Smithsonian Institution
The Birth of an Icon: Learning and Performing the Origins of the Drum Set and Early Jazz Drumming in New Orleans, Louisiana
Bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, cymbals. Perched behind their drum sets, wielding their drum sticks and wire brushes, drummers lay the grove and are the heartbeat of a band's performance. A dynamic lesson introduces young musicians to...
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Games and Play Today and Yesterday In Louisiana
Students explore the play patterns and games of children in Louisiana's past. Through discussion and Internet research, they explore Louisiana folklore as well as traditional games that students played. Activities for multiple grade...
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Jazz in America
Students learn where Jazz came from and why it is an important part of America's history.
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Musical Traditions of Southern Louisiana
This units gives learners opportunities to * Research the history and patterns of French settlement in Louisiana * Discover three types of music (New Orleans jazz, Cajun, Zydeco) which are representative of the Francophone presence in...
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Writing a Music Review
In this graphic organizer worksheet, students read a music review, watch a traditional music performance or listen to a sound recording from the "Louisiana Folklife Program" website, and review notes about careers in music. Students...
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Sources of Generational Music
In this Louisiana music history worksheet, students select two online readings from the "Louisiana Living Traditions" website to read. Upon completion of the readings, students explore what they learned in the articles and from personal...
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Louisiana's Legendary Musicians
Young scholars identify and interpret what legendary traditional musicians of Louisiana that allows them to hear new genres of traditional music. They also identify what it means to be a legendary artist and read, write, and create a...
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A World of Taste--Louisiana Gumbo
Learners discover the multicultural contributions to New Orleans gumbo through participation in cross curriculum activities. In this multicultural diversity and New Orleans history lesson, students shade regions of a map according to a...
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Our States, My State
Here is a very nice lesson on the shape of the United States, and the shapes of the individual states for your young geographers. They utilize worksheets embedded in the plan to color in a variety of states and to become familiar with...
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The Prairie Dog That Met the President
Pupils study the history of jazz music. They listen to various examples of jazz music and complete a worksheet in which they must identify the individual instruments they hear and identify characteristics of the genre of jazz music.
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Independent Research Worksheet
In this moving to music instructional activity, students research folk dance in Louisiana in part A. By completing part B of the instructional activity, students conduct their own primary research that will be shared with their...
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Spark Activity: Louisiana Line Dance
Students learn and practice 1 step at a time of the Louisiana Line Dance, then put all steps together and practice the dance to music.Â
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A Fun Way to Learn Math History!
Ninth graders, in groups, search for and locate resources on a chosen famous mathematician. Enough information needs to be gathered to examine the mathematician's life and his/her contributions to the field of mathematics.
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U.S. Set to Celebrate Lincoln Bicentennial
Young scholars use a news article about the celebration of the Lincoln Bicentennial to answer questions about Abraham Lincoln and the celebration. In this current events and US history lesson based on a news article, students participate...
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Our States, My State
Pupils examine the Louisiana state quarter and locate Louisiana on a map of the U.S. They relate the location of Louisiana to other states (and vise versa) using directions and the compass rose.
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Mardi Gras Quilt
Young scholars investigate the concept of Mardi Gras and how it is celebrated in Louisiana. They use technology in order to create interest in the form of a video. Students create a quilt template using the internet to copy and paste...
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Questions for Dancers- Interviewing
In this interview worksheet, students locate someone in their community who does traditional dances. They interview dancers using the questions listed.
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Battle of New Orleans
Students use the Internet, encyclopedias, and other library resources to discover basic facts about the Battle of New Orleans and the 1768 revolt by French colonists in Spanish Louisiana. They examine two websites that give information...
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The Mission of Lewis and Clark
Students comprehend the various aspects of the Lewis and Clark expediton. They complete an idea web. Students work in small groups. They recall some important aspects of the Lewis and Clark expedition by performing the Corps of...
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US Geography, The Blues
This instructional activity enables teachers to use blues styles and performers to think about various geographical regions of the United States. By studying different blues styles from the Mississippi Delta, Texas, and the Piedmont...
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The Cajuns: Natives with a Difference!
Students examine the immigrant experiences of various culture groups. Using this information, they work together to compare and contrast these experiences with those of the Cajuns. As a class, they define ethnic group and research the...
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A Differentiated Way through Think Dots
Students examine reasons that led people to explore, identify "West" as defined following Revolutionary War, explain importance of finding natural resources, develop time line of dates and events leading up to Lewis and Clark Expedition,...
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The Practice Interview
Students study the interview process by interviewing each other in pairs using a name game. They formulate and ask effective interview questions and practice interviewing skills. They invite a guest to their classroom or go outside the...
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Vietnam: A Divided Nation
Eleventh graders examine events leading up to and during the Vietnam War. They research assigned topics utilizing interviews, Powerpoint presentations, timelines, and collages in their presentations.