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Keyboard and the Grand Staff
Students explore the treble and bass staffs, naming the lines, spaces, and locating middle C. Individually, students complete a word game and then compare their answers with a partner. They sight-read the grand staff and explore ways...
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Pitch, Intonation, Harmonic Theory
Students listen to pitches and determine if they are in tune, flat or sharp. Using Aurelia computer software and playing as a band, students practice pitch theory, and play two-octave major scales. They practice and discuss how to tune...
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The Brass Family
Students observe a PowerPoint presentation to explore how brass instruments produce wounds. They observe the teacher demonstrate the proper use of the mouthpiece and slides to produce a tone. With and without the mouthpiece, students...
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African American Music
Students investigate a variety of sites to gather relevant information for a
presentation about African American musical forms in this general Music lesson for middle school and high school. Resource links are provided to aid instruction.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Students study the life and music of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. They practice listening for the downbeat of a musical selection. They participate in a physical exercise where they march around in a circle and clap to the...
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Responses To Twentieth Century Music: A High School Art Curriculum
Students explore their own responses to sound by hearing the music as a regular part of the class structure. They develop an awareness that certain art evokes certain sounds and moods and develop an intuitive responses to the music.
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Sight-Reading Practice
Students practice sight-reading skills in order to become more comfortable with them for future purposes. They review and drill on basic procedures for sight-reading for future competitions. Each student also analyzes advanced rhythms,...
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African-American Musicians
Students research three African-American musicians and compose a report based upon their research in this Music Appreciation lesson for the middle level classroom. The lesson could be adapted for various student levels and abilities.
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Halloween Songs
Young scholars perform a dance (La Raspa) from a different culture while maintaining a steady beat, sing "Halloween Night" with accurate pitch and good breath support, and imitate a body percussion part for the song "Monster Mash" in...
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Social Studies: Maryland and Its Culture
Students discuss the history and culture of Baltimore, Maryland. they discover the importance of the city's port along with the state bird and song. Background sources include "The Prairie Dog That Met the President" and "Journey of...
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Oh Shenandoah
Young scholars sing Oh Shenandoah with correct notes, diction, a characteristic choral tone, appropriate style and have an understanding of the history of the lyrics. The version of Oh Shenandoah is for an SSA choir and was arranged by...
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Class Rap
Young scholars explore rap music and its components. They listen to examples of rap music and discuss their common features. After selecting a topic, they compose a rap with both words and the beat and sing it to the class. As a class...
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Salad Sisters
Students practice and perform 8 and 16 beat rhythmic patterns in 4/4 using the song "Salad Sisters" as a basis in this elementary-level General Music lesson. An amazing lesson for teaching cooperative music composition techniques and...
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B is for Banana
Learners practice and perform the song "B is for Banana" using their knowledge of basic rhythms in 4/4 and student-created rhythm accompaniment based on speech. This excellent lesson is provided by the MENC (National Association for...
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Phytochemicals
Students create movement, improvise rhythmic accompaniment, practice, and perform the song "Phytochemicals" in this excellent elementary-level General Music lesson. The lesson includes lesson challenges for more advanced students.
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Broccoli
Students compose, notate, and evaluate their own rhythmic compositions using the song "Broccoli" for inspiration in this excellent elementary-level General Music lesson. Emphasis is placed upon four-measure patterns and the classic...
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Vitamin A
Students explore non-locomotor movements and instrument improvisation creating accompaniments to the song "Vitamin A" in this elementary-level General Music lesson. The lesson nutrition messages links and student challenges for advanced...
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Fit Kid
Students practice and perform the song "Fit Kid" while learning the basics of motion and music and dynamics in this elementary-level lesson for the General Music classroom. The lesson emphasizes proper exercise and diet for a healthy life.
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SATIRE AND POLITICS
Students, after analyzing a satiric song written during the Prohibition era, illustrate how humor can be utilized as a political tool by writing satiric lyrics on a current political issue at the front of the news world today. They...
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Contrast Listening
Students listen to two different excerpts of the same music piece. In groups, they collectively write descriptions of the tempo and dynamics of the piece and assign a color to the music. They relate the color chosen to the tempo and...
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Music of Puerto Rico
Seventh graders study about the musical rhythms and instruments of Puerto Rico. Then they construct their own instruments using recycled products. Students listen to different genres of music and define them. Students focus on the...
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Stone Passing Game with Calabash Song
Students discuss games and their use around the world in many different cultures and how music and games are related. They discuss the rules of West African game then play a game from West Africa and review and learn the "Calabash" song...
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The Classical Period
Sixth graders are introduced to the classical period in music history. After listening to examples, they identify and describe the characteristics of music during this time period and research the main composers. Using the internet,...
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Concert Ettiquette
Students investigate the concept of social ettiquette. They complete exercises that are targeted at finding the right kind of behavior to display while performing in a concert setting. They make a list of the most desirable behaviors for...