Jazz, Blue Grass, Hip Hop, Swing. Gospel, R&B, Ragtime, Disco. So many music genres born in the USA. After reading an article about the fate of New Orlean's Jazz after Hurricane Katrina, class members investigate the life cycles of...

Students examine classical music and the "Art Rock" of 1967. They review classical themes in their original genre and discuss/analyze how pop musicians incorporate theses themes into a variety of pop music genres.

James Jamerson. You probably heard him but may not have heard of him. But fans of Motown Records will certainly recognize his contributions to the sound that desegregated popular music during the 1960s. Challenge young history...

High schoolers examine role spirituals have played in African American history and religion, examine Harriet Tubman's use of spirituals in her work, explore power of spirituals in Civil Rights Movement, and work with oral tradition,...

After listening to a variety of interpretations of "When the Saints Go Marching In," partners compose and then perform their own renditions of this classic before joining a full-class jam session.

Students identify the musical genre of Hip-Hop and make a connection with other styles of music. A time line of musical styles is developed and discussed.

Young scholars analyze various kinds of music.  In this music lesson, students listen to music clips to determine the kind of music each clip is then they participate in a class discussion about the music and prepare a presentation.

Compare Beethoven's fifth symphony to latin music and disco. Learners will listen to and discuss the elements found in the first part of Beethoven's composition. They'll then look for the same elements in Tito Puente and Bee Gees songs....

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.

Students examine the economics of a time period along with the music.

In this personal information worksheet, students watch a video about a woman's personal information, fill in the blanks, and answer true and false questions. Students complete 20 questions total.

Young scholars utilize interviewing skills of an historian to research the time period of the 1970's. They use prior knowledge of the 1960's to explain the mood of the country in the 1970's.

Pupils analyze lyrics of selected Disco songs for content, theme and vocabulary. They write an extended response citing specific lyrics in response to three general themes.

Students experiment with illuminating important text.  In this fictional literature lesson, students research Shakespearean sonnets.  Students identify key elements of the sonnets, and examine the relationship between...

This resource presents information on an influential funk group, Kool and the Gang. It contains very detailed information if you click on the "read more" link. Shows pictures and song titles of all of their albums, and includes a Kool...

Features an interesting biographical overview on successful funk music performers, Parliament-Funkadelic, 1997 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, recommended reading list, and essential songs.

Check out how students paralleled Cyrano de Bergerac to popular music hits during a project-based learning lesson in English class.

Explore detailed biographical information on black funk/white rock star musician, Prince, a 2004 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a recommended reading list and essential songs.

The career of "The Godfather of soul," is highlighted in this biographical sketch from PBS. One of the greatest performers in the 20th century, James Brown influenced the direction of black cultural music and dance. View video clips of...

Read interesting biographical details on the "first integrated multi-gender band", Sly and the Family Stone, 1993 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.

Covers extensive biographical details on successful soul musician, Curtis Mayfield, a 1999 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, recommended reading list, and essential songs.

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features OutKast, an American rap duo, formed in 1992, that put Atlanta, Ga., on the hip-hop map in the 1990s and redefined the G-Funk (a variation of gangsta rap) and Dirty South (often profane...

This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Prince, a singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, dancer, and performer on keyboards, drums, and bass who was among the most talented American musicians of his generation. Like Stevie...

Miles Davis couldn't leave jazz alone. You'll read on this NPR website how he developed his style from bebop to funk to jazz-fusion. Read about his innovations, listen to the NPR Jazz Profile segment, and click to hear some of Davis'...