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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The History of Rock and Roll: Part 1 - Rock and Roll Explodes Music Reflects The Times

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine technological advancements in music and broadcast over the decades.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conveying Message Through Musical Composition

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students listen to and discuss various protest songs from the 1960's, and write original lyrics for a song addressing global or societal issues. They write a paragraph evaluating the efficacy of the song to convey a message.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Mambo" from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students encounter and study "Mambo" from "West Side Story," by Leonard Bernstein. They practice utilizing musical elements (instrumentation, tempo, and dynamics) to create a certain mood for a scene with music. Each student interprets...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

No Title

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students, through musical improvisation and utilizing a video, demonstrate how music is used to advance a storyline. They are introduced to program music and as they enter the room they will see the opening scene from Jaws playing on the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Songs that Bring Us Together - Lesson 5

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

A Song for Today - Lesson 3

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars analyze musical and topical elements in popular songs and compose song as a classroom effort. They write a short paragraph evaluating the effectiveness of the song in conveying the message of the lyrics.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students discuss the role of the rapper in Hip Hop music and how the rapper promoted their group's DJ. They compose a short rap about a fellow student highlighting that student's accomplishments and good traits.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The History of Rock and Roll: Part 6 - My Generation - Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify musical characteristics of baroque, jazz, and psychedelic music. They arrange traditional music into the style of baroque, jazz, and psychedelic music.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Vocabulary Songs: Vocabulary Reinforcement Activity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students compose songs using vocabulary words. In this vocabulary lesson, students are introduced to a new set of vocabulary words and their definitions. Students collaborate in groups of three or four to write new lyrics to the tune of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Timbre: Identifying the Tone Color of the Saxophone

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students explore the concept of timbre. In this timbre lesson, students experience timbres produced by saxophones in contemporary music. Students explore the science behind the music.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

"West Side Story"

For Students 5th - 6th
In this music history worksheet, students discover the musical "West Side Story" by first reading a summary of the plot. Students answer 5 questions about the story line. Students then read and analyze the lyrics to "America" and discuss...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: Fate versus Free Will

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders explore Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. After reading specific scenes, they brainstorm and discuss free will. Students observe a clip from the Dr. Phil television show entitled, "Afraid to Age" and make connections from the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Storytellers for Save the Music Starring Billy Joel

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners use a Billy Joel song to write a scenerio about it.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Songwriting

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students watch the "The Greatest TV Moments: Sesame Street Music A to Z" video and brainstorm what the songs may be about. They choose a theme for a song, write a short topic-related poem, and compose music for it.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Overture to 'William Tell' by Gioacchino Rossini

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create an awareness of how music creates a setting in a story or legend. They identify the instrumentation, dynamics and tempo used to create various settings for a musical story. They perform rhythmic patterns from listening...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Storytellers: Bruce Springsteen

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students use the music of Bruce Springsteen to learn literature techniques.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop, Episode 2, Lesson 1

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss Public Enemy's lyrics and compare and contrast them with songs popular during the Civil Rights Movement. They write their own rap song that expresses feelings of oppression or freedom from oppression.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

25 Greatest Protest Songs - Lesson 3

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers analyze the lyrics of protest songs as a catalyst for social change. They discuss the influence of music on behavior and explain the use of music as a means of self-expression.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

James Brown: Life and Times

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students trace James Brown's rise from "Little Junior" in Depression-era Augusta, Georgia, to the "Minister of the New Super Heavy Funk" and create a collage that captures his impact on American music.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aaliyah Biography

For Teachers 5th - 6th
In this biographical reading / writing worksheet about the singer Aaliyah, students first read a one page biographical essay. Students then compose 11 short answer responses to the following questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Folk Rock Singers and Songwriters

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers listen to and analyze songs of folk rock musicians of 1970 and then compose and perform a song in a popular or folk style for acoustic guitar and voice or for two acoustic guitars.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz: An Expression of Cooperation - Lesson 3

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students describe ways in which the principles of students or citizens working together are interrelated with those of musicians working together. They demonstrate their knowledge of the concept of "swing" in various jazz styles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Storytellers for Save the Music Starring Billy Joel

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

Beat the Greeks

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars conduct research of the history of atomic theory. Information is presented from Democritus and Aristotle to the early Renaissance using the Internet and video.The integration of technology allows for a vast amount of...