Red, White, and Blue Notes

Students discover the meaning and symbolism behind the American flag. In this instructional activity on National symbols, students design a flag for their school, explain the symbolism they used, and distinguish the elements that...

Students examine the culture of Acadian through the paintings of Robert Harris. Using the internet, they read examples of Acadian history through primary source documents. As a class, they continue to share stories orally by pretending...

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...

Welcome to the Renaissance, known as one of the most vibrant periods in the world of theater. An informational video provides a thorough overview of the period, noting key changes that took place on the stage. After a lengthy discussion...

Students research and listen to a variety of American music genres and create a written comparison between three of the styles.

This music sampler shows students how to distinguish the blues from other genres. Listen to the sound clip to hear the supposed depressed or saddened feeling. Related resource links provided.

High schoolers watch a video that highlights the role of artists' images throughout the history of Black music in the United States and describe the influences of the civil rights movement on Black culture.

Students discuss the difference between independent films and and films produced by a major studio. They select an independent filmmaker to research and begin their research from a list of given Web sites. When research is complete,...

Students create drawings using oil pastels that convey cultural, social and historical meaning. Drawings are evaluated on use of color planning, contour drawing, color blending, line and pattern.

Students evaluate in class performance of music previously prepared by the ensemble. The rubric and assessment criteria are adaptable to any orchestra setting which allows the teacher to choose music to be assessed. Critical thinking...