Rather than just shouting out commands on what to do with a parachute, turn some music on and make it a dance routine. This seems like a pretty cool way to engage young learners. Make a dome, hop, make waves, walk, twist, and shake that...

Fifth graders explore the current jazz scene and how it reflects American culture. They listen to jazz recordings of current artists and speculate on which direction jazz is likely heading.

Students analyze the functions of musical scores as they relate to percussion instruments. They follow an audio and video presentation as they count and follow beat patterns.

High schoolers work as a class to compose an original four-measure rhythm. After a brief review of a sight reading Gordon rhythm patterns, students compose their own rhythm with each student selecting a part for the composition. All...

Students perform basic tumbling activities.  In this movement lesson, students practice tumbling and balancing moves while listening to music.  Students are "frozen" into place while in certain positions.

This lesson plan focuses on how students can learn basic blues percussion patterns by considering the polyrhythms of African drumming and investigating how and why such drums were banned during slavery. Students will listen to several...

Students explore vocal music techniques.  In this vocal music lesson plan, students follow a series of warmup exercises modeled by the teacher, then participate in specific breathing and vocalizing exercises.

Students recite Willie Nelson's lyrics in one voice and then analyze their tone and vocabulary usage. They research Willie Nelson's history and dramatize the song: "On the Road Again."

Students figure out rhythm notation for phrases describing the benefits of broccoli. They compose four-measure patterns using the rhythms of these phrases.

Second graders, using popsicle sticks. illustrate rhythms clapped by someone else. They use different types of pies to recognize and notate rhythms in standard notation.

First graders investigate musical notes. In this music lesson, 1st graders discuss the values of each note by counting the beats accordingly.

Students get involved with rhythms. They demonstrate routines involving tinikling, lummi sticks, line dancing, ball handling, hoops, and ribbons. They demonstrate competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a...

Young singers learn how to notate the rhythms and melodies of a familiar song using Kodaly hand signals and manipulatives. Individuals then create their own compositions and sing them using Kodaly notation.

Learners demonstrate ability to sight read rhythms containing half, quarter and eighth notes and quarter rests; by clapping and chanting rhythms written on chart 1.

Ninth graders develop an understanding of music notation and become proficient at reading rhythms by sight. They explore rhythms base on divisions of two and four and triplets.

Learners explore the concept of rhythm in music. In this music lesson, students listen to a series of claps in any rhythm and repeat the rhythm back. Learners create their own clap rhythm and add stomps to the pattern.

Fourth graders describe and play various tempos as part of this beginning instrumental lesson plan. They recite tongue twisters to a medium, largo, and allegro tempos. As an extension, 4th graders use software as an accompaniment to...

First graders use rhythm instruments to explore dynamic fluctuations in music. They experiment with clapping, body movement, recorded music and pitch instruments to explore the concept of tempo.

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.

Third graders assess how to read and write rhythmic notation in music. They explore the concepts of whole, half, quarter, eighth, dotted lines, extended pentatonic, diatonic and major/minor modes. Symbols along with additional...

First graders describe pattern rules. They use the rhythm being played on a bell and candy hearts to explore patterns and pattern rules. This is an especially good lesson to use around Valentine's Day.

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.

Students choose a theme for a song. They compose a poem, and write music to go along with their poem. The instructor plays the musical accompaniment, and the class votes on the most appropriate rhythmic pattern.

Students are introduced to the various songwriting techniques of Paul McCartney. They explore and compare the basic melodic, harmonic, and lyrical tendencies of the different types of pop music.