Can Teach
Pass the Melody
Get a jam session started in your elementary music class! Learners engage in melody transitions by singing a familiar song and passing on the tune to the next person.
Classics for Kids
"Mars" from The Planets
Gustav Holst's The Planets provide young musicians an opportunity to examine how composers can create a suite: a collection of smaller pieces grouped to explore a single topic. After listening to "Jupiter," they examine "Mars" in...
Concordia College Archives
Our School Song
Show your school spirit! Class members use instruments or sing along and employ what they have learned in the two previous lessons to perform their school's songs.
Curated OER
A Musical Holiday Gift
Students record a CD of their musical talents and package it for gift giving. They make the CD for either a holiday or end of the year activity.
Curated OER
Singing "What's New With Me"
Kindergarteners sing the song, "What's New With Me" adding rhythm with each go around. They clap, tap, and sing along with the teacher. Note: The song or song lyrics are not included.
Curated OER
Music in South India-Kerala
Students identify various instruments and styles of music from South India-Kerala. In this music lesson, students discover main languages of South India and the Kathakali dance drama. Students discuss the types of singers and dancers in...
Curated OER
Cover the Music
Learners explore U.S. history by listening to musical pieces in class. In this Civil War era instructional activity, students discuss the types of musical instruments that were available to soldiers during the war and the themes of their...
Curated OER
Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music In America - Gospel Beginnings
High schoolers identify musical characteristics of gospel and sing a gospel selection. They practice the call and response technique. After going through individual parts, they sing the entire song with piano accompaniment.
Curated OER
African Popular Music
Pupils explore popular music of West Africa. In this musicians lesson plan, students complete listening tasks that challenge them to analyze the music of Oumou Sangare, Angelique Kidjo, and Baaba Maal.
Curated OER
African Music
In this African music worksheet, learners read about how family life, community music, and rhythms are part of the culture and music of Africa.
Curated OER
What is Timbre?
Students analyze the differences in similar songs. In this music appreciation lesson, students discover the meaning of timbre and how it can drastically change similar pieces of music. Students sing two pieces of music with...
Curated OER
Phonics Lesson Plans Brought to Life With Music
Phonics lesson plans using music for kindergarten through first grade can make learning about letter sounds more fun.
Curated OER
Caribbean Music: Calypso and Found Percussion
Students become familiar with the music of Trinidad. For this Caribbean music lesson, students listen to music from Trinidad and find it on the map. Students recognize the calypso beat and can imitate them. Students can create their...
Curated OER
Down By the Riverside
Students discuss the musical genre of spirituals and its influence on our musical history. They perform various songs, and read the student score for, Down By the Riverside.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Yankee Doodle: How Has It Changed over Time?
Grab your feathers and your hat! And perhaps some macaroni! It's time to investigate the evolution of "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Groups do a close reading of sheet music covers, lyrics, and even YouTube videos to see how this political song...
Curated OER
Alleluia
Singers practice perfecting the song, Alleluia. They focus on singing techniques, style, phrasing, and working with syncopation. This lesson plan is a microteahing lesson plan and includes a warm up and vocal exercises.
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....
Digital Public Library of America
Women and the Blues
A 12-piece primary source packet sets the tone for a study of the role women played in the origins, development, and impact of blues music. Legends like Bessie Smith, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Mamie Smith, and Ida Cox are featured, as are...
Core Knowledge Foundation
A Time for All Seasons - Summer
The sun is shining and the birds are singing, what better time to teach young learners about the fun season of summer. In this week-long science series, children learn how the rotation and orbit of the earth influence...
PBS
Hidden Messages in Spirituals
Slaves laboring in the cotton fields of the old South singing joyously may have convinced overseers that their workforce was happy and content, but in truth, these spirituals contained secret codes. After viewing a short video about...
Curated OER
Subtracting from Ten: Using Math with Music
Students explore basic math functions by singing with their classmates. For this addition and subtraction lesson, students sing the song "5 Green and Speckled Frogs"and complete a list of subtraction problems. Students complete a...
Curated OER
Musical Mountain
Students listen to low, middle, and high pitches of music and identify if they are low, middle, or high. For this musical pitch lesson plan, students visually see low, middle, and high pitches on a mountain.
Curated OER
Soccer - Lesson 17 - Practice
Another lesson set up for teams to practice their skills and prepare for the World Cup tournament the class will have. There is a great warm-up for this lesson. It's called the Team Marathon, Activities and Sequence. It includes...
Curated OER
Houston, We Have a Problem! An Introductory Lesson for the unit Stars, Galaxies and the Universe
The lesson plan would make a stimulating introduction to a space unit. It is highly imaginative and suggests that the teacher darken the room to set the mood and dress as an astronaut. Teams are asked to help solve an imaginary problem...