Synthesizers Teacher Resources

Take poetry off the page and put it into terms of movement, physical space and, finally, music with this series of three lessons from the Smithsonian Institution. This resource introduces students to two poetic forms that originated as...

You'll need to be a little tech savvy to teach this music instructional activity. Pupils will attempt to play along with an accompaniment piece you've created using music software. They will be assessed on their performance and ability...

Students explore history of technological advances in making, recording, and listening to music that have intrigued and inspired musicians and scientists for decades.

Class members are introduced to a project-based learning unit on US immigration with an activity that asks them to analyze sheet music and other primary source materials to uncover issues raised by immigration.  

Young scholars compose a written music review of one of today's popular bluegrass musicians after they read online essays and journals about the modern bluegrass music scene look over and discuss recent music reviews

Students participate in a variety of activities surrounding Rock & Roll music, lyrics, drama and visual art and how they all help demonstrate examples of literary terms. They use Rock & Roll as an effective aid to stimulate their...

Your second graders can become composers with a little help from the Garage Band software. You pre-select several drum, piano, and guitar loops for the groups to choose from, then they put them together following an ABA looping pattern....

Students decode musical notation and then synthesize and apply by notating their own musical composition. Students draw various rhythmic examples which are equal in time duration. They notate and count rhythmic patterns. Additional cross...

Students combine creativity with the rigor of careful editing by adding music to their story. It forces them to focus on how they communicate the meaning of their story to the listener.

"The Hare and the Water," a Tanzanian folk tale, lends a global perspective to literary analysis. Learners spend the first two days reading and storyboarding. On day three, they examine folk tale elements (worksheet included), and design...

Students identify the features of a synthesizer and practice using them. They record different sounds using the software provided. They also examine sound waves and applications through the synthesizer.

Learners create a rap/skit showing the effect of alcohol, nicotine or caffeine. In this biology instructional activity, students identify the important points of their chosen drug. They present their rap/skit in class.

To demonstrate their skills with traditional and computer-assisted notation, young musicians notate and perform the first eight measures of Friedrich von Schiller's theme to "Ode to Joy."

Students respond to exercises using ear-training software as they decide whether notes are sharp or flat. They create their own examples using the tuning function on a synthesizer.

Young scholars act as teams of product managers for personal electronics companies. Each team evaluate new electronic devices in different product categories (such as handheld devices and portable music devices), and create product...

Students demonstrate intonation and their ability to discriminate between sharp and flat by responding to exercises within Auralia, and by creating their own examples for the class using the Tuning Function on the synthesizer. Requires a...

Students examine a variety of songs, poems, and books exploring and analyzing the theme of self reliance and being true to one's self. They write a poem, essay, or letter that captures their true spirit and individuality and then they...

Water is vital for survival, but how does it help global cultures flourish? Elementary and middle schoolers learn about the different cultures around the world that celebrate water and incorporate it into their festivals or traditions.

Young scholars explain how bluegrass music gained popularity across the country and around the world. They describe the roles of artists, patrons and music organizations in producing bluegrass music festivals. In addition, they use a...

High schoolers analyze / deconstruct elements of design used in Wassily Kandinsky's paintings in order to synthesize the elements into a three-dimensional form. Works may be functional or non-functional.

Students work in teams to develop a presentation and handout representing a particular point of view in a Lead Debate. They synthesize their varied knowledge of lead and its issues, organize this knowledge, and present it persuasively to...

Students synthesize the "textbook" definition of lyric poetry and discuss various forms (love lyric, complaint lyric, loss lyric, satiric lyric). They discover the relationship of poetry to musical selections.

High schoolers use different pieces of music and writings to explore the theme of self-reliance and individuality. After viewing a video clip, they discuss how the images made them feel. They keep a writing journal to evaluate their...

High schoolers examine the changing view of women during the 20th century. Using art, literature and music, they identify the various perceptions used throughout history. They also predict what women's' perceptions are going to be in the...