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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Syncopated Duet

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students work in pairs to compose a duet (with percussion instruments) that contains syncopated rhythm sequences. Each student will research a piece of music that they feel uses syncopation and will give a persuasive speech to the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Syncopation and Rhythm in Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and Rap Music

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students recognize and clap the syncopated rhythmic beat of a rap song and identify recurring rhythmic pattern in the excerpt of "Dance of the Adolescents" from Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Syncopation in Pevensey Castle

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the syncopation rhythms from the musical piece, Pevensey Castle. They count and execute rhythms, count syncopated rhythms, and clap and count rhythms.
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Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Center

Harriet Tubman: Secret Messages Through Song

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
A lesson all about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad introduces scholars to African American spirituals. By way of reading, speaking, and listening, learners discover, analyze, and decode African American spirituals. They...
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Lesson Plan
Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford

Similes Activity using Jazz (featuring Duke Ellington)

For Students 4th
Language learners get into the swing of things with a jazzy lesson about similes. They read an article about Duke Ellington, listen to samples of his music, and then try their hand at crafting similes to describe his improvisational and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz and Math: Rhythmic Innovations

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students watch a segment of the PBS Ken Burns JAZZ documentary about Buddy Bolden creating the "Big Four." They compare and contrast the rhythms of marches and jazz based on the examples in the film, and explore notation, subdivision of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interactive Timeline

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine the development of ragtime music and its relation to jazz. They participate in an online Interactive timeline and read about the history of ragtime music, listen to examples of music, and in small groups create...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bob Marley - Legend Episode #3 - Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students perform using rhythm instruments with accurate tempo a given syncopated ostinato pattern to accompany a played audio recording of reggae music. They discuss the use of music to express religious and political beliefs.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Music Styles: Blues - Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students describe some of the distinguishing characteristics of blues music. They compare and analyze two versions of the same 12-bar blues song. They read and identify notation symbols for rhythm and tempo.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students sing "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" with others in small groups and as an entire class. Using correct posture, correct rhythms, and accurate pitches, students play improvised melodies as accompaniment to the song. This lesson emphasizes...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fish Tunes

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars use their musical talent to create a song for the class fishtank. In a group, they compose two or three songs about their own tropical fish in which they can use any rhythm and musical instruments they choose. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine the origins of ragtime music in American and analyze its musical form.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music In America Music In America

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners study early New Orleans Jazz music and recognize Louis Armstrong as an early jazz artist. They recognize the elements and roots of Jazz.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Legends Sam Cooke Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine the reasons and controversy regarding Sam Cooke's transition from gospel to pop.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music in Nature

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students research the Incan civilization. In this Incan civilization lesson, students study the geography of the Andes mountains and play an Andean siku. Students discuss how the sounds of nature influenced their musical piece.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

William Walton [1902-1983] LAM 102 Belshazzar's Feast (1931)

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore the musical composition of William Walton. For this listening exercise lesson, students answer the questions that are based upon the influences of the composition of the piece of music, Belshazzar's Feast.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

No Title

For Teachers 3rd
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Driven: Shakira, Lesson 3

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students watch a video about the life of Latin singer/pop star, Shakira and identify the elements that make her music unique. They explore Latin music and dance and research the music and dance of a specific Latin American country.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Driven: Jamie Foxx, Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students compare and contrast classical piano style with jazz piano style. They watch a segment of the video, "VH1 Driven: Jamie Foxx," participate in a class discussion of the music from the video, and develop a list of adjectives for...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

H1 Classic Presents: Paul McCartney: Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
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.