What do Johann Sebastian Bach and Miles Davis have in common? Much more than class members might imagine. The comparison of these two famous composers is just one lesson in a unit that investigates many facets of the music industry...

General music students learn about the history of popular American music by creating and performing a one-act musical. After researching and creating an American Musical timeline, class members write a song with lyrics using Jam Studio,...

Students visit web sites for each of the composersand listen to selections of each composer's music and place important dates of the composers into a pre-printed time line.

Considering a unit study of American Musical Theatre? What better way to start than at the very beginning. Eight pairs of cards provide class members with background information about the genre from 1893 through 2004. The cards are...

In this music worksheet, students answer questions about composers George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, John Philip Sousa, and Leonard Bernstein. Students also reflect on why they are called the Giants of American Music.

In this music worksheet, learners match a description with the following composers: George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, John Philip Sousa, Leonard Bernstein. Students also reflect on why they are called Giants of American Music.

Breaking the rules isn't always a bad thing, sometimes it pushes the boundaries of the imagination. Young art enthusiasts examine the Kevin Red Star piece, Knows Her Medicine Crow Indian. They analyze how the artist broke rules...

In this music worksheet, students find the words that are naming the major composers and the answers are found at the bottom of the page.

Students delve into the life and music of Duke Ellington as a major American musician and composer. The elements that made the sound of his orchestra unique and the talents of his band members are explored in this lesson.

Kids explore Gullah music from Africa and then create original compositions based on what they've learned. They practice traditional melodies and rhythms then make some of their own, which they then perform for the class. 

Fourth graders study Baroque composers. In this music instructional activity, rotate trough three stations, collecting information on particular Baroque composers. Worksheets, information cards, and procedure included.

Students research three African-American musicians and compose a report based upon their research in this Music Appreciation lesson plan for the middle level classroom. The lesson plan could be adapted for various student levels and...

Duke Ellington, jazz, and jive kick-off a fun and creative lesson on responding emotionally to music. The class will learn about jive talk used in the 1920s and the life and music of Duke Ellington. They'll listen to a selection of his...

Third graders study the history of Aaron Copland, the famous American composer. They dance to the song Hoe-Down composed by Aaron Copland.

This may be a lot to ask of a high schooler, but then again, who knows? Pupils work in groups to explore, write, and then perform an original opera. They view versions of The Magic Flute and La Traviata, then compose a plot, characters,...

Students trace James Brown's rise from "Little Junior" in Depression-era Augusta, Georgia, to the "Minister of the New Super Heavy Funk" and create a collage that captures his impact on American music.

The backbone of Latin American music is the beat! Young musicians work on blending Afro-Latin rhythms and beat patterns before incorporating the major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and blues scales in their own compositions.

In this music worksheet, students read an excerpt from the movie The Sting and identify the American composer, Scott Joplin, who found ragtime jazz music heard in the movie. They also respond to eight questions related to the excepts read.

Students develop an understanding of the role of a musician, composer, and conductor. For this musician lesson, students examine the District of Columbia quarter and see that Duke Ellington is on the reverse side. They define performer,...

Twelfth graders read lyrics for "My Hometown" and complete a worksheet to identify setting and tone in the song. In this Romanticism lesson, 12th graders read Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey by Wordsworth and discuss...

High schoolers can hone their research skills by using the Internet to find the answers to the trivia questions presented in this on-line activity. This particular activity focuses on questions that have to do with the British composer,...

Students construct an historical timeline extending from 1840-1850. They discuss various people, places, and events on their timelines.

In this music instructional activity, students are asked to "name a Giant among Musical Monsters." Students also draw quarter notes in the space provided.

Learners explore, analyze, study and read a variety of poems and listen to jazz that have their roots in the Harlem Renaissance. They then discuss the similarities and differences of themes in the works of different poets and composers.