Unit Plan

The American Musical

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This The American Musical unit plan also includes:

General music students learn about the history of popular American music by creating and performing a one-act musical. After researching and creating an American Musical timeline, class members write a song with lyrics using Jam Studio, develop a script for their original musical, and choreograph their songs.

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Instructional Ideas
  • Video clips of stage and film versions of the opening scenes of both Li'l Abner and Showboat are available on the Internet; preview several to determine the most appropriate for your learning situation
Classroom Considerations
  • The nine-week unit is designed for seventh graders but is appropriate for both middle and high school general music classes
  • Class members must have access to computers with Internet connection and access to Jam Studio
  • Requires considerable prep time to locate and prepare materials
Pros
  • The 29-page packet
  • Includes rubrics to assess the various projects
Cons
  • Does not detail how to write a song or how to choreograph a song