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Simple Chordal Harmony
Practice makes perfect, especially when playing a musical instrument. This lesson examines simple chordal harmony, melody, and playing with accompaniment. Learners listen to a series of songs that exemplify the concept then play a...
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Focus on Harmony
Harmony is the focus of this band lesson. Upper graders play the Star Spangled Banner, while focusing on harmony, chords, and musical voice. This lesson includes several suggested cross-curricular activities.
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Composing with Non-Chord Tones to Ornament a Melody
Students develop melodies based on a simple chord progression. They develop the tools need to begin to compose their own music. Students explore the qualities of each NCT and identify them in a composition. They develop listening skills...
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Jazz: Expression through Improvisation
Learners watch a video on improvisation. They improvise original melodies over given chord progressions. They develop criteria to evaluate the merits of improvisational performances and apply the criteria in their personal listening and...
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VH1 Classic Presents: Paul McCartney: Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Lesson 3
Students in a guitar class perform the Beatles song, Eleonor Rigby and study it's melodic and harmonic structures. They discover the process of arranging the song for a 4-part guitar ensemble.
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Haydn 's Surprise
Students explore the background of Haydn's Surprise and the texture of the music. The teacher uses mouse and lion puppets to demonstrate soft and loud music. They tiptoe and stomp to display the concept. and play a soft/loud singing game.
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Keyboard centers with Music You Can Read
Students play the letters provided in the format "Keyboard/Xylophone/Tone Bells" with the intention of using the "Music Only" format as skills progress. They study fingerings and chords when appropriate to skills.
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William Tell Overture: Finale
Students analyze the William Tell Overture for meter and conducting, among other musical concepts in a three-lesson unit. They practice conducting patterns and identify eighth and quarter notes and chord roots.
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Fats Waller, Handful of Keys
Playing piano is great fun and playing jazz is even better. Kids watch a video of Fats Waller playing the song, "Handful of Keys," they then use either a piano key print out or Orff instruments to practice his signature stride piano...
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Down By the Riverside
Students discuss the musical genre of spirituals and its influence on our musical history. They perform various songs, and read the student score for, Down By the Riverside.
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Blues Improvisation
Students practice playing and improvising while playing the 12 bar blues. They practice compositional skills, evaluate and perform musical pieces focused on the blues.
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Music - Lesson 16 - Songs
First graders determine that Spanish is the language spoken in Mexico before singing a number of Mexicans songs. They make maracas to use while singing Mexican songs. They sing the song, "La Cucaracha," in English realizing that it is a...
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My Love and I - 2
Students sing the song "My Love And I" by Sonja Poorman and Berta Poorman in this Music instructional activity for the High School SSA choir. The instructional activity is part of a unit that can be used to aid the performance and...
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Great Big House
Third graders sing and play the song "Great Big House" in the Orff style using soprano and alto glockenspiels, bass xylophones, bass marimbas, triangles, woodblocks, and the singing voice. The lesson includes step-by-step teacher...