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US Presidential Election Process and the Campaign Trail

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students campaign for president. In this presidential election activity, students discuss the process of electing presidents, write their own campaign songs, research a campaign train schedule, and create campaign maps.
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Soundtrack to War

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss the important role of music in lives of soldiers stationed in Iraq. They identify and demonstrate skills in creating compositions with limited resources, similar in concept to the soldiers viewed in the documentary.
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Hole Hole Bushi

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders play a written rhythm pattern. They state when a rhythm pattern varies from a given pattern by listening to an ostinato. They state reasons why people migrate to different lands.
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Recorder Ensemble

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders listen to and identify the lines and space of the treble staff and demonstrate how to sight-read to play the recorder. They answer comprehension questions regarding letter names of the musical alphabet and left and right...
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Fundamentals of Good Musicianship

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how to analyze musical performances and utilize practice techniques to improve their performances. They listen and evaluate another student's performance, then reverse roles with their partner.
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Form, Rhythm, and Melodic Motives: Fiber

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine basic song form and 4/4 meter. They sing a song about diet and nutrition while identifying examining the rhythm of the song. They discuss why fruit and fiber are important to health.
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What I Did On My Summer Vacation

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Young scholars improvise then compose and notate melodies with appropriate accompaniments that are inspired by events that transpired during their summer vacations. Requires a networked keyboard lab.
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Songwriting

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students watch the "The Greatest TV Moments: Sesame Street Music A to Z" video and brainstorm what the songs may be about. They choose a theme for a song, write a short topic-related poem, and compose music for it.
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Sergei Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf"

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study Sergei Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." They explore the characters and the instruments that represent the characters. They create their own version of "Peter and the Wolf" for the purpose of introducing the...
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Rhythm Stars

For Teachers K - 1st
Students listen, clap, compose and identify various rhythms.  For this rhythm lesson, students practice rhythm with rhythm cards.  Students become familiar with stick notation. Students glue Popsicle sticks to illustrate rhythms.
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Rhythm Counting

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners perform various rhythms and melodies in unison on their individual instruments. Assessment is performed on the last day of the activity with each student playing individually for the class. This activity meets national...
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Original Rhythm Compositions for Poetry

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Young scholars create and perform original musical compositions using poetry as a basis for the creative process. This cross-curricular two-day lesson plan can be done in two 45 minute class periods. Students evaluate performances as...
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Rhythm and Nature

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders listen to song "Listen to the Water," discuss nature sounds and importance of water to life, perform quarter and eighth notes from notation, play instruments in rhythm patterns of quarter and eighth notes, and write rhythm...
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Composing Project

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers design, compose, and present short musical compositions for keyboard in this lesson plan meant for the high school choir class. This lesson can be adapted to any time frame, but the author suggests a considerable amount...
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Triple Meter

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students chant "Mabel, Mabel, Set the Table" in beats grouped in 4's using a percussive pattern. They repeat using 3's. Students sing a song in 4's and in 3's. they move to recorded music to practice threes. Students create Orff...
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Rehearsal and Sightreading Techniques

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders prepare the two pieces "American Celebration" and "Patriotic Bits and Pieces" for an upcoming performance. This lesson plan is a forty-five minute lesson plan geared towards a middle school advanced band (8th Grade). ...
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Teaching Rhythm and Pitch Reading

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars practice correct rhythms and pitches during this short instructional activity for the middle school instrumental class. Objectives vary depending on music used for the instructional activity. Students assessed through...
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Creating Opera

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students study the how music enhances drama in opera. They work in small groups to develop a short story that would be enhanced with music, costumes and props. They perform their operas for classmates and others.
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Using Numbers to Teach The Major Scale

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study the numbers to the diatonic major scale using C note as a basis in this standards-based 45 minute lesson. Emphasis is placed on singing correct pitch, rhythmic accuracy, and proper breath control.
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Frere Jacgues

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders identify different rhythmic notation and perform simple rhythmic patterns with the group, applying them to performing the song "Frere Jacques" vocally. Emphasis is placed on meeting State and National Standards for the Arts.
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Ancient Greek Philosophers:Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Learners discover the famous Greek Philosophers. In this Greek lesson, students find the contributions of Ancient Greece and their philosophers. This lesson includes brief bios on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
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Broccoli

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students use the topic of broccoli to learn about a healthy diet as well as the notations in music. In this music instructional activity, students are introduced to music style and content. Students create their own rhythm pattern and...
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Get On Board This Train

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine and discuss the African American Spiritual in a choir setting. They also sing the spiritual "Get On Board This Train" while using terms and techniques studied in the instructional activity.
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Describing Music

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders listen to the 9th symphony and identify the tiri-ti rhythm. They identify the number of times they hear a phrase "turn, turn, turn". They then describe the meaning of one song and answer questions in class discussion.