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Storytellers: Bruce Springsteen
Students use the music of Bruce Springsteen to learn literature techniques.
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National Symbols
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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Freak the Mighty - Rodman Philbrick
Students read and examine the novel Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick. A variety of assignments involving this novel is offered for the students to complete with higher order thinking skills.
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Trash or Treasure?
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning activity, students pull together to clean up a community park and reflect on the experience through literature.
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Early Industrialization
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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Bob Dylan: No Direction Home
Students hold panel discussions on selected topics about the 1960s and their impact on modern-day events. As visual reinforcement, they watch the film about Bob Dylan and research the music of the period as well as his musical...
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And We Were All in One Place: Youth Culture and the Rock Festival
Students explore historical youth culture events. In this youth culture lesson, students discover details regarding the Altamont, Woodstock, and Monterey concerts. Students conduct research that regarding the rock festivals and...
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Crossroads Blues
The crossroads, and the decisions made and entities met there, are a common theme in literature, pushing readers to examine the choices and encounters that shape life experience. The theme has also been explored in blues music, most...
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No Form of Tobacco is Safe
Students create an advertisement to convince children to stay away from tobacco products. In this smoking prevention lesson, students discuss the health effects of tobacco use and evaluate current tobacco ads. Students work in small...
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Similes, Metaphors, and Figurative Language
There are creative ways to make similie and metaphor lessons and activities motivating for students.
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The Great Depression: A Study Guide Through Song
Students take a closer look at the political and social outlook during the Great Depression. In this Great Depression instructional activity, students analyze selected songs from the time period. Students use the provided lyric...
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25 Greatest Protest Songs
Students 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 historical record.
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Follow the Drinking Gourd
Young scholars listen to the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and repeat what they have heard. They discuss the significance of the story and how it relates to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. They observe a map of areas in...
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What is Poetry and Where Can You Find It?
Students examine different types of poetry in music, commercials and printed works. They identify themes of philanthropy in poetry as well. They finally share their findings with the class.
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I Hear Poetry
Students practice analysis of poetry by analyzing song lyrics using a worksheet to guide the analysis process. They work in small groups to assess the stylistic and literary devices used in the song lyrics then they find a published...
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A Planting We Will Go
Students explore how to transplant trees in their community. In this citizenship lesson, students construct a map of where to plant trees and then plant the trees.
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Peer Pressure
Eleventh graders analyze the social impact media plays in relation to peer pressure. In this peer pressure lesson plan, 11th graders listen to Afroman's "Lets All Get Drunk" and read the lyrics. Students write about the song and view a...
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Sharing Beauty Through Song
Students perform a song for their school community. In this music lesson, students sing the philanthropic song See Me Beautiful by Red Grammar and reflect upon the lyrics. Students perform the song for their school community.
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From Where Does Prejudice Come?
Students explore the concept of discrimination. In this social studies lesson, students view pictures and write down the first thing that comes to their mind. Students discuss if stereotyping or prejudice affected their first...
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Venn Diagram: Gauguin Self-Portraits
In this Venn diagram worksheet, students compare 2 self-portraits of Gauguin, then use pictures from magazines to create their own "self portrait."
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Shakira
In this famous person worksheet, students read a passage about Shakira and then complete a variety of in-class and homework activities to support comprehension, including partner interviews, spelling, cloze, synonym matches,...
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Fish Tunes
Students use their musical talent to create a song for the class fishtank. In a group, they compose two or three songs about their own tropical fish in which they can use any rhythm and musical instruments they choose. They perform...
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Storytellers: Coldplay
Learners discover the importance of lyrics in the successful combination of music and words in the process of composing a song. They discuss how emotion-based lyrics influence the creative aspects in composing a song.
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Sing the Blues
Students explore examples of this musical form, then write their own lyrics for a blues song.