High schoolers examine the changing American landscape. In this cause and effect lesson, students listen to rock music that exemplifies urban growth in America and the interconnectedness of America today. High schoolers write cause and...

Students identify legends in Tennessee and U.S. history, and differentiate between primary and secondary sources. They list examples of primary and secondary sources, participate in a field trip to the Country Music Hall of Fame, and...

Students create a visual presentation that describes the influence of American culture on Canadian culture, the Canadian response to that influence, and the benefits and drawbacks of that influence to Canadian culture.

James Jamerson. You probably heard him but may not have heard of him. But fans of Motown Records will certainly recognize his contributions to the sound that desegregated popular music during the 1960s. Challenge young history...

What makes a culture unique? Learners research life in the Appalachia region of the United States. Poetry, music, and oral history create Affrilachia, the term used to describe the lifestyle of the area. African-American mountain culture...

In this lesson, students will examine Hawaii's issues of colonization, authority, authenticity and cultural identity, and understand the distinction between native and non-native Hawaiians. This lesson includes links to videos, links to...

African American spirituals served as more than songs of religious praise during the years of slavery. "Go Down, Moses" is featured on a worksheet that asks readers to respond to a series of short-answer prompts about the spiritual.

Japan's Taisho Period was a time when authors like Akutagawa and other Japanese modernists began to experiment with point of view and literary form, making the literature produced during this time period a natural choice for teaching...

With graphic organizers galore, learners will follow the changes of church and state in early colonial America. They look at the differences between the pilgrims and the puritans in terms of beliefs and life ways. Myths and...

Young scholars relate musical styles with US historical context through research and presentation.

Students explain that, how in this world of increasing awareness and interdependence, music can act as a magnet to draw people together. They research and compare anti-war songs from many different generations.

Students examine the influences of the Hispanic groups from Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico. In groups, they research the history of Mexico and read excerpts from a book in Spanish to practice their vocabulary. To end the lesson, they...

Students determine what it was like to serve as an Irish-American in the American Civil War. In this Irish folk song lesson, students use the provided worksheets to analyze selected Irish folk songs and make inferences about war...

High schoolers study early New Orleans Jazz music and recognize Louis Armstrong as an early jazz artist. They recognize the elements and roots of Jazz.

In this music learning exercise, students investigate the history of music and the musical style of the Caribbean islands. Students read a 1 page information sheet about the region and its music. Students answer 8 questions.

Young scholars research the symbols of America, present their research to the class, write a paper about being an American and write their own Declaration of Independence.

Students examine protest music and songs from the Civil Rights movement. In this music of the Civil Rights era lesson, students listen to selected music before working in groups to determine who the music was directed at, what social...

Students explore development of jazz music in the 1930s by forming imaginary jazz bands which tour several cities in Depression-era America. Jazz band members create imaginary identities for themselves, develop publicity for their tour,...

Students explore the music soldiers listen to before and after battle. They attempt to develop an understanding of the role music plays in this conflict. They create their own lyrics to attempt to construct a pro-war and anti-war song.

Students discover the significance of similarities and contrasts of three separate cultures of the United States through music. They take out maps and trace the expedition of the Spanish along the coasts of Mexico and North and South...

Students examine the role of men in the American Ballet Theatre. In this ballet lesson, students watch segments of the Great Performances video "Dance in America: Born to be Wild: The Leading Men of the American Ballet Theatre." Students...

Students investigate the history of country music. They explore various websites, identify the different types of country music, read about members of the Country Music Hall of Fame on their official website, and answer discussion...

Fourth graders compare and contrast folk songs from different cultures. In this music lesson, 4th graders listen to and list the attributes of selected Japanese and American folk songs. Students discover the customs, foods, and culture...

Students demonstrate the proper steps in sequence to the Native American Friendship Dance.