past
Students research songs from the past to learn about historical events. In this music history lesson, students conduct a survey on the Star-Spangled Banner, research the song and history on various websites, and research songs in the...
Curated OER
Different Ways to Travel
Students use concentration and imagination to show different ways to move. In this body awareness lesson plan, students show different ways to move to music. While the music is played students move around the room changing their...
Curated OER
Boosting Rap's Rep
Students consider the negative image that some have of rap and hip-hop music through discussion and reading an opinion piece from The New York Times. They create CD cover artwork reflecting these messages.
Curated OER
Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain - Kenya
Students accompany music to the story Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain - Kenya to show how sound and music can accompany story description. In this music lesson, students learn how to show sound during a story.
Curated OER
Adventures in Music History
Seventh graders participate in a variety of experiences to investigate the tie between music and history. It combines music history with historical events and includes information about composers and the music that they composed....
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Music Appreciation:
Students list the four main families of musical instruments, name one instrument from each musical family, name three ways music is used in everyday life.
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Ancient Music Recreated in Scotland
Students read, analyze and critique a newspaper article about ancient musical tunes that have been found in a church in Scotland. They assess key vocabulary terms found within the article and compose lyrics for a song after answering a...
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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.
Curated OER
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.
Digital Forsyth
Old Salem Speech
The focus of the activity is rhythmic speech and 4/4 time. The topic of the activity is trades common in Old Salem during the colonial period. Learners will practice keeping time with their voices and body percussion. They will then...
Curated OER
Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Duke Ellington
Students read Duke Ellington by Andrea Davis Pinkney. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the life of the 20th century composer. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and...
Curated OER
International Curiosity and National Pride
Students analyze their own culture and a Bulgarian culture to identify national, local, or ethnic traits. In this culture analysis lesson, students identify three important characteristics of their culture and compose a list of questions...
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High and Low Tones
Students perform movements to trigger high and low tones in music produced by percussionists.
Curated OER
Personal Narrative Paragraphs: Class Quilt
Begin this activity by asking third graders to bring from home pieces of cloth that represent something important to them. (Have extras for students who need them.) They reflect on important events in their lives, compose narrative...
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"We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover"
Students examine video clips and Web sites related to relevant productions, study song lyrics, and compare and contrast actual history with Broadway history. They create lyrics for a new song based on a contemporary or historical figure...
Curated OER
Tap Your Feet
Students access a website to examine how to follow a pattern. They find their own heartbeats and tap along with the beat. They access a second website to design a class composition before showing how they keep the beat. They use...
Poetry Class
Eccentricity and Sound
What do Lady Gaga and Dame Edith Sitwell have in common? As they examine Sitwell's poetry, class members learn that the similarities are far more than their unique appearance.
Curated OER
Melody Words
Fourth graders compose a melody by placing words on the music staff. They play their melody words for the class.
Curated OER
The Rhythm of Life - Episode One - Rhythm
Students investigate the role of music in their lives. They examine rhythm as the building block of music and examine how to appreciate music. They investigate music as a tool in health and healing.
Curated OER
Create-a-Composition
Students creatively express themselves by creating simple pieces of music.
Curated OER
Discover the History of Melody
Learners connect to music resources. In this music lesson plan, students visit the websites of the Handel House Museum, the Horniman Museum, Reid Concert Hall, and the National Center for Early Music. Learners may research the virtual...