Curated OER
Corn Husk Doll
Students practice melody and lyrics and the feelings they represent, in two languages, sing the melody of the Corn Husk Doll, lyrics Maria Hinton, melody by Patti Morin in Oneida, and discuss how the words to this song demonstrate...
Curated OER
Musical Cares
Learners explore ways in which music can relay messages of peace and how popular songs can be interpreted as commentary on current issues and themes.
Curated OER
"I Hear America Singing": Controversy and Music in the Mexican War
Eighth graders examine the Mexican War and its outcome through music. In this primary source analysis lesson, 8th graders analyze the lyrics of selected songs to consider the 2 perspectives regarding U.S. involvement in the war. Students...
Curated OER
International Women's Day 100th Anniversary Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai: Shaking the Tree
Students explore the significance of International Women's Day. In this women's history instructional activity, students read excerpt of Wangari Maathai's acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize and analyze the lyrics of "Shaking the...
Curated OER
Songs that Bring Us Together - Lesson 5
Students 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.
Curated OER
Sing a Song of Sixpence
In this language arts worksheet, students collaborate with classmates to sing a classic nursery rhyme, "Sing a Song of Sixpence." Students read the lyrics and analyze the rhyme pattern. There is a link to a web site which has the...
Curated OER
Regional Songs in the Southern American Experience
Students write a song about transportation in 100 years after comparing and discussing "Proud Mary" and "The Midnight Special".
University of North Carolina
Music
Music is a universal pleasure, but writing about it can be a little trickier. An informative handout discusses common types of music writing assignments that one might encounter in a college-level course. Individuals read about musical...
Curated OER
VH1 All Access Spotlight: Josh Groban
Students discuss the lyrics to You Raise Me Up, sung by Josh Groban, and identify the structure and markings in the song that show expressive qualities. They explore how composers use musical concepts to show meaning and mood in a piece...
Curated OER
Yankee Doodle... More than Just a Catchy Tune
Students investigate the history of patriotic music and practice singing the tunes with classmates. For this U.S. History lesson, students examine lyrics of the traditional song "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and discuss the differing points of...
Curated OER
Cowboys
Students analyze cowboy literature. In this United States history and literacy lesson, students listen to a variety of cowboy songs and poetry, view the video "Rediscovering America: The Real American Cowboy," and view related websites....
Curated OER
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
Fourth graders discover facts about John Brown. In this Harper's Ferry Raid instructional activity, 4th graders evaluate the lyrics to the song "John Brown's Body", and write a descriptive obituary about John Brown. Students also view...
Curated OER
Storytellers: Pearl Jam "Never Let Truth Get in the Way of a Good Story"
Students analyze the lyrics from a Pearl Jam song and examine the concept of truth in political advertising. They watch the video, "VH1 Storytellers: Pearl Jam," participate in a class discussion, conduct research, and prepare a report...
Curated OER
Found Poem - Found Song, page 2
In this Louisiana musical landscape poem and song instructional activity, students analyze a poem about the Mississippi River and Cajun music to learn more about the musical landscape in Louisiana.
Curated OER
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Henry David Thoreau and Linda Ronstadt? Ann Tyler and Pete Townshend? Joyce Carol Oates and Pearl Jam? This richly detailed plan pairs classic literature with contemporary music and asks learners to analyze how the theme of conformity is...
Friends of Fort McHenry
Sensory “Star Spangled Banner”
Music can help us to access memories and events in a meaningful way, and Francis Scott Key used specific words to convey what he had seen and felt when writing what would become America's national anthem. Help your class connect to the...
Curated OER
Storytellers: Dave Matthews Band
Pupils listen to the music of the Dave Matthews Band in order to discuss and analyze the lyrics. They examine how the songs are presented and determine if the Dave Matthews Band does a good job of presenting the meaning of the lyrics in...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Strange Fruit: Lynching in America
To continue their study of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the beginning of the civil rights movement, class members watch the YouTube video of Billie Holiday singing "Strange Fruit" as an introduction to an examination of lynching in...
Curated OER
Popular Culture & Diversity
The topic of cultural diversity is explored with the use of pop songs and lyrics. As a way to celebrate Harmony Day, small groups read, reflect, and present their opinions on how the lyrics they analyzed have expressed a statement of...
Curated OER
Musical Poetry
Young scholars analyze lyrics of their favorite songs as examples of alliteration, metaphor, Onomatopoeia, personification, rhyme, and simile to determine the purpose of these devices in poetry. They use their analysis to create a...
Curated OER
A Call for Change
"Come gather round people, wherever you roam..." Bring the voice of Bob Dylan to your class with this lesson plan, which takes Dylan's song "The Times They Are A-Changing" and analyzes both the message and voice in the lyrics. Your class...
Curated OER
Music: A Nation's Voice
Students investigate the impact of popular music in 1960's America. For this music and history lesson, students listen to several identified songs from the decade and analyze their lyrics. Students discuss their impressions and then...
Curated OER
Democracy…Not Yet!
Students analyze the concept of democracy. In this democratic values lesson plan, students analyze the lyrics of selected popular music that address issues that challenge the role of United States as a world leader. Students create...
Curated OER
Man in Conflict - Vietnam and Literature
Eleventh graders analyze the lyrics of protest music. In this Vietnam War lesson, 11th graders examine conflict as they consider the controversial nature of the war as evidenced in song lyrics. Students also consider the Iraq War and its...