Curated OER
Music, Culture and War
Students see that music serves as a major conduit for the transport of knowledge. As they watch video, students tabulate the variety of music artists listed by different soldiers.
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American Colonists Protest Song
Middle schoolers explore the role of protest songs. In this early American history lesson, students research the acts passed by the British that angered colonists. Middle schoolers then listen to protest songs from contemporary American...
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Jazz in America Lesson Plan 8
Learners explore the present and juture of jazz. They identify terms associated with jazz and listen to contemporary recordings. They participate in a class discussion regarding jazz's contribution to and reflection of American culture...
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Sondheim: Voice of Cultural Change
Young scholars explore Stephen Sondheim's contributions to musical theatre in the context of the dramatic cultural shift that occurred in American life in the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.
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English Folk Music
In this English folk music worksheet, 8th graders read about the characteristics, instruments, and purpose of traditional music. They read about the history of folk music and contemporary uses of this type of music. They answer 10 short...
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Patriotic Music: Three Cheers for the Red, White & Blue
Learners examine the patriotic songs of the 1940's and compare them to those of today. They identify elements that classify a song as patriotic, listen to several examples and complete Venn diagrams contrasting different examples.
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Lesson: Urs Fischer: Reviving the Past Art Movements
Seven major abstract art movements are analyzed by learners in groups. Each group analyzes various works by determining which work belongs to which movement. They then read Flatland, engage in an art and literary analysis discussion,...
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Lesson: Elizabeth Peyton: Artist's Community: The Real
What is real or imagined? The lines of beauty reality, and imagination are blurred in Elizabeth Peyton's portraits of her community. Learners analyze her use of artistic technique in conveying real and imagined communities. They then use...
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Lesson: Elizabeth Peyton: Pictures of Royalty: The Imagined
Elizabeth Peyton is an artist who creates images of people (often famous) that she doesn't personally know. These images become part of her imagined community. Learners analyze her work, her community of imagined friends, and then create...
Museum of Tolerance
The Role of Citizens in a Participatory Democracy
Groups research participatory democracies and compare the role and rights of citizens in ancient history with those in recent U.S. history. Guided by a series of questions, individuals compose a persuasive essay in which they discuss the...
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200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons
Upper graders explore pop culture and pop music as a forum for female role models. They explore women who have currently contributed to our pop world and why they could be considered role models. They each interview a woman in their...
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Jazz in America
Eleventh graders explore Jazz in America. They examine greats in Jazz, such as Duke Ellington. They are also to discuss the cultural implications of the music itself.
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Jazz in America
Students explore the Jazz of today and its future. They answer questions and listen to music.
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"We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover"
Young scholars examine video clips and Web sites related to relevant productions, study song lyrics, and compare and contrast actual history with Broadway history. They create lyrics for a new song based on a contemporary or historical...
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VH1 Legends Sam Cooke Lesson 3
Learners 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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Scops, Rappers and You: Historians with Style!
Students examine the epic poem Beowulf. For this analyzing poetry lesson, student compare listen to the Will Smith song "Wild, Wild West" and read Beowulf. Students analyze the song and the poem. Students then research an influential...
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Social Studies: Medieval and Contemporary Class Structures
Young scholars discuss and compare contemporary class systems with those of the Middle Ages. They explore Websites on HyperStudio stack and review art and music of the Middle Ages. In groups, students design and draw castles reflecting...
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I Went to the Crossroads: The Faust Theme in Music, Film and Literature
Students analyze song lyrics and discuss Faust theme in musical history. In this thematic instructional activity, students view a film clip and create a song lyric, poem or short story developed around the Faust theme. Students perform...
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Australian Aboriginal Art and Storytelling
Young explorers investigate Australian Aboriginal culture by listening to traditional Dreamtime stories and examining dot paintings created by Aboriginal artists. In addition, they locate the country on maps, discuss the geography of...
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Mourning in Art and Ancient Cultures
Learners compare and mine two prints by Canadian artist Robert Harris for clues about the story depicted. They brainstorm ancient cultures that tell similar stories and download images to portray them. They also research how the ancient...
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VH1 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll Lesson 1
Students the influence of women's music in history and the suffrage movement.
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Jazz in America Lesson Plan 7
The student will explore free jazz, fusion, and contemporary jazz. They will listen to avant garde, fusion, and pop recordings. In addition, they participate in a class discussion regarding jazz's contribution to and reflection of...
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Urban Concentration and Racial Violence
Students research one of the many urban race riots in U.S. history, from the New York City riots during the Civil War to the "Red Summer of 1919" or the hate-strikes of 1943. They present their findings in the form of a newspaper's front...
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The John Travolta Syndrome
Students examine the influence of music and film on contemporary fashion. For this popular culture lesson, students research select films featuring John Travolta. Students research selected time periods in American history as well....