Smithsonian Institution
Spirits Across the Ocean: Yoruban and Dahomean Cultures in the Caribbean Brought by the Slave Trade
Much of Latin American music owes its origins to the slave trade. Peoples from the Yoruban and Dahomean cultures brought with them the distinctive rhythms, time signatures, and eighth note patterns that now characterize Caribbean music....
Smithsonian Institution
The Sounds of an Island: Jamaican Music for the Classroom
Introduce young explorers to the music and history of Jamaican culture through game songs and dances. As a bonus, class members get to play simple songs transcribed for the recorder.
Curated OER
Religion in the Caribbean
In this Caribbean religion worksheet, students read a brief article about the religions found in the Caribbean including Rastafarianism and respond to 5 questions.
Smithsonian Institution
Braiding Rhythms: The Role of Bell Patterns in West African and Afro-Caribbean Music
Africans transported to the Caribbean as part of the transatlantic slave trade brought with them a rich tradition of music and dance. Four lessons teach young musicians the rumba clave rhythm, cascara rhythm, and the 6/8 bell patterns...
Little Kids Rock
The Latin Rhythms of “Despacito”
When you hear the first few beats of "Despacito," the unrivaled Latin pop hit of 2017, you can't keep your feet from moving! A music analysis lesson plan examines the intoxicating hit by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and introduces the...
TED-Ed
A-rhythm-etic. The Math Behind the Beats
Your learners will dance in their seats as this talented drummer connects math to music in a short video clip. Clayton Cameron shows how math puts the "cool" in various genres of music, including jazz, hip-hop, pop,...
Curated OER
Tears of Joy Theatre Presents Anansi the Spider
Accompany the African folktale, Anansi the Spider, with a collection of five lessons, each equipped with supplemental activities. Lessons offer multidisciplinary reinforcement in English language arts, social studies, science,...
Curated OER
A Bird's Eye View of the Caribbean: Art, Folklore, and Music
Students examine the Caribbean in terms of its music, art, and folklore. As a class, they listen to a folktale and discuss the difference between telling a story and reading a story. In groups, they write their own folktale and share...
Curated OER
The Color of My Words
Explore the story The Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph using this resource. Learners answer comprehension questions, fill in graphic organizers, and write a poem.
Curated OER
Elementary Music Plan
Hey Macarena! Third graders keep time while they sing a Latin Folk Song. To practice keeping a steady rhythm and singing in pitch, the class sings the Folk Song together and in a round while keeping a beat. They then learn to do the...
Curated OER
Pirates of the Caribbean
Students participate in a "Pirates of the Caribbean" tag game to demonstrate scooter skills and safety techniques. Students identify and discuss scooter safety rules, then play a tag game with each student (pirate) on a scooter, with...
Curated OER
Caribbean Music-- An Introduction
In this music worksheet, students investigate the history of music and the musical style of the Caribbean islands. Students read a 1 page information sheet about the region and its music. Students answer 8 questions.
Curated OER
Compas-- Modern Popular Music of Haiti
In this music learning exercise, students discover facts about the musical styles and rhythms of Haiti. Students learn about Compas and Voodoo music and answer 4 questions. Note: Punctuation is missing from one of the questions.
Curated OER
Four Immigrant Groups: Their Lives and Music
Fourth graders examine the experiences of four immigrant groups. Class members brainstorm a list of misconceptions of those groups and discuss if these perceptions are still present today. Using maps, groups locate the countries of...
Azar Grammar
Song Lessons: You Gotta Be
Des'ree's song "You Gotta Be" is used to model for language learners the forms that can be used to express necessity (must, have to, have got to). After examining the grammar in the song, the attention switches to a discussion of the...
Curated OER
The Land of Macondo
High schoolers research the culture, geography, music, myths and legends of the Caribbean coast of Colombia using online tools. They determine how these factors influenced the writing style of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. They design and...
Curated OER
My Little Island
Learners engage in a lesson plan which features a video trip to the Caribbean Island of Montserrat to teach about the human and physical characteristics of place and human/environmental interactions between the two. Students create their...
Curated OER
Caribbean Music: National Dances
In this Caribbean national dance songs worksheet, students read information pertaining to the merengue, the calypso, and the mento. Students then respond to 12 short answer questions regarding the dances.
Curated OER
Mango Walk
Pupils sing music representing the Caribbean culture in the calypso style. They discover the role that the event of African slavery and the history of Carribean culture played in generating calypso music.
Curated OER
Caribbean Music: Calypso and Found Percussion
Students become familiar with the music of Trinidad. In 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 own...
Curated OER
Jazz Dance and Music
Fourth graders write a poem. In this jazz music lesson, 4th graders learn about the basics of jazz dance and practice basic movements. Students learn common terminology and listen to several recordings of jazz music. Students create a...
Curated OER
Caribbean Music - Reggae
For this Caribbean music worksheet, 9th graders examine a graphic organizer that describes the characteristics of reggae music. They answer 6 short answer questions using the details from the graphic organizer.
Curated OER
West Indies and The Caribbean: Sugar & Slavery
Students study the state of the world before the slave trade. They explain the geography and economics of the slave trade. They explore primary sources and how historians use these sources to create historical interpretations.
Curated OER
Caribbean Culture Day
Students are introduced to about Caribbean culture through the preparation and sampling of Caribbean food, as well as become familiar with Caribbean folk songs and poetry. They also experience blindness in order to form a deeper...