Curated OER
Slices of American Pie: The 1960s Through Music
Eleventh graders examine political, cultural, and social movements through music. In this 1960s American history lesson, 11th graders explore the music of the decade in order to better understand the complexity of the time period....
Curated OER
1960's Protest Songs
By learning about 1960's protest songs, and the politics of the era, students can broaden their understanding of music and history.
Curated OER
Rockin’ the World: Rock and Roll and Social Protest in 20th Century America
Young scholars explore protest songs. In this interdisciplinary lesson plan, students examine issues-based music by summarizing lyrics and revealing inferences, generalizations, conclusions, and points of view found in the songs.
Curated OER
Speak Out!
Learners are introduced to Yvonne Ranier's "Trio A" dance and investigate how to express concern over social issues through choreography. They research important issues from the 1960's, choreograph and perform original dances.
Mississippi Whole School Initiative
Dream Big...With Your Eyes Wide Open
For many people, Barack Obama's presidency was the next step in Martin Luther King, Jr's dream of America's future. Explore the dreams of Americans past and present, as well as the young Americans in your class, with a set of activities...
Curated OER
Conveying Message Through Musical Composition
Students listen to and discuss various protest songs from the 1960's, and write original lyrics for a song addressing global or societal issues. They write a paragraph evaluating the efficacy of the song to convey a message.
Curated OER
Songs from Two Generations - Lesson 2
High schoolers identify popular songs from 1968 era and analyze some of the topical and musical elements. They focus on social protest songs and other songs of social conscious.
Curated OER
Racism in Jazz
Students listen to the Louis Armstrong song, "What Did I Do to Be So Black and Blue?" and consider it as a protest song. They write in their journals about Armstrong, his music, and civil rights.
Curated OER
Understanding the Music of the Civil Rights Movement
Students examine protest music and songs from the Civil Rights movement. In this music of the Civil Rights era lesson plan, students listen to selected music before working in groups to determine who the music was directed at, what...
Curated OER
A Voice for the Times
Pupils make connections with events of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960's with songs made popular by Aretha Franklin.
VH1
Lessons for Hight School Music Classes: Lesson 1
The phrase, "You sold out" has been thrown around among musicians that have lent their talents to the corporate world. Here, the class engages in an interesting discussion on how musicians make a living and the influence of commercialism...
Curated OER
A Song for Today - Lesson 3
Students analyze musical and topical elements in popular songs and compose song as a classroom effort. They write a short paragraph evaluating the effectiveness of the song in conveying the message of the lyrics.
Curated OER
VH1 Presents the 1980s - Lesson 3
Learners identify different genres of music popular in the 1980s. They study musicians of the 1980s examples of the songs that they made popular. They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan to categorize the music.
Curated OER
Public Interventions
Young scholars analyze the work of two artists who made interventions in public spaces. In this art analysis lesson plan, students investigate ephemeral and site specific art. Young scholars complete image based discussion...
Curated OER
An American Ballad - Lesson 1
Students listen to and analyze the ballad "American Pie." They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan. They circle the appropriate descriptive words of the song's medium form, melody, tempo and dynamics, and style.
Curated OER
Keep on Pushing: Popular Music and the Civil Rights Movement
Students explore music that exemplified the Civil Rights Movement. In 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 reflection...
Curated OER
Folk
Students read about Woody Guthrie and how folk music often tells of events of the time and can be effective protest music.
Curated OER
A Song for Every Headline - Lesson 1
Students identify popular songs from 1968 and make connections with the year's current events They recognize popular music as a reflection of the culture. They focus on songs of the Vietnam War era.
Curated OER
A Songwriter Not Silenced - Lesson 2
Students discuss how a musician's message can influence society and government. They debate if political viewpoints should be publicized in music.
Curated OER
Songs of Unrest - Lesson 4
Students identify popular songs from 1968 and make connections with the year's current events. They pretend that they are producing a new CD. The CD includes four songs that comment on today's social issues. They write the liner notes.
Curated OER
VH1 Presents the 1980s - Lesson 4
Students discuss development of music videos. They identify elements that make a successful music video. Groups are assigned to do a research project on the development of music videos.
Other
Pop and Rock Music in the 60s: A Brief History
This site has an web-article of the origins of 60s rock. Sections include "The Roots of Rock 'n' Roll," "The 1960's Begin," "The British Invade," and "1968 & 1969: The Unraveling." Also includes a bibliography section called...
Museum of Modern Art
Mo Ma: Eye on Europe: Prints, Books & Multiples, 1960 Now
Online exhibition traces the creation of paper and mixed-media works by artists working in various European art centers along six different thematic pathways, such as popular culture, idea-driven conceptual art, protest, and...
Library of Congress
Loc: Oliphant's Anthem
An in-depth view of Pat Oliphant's career in editorial cartooning. There are many good images of political satire about issues from the 1960s to the 1990s.