Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Role of Masks in African Cultures

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore ancient tradition and craft of mask making, examine role or function of masks in African culture, create instruments, and participate in class projects.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Drum

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore Africa and create their own African drum, either a Conga drum or a Dumbek drum.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Drumming - Repetition of Patterns

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students are introduced to basic patterns used in African drumming. They listen to examples of drumming by Kundidzora Azim, participate in chants and repeat demonstrated rhythms as a class.
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

The Birth of an Icon: Learning and Performing the Origins of the Drum Set and Early Jazz Drumming in New Orleans, Louisiana

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, cymbals. Perched behind their drum sets, wielding their drum sticks and wire brushes, drummers lay the grove and are the heartbeat of a band's performance. A dynamic lesson introduces young musicians to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Talking Drums

For Teachers K - 12th
Students study African percussion. In this music lesson, students explore Africa's sounds as they discover tonal language, talking drum, message drum, the relationship between talking drums and tonal language, and how to change the pitch...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas

For Teachers K - 2nd
You can keep this printable idea sheet and use when you're in a tight spot. It contains cross-curricular ideas that span every subject while relating to the African tale, "Anasazi the Spider." Learners will act, write, move, count,...
Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

The Music of the Mardi Gras Indians

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed
The traditions, costumes, and the music of the Mardi Gras Indians, African-Americans and those with African American or Native American Heritage are the focus of a unit that introduces class members to a little-known group that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Art: Ntan Drum

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students study African history, anthropology and culture using the lens of the art object, Ntan Drum. Lesson and instruction is differentiated for elementary, middle and high school students.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring African Music

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students appreciate African Music and the rich culture it represents. They identify two characteristics of African Music in their journals.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Drums and Culture

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders identify and research several African drums. They use interdisciplinary skills to build a model of an African drum, write a research paper and demonstrate its use in context. Students present information about one of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to African Culture Through Music & Dance

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners explore various elements in West African Culture through the medium of a traditional music and dance from Ghana. They take an imaginary tour of a village dance-drumming event in West Africa.
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Curated OER

Habari Gani: What is the News?

For Teachers K - 2nd
Display creative works of art after learning about Kwanzaa. Kindergartners hear stories about the history of Kwanzaa and its celebrations. They then create artwork, practice African dances and listen to African music.
Worksheet
Curated OER

African Music

For Students 6th - 9th
In this music worksheet, students read an excerpt about African Music. Once completed, they respond to eight short answer questions related to the reading. Students also imagine that they are an African musician and suggest how they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music in West Africa

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore power and the symbols of power in West African music. They discuss the music of West Africa and compare it to African American music of today. In addition, they investigate musical instruments of Africa, identify the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Percussion Family

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders complete a unit to learn about the percussion family and African and Latin drumming. In this percussion lesson, 2nd graders complete 9 lessons to learn about the percussion family. Students learn to use shakers and sticks,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Rattles

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students locate Africa on the map or globe and tell one important fact about the continent. They follow directions and demonstrate the proper process of making an African Rattle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Baga Drum

For Teachers K - 6th
Students examine a Baga Drum in order to explore the history of the Baga people of West Africa. In this art history lesson, students recognize figures used in Baga Drum design that represent aspects of Baga culture. They also design and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore poems of African Americans. They research a famous African American, write a report, create a timeline of events in African American history, create a map of the New World, and research Molly Walsh. After...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dancing Hands, Abstract Drawings

For Teachers K - 8th
Students discover African musical rhythms by performing Ancestral Spirit Dances.  For this musical lesson, students research Willis "Bing" Davis and the abstract work he created.  Students listen to Yoruba drum music and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Catch the Gullah Beat: Rhythm and Percussion

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students explore the Gullah culture. In this social studies lesson, students construct and play instruments similar to those of the Gullah people.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Examples of Justice Systems and Practices in Western Africa

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders explore African belief systems. In this West African lesson, 10th graders research these belief systems. Students create a wooden figure that represents these beliefs.  
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Guide Through the Culture of the Blues

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine the history of blues music and discover how it relates to the music of today. As a class, they listen to the drum songs of Africa and compare it to the use of drums in pop music today. Using the internet, they research...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Global Music: Steve Reich – Ghana, Bali, America and Germany

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Young scholars explore the music of Steve Reich. In this global music lesson, students compare the music compositions of Steve Reich to African and Balinese music. Young scholars discuss their personal comparisons.
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ESL Holiday Lessons

Kwanzaa

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Teach English language learners about the week-long holiday of Kwanzaa that is celebrated around the world during December. It includes holiday-themed reading comprehension passages, phrase matching, fill-in-the-blanks, and journaling...

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