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Repetitive Song Form
Eighth graders discover different concepts for identifying musical structure and song form. In this Music History lesson plan, 8th graders compare and contrast a Red Hot Chili Peppers song to an Andrea Bocelli's song.
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Hearts and Partners
Tenth graders explore, examine and study poetry within a variety of different strategies within this lesson. They review and discuss a diagram of the big picture of why it's importance to study, analyze and deconstruct poetry, so that...
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M.C. Bard: Hip Hop and Shakespeare
Young scholars compare lyrics from hip hop songs with monologues from Shakespeare's plays, and perform both for the class.
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Poetic Analysis
Students write a poetic analysis on a poem by Carl Sandburg. They take their previous knowledge of poetic devices and apply them to a piece of writing that displays their knowledge on a specific poem. They explain what they know about a...
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Simile Stories
Fourth graders view song lyrics and identify similes in the song text. For this similes lesson, 4th graders define and identify similes on a worksheet. Students write their own similes using various adjectives.
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Browning's "My Last Duchess" and Dramatic Monologue
Students read and analyze the poem, "My Last Duchess," by Robert Browning. They examine the use of dramatic monologue as a poetic device, and write a character profile of the Duke.
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Creative Writing
High schoolers determine what grammar is and how they have learned it. In this creative writing instructional activity, students read "Style' Gets New Elements," and respond to the discussion questions. High schoolers then present...
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You Don’t Know What You’ve Got Until It’s Gone: The Changing American Landscape
Students examine the changing American landscape. In this cause and effect lesson, students listen to rock music that exemplifies urban growth in America and the interconnectedness of America today. Students write cause and effect essays...
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Jazz Talk
Middle schoolers analyze the origins of jazz music by examining work songs, spirituals, blues, and gospel songs as well as works of poetry from African American artists. They create their own poems from either the narrative, dramatic,...
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Music Education, The Blues
This lesson examines both the content and form of lyrics in blues songs. In addition to highlighting the basic musical form of a blues song, it also addresses the use of floating verses in blues music, both within the context of the...
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Langston Hughes and the Blues
Students explore the connections between Langson Hughes and blues music. In this African American culture lesson, students compare and contrast blues music with poetry and short stories by Langston Hughes.
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Lecture 6 - Oral Interpretation - Verse
Young scholars discuss how oral interpretation varies with prose and poetry. They select a piece of prose or poetry to present to the class, and then assess each other on the organization and delivery of their speech as well as on their...
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You've Got to be Taught to Hate and Fear
Students explore themes of prejudice and acceptance. In this character education lesson, students listen and respond to several fiction books, poems, and lyrics with a similar theme. Students locate articles with the main idea of...
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Anglo-Saxon Period: An Introduction
High schoolers read information about Anglo-Saxon rulers and literary techniques, then complete a worksheet to help them review. Students take notes about the oral tradition, Anglo-Saxon literary terms, and Anglo-Saxon poetry. High...
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Rhythm And Sound 2
Students review the concept of rhythm and this lesson looks at some specific sound devices in the study of music. They focus on assonance, consonance, and alliteration. Students define the concept of rhythm and give poetry as an example...
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Shakespeare Analysis
Eighth graders focus on the Shakespearian sonnet as a form and analyze the sonnet in terms of structure, the particular rhyme scheme of the quatrains and the rhyming couplet, the rhythm of iambic pentameter, as well as any figurative...
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Stylistic Devices
Students review connotation and denotation and stylistic devices in poetry. They read the lyrics to a song as it is being played and then discuss the meaning of the song. As a class, students read poems, share their thoughts, and...
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VH1 Driven: Jamie Foxx, Lesson 3
Students examine the blues, poetry, the Harlem Renaissance, and the 12-bar blues form. They watch a segment from the video, "VH1 Driven: Jamie Foxx," participate in a class discussion, and listen to songs by Ray Charles and a poem by...
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Locking up teenage criminals
Students evaluate comments submitted by young people regarding teenage criminals. They plan a new approach to young offenders and explain their ideas as a poem or rap lyrics.
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Tolerance
Students explore the concept of tolerance. In this diversity lesson, students discover what tolerance is and then research tolerance in historical perspectives. Students explore how to promote tolerance in the future.
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A Country Twice Divided
Students study biography from the 19th century. They read "The Red Badge of Courage." Students research a topic from the list provided in the lesson and write a 5-7 page paper. They study lyrics and melodies of the confederacy and...
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Jack and the Beanstalk
Students create a creative interpretation of Jack and the Beanstalk. For this artistic expression lesson, students paint the stages of the beanstalk plant as a storyboard and create song about how the seed is growing.
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Oh, Say Can You See...
Learners explore the meaning behind "The Star-Spangled Banner." In this music lesson, students sing the first verse of the national anthem and watch several performances of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Learners define several vocabulary...
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Storytellers: Dave Matthews Band
Students listen to the music of the Dave Matthews Band in order to discuss and analyze the lyrics. They examine how the songs are presented and determine if the Dave Matthews Band does a good job of presenting the meaning of the lyrics...