Unit Plan
Open Curriculum

Open Curriculum: Scales That Are Not Major or Minor

For Teachers 9th - 10th
To explain the various musical scales that cannot be classified as major or minor such as chromatic, whole-tone, pentatonic, blues, and scales from non-Western music
Activity
San Diego State University

Classical Cards

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The underlining object of the musical card game is to learn more about classical music forms, composers, and specific works.
Website
Leaf Group

E How: How to Learn About Classical Music?

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource explains how to learn about classical music, and covers the evolution, styles, and vocabulary of this important musical genre.
Website
Other

Lawrence University: A Brief History of Singing

For Students 9th - 10th
An introduction to the history of Western solo singing from ancient times to the present can be found here.
Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center: Chinese Instruments

For Teachers K - 1st
Help your students identify and classify Western instruments and traditional Chinese instruments.
Interactive
Other

New York Philharmonic: Kid Zone!

For Students 3rd - 5th
Meet musicians, create your own instrument and musical compositions, and tour the backstage home of the New York Philharmonic.
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: Anthropology: Sounds of the Silk Road

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Travel the tales and sounds of the Silk Road through this resource and understand how music shaped Asian, and eventually, western cultures. You can create your own music to share with your friends, and gain knowledge about common...
Website
Other

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

For Students 9th - 10th
Housed in a Pueblo-style Art Deco building, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center represents Alice Bemis Taylor's dream of gathering all the arts under one roof. In addition to music, dance, theater, film, sculpture, painting, and...
Primary
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: The Golden Age of Broadway

For Students 9th - 10th
This collection uses primary sources to explore the golden age of musical theater on Broadway.
Website
Oxfam

Ofxam: Welcome to Spain (Guidebook and Virtual Tour)

For Students 9th - 10th
Developed in 2000-2001 to explore and celebrate the lives of people living in eight countries that lie along the prime meridian, this "welcome to Spain" guidebook and tour includes sections on Spain's history, geography, environment,...
Handout
Classical Net

Classical Net: Musical Periods

For Students 9th - 10th
This site contains the most significant artistic output of the most important composers within each historical period.
Website
Other

Roughstock: Cowpie Song Corral

For Students 9th - 10th
This is an interesting resource site for country music and lyrics. Geared especially for singers, and musicians.
Website
Other

Dream Horse Classifieds: Dale Evans

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical information about Dale Evans, western songwriter.
Handout
Countries and Their Cultures

Countries and Their Cultures: Lunda

For Students 9th - 10th
"Lunda" is the most widely used English term to refer to literally hundreds of social groups whose oral histories link them in varying ways to a far-flung empire that controlled trade and tribute in much of Central Africa from the...
Handout
Countries and Their Cultures

Countries and Their Cultures: Lozi

For Students 9th - 10th
The Lozi consist of a number of interrelated ethnic groups located along the Zambezi River in Barotse Province of western Zambia. The term "Lozi" refers both to the Lozi proper and to those groups that have become subject to and...
Website
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Bill Monroe

For Students 9th - 10th
Offers interesting biographical background details on "the father of bluegrass music", Bill Monroe, a 1997 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, recommended reading list, and essential songs.
Handout
Countries and Their Cultures

Countries and Their Cultures: Ndembu

For Students 9th - 10th
The Ndembu inhabit the western portion of Mwinilunga District in Zambia's Northwestern Province. The Ndembu, numbering about 40,000 in Zambia, constitute about 1 percent of the total population. Some 40 percent of Ndembu are now...
Handout
Other

Western High School Band: Tuba

For Students 9th - 10th
A quick overview of the tuba, its functions and history.
Website
Other

Africlassical: Black History and Classical Music

For Students 9th - 10th
Africlassical profiles musicians and composers of African descent since the time of Mozart.
Graphic
Classical Net

Classical Net: Timeline of Famous Composers 1600 to Present

For Students 9th - 10th
PDF document showing composers in various musical eras from the Baroque period to modern times.
Handout
Classical Net

Classical Net: Johann Sebastian Bach

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a short biography of the legendary composer Johann Sebastian Bach. This site has many links to other topics about Bach.
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Lyrical Legacy: 400 Years of American Song and Poetry

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore eighteen American songs and poems each represented by an original primary source document, along with historical background information and, in many cases, sound recordings and alternate versions.
Article
Open Curriculum

Open Curriculum: Orchestral Instruments

For Teachers 9th - 10th
To provide an introduction to orchestral instruments of the modern Western orchestra
Graphic
Curated OER

Circle of Fifths

For Students 9th - 10th
Explanation of various keyboard tunings, and why modern Western music uses "equal temperament."

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