VH1 Legends Sam Cooke Lesson 2

Students examine Sam Cooke's transition from gospel to pop music as they study his style. They dance the Cha Cha and the Twist.

Students identify the impact of the social injustices and Civil Rights movement on Cooke's life and career. They create lyrics to a familiar song that express a personal struggle or concern.

Students compose an original rap. They discuss the career and music of Kanye West, discuss their pre-writing worksheet, and write an original rap using a Final Draft Worksheet.

In small groups and then as a class, young musicians compare and contrast two pieces from the musical film Chicago. They pair up to look at the elements that make each piece similar and define the elements or arrangements that make them...

Students identify the characteristics and elements of large scale rock productions. They examine the similarities between the American Vaudeville shows and the large-scale rock theater productions of the 1970's.

Young scholars identify musical characteristics of baroque, jazz, and psychedelic music. They arrange traditional music into the style of baroque, jazz, and psychedelic music.

Students read myths and legends about celestial bodies, compare cultural perceptions of celestial personalities, represent "character" of sun, moon, clouds, or stars, and invent their own stories about their chosen celestial characters.

Students study the relationship between trends and individual tastes in music. They use musical terms to describe the elements of different styles of music.

Students watch a VH-1 video on the history of Rock and Roll. They discuss the technological advancements in music and broadcast medium over the decades.

Students describe some of the distinguishing characteristics of rock, folk, blues, and country music. They identify two main musical roots of today's American popular music.