First graders locate place of birth on a map. They identify their birthdays and place a graphing square with their birthday written on it under the corresponding month. They compare birthdays on the graph. They read "P.B. Bear's Birthday...

Students read an essay about folklife and record their thoughts in journals. After discussing the terms associated with the topic, they complete worksheets on types of folklife, pop, elite, and folk cultures. Depending on the age group,...

In this lesson students research an important event in American history and use drama, art, music, and dance to express their findings. Suggested activities include illustrating a time line, decorating a shoe box, reciting a speech,...

Learners explore the meaning behind Mexican corridos. In this Mexican Revolution lesson, students discover details about the war and its leaders as they read, analyze, and write their own corridos.

Tenth graders compare three Chinese folktales for their "messages" and literary techniques to see how they reflect Chinese Confucian and Taoist values. They discuss how folktales share certain subjects, characters, plots and themes.

This activity allows students to explore the elements of traditional folktales in folk music.

Students read a variety of literature from India, including folktales and fables. They then select a scene or story to script, work together to design and craft shadow puppets of characters and scenery, narrate a story, manipulate the...

In this music worksheet, students read an excerpt about the Hatsiatsia, a traditional piece of music from Ghana. They respond to eight short answer questions related to the excerpt read. Students also draw their own picture of the two...

Students listen to and discuss American music genres, specifically ragtime, bebop/bop, and swing, and experiment with improvisation on traditional tunes and rhythms.

Pupils create, notate, and perform the melody of and a rhythmic accompaniment to the traditional Japanese folk song, Sakura. This lesson requires a networked computer lab with headphones.

Pupils complete activities to learn about the music concept of accelerando. In this accelerando lesson, students sing songs and learn tempo. Pupils use the Yiddish circle dance 'Bim Bam' to complete a circle dance. Students also learn...

Students read the book "Dancing Rainbows," and complete a variety of activities across the curriculum. For this Native Americans lesson plan, students create pottery, discuss Pueblo traditions, discuss the importance of rain, and learn...

Students discuss musical instruments common to jazz and compare several songs by various artists. They identify musical grooves common to jazz music. They compare a string quartet to a traditional jazz group.

Fourth graders examine the musical traditions that immigrants bring to the United States. They discuss the concept of home, complete the "My Home" worksheet, participate in a class discussion, and write a letter to a fourth grade...

Students explore cyclic patterns in drumming style. In this multicultural music lesson, students listen to and compare Taiko and Samba drumming styles and complete a compare/contrast worksheet.

Students trace the course of Black music from the 1900's to the beginning of the jazz age. They realize that when education is defined as enlightened training for a place in society and for individual personal development, it was highly...

Students explore the American tradition of state and county fairs. In this American fairs lesson, students read an article about American fairs and complete a five senses table for experiences at fairs. Students role play a family...

Fourth graders are presented with a wedding song and dance of another culture. They also make a connection between the beat of a song with various dance movements.

Students explore the ways music is used to convey ideas about a culture. They define folk art by viewing and comparing visual folk and fine art. Then they analyze the musical piece," The Bartered Bride" and relate it to how folk art can...

Students use the internet to identify cultural traditions throughout the world. In groups, they examine each culture and determine the effect they had on life in the United States. They use this information to write a family history...

Students discover the shape-note method of singing. In this reading and notating music lesson, students learn the four shapes of the shape-note method and the tradition of Sacred Harp singers. Students sing the shapes of "Yankee Doodle"...

First graders perform a song and skit to illustrate how music can be used to communicate movement As part of the Thanksgiving Day program, 1st graders perform a song and skit that illustrates how music can be used to communicate movement.

Learners research a celebration belonging to a Pacific Rim culture. They prepare a written and oral report with their findings and present such information as how the celebration has changed over time, its origins and the significance of...

Young scholars 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...