Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nepalese Drum on a Stick

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create a two sided percussion instrument designed to look like a damaru drum from Nepal. They locate Nepal on a map and conduct research on Nepal and the damaru. Students then create a damaru drum using a small plastic container...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Applying Music to Literature

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Kids explore music, history, culture, and literature in a multi-faceted lesson plan. They discuss how both historical and cultural contexts shape music, art, and literature, and then apply these concepts as they engage in a listening...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

The Birth of an Icon: Learning and Performing the Origins of the Drum Set and Early Jazz Drumming in New Orleans, Louisiana

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, cymbals. Perched behind their drum sets, wielding their drum sticks and wire brushes, drummers lay the grove and are the heartbeat of a band's performance. A dynamic lesson introduces young musicians to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Catch the Gullah Beat: Rhythm and Percussion

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Young scholars explore the Gullah culture. In this social studies lesson, students construct and play instruments similar to those of the Gullah people.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chinese Percussion Music

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students investigate Chinese percussion instruments and ensemble performances. They play compositions with Chinese percussion instruments such as small gongs, large gongs and drums.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Percussion Family

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders complete a unit to learn about the percussion family and African and Latin drumming. In this percussion lesson plan, 2nd graders complete 9 lessons to learn about the percussion family. Students learn to use shakers and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World Percussion Instruments

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study percussion instruments from various world cultures. In this percussion instruments lesson, 4th graders listen to percussive sound sources, learn playing techniques, and create compositions for instruments they...
Lesson Plan
Berklee College of Music

Create Your Own Afro-Latin Groove

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The backbone of Latin American music is the beat! Young musicians work on blending Afro-Latin rhythms and beat patterns before incorporating the major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and blues scales in their own compositions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plans for 2nd grade Japan Unit

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore the music and dance of Japan in this five lessons unit. Aspects of Janpanese and American culture are compared. The food, holidays, clothing, and the school day of the two countries are discussed.
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Feel the Beat of the Drums

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
These percussion instruments have a rich history and a variety of uses.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

There Ya Go, Bobby McFerrin, Creativity ans Jazz

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the percussion sounds used to create percussive sounds and identify the instruments that Bobby McFerrin imitates in his scat vocals. A scat version of the musical piece "So What" is improvised in this lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spanish: La Fiesta!

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Pupils sing a Spanish song to celebrate Latin American culture. In this fiesta lesson plan, students sing the words and do hand motions to the song "Que Linda Manito." They create paper bag maracas and enjoy a fiesta. 
Lesson Plan
Digital Forsyth

Old Salem Speech

For Teachers 4th
The focus of the lesson is rhythmic speech and 4/4 time. The topic of the lesson is trades common in Old Salem during the colonial period. Learners will practice keeping time with their voices and body percussion. They will then research...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native American Song and Dance

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students examine the importance of the drum and drumming in the cultural context of the Native American. Musical insturments and native dance is employed to support the focus of the lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Storyline Drum Circle

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students perform story songs. In this rhythmic motives lesson, students practice melodies, variations, and accompaniments as they read Peter Seeger's Abiyoyo and create compositions to present it as a story-song.