General music students learn about the history of popular American music by creating and performing a one-act musical. After researching and creating an American Musical timeline, class members write a song with lyrics using Jam Studio,...

Upper graders explore musical film and the Bohemian lifestyle common in Europe during the turn of the century through the musical Moulin Rouge. After listening to (or viewing) songs from the movie, they discuss the Bohemian era and how...

Students discuss find out about the four types of musical instruments. They identify several instruments of each type. Students listen to a simple rhythmic music. They follow along with its notation. Students identify treble and bass...

Young scholars describe some of the distinguishing characteristics of blues music. They compare and analyze two versions of the same 12-bar blues song. They read and identify notation symbols for rhythm and tempo.

Students create poems and sound compositions using instruments, sounds, and pictograph notation. After listening Debussy's Children's corner suite, they brainstorm a list of snow vocabulary words. Students write poems and in groups...

Young scholars perform a song using correct posture, correct rhythms, and accurate pitches. They read musical notation and lyrics of various patriotic tunes, analyze the purpose and meaning of patriotic songs, discuss the social and...

Students study Richard Wagner and his idea of "Music Drama". Students listen to his music, pantomime, and lead "music dramas" to discover Wagner's idea of the world of composition and drama.

Students discuss the technological advancements in music that emerged during the 1970's and how they were used. They see how technology in music influenced the artists and their music.

"Ode to la Tortilla" and "Ode to Joy"? Sure! Use Gary Soto's poem to introduce learners to the ode format. After examining the descriptive words Soto uses, class members study a poster of Ludwig van Beethoven, suggest words that describe...

Students compare Reggae to other musical genres and identify rhythms. They study the history and musical significance of Reggae as a musical genre.

Students discuss the vocal styles characteristic of different genres and composers. The explore the use of lyrics, their relation to the music, and the use of the voice to convey emotions and character.

From the time of its publication, Uncle Tom's Cabin has been controversial. To better understand the debate, class members first examine a broadside decrying the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, and then two newspaper reviews of the...

Students write a job posting for a career in the performing arts. They view a Discovery Channel video as an introduction to the types of performing art careers are possible. They choose one that they are most interested in to research on...

Students listen to the song :King of Pain" by the Police. They identify different instrumentation and different rhythmic accompaniments to the opening vocal phrase and explore the text in-depth, discussing the various poetic images of...

Young scholars write a song about transportation in 100 years after comparing and discussing "Proud Mary" and "The Midnight Special".

Students identify song style and form. They create movement which shows the song form and improvise rhythm accompaniment.