Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs: Continental Harmony

For Students 3rd - 8th
PBS presents several activities and lesson plans that cover the concepts of identifying different forms of music, learning about musical imagery, writing in response to music, and creating lyrics. The Sound Lounge has many interactive...
Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: America on Stone

For Students 9th - 10th
Features an extensive collection of lithographs that portrays everyday life in the 19th century and attitudes about race and ethnicity. These prints play a major role in helping us understand America's past. Subjects covered include...
Website
Civil War Home

Home of the American Civil War: The Lyrics and Origin of Dixie

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides you with the lyrics to the song, Dixie. Also provides a link that explains the origins of the popular Civil War song.
Activity
Other

Internet Cello Society: Portrait of Pablo Casals

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of the famous Spanish cellist, Pablo Casals. Of particular interest is the outstanding courage he displayed during the Spanish Civil War.
Website
Other

The Progressive Magazine

For Students 9th - 10th
Homepage of the national magazine for peace and social justice, THE PROGRESSIVE. Read recent news regarding social justice here.
Website
PBS

Pbs: American Roots Music

For Students 9th - 10th
If teaching a unit about the history of popular music in America, this PBS web site supporting their four-part TV broadcast of a few years ago would make a great resource. Includes lesson plans and oral histories too.
Primary
Brown University

Brown University Library: African American Sheet Music: James Bland

For Students 9th - 10th
This website is an excellent source for information on James Bland and his music. Includes images of his sheet music, complete with notes and links to related information on African-American music and popular music from the post-Civil...
Interactive
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation: Drum Corps Tryout

For Students K - 1st
See if you can march to the beat of your own drum and try out for a Drum Corps. When the falling letter hits the drum, press the matching key.
Article
A&E Television

History.com: Tailgating: How the Pre Game Tradition Can Be Traced to Ancient Times

For Students 9th - 10th
The ritual grew as ownership of automobiles and then mass production of portable grills and plastic coolers soared. Tailgating before college and professional football games is an American tradition. Temporary tent cities pop up in...
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Lisa Law Timeline 1963 1973

For Students 3rd - 8th
This timeline shows some very important events in the ten year span between 1963 and 1973. It is a quick, brief overview by year.
Handout
Other

Auw St. Lawrence County Branch: Women of Courage

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn what it means to have courage by examining the lives of women who "Were pioneers in their fields, which included education, medicine, art, politics, and music." This page includes biographies of several women including scientist...
Article
Other

Minstrel Show: Contribution to Folk Music

For Students 9th - 10th
Interesting essay page on the influence of minstrel shows on folk music. Provides historical connections and is accessible for research purposes.
Handout
Scholastic

Scholastic: Karen Hesse's Biography

For Students 3rd - 8th
Find out more about the Newbery awardwinning author Karen Hesse when you explore this resource. Provides a biographical description, a booklist and an interview transcript.
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America Singing: Nineteenth Century Song Sheets

For Students 9th - 10th
Song sheets, which containedonly lyrics, were a popular form of printed music. The Library of Congress holds over 4,000 of these from the 1800s that can be viewed online.
Website
University of Virginia

Psychedelic 60s: Literary Tradition and Social Change

For Students 9th - 10th
This exhibition is an attempt to revisit, share, and interpret the 60s.
Handout
Other

Stephen Collins Foster: American Dreams

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a wealth of information about the American songwriter, Stephen Foster. This link leads you to the biographical information which is divided into five sections: beginnings, his life's work, the legend, the problems, and...
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Minstrel Show

For Students 9th - 10th
An in-depth look at minstrel shows is found in this encyclopedia article from Wikipedia. The site discusses the origins and rise in popularity during the Civil War, how the shows were structured in three different parts, typical stock...
Website
New York Times

New York Times: Sept. 11: One Year Later

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The New York Times Learning Network provides a variety of archived news articles, lesson plans, and resources concerning the issues and events that surfaced from the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Website
Ducksters

Ducksters: Tennessee State History for Kids

For Students 1st - 9th
Kids learn about the history and timeline of the state of Tennessee including early explorers, Native Americans, Country Music, the Civil War, and becoming a state.

Other popular searches