Unit Plan
San Francisco Symphony

Biographical Slideshow

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Biographies can be a fun topic for any history project. Learners choose one famous person that lived between 1865 and 1930 to research. They gather information, work on reading comprehension, and use what they find to create slide shows...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Audio Aesop: Listen to the Lesson!

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Aesop's Fables are the focus of this language arts lesson plan. Young philosophers study and discuss the morals found in the most famous of Aesop's Fables. They write an original fable that teaches a common moral. A "Fable Listening...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Singing the Blues with Garageband

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Music composition can be easy with a little software assistance. The class uses Garageband to listen to, write, sing, and record a blues song. They listen to the song provided through the software, write their own lyrics to the song,...
Activity
Poetry4kids

How to Write a “Favorite Things” List Poem

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
If your students made a list of their favorite things, would writing poetry be on it? After this poetry writing lesson, it might! Young writers make a list of what they like—or what they don't like—before crafting the list into...
Lesson Plan
Perkins School for the Blind

I'm Thinking Of...

For Teachers K - 6th
Learning how to describe an object or a person is a great way to develop verbal and written expression. Learners with special needs improve their verbal expressive skills and concept development skills while playing a guessing game. The...
Activity
Library Sparks

When Marian Sang: Reader's Theater

For Teachers 2nd - 5th Standards
Put on an eight-actor show based on Pan Munoz Ryan's When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson. The resource comes with a color-coded script that includes some images from the picture book.
Activity
Lexington Children's Theatre

Play Guide: A Charlie Brown Christmas

For Teachers 2nd - 6th Standards
What's your favorite seasonal tradition? Before viewing a stage production of A Charlie Brown Christmas, language arts students explore the music and literary themes of the story. After they have watched the show, learners compare...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nature Poems

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the visual, auditory, and verbal worlds offered by iLife applications to create a project that engages all learners and learning styles. They create a class book and CD of nature poems and artwork.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading Primary Source Documents: Historical Content

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Why do we read primary source documents? What can they give us that other writings cannot? Provide your learners with any of the primary sources attached here (there are seven), and have them complete the graphic organizer (which opens...
Lesson Plan
Perkins School for the Blind

Learning to Identify Sounds Made by the Body

For Teachers K - 6th
Sneeze, snap, tap, and whistle; Did I do that? Explore the parts and sounds of the human body with your learners with visual impairments. First you'll name the parts of the body, make a sound with each part, and then have the class...
Activity
Activated Story Theatre

Orpheus- A Greek Myth: Reader's Theatre Script

For Teachers 3rd - 10th
Is this any way to treat a Greek Myth? By all means, turn the tale of Orpheus into a reader's theatre exercise.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Poetry Part I-- The Three Pillars of Poetry

For Teachers 5th - 6th
In these poetry writing worksheets, learners learn the power of words and the ability of the poet to say a great deal with a few well-chosen words. Students learn the 3 pillars of poetry: Emotion (makes you feel something), Image (makes...
Lesson Plan
Peace Corps

Weather and Water in Ghana

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the climate of their region. Students research statistics and conduct interviews. Students take a virtual tour of Ghana and discuss its climate. Students consider water conservation and the role it plays in both...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Study Guide for Lelavision's Physical Music

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students complete activities for physical music analysis. In this physical music lesson, students read the biography for Lelavision musical sculptures, complete a sound and motion activity, and a making music activity. Students also...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing a Music Review

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students compose a written music review of one of today's popular bluegrass musicians after they read online essays and journals about the modern bluegrass music scene look over and discuss recent music reviews
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music Appreciation Lesson

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Young scholars discover the freedom of dance by performing physical expression with music.  In this physical education lesson plan, students discuss ways their body can make noise such as snapping, patting, or stomping.  Young...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Sakura Sakura" and the Kumoijoshi Scale of Japan

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students listen to a recording of "Sakura" and determine where it is from. In this global sound lesson, students view pictures of cherry blossoms and connect its significance to Japanese culture. Students sing the score while...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Checkmate: Chess, and the connection to the Middle Ages

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students investigate the different aspects of Medieval Times and the connection to chess.  For this world history lesson, students complete a chart answering questions about the lifestyles of men and women in the Medieval Times....
Lesson Plan
San Francisco Symphony

By the Great Horn Spoon!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
By The Great Horn Spoon is a fantastic novel for introducing learners to life during the California Gold Rush. First, kids research and analyze American folk songs, then they connect to the text as they listen to symphonic pieces written...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reviewing Good Playing Habits

For Teachers 5th - 8th
The string section of your school orchestra can get a proper form make-over by incorporating this lesson. They reestablish proper playing form, posture, and sound as they compose an essay on how to maintain good playing habits during...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Spy Poetry

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Explore the components of rhythm and form through a reading of Jean Marzollo's I Spy books. After discussing Marzollo’s format, the class agrees upon a theme for a class book and topics that fit with that theme. Pupils write a poem,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan for C.S Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Here is a instructional activity that incorporates music writing, and reading literature. The class reads chapter eight from the C.S. Lewis classic The Magician's Nephew. Then, just like in the story, they use music as inspiration...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mozart vs. Beethoven - Real Classical Composers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Elementary schoolers are given an overview of the baroque, classical, romantic, and modern periods of music. They focus on the lives of Beethoven and Mozart; two of the greatest composers of all time. After listening to samples their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Importance of Storytelling

For Teachers K - 5th
Students examine how African Americans escaping slavery used storytelling to communicate. They listen to and read the lyrics for the song, Follow the Drinking Gourd, view the Reading Rainbow video, and write and illustrate their own story.