Leading Learner
Using Music to Tell a Story or Describe a Scene
Young composers demonstrate their understanding of the stylistic features of descriptive music, including pitch, tempo, dynamics, rhythm, and timbre, by developing a melody and countermelody for a main character in a story. As part of...
Little Kids Rock
The Influence of Latin Music in Postwar New York City
Music has often been called the international language that transcends cultures and regions. Scholars analyze the impact of Latin American music on New York City culture in the years following World War II. They research music, video,...
Classics for Kids
"Mars" from The Planets
Gustav Holst's The Planets provide young musicians an opportunity to examine how composers can create a suite: a collection of smaller pieces grouped to explore a single topic. After listening to "Jupiter," they examine "Mars" in...
Teach With Movies
The Glenn Miller Story (Film) - Teacher's Guide
Anthony Mann's 1953 film biography, The Glenn Miller Story, is the focus of a series of activities that introduce class members to Miller's life and music. Of particular interest to music students will be the cameos by many famous...
Curated OER
Patriotic Music: Three Cheers for the Red, White & Blue
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.
Curated OER
Major Intervals
Students listen to a recording of "Happy Birthday" and practice playing the first two notes of the song on the keyboard discovering that the two notes make up a major 2nd interval. They listen to "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to explain the...
Curated OER
Man in Conflict - Vietnam and Literature
Eleventh graders analyze the lyrics of protest music. In this Vietnam War lesson, 11th graders examine conflict as they consider the controversial nature of the war as evidenced in song lyrics. Students also consider the Iraq War and its...
Curated OER
Oh, Say Can You See...
Students explore the meaning behind "The Star-Spangled Banner." In this music lesson, students sing the first verse of the national anthem and watch several performances of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Students define several vocabulary...
Curated OER
Jazz Lessons That Tell The Story
Jazz lessons can provide a look into history, and a way to talk about present day jazz musicians.
Curated OER
Billie Holiday's Song "Strange Fruit"
Pupils analyze a variety of primary source materials related to lynching (news articles, letters written to or written by prominent Americans, pamphlets, broadsides, etc.) in order to assess the effectiveness of the anti-lynching...
Curated OER
Film Character Picture Quiz
In this film character activity, students are given pictures of characters in movies and they define the film. Students answer 12 multiple choice questions.
Curated OER
Phenomenology Lesson Plan #7: Theme Part 2
High schoolers summarize the Phenomenology unit in this lesson plan. They identify character and universal themes from different films. They create a ten question survey for reviewer responses.
Curated OER
National Anthems of Selected Countries
In these national anthems worksheets, students read the general information and the anthems for the countries of the United States, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Zambia, Great Britain, Chile, Ethiopia, Korea, New Zealand, Greece, Taiwan,...
New York Times
New York Times: Hollywood Composer
Survey the career of John Williams, a prolific composer of movie music whose work includes the scores of many blockbuster films such as "War of the Worlds" and "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith."
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: John Williams
If you have seen "Jaws," "ET-the Extraterrestrial," "Star Wars" trilogy and prequel, or "Indiana Jones," you have heard this composer's work. Read more about his life and work. Listen to his music using RealAudio or Windows Media Player.
Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame: John Williams
John Williams has written many famous themes for many popular movies. Learn more about him and his music by reading a brief biography and viewing a short discography of his work.
Library of Congress
Loc: Patriotic Melodies
The Library of Congress site profiles 26 American patriotic songs with commentary, supporting visual material, and recordings of "America the Beautiful," "Fanfare for the Common Man" and the like.