Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fifty States In Rhyme

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students perform "Fifty States in Rhyme" with correct posture, correct rhythms, and accurate pitches. They also identify and perform such musical terms as tone color, tempo, dynamics, phrases, and accents. Emphasis is placed on the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning to Play Together

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students listen to and discuss American music genres, specifically ragtime, bebop/bop, and swing, and experiment with improvisation on traditional tunes and rhythms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Langston Hughes: Dream Variations

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars examine African-American communal life. For this Langston Hughes lesson, students read poetry by Hughes in order to gain insight into the Harlem community. Young scholars select artwork that represents their community.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Storytellers: Pearl Jam, New Twist on an Old Song

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the use of music as a medium for social protest. They watch the video, "VH1 Storytellers: Pearl Jam," describe the historical significance of words/phrases in three versions of one song, and answer discussion...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Citizenship

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students reflect on characteristics of good citizens, examine democratic symbolism, create an award and choose an individual to receive the award as part of this lesson on citizenship. Lesson ties together social studies, language arts,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

MP3-Ring Circus

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the meaning of copyright and copyright issues surrounding the use of downloaded music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Intro to the Cold War

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the Cold War.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders develop answers to comprehension questions about the song "We Didn't Start the Fire".  Students write a persuasive essay at the end of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

FDR Fireside Chat

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the purpose of Franklin D. Roosevelt's chats.  In this American History lesson plan, 11th graders collaborate with their group members on becoming an expert on a specific chat. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Enduring Legacies of the New Deal

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Young scholars investigate U.S. history by listening to an economics lecture. For this U.S. government lesson, students research the "New Deal" which happened after the Great Depression. Young scholars identify movies, books and music...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Fan Club Dave Matthews Band

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study how the music of Dave Matthews Band is based on jazz, blues, bluegrass, rock and roll, and rap.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Fan Club

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Pupils connect the diversity of American culture to the music of Dave Matthews Band and then create lyrics that emphasize how diversity pertains to their own life.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Songs that Bring Us Together - Lesson 5

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars compose song as a classroom effort. They write a one-paragraph essay about "message" songs in 100 years and include three ideas for topics along with the style of music (such as folk, rock, blues, rap, etc.) that would match.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Four Sacred Elements

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders observe the Four Sacred Elements image in PowerPoint as projected on a screen and discuss what they see and then summarize the details. They discuss what the image represents and how the Four Sacred Elements are an...
Unit Plan
San Francisco Symphony

Aaron Copland: Billy the Kid

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Your class can think about the American Old West as they listen for dynamics, articulation, rhythm, and tempo in the Aaron Copland song, "Billy The Kid." They'll explore how Copland uses music to create an image of life for an outlaw in...
Organizer
Curated OER

Lady Gaga: Famous People, ELL Assignment

For Students 7th - Higher Ed
Lady Gaga is the focus of this lengthy assignment for English learners. More than 10 exercises address reading and listening comprehension, speaking skills, vocabulary acquisition, grammar and more! A thorough activity. Answers are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Music Advocacy - Lesson 7

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify various uses of music in their daily experiences and describe characteristics that make certain music suitable for each use. They explore some of the ways that music study contributes to their lives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Regional Songs in the Southern American Experience

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students write a song about transportation in 100 years after comparing and discussing "Proud Mary" and "The Midnight Special".
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music, Slavery, and the Civil War

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore the role of the spiritual played during the period of slavery and the Civil War. They listen to and analyze various forms of spirituals They gain an awareness of how music reflects cultures and social issues.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Facts, Feats and Folklore: Spiders

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students review and discuss a variety of sayings, folklore and superstitions about spiders. They discuss this information and choose either an interesting fact or appealing foklore tradition to illustrate.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mile in My Moccasins

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the concept of philanthropy as it is related to the Native American culture. They research the history of different symbols used to find specific examples of philanthropy in Native American culture.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History & Diversity

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars list the qualities needed to build strong family relationships. They gain an appreciation for the sacrifices of their ancestors who came to America and gain insights into the many fine qualities of minority families.
Unit Plan
Curated OER

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

For Teachers 5th
Students research the American Revolution through the story of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In this American Revolution lesson, students research folktale and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Students view illustrations for the story....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Health and the Community

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students illustrate cause and effect of pollution to human health through the analysis of an image from the American Industrial Era. They investigate how industry affected rest of the community or city.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Journey of Sacagawea

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the life of Sacagawea, the exceptional woman chosen to appear on the Golden Dollar, and write journal entries based on their research.