Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Down By the Riverside

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers discuss the musical genre of spirituals and its influence on our musical history. They perform various songs, and read the student score for, Down By the Riverside.
Worksheet
1
1
Curated OER

Music From China

For Students 4th - 6th
In this music worksheet, students learn how Chinese people use music in their festivals. Kids read a paragraph explaining why Chinese music uses the pentatonic scale. Students locate 16 words pertaining to Chinese music in a word search...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Johann Sebastian Bach

For Students 3rd - 6th
In this music history worksheet, students read and analyze an article on Johann Sebastian Bach and then answer twelve comprehension questions about the composer.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Twelve-Bar Blues

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine blues music. In this music genres lesson plan, students discover details about the history of the musical genre and compositional techniques. Students then compose melodies of their own with 12-bar blues chord progression.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crawford Grill: Opening the Doors of Opportunity

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Analyze the role the Crawford Grill played in the history of Jazz music. Budding historians research interviews and video clips to learn about the Crawford Grill in Pennsylvania and black music history. The lesson culminates when...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eckstine, Stayhorn, and the Dorseys: Masters of Swing

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students explore the history of swing music. In this music history lesson plan, students research the Dorsey Brothers, Billy Eckstine, and William Strayhorn to learn about swing music. Students define swing, develop a timeline of events...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hail to the Chief

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Young scholars examine the musical arrangement "Hail to the Chief". In this music history instructional activity, students listen to and compare jazz, samba, baroque, and march versions of the song. This instructional activity may be...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music of the Civil Rights Era, 1954-1968

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Young scholars experience the aesthetics of music and learn about freedom songs that motivated the Civil Rights activists. For this music history lesson, students learn how music can motivate and move listeners. Young scholars then...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Music And War

For Students 5th - 6th
For this music worksheet, students read 4 paragraphs of information about music and wars. Students learn the 4 main roles of music in wartime. Students answer 5 questions.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Medieval Music -- 500-1450

For Students 4th - 5th
In this music history activity, students learn about the musical style and instrumentation in the years between 500-1450. Students read several informative paragraphs and answer 7 questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music History: Part One

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars research the various music composers of the Baroque music period. They conduct Internet research, take notes about their selected composer, and write an essay that includes important information about their composer.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hole Hole Bushi

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders play a written rhythm pattern. They state when a rhythm pattern varies from a given pattern by listening to an ostinato. They state reasons why people migrate to different lands.
Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Introduction to Anglo American Folk Music

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete, undergraduate-level online course on folk music.
Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Introduction to Western Music

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete undergraduate-level online course that introduces the history of western music.
Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Modern Music: 1900 1960

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete, undergraduate level online class on the topic of modern music in the 1900s. Includes complete course material.
Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Schubert to Debussy

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete undergraduate-level online course on Western music history for the period 1815-1915. Includes course assignments.
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Learning the Blues

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson plan introduces students to the blues. The origin and development of the blues is explored as well as its distinctive structure.
Handout
Other

Federal Focus Jazz Band: Traditional Jazz Style Guide

For Students 9th - 10th
A stylistic breakdown and analysis of traditional jazz. Distinguishes between the different types of this unique genre.
Website
South Carolina Educational Television

Etv: Visual and Performing Arts: Music

For Students 9th - 10th
Take a one-minute tour through the history of music. Be a music critic and listen to a musical performance. Test your knowledge and play the musical matching game or be a music producer and do a re-mix. Feeling talented? Upload your...
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: The Moldenhauer Archives

For Students 9th - 10th
The Moldenhauer Archives at the Library of Congress contain approximately 3,500 items documenting the history of Western music from the medieval period through the modern era.
Website
BBC

Bbc: Bitesize: Gcse Music

For Students 3rd - 8th
GCSE Music provides links to a variety of music topics including composers, composing music, music theory, music technology, performing and evaluating music, music styles, world music, and traditional music from the UK.
Website
Other

Dr. Brian Blood: Music Theory and History Online

For Students 9th - 10th
An exhaustive resource with everything concerning music theory. From ear training to music history, this site covers it all.
Lesson Plan
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 22: Youth Culture and the Rock Festival

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The major rock festivals have been viewed as seminal mileposts of the counterculture era. Not only were there significant musical performances from the festivals themselves, but music was created before and after these concerts to...
Lesson Plan
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 45: Democracy Not Yet!

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The following activity uses the lyrics of four popular songs (songs that were commonly sung or played) to stimulate critical thought and discussion of what is right or wrong with American democracy.