Contemporary Music Teacher Resources

Henry David Thoreau and Linda Ronstadt? Ann Tyler and Pete Townshend? Joyce Carol Oates and Pearl Jam? This richly detailed plan pairs classic literature with contemporary music and asks learners to analyze how the theme of conformity is...

Students explore the concept of timbre. In this timbre instructional activity, students experience timbres produced by saxophones in contemporary music. Students explore the science behind the music.

Students explore the American dream. In this contemporary music lesson plan, students analyze the lyrics of songs by Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, and David Massengill. Students create 3-D representations of the American dream and...

Need a musical activity for your drama or performing arts class? VH1 has put together a really neat activity, in which learners use biographical information about Alicia Keys to write and perform a one-act musical related to her life....

High schoolers view and discuss the movie, Music of the Heart. They compare/contrast two versions of the song, Music of My Heart, identify characteristics of heroes, and sing the song, Music of My Heart.

High schoolers make connection between music and art. In this integrated arts lesson, students complete gesture drawing activities as they listen to Cuban, flamenco, classical, jazz, and contemporary music. 

Students look at popular media presentations to determine what type of messages they convey about class and class-linked behavior. They listen to contemporary music to explore how the songs touch upon social class issues. They read...

Who doesn't love music? Poems and songs will engage your high school class in a discussion about irony. Use songs like "Rockin' in the Free World" or "Born in the U.S.A." to illustrate the ironic point of view. Print the lyrics so...

Students examine the economic roller coaster involved in the production of a Broadway musical. They read online articles to investigate similarities and differences between nonprofit theater production and Broadway, or commercial,...

Students participate in dances to a music CD to practice making a conga line formation. They then use locomotor movement shown on an animal picture card, moving to the music.

Students observe global cultures by listening to music and watching videos. In this Latin American dance instructional activity, students define merengue, salsa and other dances from the Hispanic culture while listening to Latin rhythm...

Students explore the tales of Greek mythology and discuss what it means to be a hero. They associate acts of epic heroism with philanthropy noting that these characters acted in a larger than life manner to secure the common good.

Second graders experience artistic perception of rhythm in music and see how to move their bodies and tap their sticks to the rhythm of a particular song.

Students examine the history of blues music and discover how it relates to the music of today. As a class, they listen to the drum songs of Africa and compare it to the use of drums in pop music today. Using the internet, they research...

Students learn about Latin American dance and rhythm in different forms and participate in dancing. In this Latin American lesson plan, students also analyze Latin American paintings.

Learners research a celebration belonging to a Pacific Rim culture. They prepare a written and oral report with their findings and present such information as how the celebration has changed over time, its origins and the significance of...

Students explore a literal and figurative wall. In this communication lesson, students examine and discuss barriers in communication as they analyze Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and Robert Frost's "Mending Wall".

Students listen to music composed in the 20th century and discuss varying interpretations. They play a contemporary piece of music and explore techniques available to a modern composer.

Music and dance appreciation are important to the education of children to help them appreciate the cultures that make up our society. Rhythm sticks teach kids artistic perception of rhythm in music and how to move their bodies and tap...

Third graders have an opportunity to show mastery of square dance skills by calling a square dance of their own in a non-threatening environment. Conclude the lesson by reviewing some of the calls that were done, especially ones that...

High schoolers explore how to construct and play diminished triads and half and whole diminished chords on the keyboard. They create appropriate sounds to accompany sections of the movie "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horrors." Students...

Learners examine how Lennie Gardner's process of discovery about his bronze mask parallels a personal discovery process. They receive an introduction to the art, history, and religion of Benin

Students study song-poems from 1865 to the present. They explore the works of Woody Guthrie and the Almanac Singers (including Pete Seeger).