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Music
Students develop listening skills through repetitive singing. They develop an appreciation of melody.
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Patriotic Songs
First graders recognize patriotic songs of America. For this historical music lesson, 1st graders discuss the historical background of the song "Yankee Doodle" and repeat the lyrics after the instructor. Students read the lyrics to the...
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VH1 All Access Spotlight: Josh Groban
Students discuss the lyrics to You Raise Me Up, sung by Josh Groban, and identify the structure and markings in the song that show expressive qualities. They explore how composers use musical concepts to show meaning and mood in a piece...
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Harriet Tubman
Students sing the song "Harriet Tubman" by Walter Robinson. In this African-American history instructional activity, students review code words that were used during the slave trade and listen to the song "Harriet Tubman". Students...
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Music Video
Students explore songs that tell stories over various decades and create a Garage band track for their voice. In this story song lesson, students create a video for their song group. Students present a proposal to their...
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Winter Through the Arts
Students read the book The Snowy Day and discover various winter themes. In this winter lesson, students develop movements to express the feeling of a snowstorm. Students also construct winter-themed art pieces.
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Reading Basic Music Notes
First graders develop skills in reading music notes. In this reading music lesson, 1st graders clap and chant rhythm patterns and learn music vocabulary. Students also match patterns by listening to the teacher perform the pattern.
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Create a Composition
Students select an instrument and create a musical composition. In this musical composition lesson, students invent an original piece of music that is 16 measures long. Students hum and record their pieces.
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Folk Music
Students explore Folk Music in Iowa. For this folk music lesson, students discuss different types of folk music and how it relates to life in Iowa. They take the tune of a song and write their own lyrics to describe their life.
Classics for Kids
"Mars" from The Planets
Gustav Holst's The Planets provide young musicians an opportunity to examine how composers can create a suite: a collection of smaller pieces grouped to explore a single topic. After listening to "Jupiter," they examine "Mars" in...
Amani Project
Teach the Mood Meter
The third activity from the Amani Project has youths create a Mood Meter. The colorful meter, divided into red, yellow, blue, and green squares, lets participants indicate not only how they are feeling but also permits them to indicate...
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Rhythm - "Yankee Doodle Dandy"
First graders practice rhythm and beat. In this music instructional activity, 1st graders sing and clap to the song "Yankee Doodle Dandy". They find the rhythm of the music and practice making rhythm with other instruments.
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Tempo
First graders listen to 4 songs and describe the tempo of each song. In this tempo lesson plan, 1st graders describe each song's temp and identify the type of word described in each song.
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A Journey Through The Seasons
Second graders demonstrate creative movement, singing in canon or rounds, and playing instruments while taking "a musical journey through the seasons" in this second grade General Music lesson. Songs and discussion questions are...
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William Tell Overture
Students explore the musical concepts of rhythm, melody, expression, and tone color in a three-lesson unit about the William Tell Overture. They identify dynamics and tempo and play a vocal tone color singing game.
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Minuet And Canon
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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Music: The Experience of a Lifetime
Students use rhymes, songs and games to help them study music. They discover how music can be used with movement, speech and singing.
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Haydn 's Surprise
Students explore the background of Haydn's Surprise and the texture of the music. The teacher uses mouse and lion puppets to demonstrate soft and loud music. They tiptoe and stomp to display the concept. and play a soft/loud singing game.
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VH1 Road to Fame: Harry Connick Jr.
Young scholars sing songs by Harry Connick Jr. and then learn different musical terms.
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Dynamic Fun!
Young scholars explore musical dynamics. For this music lesson, students define musical terms that relate to dynamics. Young scholars sing "Little Bunny Foo-Foo" and apply the written dynamics to their singing voices....
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Storytellers: Pearl Jam
Students examine the nature of their own generation by looking at current events and music styles. They update old lyrics with new ones that are more relevant to current times and express a truth about their own generation. Finally,...
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Cover the Music
Students explore U.S. history by listening to musical pieces in class. In this Civil War era lesson, students discuss the types of musical instruments that were available to soldiers during the war and the themes of their songs. Students...
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Going on a Bear Hunt
Learners investigate pantomiming by going on a fictitious bear hunt. For this performing arts lesson, students collaborate in groups to sing songs and perform pantomimes based on a hunting trip. Learners create their own...
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The Twelve Days of Christmas
Fourth graders investigate the holidays by performing a song with their class. In this Christmas lesson, 4th graders recite some of their favorite Christmas songs and read the lyrics to the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas."...