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Storytellers: Bruce Springsteen

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students use the correct music terminology to evaluate a performance, composition, and arrangement of the song "Blinded by the Light" by Bruce Springsteen and compare it to another version recorded by Manfred Man.
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Patriotic Music: Three Cheers for the Red, White & Blue

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the patriotic songs of the 1940's and compare them to those of today. They identify elements that classify a song as patriotic, listen to several examples and complete Venn diagrams contrasting different examples.
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Fires of the 21st Century

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore historical perspectives. In this contemporary history lesson, students listen to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," discuss they lyrics, and add  a new verse to the song for the years 2002, 2003, 2004,...
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"I Hear America Singing": Controversy and Music in the Mexican War

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the Mexican War and its outcome through music. In this primary source analysis lesson, 8th graders analyze the lyrics of selected songs to consider the 2 perspectives regarding U.S. involvement in the war. Students...
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Slices of American Pie: The 1960s Through Music

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine political, cultural, and social movements through music. For this 1960s American history lesson, 11th graders explore the music of the decade in order to better understand the complexity of the time period....
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Time to Rhyme

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students sing along to a hello song. They develop skills of phonemic awareness, literacy and social awareness. They think of words that rhyme with their names to add to the song.
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Creating Music

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the music soldiers listen to before and after battle. They attempt to develop an understanding of the role music plays in this conflict. They create their own lyrics to attempt to construct a pro-war and anti-war song.
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Stand Up and Sing: Music and Our Reform History

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine events of historical significance in music. In groups, they are given pieces of sheet music and work together to try to determine the social and political conditions of the time based on the lyrics. They write their own...
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VH1 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll Lesson 3

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine female artists who perform in the genres of rhythm & blues, jazz, soul, and hip-hop/rap. They compose lyrics and melody in one of these genres.
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Working on the Railroad

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students plan a trip on the railroad.  In this railroad creation and implementation lesson, students listen to the song "Working on the Railroad", make a map of where the track was laid and discuss the geographical challenges. ...
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Early Industrialization

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders analyze primary source documents emphasizing young people in factory labor (mill workers during 1840-1860). They study hours of labor, ages of laborers, reasons for working, and working conditions. They write a poem or song.
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International Women's Day 100th Anniversary Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai: Shaking the Tree

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore the significance of International Women's Day. In this women's history lesson, students read excerpt of Wangari Maathai's acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize and analyze the lyrics of "Shaking the...
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National Symbols

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students explore symbols of nationalism and consider their relevance today. Students listen to national anthems of various countries, discuss sentiments that songs and lyrics invoke, research history of anthems and countries they...
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Make a Music Video

For Teachers K - 12th
Students develop ideas for a music video of a familiar children's song. Working together, they write a script, create costumes, props, and scenery and stage shots to be taped.
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Why Does It Matter? Teaching Tolerance in an Unforgiving Society

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students listen to the song "Scarecrow" by Melissa Etheridge and draw what they think the song is about. They discover the song is about a man who was attacked. They again express their feelings about the song through drawing. Finally...
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Science Hits Activity

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Learners listen to a song that teaches the elements of the periodic table and write their own song to be used as an aid in remembering scientific information.
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America Poems

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine examples of how other Americans have expressed their feelings about America through songs and poetry, and write their own poems to express their relationship with America.
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Sam Cooke - Lesson 1

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify the impact of the social injustices and Civil Rights movement on Cooke's life and career. They create lyrics to a familiar song that express a personal struggle or concern.
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Fall of Soviet Union/Rise of Chinese Communism

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders examine the reasons for the fall of communism in the Soviet Union and the rise of communism in China. They listen to a lecture and complete slot notes, listen to and read the lyrics to the song "We Didn't Start the Fire"...
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Jazz Talk

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers analyze the origins of jazz music by examining work songs, spirituals, blues, and gospel songs as well as works of poetry from African American artists. They create their own poems from either the narrative, dramatic,...
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Getting Inside The Outsiders Through Music

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students listen to popular music of the 50's and 60's to make literature connections to The Outsiders. In this popular culture lesson plan, students evaluate and analyze various songs and connect them with the themes in the literature...
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Music Video

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore songs that tell stories over various decades and create a Garage band track for their voice.  In this story song lesson, students create a video for their song group.  Students present a proposal to their...
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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
"People Everyday" offers class members an opportunity to develop their literacy analysis skills and to develop media literacy. Guided by an included list of discussion questions, groups examaine the word choice, literary devices used,...
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M.C. Bard: Hip Hop and Shakespeare

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers compare lyrics from hip hop songs with monologues from Shakespeare's plays, and perform both for the class.

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