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The Star-Spangled Banner

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore the Star-Spangled Banner. In this civics instructional activity, students read the lyrics of the song as well as a handout that details its creation. Students respond to discussion questions from the handout.
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FDR Fireside Chat

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the purpose of Franklin D. Roosevelt's chats.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders collaborate with their group members on becoming an expert on a specific chat. 
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Music: Follow the Drinking Gourd

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use movement to express a concept. In this interdisciplinary instructional activity, 4th graders listen to the book, Follow the Drinking Gourd, which demonstrates the types of 'communication' used by slaves traveling the...
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The Sixties: Dylan Plugs in and Sells Out

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Before Woodstock, there was Newport. Get plugged in to the social changes of the 1960s with a lesson plan that looks at Bob Dylan's performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival as a symbol of the radical changes that marked the era.
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Library of Congress

The Harlem Renaissance

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The Harlem Renaissance brought forth many American art forms including jazz, and the writings of Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Using a carefully curated set of documents from the Library of Congress, pupils see the cultural...
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Hey! What's the Big Idea?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the concept of the theme (the big idea) in a poem. They brainstorm thoughts and feelings about themes, e.g. war, pollution, music, etc., and create and idea web about a theme of their own choice.
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Stories of the American Experience

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify a veteran to interview. This could be a family member of one of students or someone contacted through an organization in the community. They use a storyboard to plan their movie about their subject.
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Artistic Influence - Lesson 3

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss how musicians' messages can influence society. They think of examples of artistic expression in music, the visual arts, dance, and theater that can lead to a society's self-examination.
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A Songwriter Not Silenced - Lesson 2

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss how a musician's message can influence society and government. They debate if political viewpoints should be publicized in music.
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Baga Drum

For Teachers K - 6th
Students examine a Baga Drum in order to explore the history of the Baga people of West Africa. In this art history lesson plan, students recognize figures used in Baga Drum design that represent aspects of Baga culture. They also design...
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Naval Warfare in the American Revolution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students listen to and identify styles of music popular during the American Revolution. They recognize songs identified with the Royal Navy and analyze how music was used on board ship.
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VH1 Presents the 1980s - Lesson 4

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers discuss development of music videos. They identify elements that make a successful music video. Groups are assigned to do a research project on the development of music videos.
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Make a Statement

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders make a statement about their position on the Revolutionary War using various means of expression. One half of students remain loyal to England and the other half want a revolution for independence. They express themselves...
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Bob Dylan: No Direction Home

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students hold panel discussions on selected topics about the 1960s and their impact on modern-day events. As visual reinforcement, they watch the film about Bob Dylan and research the music of the period as well as his musical...
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Learners examine letters of Japanese-American children during internment in World War II. They discover what it was like in the camps and how they were treated once they were released. They also view photographs of the camps.
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Dance Through the Ages

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students integrate the study of the Revolutionary War through dance. They study many dances such as The Waltz, Charleston, Swing, Fox Trot, 50's and 60's dances all the way to the current Cha Cha Slide. They study the social aspect,...
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Stand Up And Sing

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine pieces of sheet music and identify context, purpose, and perspective with regard to the political, social, and economic conditions existing at that time. They create a cover illustrating a topic of the Progressive Era.
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Storytellers: The Dixie Chicks

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore an important moment in the course of American History through critical listening. Students analyze the lyrics of one work by the Dixie Chicks. Students have a better understanding of the way music can mirror social...
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Vienna in 1900

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Vienna in the 1900's was a place alive with new ideas, music, and innovative art.
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Fallen Angels

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Learners read the novel, Fallen Angels, and examine the theme of coming of age during the Vietnam War. They create timelines of the 1960s, highlighting important issues of the era. They write research papers focusing on one particular...
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The Foreign Policies of Harry S. Truman

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars read an article about the new interest in Harry S. Truman. In groups, they review his foreign policy decisions and how situations might have been different if he had made a different decision. They also examine the...
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Major Intervals

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students listen to a recording of "Happy Birthday" and practice playing the first two notes of the song on the keyboard discovering that the two notes make up a major 2nd interval. They listen to "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to explain the...
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Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition: Corridos

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners create and perform Corridos which are oral tradition ballads. In this Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition lesson plan, students interview family members using a predetermined list of questions. In addition,...
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Lift Every Voice and Sing

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students analyze sculpture, poetry, and music to gain an understanding of historical events. In this critical thinking skills lesson, students take a closer look at African-American history as they examine "Lift Every Voice and Sing'"...

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