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Music in the Common Schools

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils sing songs from the common schools era and compare music from the common schools era and today. In this music lesson plan, students look at pictures, fill out Venn Diagrams, and listen to music.
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Beat Or No Beat

For Teachers K
Students keep a steady beat by body movement exercises, improvise, identify a beat/no beat sequence and sing a nursery rhyme from Portugal in this Kindergarten General Music lesson. The use of simple rhythmic instruments is required.
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Singing And Chanting In Rhythm

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students sing and chant various songs keeping a steady beat, or pulse, while performing as a group in this early-elementary level General Music lesson plan. Emphasis is placed on the use of Solfege syllables and the song "Singin' In The...
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African American Music

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate a variety of sites to gather relevant information for a presentation about African American musical forms in this general Music lesson for middle school and high school. Resource links are provided to aid instruction.
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Minuet And Canon

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders sing, move, pat, clap, and drum in this Music lesson plan about Minuets, Canons, and "Take Me Out To The Ball Game". The lesson plan is for the 3rd grade classroom and includes the use of J.S. Bach's famous Minuet in G and...
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Rebus Writing Using Nursery Rhymes and a Book

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students write nursery rhyme rebus songs. In this music lesson, students practice writing rebuses as a class. Students then create their own rebus based upon "The Bag I'm Taking to Grandma's".
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Science of Sound- Music Sandwich

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the science of sound. In this music lesson, students create sound and vibration by constructing a "music sandwich." Students use craft sticks, an elastic band, and a drinking straw to create the musical instrument.
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Spanish Instruments, Zim, Zim and La Tarara

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore Spanish instruments. In this Spanish music lesson, students observe how to play castanets, guitars, tambourines, drums, and bells. Students then listen to and create music featuring the instruments.
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Drama and Dance

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students create a dance that tells a story then they use the dance for inspiration and write their own. In this drama and dance lesson plan, students discover how the May and Aztec would dance to covey a concept or story. Students work...
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Tango Stories

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students listen to tango music and research the country it came from. In this music lesson, students find that tango music comes from Argentina. They listen and dance to the music and then write stories. 
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Native American Flutes - Activity 1

For Teachers 4th - 11th
Students discuss Native American culture and musical techniques after viewing a video of Charles Littleleaf, a member of the Warm Springs tribe and a creator of Native American wood flutes.
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Do You Really Know What Wealth Is?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore what it means to have wealth in Mali and in the United States. In this economics lesson, students read "Music in the Fields." Student groups answer discussion questions.  Students reflect on the purpose music serves...
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iPoetry: Modern Interpretation of Classic Poetry

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students interpret a piece of poetry with images and music in a movie project.
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Spray Bottle Paint Mural

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Sometimes all you need is a quick and easy outdoor art project. Perfect for the end of the school year, this mural project allows kids to make a mess while creating art. They use spray bottles full of paint to "spray" paint a large sheet...
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Leprechaun Legends

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Explore the world of leprechauns. Learners do research on the folk tales, symbols, and characters found in Ireland's traditional stories, poetry, and music. They create a large, stand-up leprechaun to illustrate their knowledge about...
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Careers in Music

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders conduct research on various careers in music. They role-play planning group tours for music organizations, researching music entertainment, prices, and cultural events in the city their simulated group is visiting.
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Paint & Paper: Free-Form Musical Art

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students explore painting their feelings as they enjoy this musical art activity. In this early childhood visual art activity, students use paint to respond to music.
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Set a Poem to Music

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students consider the role of rhythm and meter in poetry. In this integrated arts lesson, students discuss the attributes of poetry and use their music skills to set picture book poetry to music by creating "singable" poems.
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Rhythm and Art: Gesture Drawing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students make connection between music and art. In this integrated arts lesson, students complete gesture drawing activities as they listen to Cuban, flamenco, classical, jazz, and contemporary music. 
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A Place for Me in the Field of Music

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders listen to interviews with career musicians. They, in groups, present to classmates the life, music, inspiration, and goals of a favorite composer, performer, or group.
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Dance: African Drumming

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students evaluate the messages in music. In this communication through music lesson, students listen to various musical selections and determine the message being conveyed in the song. Then, students create their own message as they...
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Haunting Music

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discover music that was inspired by the spooky and bizarre. In this music of Hector Berlioz and Camille Saint-Saens lesson, students identify elements of music and listen to the Symphonie Fantastique and Danse Macabre....
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Music Composition

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students compose a simple melody using the notes of the D Major Scale. Criteria/Rubric for evaluation is provided with variations depending on skill level of students. A minimum of one forty-five minute class period is needed for this...
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Quarter Rest Lesson

For Teachers 1st
First graders indicate the silent beats (rests) with an outward motion of the arms. They indicate a measure clapped out with a quarter rest, and a measure clapped out without a quarter rest.