Curated OER
Epic Improvisation
Really? Rapping The Odyssey? Really. A discussion of the oral tradition of story telling and its links to Epic poetry sets the stage for a series of activities that encourage improvisation to integrate music into other classrooms....
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Music Education, Playing the Blues
This instructional activity enables students to gain a broader awareness of the basic blues scale and the harmonic structure of the standard blues progression. Students will be given introductory exercises on blues improvisation and will...
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Goldilocks and the Bears Make Their Pitch
First graders listen to the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and identify the pitch of the bears' voices as high, medium, and low. They improvise on xylophones a melody to accompany the bears in the telling of the story.
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Roll Over! (There Were Ten In The Bed)
Students practice math, language, and music skills. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students learn the song "Roll Over!" practicing repeating word patterns and subtraction skills. Students improvise in the song by adding...
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Jazz: Boombox Classroom
In this music learning exercise, students read about improvisation. Students choose their favorite instrument, a saxophone or a bass, and draw a picture of it. Students can then do a small maze.
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Birdland: Weather Report
Students compare and contrast the Weather Report jazz recording, Birdland, with other songs they have reviewed. They write in their journals how they think charlie Parker might have reacted to the song.
General Motors Corporation
Jazz
Over the history of the world, music has been at the heart of some of the greatest social and political movements. Scholars discover their musical roots as they dive into the sounds and emotions of renowned jazz players. They see how...
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Learning Refrain and Verse
Instruct your young musicians on the terms verse and refrain. They listen to two songs, and point out the verse and refrain as they occur. Students then play drums when they hear the verse and the refrain. Note: Song lyrics, sheet music,...
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Dinosaur Stomp
Second graders write a dinosaur poem using information from a research activity. In this dinosaur poetry and music lesson, 2nd graders listen to the book Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp in music class. They work in small groups to...
Curated OER
Roots And Styles Of Black Music - Lesson 1
High schoolers identify many genres of Black music. They identify Black music as a reflection of the culture. They study many historically influential Black music artists, producers, and other contributors.
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Black and Blue: Jazz in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man
High schoolers analyze the impact of jazz on the novel, "Invisible Man," by Ralph Ellison. They read and discuss excerpts of the novel, write an essay on the influence of jazz on Ralph Ellison as a writer, and view video excerpts on...
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VH1 Storytellers for Save the Music Starring Billy Joel
High schoolers use a Billy Joel song to write a scenerio about it.
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Louis Armstrong
In this reading comprehension worksheet students read a biography of jazz musician Louis Armstrong. Students answer 6 questions.
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Can You Hear a Story?
Students gain an understanding of relationships between music and language arts. They analyze a story and create a musical composition that reflects and enhances the story. The musical accompaniment will be produced in a book on tape.
Curated OER
Guitar Techniques - Lesson 2
Students discuss the different guitar techniques of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Neil Young. They experience the guitar technique of "alternate tuning". They also discuss CSNY's 'Ohio' and Kent State.
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Cinquain
Students create an original Cinquain (five-line poem) and choreograph movement to their poem, performing movement for class and video. This lesson addresses standards in the arts and requires a video recorder.
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Storymaking Through Pantomime
Middle schoolers explore performing arts by participating in a role-play activity. In this storytelling lesson, students utilize their physical expressions to particpate in a pantomime performance. Middle schoolers evaluate performances...