Young scholars research a musician or composer of their choice and present their research through a written paper and free choice activity. This lesson can be done over the course of five to six classes with some homework. The paper...

Students delve into the life and music of Duke Ellington as a major American musician and composer. The elements that made the sound of his orchestra unique and the talents of his band members are explored in this instructional activity.

Anthony Mann's 1953 film biography, The Glenn Miller Story, is the focus of a series of activities that introduce class members to Miller's life and music. Of particular interest to music students will be the cameos by many famous...

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.

Students are introduced to new vocabulary associated with an artist. Using this information, they use the internet to create a report on the artist along with a visual or audio aid. They present their material to the class and answer...

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...

Learners read the book Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis. For this biography instructional activity, students read about the life of Ray Charles. Learners answer pre-reading questions about senses, strengths, and weaknesses they have....

Students closely examine chamber music as it has changed from the Middle Ages to today. They work in small groups to research the composers, instruments and typical presentation in 5 time periods. They write biographies and share their...

Students discover how storytelling can shape a person's tradition.Students examine different methods of storytelling such as music, biographies, and African folktales. They then demonstrate their knowledge of storytelling by writing...

Students research notable figures from their generation and write a research paper illustrating the various figures' impact and influence on their generation in terms of language, leisure and politics.

Students compare and contrast Jamie Foxx's early musical career with the careers of J.S. Back and F.J. Haydn. They watch and discuss a segment of "VH1 Driven: Jamie Foxx," listen to a hymn, and complete a worksheet.

Students explore art history by creating their own abstract art pieces. In this Pablo Picasso lesson, students read assigned text discussing biographical information about the artist and examine several of his paintings. Students create...

Students examine the technical language used by musicians and music lovers. They study the contemporary relevance of 19th Century Italian opera and understand how it is translated into electronic media.