Curated OER
String Telephones and Musical Straws
Fourth graders investigate pitches of sound. In this physical science lesson, 4th graders participate in two activities that help them explore pitch--one activity has them working with string telephones and the amount of tension...
Curated OER
The Collaborative Works of Rodgers and Hammerstein: Show Business
Young scholars study the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein in an historical context of the development of American musical theatre as an art form. Students explore "roots" of the genre as it evolves in last half of the 19th and first two...
Peter Nagy
Virtuoso Piano Free 3
This may be as close to playing a piano as it is possible to get without actually having a physical instrument in the class. Learn the names and sounds of keys, play a solo or a duet, and practice scales or any song you'd like–all for free!
Curated OER
Music, Slavery, and the Civil War
Students explore the role of the spiritual played during the period of slavery and the Civil War. They listen to and analyze various forms of spirituals They gain an awareness of how music reflects cultures and social issues.
Curated OER
Looking at the Old South: Music and Culture
Middle schoolers use different styles of music to research society, history and culture in the American South. They, in groups, research an assigned piece of music and make a presentation to the class. They keep a daily journal as well.
Curated OER
Off Times of Slaves on the Sea Islands
Sixth graders explore the aspect of slave life on the Sea Islands. They explore the Gullah language, folk tales, music and games during the "off" times of slaves. Students read and interpret Gullah folk tales. They recognize music in the...
National First Ladies' Library
Synthesizing Music with the Technology Invention of the Modular Synthesizer
Students explore how to create synthesized music and discuss what they believe music would sound like without electronics. They explore a given website to determine how different types of instruments can be digitized. In groups, students...
Curated OER
Musical Rhythm Instruments
Students develop a better understanding of rhythm instruments and their relationship to music. It also provides an understanding of the importance of color and shape in creative expression.
Curated OER
THE TRAVELS OF BABAR: An Adventure in Scale :Interpreting the music of Raphael Mostel's Dance/Movement exercise
Young scholars explore how dance/movement tell a story. They analyze the elements of dance through interpretation of the story. Students exercise how the feelings and moods of the music suggest certain body movements and actions.
Curated OER
Twelfth Night-The Musical!
Young scholars read Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. In groups, they divide Act 2 and add a new character or direction to the plot. They reinterpret the scene as a musical, using contemporary songs.
Curated OER
The Power of Music
Learners analyze the music Shakespeare chose for his play The Tempest. They seek to research why he alluded to popular music and contemporary artists. Students make connections between their own musical knowledge/tastes/interests and the...
Curated OER
Time in Jazz
Students examine time and meter in the jazz idiom. They analyze Take the A Train and Take Five. They research websites featuring Ella Fitzgerald and her music.
Curated OER
Technology Integration Lesson Plan: Music Database
Eighth graders gather information on fifteen of their favorite songs, create database with fields representing different attributes, explore and sort their databases, and create charts and graphs showing amount of play time vs. popularity.
Curated OER
"We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover"
Students 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 figure...
Curated OER
I See The Rhythm : The Study of Blues and Jazz
Students gain an appreciation for various types of music. Using the music of the past, they compare it with the music of today. In groups, they research periods in which blues and jazz were most popular and write their own piece of music...
Curated OER
Digable Planets, K.B.'s Alley When Jazz Meets Hip-Hop
Students explore the musical style of jazz and identify its elements while listening to hip-hop recordings. They select two styles of music and fuse them together in this instructional activity.
Curated OER
Summertime - Miles Davis
Students examine the George Gershwin opera, "Porgy and Bess." The rhythms to some of the musical pieces are mimicked and identified as belonging to the music of jazz.
Curated OER
Opera
In this Opera instructional activity, students explore the history of opera and identify examples of a recitative. After reading a short conversation between two people, students create their own recitative. They write their own...
Curated OER
George Handel
In this music worksheet, students look for the facts that help to complete the questions and then they draw a picture to complete the sheet.
Curated OER
200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons
Young scholars discuss the style and characteristics of the Classical era and the genre of opera. They compare and contrast modern day popular icons to musical icons throughout history. They write original librettos to modern entertainment.
Digital Forsyth
Old Salem Speech
The focus of the activity is rhythmic speech and 4/4 time. The topic of the activity is trades common in Old Salem during the colonial period. Learners will practice keeping time with their voices and body percussion. They will then...
Curated OER
"Hey, Mr. Producer!"
Students examine the economic roller coaster involved in the production of a Broadway musical. They read online articles to investigate similarities and differences between nonprofit theater production and Broadway, or commercial,...
Curated OER
Play a Painting
Students examine music and art together and see the distinctive elements of each form. It can also demonstrate how their characteristics are interrelated. They create musical interpretations of two works of art.
Curated OER
Living Yesterday's History Today
Students explore the colonial period to describe and contrast the life and experiences of people who lived at that time with the lives of individual's in the current era. the lives of researched characters are dramatically enacted and...