Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mandan Buffalo Dance and You

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Pupils create short oral presentations describing how Native American tribes use dance, poetry, music, art and other expressions to make a dedication to a physical concept or thing.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing Lyrics

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the themes and structure of a bluegrass song and identify the common themes in bluegrass music. They practice songwriting by rewriting the lyrics of "Oh! Susanna" as a bluegrass tune.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rhythmic Travel Around the World

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore and play rhythm sticks while listening to songs from around the world. They locate the countries of origin on a map, and tap their rhythm sticks to the beat of the music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning By Looking: Pueblo Indian Ceremonial Dances

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students investigate the uses of ceremonial dance in the Pueblo Indian culture by viewing videos of native dances. They listen to folk tales that explain the dances and compare the traditions of the Pueblo culture to their own culture....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Independent - To Be or Not Top Be - Day 1, Lesson 2: Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research the thirteen significant events that lead to the start of the American Revolution.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

West Virginia Def PB Wants You!

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students write, adapt, and compose a song related to the West Virginia State Museum.  In this music lesson, students create a composition for a work of  visual art. Students incorporate major and minor melodies.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Disco Sucks!"

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine why disco and other forms of music were not widely accepted.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Elvis

For Teachers 1st
In this excellent music and history lesson, 1st graders watch movies and listen to music sung by Elvis Presley, then draw and write as if they were a famous singer. This entertaining and inventive lesson has a terrific assessment...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native American Friendship Dance

For Teachers All
The performing arts offer artistic perception, creative expression, historical and cultural context and aesthetic valuing. This dance helps students understand dance history and develops cultural awareness. Students are given the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Influence of Musical Folk Traditions in the Poetry of Langston Hughes and Nicolás Guillén

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students listen and explore how African-American culture relates to learning Spanish as a foreign language. Poetry, music, and history are utilized while learning about Langston Hughes and Nicolas Guillen.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lessons in Drama: Learning About American Political Thought

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students develop critical thinking skills so that they may produce their own written plays or music from their thoughts and feelings. They express their thoughts based on what has been presented to them over the duration of the course.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music: Dancing a Jig

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students Watch a video to observe Celtic dancers prior to playing a game called, "Irish Jig Tag." When students are tagged with a Shamrock wand, they mimic an Irish jig. The game can be adapted to celebrate other nationalities or...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crackin' the Musical Code

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students decode musical notation and then synthesize and apply by notating their own musical composition. Students draw various rhythmic examples which are equal in time duration. They notate and count rhythmic patterns. Additional cross...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Black American Musicans: Precursors of Jazz

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students trace the course of Black music from the 1900's to the beginning of the jazz age. They realize that when education is defined as enlightened training for a place in society and for individual personal development, it was highly...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Keep on Pushing: Popular Music and the Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars explore music that exemplified the Civil Rights Movement. For this music and history lesson, students research 1960's protest songs, Motown recorded music, and rap of the 1990's to consider the power of music and its...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music and Dance Celebration

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders demonstrate effective use of a Venn Diagram Graphic Organizer by comparing and contrasting music and dance. They discover how different cultures around the world celebrate with music and dance.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

William Grant Still: "Afro-American Symphony"

For Teachers K - 1st
Students learn basic improvisation of a four beat measure through a game using a four quarter note pattern. NOTE: The idea in this lesson is to teach the student to create something on the spot.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Folktales

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders read and interpret an American Folktale. Students create their own folktale about Indiana. Students use digital cameras and clipart from the computer to create a photo story. Students present their animated folktales to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music And The Related Arts / Fiesta

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders investigate the concept of a celebration through the experience of music and culturally relevant conversation. They have a class discussion about thankfulness and tie it the tradition of celebration. Then students listen...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

William Grant Still: "Afro-American Symphony"

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students learn basic improvisation of a four beat measure through a game using a four quarter note pattern. NOTE: The idea in this instructional activity is to teach the student to create something on the spot.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ethnic Music: Carptho Ruysn

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students define the term ethnic music, ethnic dancing, and a simple Carpatho Rusyn dance step.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders sing the Shaker tune "Simple Gifts" while identifying eighth, quarter, and half notes. They listen to Aaron Copland's Appalachian Spring and recall other ballet music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American History Review

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine how people have contributed to American history, regardless of culture, race or religion. They develop a sense of pride for their own efforts, as well as for the efforts of others. They also study how to work both...
Unit Plan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

One Land, Many Trails: Challenge Activities (Theme 5)

For Teachers 5th Standards
Bring history to life through literature. The first in a series of three challenge activities designed to accompany Theme 5: One Land, Many Trails does just that through unique projects connected to historical fiction and nonfiction...