Poetry Out Loud
The Tabloid Ballad
What do the theme song from Gilligan's Island, the nursery rhyme "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat," and the poem "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" all have in common? Why, they're ballads of course! Challenge your young balladeers to compose their...
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The Pearl: Found Poem
It's hard to beat the beauty of John Steinbeck's prose, so borrow a little of it to form your own found poetry. After kids finish Chapter One of The Pearl, they select the most evocative and vivid words to create found poems.
New Class Museum
Lesson: Elizabeth Peyton: Portraits: Androgyny in Contemporary Culture
Portraiture, artistic expression, romanticism, and androgyny are discussed in a thought-provoking lesson. Upper graders first discuss and examine the history of portraiture and the elements common to the Romantic style. Then they turn...
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Thumbs Up For Movie Reviews
If your class loves movies, this lesson is sure to interest them. After discussing the purpose and structure of movie reviews, young writers compose a movie review and discuss why people may read a review before they go see a film. The...
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My Antonia: Guided Imagery
Willa Cather's novel My Antonia is full of vivid imagery. Encourage your pupils to visualize and translate images from the text into original writing with this guided imagery activity. Learners listen to an excerpt, take a moment to...
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Musical Instruments
Students invent a musical instrument to be played by them. They invent a nonstandard notation for music and compose a short piece to preform for the class using their instrument.
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The History of Rock and Roll: Part 6 - My Generation Social an Cultural Influence on Music Composition
Students examine influences on the creation and development of music.
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Writing a Music Review
Students compose a written music review of one of today's popular bluegrass musicians after they read online essays and journals about the modern bluegrass music scene look over and discuss recent music reviews
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Global Music Lesson Plans: Britten and Japan – Japan and the UK
Pupils explore the links between Japanese and British culture. In this Japanese music lesson plan, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding Gagaku music and then perform "Te Lucis Ante Terminum" with Japanese...
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Grouping Musical Instruments
Students study about musical instruments and group them into these categories: percussion, strings, woodwinds, and brass. After discussing these instruments, they independently complete the worksheet.
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Introduction to Musical Theater
Students made oral presentations of a famous muscial theater performance. They research the musical, view selections, and listen to music.
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The History of Rock and Roll: Part 1 - Rock and Roll Explodes Music Reflects The Times
Students examine technological advancements in music and broadcast over the decades.
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Movie Music
Students discover film making by participating in a music performance. In this performance arts instructional activity, students perform music and physical acting to convey an already written script for their peers. Students...
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Music Technology Programs
Students are introduced to the music technology programs for the next school year. They practice reading notes and playing piano. They use the internet to research careers in music.
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Musical Instruments - Percussion
Students research and analyze various percussion instruments from different countries and cultures in this Music lesson for the upper-elementary classroom. Emphasis is placed on internet research and hands-on drumming techniques from...
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Music Theory
Learners properly notate a short melody within a given framework. They pay much attention to rhythmic notation. Students compose and harmonize their own melodies. They work individually on composing a melody on their preferred...
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Exploring the Musical Shape of Student Names in a One-Computer Classroom
Students demonstrate musical direction while singing alone and with others while reading music. They discuss and demonstrate shapes that describe the music and compare that to melodic direction. Students make music out of the letters...
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The Composer's Blueprint
Students recognize AB and ABA form in music and distinguish between these two forms. They explore meaning of tempo and how to perform accents in written music.
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Musical Roles
Students watch a videotape on the musical career of Aretha Franklin and explore the different careers in the music industry.
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Steady Beat and Form with Bluegrass and Fiddle Tunes
Students utilize listening skills, singing, movement and rhythm instruments in various combinations to reinforce instructional activity concepts. They develop the ability to identify a steady beat and AB patterns found in a variety...
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Musical Rhythms
Learners listen to music and bounce a tennis ball to the eat. Students close their eyes and listen to the rhythm. They switch hands on beats where they hear a new percussion sound. Learners compose their own pieces using Oranga's band...
National First Ladies' Library
Language Arts: The Rise of the Operetta
Students develop an appreciation for the musical theater form, the operetta. In addition, they present parodies of songs from The Mikado. Working in small groups and accessing provided Websites, they compose their parodies. Once...
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The Sound of Music: Do-Re-Mi
Seventh graders create a simple melody using the Solfedge syllables. In this melody lesson, 7th graders watch the movie The Sound of Music and focus on the "Do Re Mi" clip. Students examine solfege syllables and create a melody...
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Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music In America
Students listen to and discuss the characteristics of Motown music. They recognize Motown music by its titles.