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Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson - Lesson 2
Learners use appropriate terminology to describe the instrumentation and style of a musical example. They identify common elements between musical styles and vocal styles.
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VH1 Presents the 1980s - Lesson 4
High schoolers discuss development of music videos. They identify elements that make a successful music video. Groups are assigned to do a research project on the development of music videos.
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Somewhere
Second graders write their own version of the book "Somewhere" in this instructional activity. They listen to the book and locate the rhyming words within the text. They find the number of syllables per word in the text, and compare...
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Peter and the Wolf
First graders integrate music and fairy tales to improve their listening and analytical skills. In this music and fairy tales lesson, 1st graders view and listen to the musical fairy tale 'Peter and the Wolf' using a SmartBoard. Students...
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AM to FM - Lesson 4
Learners examine different music styles played on AM radio versus FM radio. They compare a 1972 music hit from AM radio with a 1972 hit album on FM radio.
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Artistic Influence - Lesson 3
Students discuss how musicians' messages can influence society. They think of examples of artistic expression in music, the visual arts, dance, and theater that can lead to a society's self-examination.
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Inter-City Jazz Songbook Project
Students choose a city with famous musical highlights and create a tourist brochure.
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Edward Elgar
Students explore the music of Edward Elgar. As a class, they listen to Elgar's "Nimrod" and the "Adagio Cantabile" from Beethoven's piano Sonata. They listen to the music, write down the moods and discuss their feelings. Students compare...
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Ferde Grofe
Students participate in three different activities centered around Ferde Grofe. The different lessons are used to introduce music and the artist to the class. They listen to stories that music tells, and create their own sand painting...
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Making Elisir
Students examine the technical language used by musicians and music lovers. They study the contemporary relevance of 19th Century Italian opera and understand how it is translated into electronic media.
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Teaching Serialism with Technology
Eighth graders compose serialistic tone-row melodies using music notation software. This lesson includes an email address to receive all materials and worksheets involved in the week-long study.
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Using Shanties to Create Lyrics
Students demonstrate an understanding of shanties, a traditional music form. They listen to several shanties and create their own verses to add on to these songs. They express their feelings through music by using rhythm and rhyme to...
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Pizzeria (reading Encouragement)
Students create a pizzeria atmosphere in the classroom with Italian music, pizza menus and checkered table cloths. They compare their different tastes in pizza toppings to different tastes in reading. Then they use a reading menu to...
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The Mystery Cafe
Students plan and perform a mysterious scenario using a variety of literary conventions such as characterization, setting, and plot development. Each group provides enough clues to make solving the mystery a challenge.
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PBS Kids Go Buster Buster and Beatrice/ The Giant Pumpkins
Second graders visit San Antonio, Texas and Mt. Hood, Oregon in these two episodes of PBS Buster Go Kids. They examine the music and food that is local to San Antonio by looking at images and pretend to play instruments. They use...
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Name Songs
Students use music to help them with the names of children in their class. They identify the letters used in their own name and practice saying them. They create a class book as well.
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Letter Dance
Students listen to a piece of classical music and identify the letter that their first name begins with. They use their bodies and movement to make the letter shapes and set the movements to the music.
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Jam Sessions
Students examine the connection between sense of humor and jazz improvisation by identifying the musical instruments imitated by comedian Bill Cosby. They listen to another recording by Clark Terry and write what they think he might be...
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Develop Your Own Interpretation
Pupils use pieces of Andy Warhol's art to write critiques. Using different points of view, they answer discussion questions and share them with the class. They also interpret the art from a historian and artist point of view. They...
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Letter Dance
Students identify the shape of the letter their name begins with, then use their arms to trace the shape of the letters with their hands. They do this to the movement of music.
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Time in Jazz
Students examine time and meter in the jazz idiom. They analyze Take the A Train and Take Five. They research websites featuring Ella Fitzgerald and her music.
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Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pioneer Life
Fourth graders complete a three-week unit about Laura Ingalls Wilder and pioneer life. They research the topography of Michigan in the 1870's, conduct Internet research, write journal entries, participate in polka and waltz dancing, and...
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It's All Part of the Story
Students explore storytelling through pantomime, improvisation, and dramatization. They watch an online video, discuss Native American earth stories, role-play various situations, explore websites, and present an oral story to the class.
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The Tabloid Ballad
High schoolers explore the poetic ballad. They examine the rhythm of a typical ballad and listen to recitations of sample ballads. They choose an article from a supermarket tabloid and write a comical ballad using rhythms and...