Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Values: Comparisons Between Musical Notation and Money

For Teachers K - 6th
Students identify ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in school, specifically math, are interrelated with those of music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning Refrain and Verse

For Teachers 1st
Instruct your young musicians on the terms verse and refrain. They listen to two songs, and point out the verse and refrain as they occur. Students then play drums when they hear the verse and the refrain. Note: Song lyrics, sheet music,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Note Names & Piano Games

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify the letter names of notes, demonstrate simple rhythms, and combine the two to play short melodic phrases using Bug Band. They create their own melodies and play them using Bug Band and various instruments.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music To My Ears: The District of Columbia Quarter

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Learners practice identifying different genres of music by creating posters.  In this music appreciation lesson, students research Duke Ellington and complete worksheets based on his style of music, Jazz.  Learners collaborate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

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

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners identify musical characteristics of gospel and sing a gospel selection. They practice the call and response technique. After going through individual parts, they sing the entire song with piano accompaniment.
Lesson Plan
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Learning Musical Terms

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students observe and discuss the following musical terms and their symbols: staff, measure, bar line, double bar line, treble clef, bass clef, time signature, common time, cut time, quarter note, half note, dotted half note, whole note,...
Lesson Plan
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Treble Clef Sign

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students explore and explain the purpose of the lines and spaces. They associate up and down on the staff with higher and lower pitches on the piano. Students recall that the G clef touches 5 lines and has 4 spaces.
Lesson Plan
San Francisco Symphony

The American Five - Pentatonic scales in early American melodies

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Through vocal warm-ups and exercises, budding musicians will attempt to grasp the five pentatonic scales, commonly used in early American songs. They'll sing and work to identify the pitch, tone, melody, and scales being expressed in the...
Lesson Plan
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Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music in America - Lesson 4

For Teachers 5th - 8th
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.
Lesson Plan
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Unscramble the Letters - Music Terms

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students receive a worksheet on music terms. As a class, they unscramble a couple before attempt them on their own. They then write the meaning of each to research the meaning of the musical terms.
Lesson Plan
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What's the Difference?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the differences between acoustic and digital pianos. In this music lesson, students listen to an acoustic piano and digital piano. Students play both types of pianos and discuss the differences.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Same or Different

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students recognize different musical sounds. In this music lesson, students listen to the instructor play the same and different musical notes on a recorder. Students identify if the notes are the same or different.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music's Speed Zone

For Teachers 1st
First graders read the story of the Tortoise and the Hare and relate it to tempo in music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Meter Readers Turned Composers

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students compose eight measures of music after they practice interpreting time/signature meter.
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Curated OER

Musical Instruments

For Teachers K
Students identify a guitar, piano, trumpet, flute, drum, and a violin by sight and sound. They view pictures of each instrument as they are played on a recording, discuss how each instrument makes their particular sound, and listen to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music History - The Romantic Period

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers chose one topic about the music of the Romantic Period to write an essay about. They research this era, take notes on the important facts, and write an essay about the topic.
Lesson Plan
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Music Technology

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students practice using keyboard and sequencing software to expand their compositions. They use the notes in the C Major Scale and playback their song written in an ABA song form. They complete pages in a basic piano workbook and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SENSORY ELEMENTS

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners describe the sensory elements of musical selections (i.e., tempos, dynamics, and articulations). They write an essay evaluating Saint-Saens' effectiveness in using sensory elements in both selections. They describe the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Driven: Jamie Foxx, Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Can You Compose?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate musical notes. In this music activity, 4th graders compose a short song while clapping the rhythm and singing the syllables using the appropriate notes or rests.
Lesson Plan
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VH1 Storytellers for Save the Music Starring Billy Joel

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine recordings of Billy Joel.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Composer's Blueprint

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students recognize AB and ABA form in music and distinguish between these two forms. They explore meaning of tempo and how to perform accents in written music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fifty States In Rhyme

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students perform "Fifty States in Rhyme" with correct posture, correct rhythms, and accurate pitches. They also identify and perform such musical terms as tone color, tempo, dynamics, phrases, and accents. Emphasis is placed on the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Flight of the Bumble Bee

For Teachers K - 1st
Students explore bumble bees. For this bee themed lesson, students listen to music inspired by bumble bees, create bee puppets, and complete a bumble bee coloring sheet.