Young scholars compose song as a classroom effort. They write a one-paragraph essay about "message" songs in 100 years and include three ideas for topics along with the style of music (such as folk, rock, blues, rap, etc.) that would match.

Learners create an African style mask that depicts a value or character trait that is important in their community.

Students examine the influence of music and film on contemporary fashion. For this popular culture lesson, students research select films featuring John Travolta. Students research selected time periods in American history as well....

High schoolers analyze the relationships among cultural values, freedom of artistic expression, ethics, and artistic choices in various cultures and historical periods.

Young scholars examine different music styles played on AM radio versus FM radio. They compare a 1972 music hit from AM radio with a 1972 hit album on FM radio.

Students explore the history of major American music genres. Then, through mock radio shows, students examine the distinguishing features of each genre and how each has changed throughout the years.

Studentsview a video of the Dave Matthews Band and identify the various instruments used by them. They identify a variety of techniques used to produce musical sound on these instruments. finally, they discuss the function of each part...

Students write program notes of composers. They discuss music, composers, themes and style and movements in music. They select a composer from a target language culture and write two paragraphs int eh form of concert program notes. ...

Students study rock and roll with the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Students listen to the music of Coldplay to explore the band.

Students practice and perform the song "B is for Banana" using their knowledge of basic rhythms in 4/4 and student-created rhythm accompaniment based on speech. This excellent lesson is provided by the MENC (National Association for...

Students use different folk songs to learn chords and other musical elements.

Young scholars study Bearden's style of collage and create their own collage that reflects their neighborhood. They are read "The Block" and poems about neighborhoods and write one about theirs.

Students listen to examples of fiddle music and violin music to determine the similarities and differences between the two musical forms. A video link is included in this introductory lesson to fiddle music (Part One of Two).

Tenth graders explore the origins of the Cold War.  In this Cold War lesson, 10th graders analyze selected songs and identify what historical events they reference.  Students create a musical collage or timeline for the period...

Learners explore the U.S. Constitution through music. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students discuss a hypothetical case regarding lyrics by Madonna and the historical Massachusetts Blue Laws. Learners use the Bill of Rights to support...

High schoolers view a video about different types of music. They examine the history of jazz, big band and rock back to the city of Chicago. They discover Chicago's music scene today and compare it to the past.

Mitch Weiss and Martha Hamilton's Rooster's Night Out, a retelling of a classic Cuba folktale, launches a cross-curricular study of Cuban cultural traditions. Class members draw the characters from the book, participate in math and...

Eighth graders discover different concepts for identifying musical structure and song form.  In this Music History instructional activity, 8th graders compare and contrast a Red Hot Chili Peppers song to an Andrea Bocelli's song. 

What is real or imagined? The lines of beauty reality, and imagination are blurred in Elizabeth Peyton's portraits of her community. Learners analyze her use of artistic technique in conveying real and imagined communities. They then use...

Elizabeth Peyton is an artist who creates images of people (often famous) that she doesn't personally know. These images become part of her imagined community. Learners analyze her work, her community of imagined friends, and then create...

Students are divided into groups of employees of a jazz radio station and a classical radio station. They role play their own broadcasts.

Students listen to the song :King of Pain" by the Police. They identify different instrumentation and different rhythmic accompaniments to the opening vocal phrase and explore the text in-depth, discussing the various poetic images of...

Sixth graders explore the causes and effects of earthquakes. They also collect and analyze data in graphs. They also use the Internet to research earthquakes