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Timbre: Identifying the Tone Color of the Saxophone
Students explore the concept of timbre. In this timbre lesson, students experience timbres produced by saxophones in contemporary music. Students explore the science behind the music.
California Department of Education
Waves and Music
Strike the right chord with a musical activity! Instructors provide a lecture on the mechanics of a pan flute. Pupils build their own pan flutes by using straws and calculating the lengths to create a scale. After cutting the straws to...
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Changes of Musical Elements in Popular Music Through the Decades
Students probe samples of European classical, American jazz, and rock and roll to analyze the similarities and differences. The styles and form of these three types of music are examined for tempo, timbre, and rhythm.
Curated OER
Music in Other Cultures
Pupils examine the musical concepts of timbre, melody, and rhythm. They listen to and identify characteristics of music from other cultures.
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Polyrhythmic Drumming Styles: Japan and Brazil
Students explore cyclic patterns in drumming style. In this multicultural music lesson plan, students listen to and compare Taiko and Samba drumming styles and complete a compare/contrast worksheet.
Curated OER
The Heart of Human Experience: Cultura Azteca
First graders explore Aztec culture to gain understanding of relationship between music, recreation, and culture. Seven lessons on one page.
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From Sacred to Secular: Exploration of Vocal Styles/Crossing between styles - Lesson 2
Students identify some of Aretha Franklin's vocal qualities and techniques. They have a discussion of styles of music they heard on the video, including gospel, jazz, pop, rhythm and blues, and opera.
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Pavane pour une Infante Defunte
Students describe the music in terms related to basic elements such as melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, timbre, form, style, etc. They identify timbres heard in "Pavane" by movement and respond by movement to timbre.
Curated OER
Fifty States In Rhyme
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...
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Lesson Connections
Third graders sing alone, with others and practice a varied repertoire of music. They have to sing using appropriate timbre, diction, and pesture, all while maintaining a steady tempo. Singly expressively, with appropriate dynamics,...
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Comet And Rain Timbres
Second graders engage in a lesson that uses folk instruments in an accompaniment while listening to a song about a comet. They make a cross-curricular connection to Halley's Comet. Students discuss the qualities of a singer-songwriter.
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VH1 Fan Club ABBA Lesson 1
Students study the relationship between trends and individual tastes in music. They use musical terms to describe the elements of different styles of music.
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VH1 Legends Sam Cooke Lesson 3
Students examine Sam Cooke's transition from gospel to pop music as they study his style. They dance the Cha Cha and the Twist.
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Percussion Family Lesson Plan
Students gain an appreciation for percussion instruments. They can identify the instruments by sight and sound and associate them with different musical styles. Using Microsoft Musical Instruments, students hear other percussion...
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Accomplished Practice # 10
Fourth graders performs on instruments in an ensemble, maintaining a common tempo, blending instrumental timbres, and matching dynamic levels. They respond to the tempo and dynamics cues of the conductor.
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Low Brass: Tibet, Switzerland and Haiti
Students identify sounds played on instruments from around the world. In this music lesson, students listen to music played on various low brass instruments from Tibet, Switzerland and Haiti to determine the differences in pitch...
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Global Music Patterns- Islamic Art
Students compose music using Islamic patterns. In this cultural arts lesson, students examine Islamic art and analyze the patterns. Students incorporate various Islamic patterns into a musical composition.
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Metallic Sounds
Students differentiate between metallic and non-metallic sounds. In this music lesson, students listen to the audio clip of "March" and march in time with the music. Students identify the metallic sounds in the music piece. Students...
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Experimental Music
Students test people's response to different kinds of music. In this music lesson plan, students associate different cords with different feelings or moods. They then observe a video that describes different feelings related to different...
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Exploring Musical Instruments of the Orchestra
High schoolers listen to "The William Tell Overture," identify instruments, sounds and other characteristics of the music. They compare and contrast orchestra music to large band music. Students discuss the musical composition and how...
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Minuet And Canon
Third graders sing, move, pat, clap, and drum in this Music lesson about Minuets, Canons, and "Take Me Out To The Ball Game". The lesson is for the 3rd grade classroom and includes the use of J.S. Bach's famous Minuet in G and a...
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Classroom Singing
Students sing a song performing rhythms accurately with a steady beat, pitches accurately with excellent intonation, and a clear, focused tone in this music lesson for the high school Choir class. The lesson includes grading rubric.
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William Tell Overture: Finale
Students analyze the William Tell Overture for meter and conducting, among other musical concepts in a three-lesson unit. They practice conducting patterns and identify eighth and quarter notes and chord roots.
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Songs of Fela Kuti – Nigeria
Students explore the music of Fela Kuti. In this music lesson, students listen to the fusion protest music of Fela Kuti of Nigeria. Students reflect on Kuti's music and message.