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Alicia Keys, Songs in A Minor
Need a musical lesson for your drama or performing arts class? VH1 has put together a really neat lesson, in which learners use biographical information about Alicia Keys to write and perform a one-act musical related to her life. This...
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Changes of Musical Elements in Popular Music Through the Decades
Students probe samples of European classical, American jazz, and rock and roll to analyze the similarities and differences. The styles and form of these three types of music are examined for tempo, timbre, and rhythm.
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Lesson: Urs Fischer: Reviving the Past Art Movements
Seven major abstract art movements are analyzed by learners in groups. Each group analyzes various works by determining which work belongs to which movement. They then read Flatland, engage in an art and literary analysis discussion,...
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Social Studies: Medieval and Contemporary Class Structures
Students discuss and compare contemporary class systems with those of the Middle Ages. They explore Websites on HyperStudio stack and review art and music of the Middle Ages. In groups, students design and draw castles reflecting manor...
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I Went to the Crossroads: The Faust Theme in Music, Film and Literature
Students analyze song lyrics and discuss Faust theme in musical history. In this thematic lesson, students view a film clip and create a song lyric, poem or short story developed around the Faust theme. Students perform or present their...
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Jazz in America Lesson Plan 7
The student will explore free jazz, fusion, and contemporary jazz. They will listen to avant garde, fusion, and pop recordings. In addition, they participate in a class discussion regarding jazz's contribution to and reflection of...
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The Soundtrack of One's Life
Students research a historical person and the time in which he/she lived. They write a biography including images and at least four songs from the time period in which the person lived.
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The Soundtrack of One's Life
Students gather important information about a historical figure. They write a short biography, including illustrations. Students collect songs from the time period when the person lived. They create a play list in iTunes. Students...
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The John Travolta Syndrome
Students examine the influence of music and film on contemporary fashion. For this popular culture lesson, students research select films featuring John Travolta. Students research selected time periods in American history as well....
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Twelfth Night-The Musical!
Students read Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. In groups, they divide Act 2 and add a new character or direction to the plot. They reinterpret the scene as a musical, using contemporary songs.
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The Power of Music
Students analyze the music Shakespeare chose for his play The Tempest. They seek to research why he alluded to popular music and contemporary artists. Students make connections between their own musical knowledge/tastes/interests and the...
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Energy TV
Middle schoolers rewrite the lyrics of existing songs using the different energy terms as the focus of their work. They break into four groups and form the name of a musical group. Using a tune from a popular group, students make up a...
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Historic Heroes
Pupils recognize traits of heroes as depicted in music, art and literature. In this cross curricular activity, students evaluate and analyze various works fo art from different cultures that depict heroes.
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New england (1780-1820): Dress, Dance and Games
Pupils examine and discuss nineteenth century clothing and compare it to contemporary styles. After writing paragraphs describing the clothing styles, they play games from the period. For homework, they create their own games to play the...
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French Connections
Learners use Internet links to plan a 3-day tour of France. They role-play a typical encounter that may be experienced during their trip.
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Can You Build a Better Mousetrap?
Students use a variety of linked sites to research information about student inventions and contests that are available for them. They research an invention they would like to see become available. They communicate their results to their...
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Shakespeare Was A Black Woman
"I all alone beweep my outcast state." After a discussion of the "Shakespeare in American Life" segment in which Maya Angelou's relates her reaction to Sonnet 29, class groups create and perform a scene about an outcast that includes the...
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Jump if you feel like it
Students incorporate historical references into the modern circle dances.
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Creating Stage Designs that Reflect
Students identify and research cultural, historical, and symbolic clues in dramatic texts. They demonstrate knowledge of research sources.
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Urban Concentration and Racial Violence
Students research one of the many urban race riots in U.S. history, from the New York City riots during the Civil War to the "Red Summer of 1919" or the hate-strikes of 1943. They present their findings in the form of a newspaper's front...