Curated OER
The Blues: The Father of Rock And Roll
Students examine influence The Blues had on Rock and Roll and the concomitant social, political, and economic factors and movements during the post-World War II period. Students then research and create multimedia reports on...
Curated OER
Romantic and 20th Century Period Music
Upper graders explore the similarities, differences, and depth of pop music from the Romantic era and the 20th century. They listen to selections that exemplify the Baroque, Romantic, and 20th century periods, then create presentations...
Curated OER
Popular Music and Music Videos
This resource is part of a three-activity unit that introduces your class to the concept of popular culture and the role that it plays in their lives. Here, learners examine the importance of the music industry and music videos in pop...
Curated OER
100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll - Lesson 4
Learners analyze the genres of folk and country music and the importance of the singer/songwriter. They compose their own lyrics based on an inspiring event.
Curated OER
Slices of American Pie: The 1960s Through Music
Eleventh graders examine political, cultural, and social movements through music. In this 1960s American history lesson, 11th graders explore the music of the decade in order to better understand the complexity of the time period....
Curated OER
Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago - Chicago Blues
Watching Great Performances’ Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago launches an investigation into and discussion of how the electric guitar and guitarists have changed the sound of the blues over time. An engaging way to...
Curated OER
Rockin’ the World: Rock and Roll and Social Protest in 20th Century America
Students explore protest songs. For this interdisciplinary lesson, students examine issues-based music by summarizing lyrics and revealing inferences, generalizations, conclusions, and points of view found in the songs.
Curated OER
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Henry David Thoreau and Linda Ronstadt? Ann Tyler and Pete Townshend? Joyce Carol Oates and Pearl Jam? This richly detailed plan pairs classic literature with contemporary music and asks learners to analyze how the theme of conformity is...
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And We Were All in One Place: Youth Culture and the Rock Festival
Students explore historical youth culture events. For this youth culture lesson, students discover details regarding the Altamont, Woodstock, and Monterey concerts. Students conduct research that regarding the rock festivals and analyze...
Curated OER
The Vietnam War: A Popular Music Approach
Young scholars explore the Vietnam War in music. In this Vietnam instructional activity, students listen to and analyze popular music from the Vietnam era in order to understand the use of propaganda regarding the controversial war....
Curated OER
The blues highway: An integration of music with geography
Students analyze the movement of the blues from rural Mississippi to urban Chicago and how place and the environment affected the development of the blues. They define the blues, where it originated and how and why it moved to Chicago....
Curated OER
Time for All Ages
Fourth graders discover time keeping by analyzing technological advances in history. In this time lesson, 4th graders create and complete a KWL chart based on their research of a famous timekeeping invention, such as a sundial....
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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Eleventh graders discover the thematic connections between classical literary and popular song lyrics. In this English instructional activity, 11th graders research a specific topic to be presented to the class. Students analyze song...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Ray Charles
Introduce young learners to the read-aloud process with a short biographical passage about Ray Charles. After listening to the passage, class members respond to factual, inferential, and evaluative questions, and then create a timeline...
Curated OER
Who Rocks Your World?
Pupils develop their writing skills. In this business letter lesson plan, students write a letter of nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame regarding a music artist of their choice. Pupils read their finished letters to their peers.
Curated OER
Langston Hughes and the Blues
Students explore the connections between Langson Hughes and blues music. In this African American culture instructional activity, students compare and contrast blues music with poetry and short stories by Langston Hughes.
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Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Students explore the American dream. For this contemporary music lesson, students analyze the lyrics of songs by Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, and David Massengill. Students create 3-D representations of the American dream and write...
Curated OER
The Quiet Beatle
Students investigate the life and music of George Harrison. They complete a Webquest, read an online biography, watch a video, listen to audio clips, answer discussion questions, and organize a simulated benefit concert.
Curated OER
A New Twist on Race Relations
Learners analyze the impact of American Bandstand on race relations. In this race relations instructional activity, students use the music and dance show American Bandstand to learn about race relations. Learners categorize pivotal...
Curated OER
Using Cross-Genre Comparisons to Find the Message in Hip-Hop
Young scholars analyze two cross -genre songs written in the early 1980s for lyrical content and social commentary. They consider the artistic merit of hip hop music in today's culture.
Curated OER
Scops, Rappers and You: Historians with Style!
Young scholars examine the epic poem Beowulf. In this analyzing poetry lesson, student compare listen to the Will Smith song "Wild, Wild West" and read Beowulf. Students analyze the song and the poem. Young scholars then research an...
Curated OER
Democracy…Not Yet!
Students analyze the concept of democracy. For this democratic values lesson, students analyze the lyrics of selected popular music that address issues that challenge the role of United States as a world leader. Students create exhibits...
Curated OER
Keep on Pushing: Popular Music and the Civil Rights Movement
High schoolers explore music that exemplified the Civil Rights Movement. In this music and history lesson plan, students research 1960's protest songs, Motown recorded music, and rap of the 1990's to consider the power of music and its...
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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.