San Francisco Symphony
Admirable Armonica Admirers
What do Ben Franklin and Wolfgang Mozart have in common? Find out about the musical invention, the armonica or glassy-chord. Learners will read about how Ben Franklin invented this new instrument and how Wolfgang Mozart came to play it....
San Francisco Symphony
By the Great Horn Spoon!
By The Great Horn Spoon is a fantastic novel for introducing learners to life during the California Gold Rush. First, kids research and analyze American folk songs, then they connect to the text as they listen to symphonic pieces written...
San Francisco Symphony
Mr. Lincoln Through the Eyes of Aaron Copland
Use Aaron Copland's symphonic piece, "Lincoln Portrait" to engage learners in a cross-curricular experience. They'll listen to the piece, watch a video, read the Gettysburg Address, and write a series of fact or opinion sentences. An...
San Francisco Symphony
Heritage Song
Learning how to compare and contrast is a core skill. Learners compare two music selections that showcase a specific heritage. They draw and discuss how each song and the composers of each song used their personal heritage as...
Teaching Tolerance
Community Arts Showcase
An art showcase encourages class members to explore the themes of social justice and tolerance. They create an original artwork, engage in group discussions, and journal writing. The art gallery also provides a chance for families and...
Curated OER
Compose Your Memory
Students notate a short musical composition using the notation software Sibelius. This composition is based on a the student's favorite childhood memory. Based on their emotions felt at this time, they incorporate tempo, range, and...
Curated OER
H1 Classic Presents: Paul McCartney: Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Lesson 2
Students are introduced to the various songwriting techniques of Paul McCartney. They explore and compare the basic melodic, harmonic, and lyrical tendencies of the different types of pop music.
Curated OER
Children's Books
Students explore daily dilemmas students face. They write and illustrate a story book dealing with one dilemma. Students write reviews of their books. They read their books to second grade students. Additional cross curriculum activities...
Curated OER
A Round and A Round
Young scholars practice singing rounds in daily warm-ups for 2 weeks prior to beginning this composition lesson. Students incorporate movement to the rhythm of each syllable, discuss syllables of words and their relationship to note...
Curated OER
Indian Ragas
Students explore Indian ragas and learn the differences between an Indian raga and the Western scale. They sing the familiar song "America," first in the Western major scale and then in two Indian ragas (bhairavi and purvi) on a neutral...
Curated OER
A Song for Today - Lesson 3
Students 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.
Curated OER
Sonata Form
In this music worksheet, students learn about the sonata form of music composition. Students read about the 3 main sections of the sonata form: exposition, development and recapitulation followed by a coda. There are no questions on the...
Curated OER
Music Technology
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...
Curated OER
Musical & Linguistic Lesson Plan
Tenth graders study songs and music of the US Civil War period. They use technology to compose a song that highlights an event or concept from the war.
Curated OER
Retrograde Composition
Students complete their own retrograde composition. They finish playing a set of notes started by their teacher. They use computer software to complete their song.
Curated OER
Save the Music Concert: Part 2 Composition
Students examine why music is considered to be the "universal language" and study the expressive quality of a musical performance. They compose a melody using a computer and software which they perform on an instrument.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Illustrate A Song
Middle schoolers listen to various selections of music, discussing the interpretations of the song. They create a picture illustrating the feelings, mood, and message the music conveys.
Curated OER
VH1 AIDS: A Pop Culture History Lesson 3
High schoolers investigate the relationship between music and culture, and how music conveys thoughts and emotions. They write their own song.
Curated OER
Intro to New Technologies in Music Education
Seventh graders, while in the computer lab utilizing a Sibelius software, create an eight-measure piece in the key of a minor using the notes A, B, C, D and E. They incorporate quarter notes, eighth notes and half notes. Each student...
Curated OER
SENSORY ELEMENTS
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...
Curated OER
The Collaborative Works of Rodgers and Hammerstein: Show Business
Students study the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein in an historical context of the development of American musical theatre as an art form. Students explore "roots" of the genre as it evolves in last half of the 19th and first two decades...
San Francisco Symphony
The 20% of Beethoven
Compare Beethoven's fifth symphony to latin music and disco. Learners will listen to and discuss the elements found in the first part of Beethoven's composition. They'll then look for the same elements in Tito Puente and Bee Gees songs....
Curated OER
Persuasive Advertisement For A Novel
Sixth graders engage in a project to persuade classmates to read a certain novel. They create a poster using persuasive advertising language. Media can be included in the form of pictures and other graphics to make the visual...
Curated OER
And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop, Episode 2, Lesson 1
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.