National First Ladies' Library
Synthesizing Music with the Technology Invention of the Modular Synthesizer
Young scholars explore how to create synthesized music and discuss what they believe music would sound like without electronics. They explore a given website to determine how different types of instruments can be digitized. In groups,...
Curated OER
Teaching Pich Bend on a MIDI Synthesizer
Learners practice playing pitch bends on a synthesizer. They discover how to calibrate the machine and use its software. They perform their song with the class.
Curated OER
The Hare and the Water: A Tanzanian Folk Tale
"The Hare and the Water," a Tanzanian folk tale, lends a global perspective to literary analysis. Learners spend the first two days reading and storyboarding. On day three, they examine folk tale elements (worksheet included), and design...
Curated OER
Teaching Improvisation to Young Students in a Music Technology Lab Using a Sequencer
You'll need to be a little tech savvy to teach this music lesson plan. Pupils will attempt to play along with an accompaniment piece you've created using music software. They will be assessed on their performance and ability to identify...
Curated OER
Blue Water: Telling a Story or Baffling?
Some art can be difficult to interpret. Critical thinkers analyze the forms, techniques, purpose, and meaning found in the abstract piece, Blue Water. They engage in small group discussions in order to form a hypothesis as to the nature...
Curated OER
A Special Place
Students research distinctive homes and habitats of the past and present using electronic and library resources. They then design innovative new homes and habitats for the future, synthesizing information discovered from research.
Curated OER
Adinkra Cloth
Students locate Ghana on a map of Africa and discover features of Ghana culture. They synthesize the importance of Adinkra symbols and cloth to the people of West Africa and design an Adinkra cloth.
Curated OER
Fit To Play?
Students research certain sports-related injuries and who may be at risk for these conditions. They synthesize their knowledge by collectively developing a comprehensive medical history form.
Curated OER
Teaching Intonation in a SoundTree Lab with Auralia
Students respond to exercises using ear-training software as they decide whether notes are sharp or flat. They create their own examples using the tuning function on a synthesizer.
Curated OER
Vanished Occupations: Life on an Iron Plantation
Learners analyze photographs to understand life on a plantation. In this vanished occupations lesson, students examine why iron plantations were created and what natural resources were needed to make iron. Learners compare the...
Curated OER
Moog's Musical Revolution
Students explore history of technological advances in making, recording, and listening to music that have intrigued and inspired musicians and scientists for decades.
Curated OER
Teaching Intonation in a SoundTree Lab with Auralia
Young scholars demonstrate intonation and their ability to discriminate between sharp and flat by responding to exercises within Auralia, and by creating their own examples for the class using the Tuning Function on the synthesizer....
Curated OER
Act It Out!
An effective way to demonstrate understanding is by synthesizing one's own work. Use a creative lesson designed for a unit on Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun for small groups to show what they know about the play,...
Curated OER
Crackin' the Musical Code
Students decode musical notation and then synthesize and apply by notating their own musical composition. Students draw various rhythmic examples which are equal in time duration. They notate and count rhythmic patterns. Additional cross...
Curated OER
Three-Dimensional Ceramic Sculptural Forms Inspired by the Paintings of Wassily Kandinsky
Pupils analyze / deconstruct elements of design used in Wassily Kandinsky's paintings in order to synthesize the elements into a three-dimensional form. Works may be functional or non-functional.
Curated OER
Planning a Bluegrass Festival
Learners explain how bluegrass music gained popularity across the country and around the world. They describe the roles of artists, patrons and music organizations in producing bluegrass music festivals. In addition, they
use a variety...
Curated OER
Putting Things in Perspective
High schoolers synthesize their knowledge of perspective/point of view with written and visual experiences to produce pieces of art and writing. They discover how one's perspective influence thoughts, decisions, and actions.
Curated OER
The Mysterious Present
Even history can be the basis for the inquiry process. First, several images of a bowls and vessels used in Japanese tea ceremonies are examined. Then, the class crafts questions about the origin, purpose, and use of the items. They use...
Curated OER
Lyric Poetry Lesson
Students synthesize the "textbook" definition of lyric poetry and discuss various forms (love lyric, complaint lyric, loss lyric, satiric lyric). They discover the relationship of poetry to musical selections.
Curated OER
The Water Cycle Dance
Second graders synthesize the four parts of the water cycle by participating in a water cycle dance. They perform movements that signify each stage of the cycle.
Curated OER
An Exploration of Automotive Design
young scholars research varied aspects of car design, and create a new design for the exterior body of a car. Students conduct Internet research, respond to writing prompts, and analyze, evaluate and synthesize information from multiple...
Curated OER
Music Technology
Students identify the features of a synthesizer and practice using them. They record different sounds using the software provided. They also examine sound waves and applications through the synthesizer.
Curated OER
Raptor Poster Project
Students create posters about raptors. They synthesize information they read about raptors and select a raptor. They draw a picture of their raptor and include facts relating to where it lives, characteristics, feeding habits, size, name...
Curated OER
On Being Different
Learners synthesize ideas about societal norms in the late 1880s and current day. They demonstrate understanding of Thomas Eakins art and life events through verbal discussion. They compile and present ideas in written form.