Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Music and Creativity in Ancient Greece

For Students 9th - 10th
You think you love music? You have nothing on the Ancient Greek obsession. Every aspect of Greek life was punctuated by song: history, poetry, theater, sports and even astronomy. In fact, music was so important to Greek philosopher Plato...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs: Cole Porter: You're the Top

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A high school lesson plan designed to delve deeper into the life of Cole Porter and the meaning in his music.
Website
John F. Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center: Andrew Lloyd Webber

For Students 9th - 10th
Features comprehensive biographical details on "the most successful composer of our time", Andrew Lloyd Weber. His play, "The Phantom of the Opera", is the longest running musical in Broadway history and he has won an Oscar, a Golden...
Activity
Other

Database of Award Winning Children's Literature

For Students 4th - 9th
This is a phenomenal resource. It allows the user to create a reading list of quality children's literature based of choices such as reading level, type of book, genre, ethnicity, gender, etc. In addition, one can determine if a book won...
Website
Other

Streetswing: Rumba

For Students 9th - 10th
Very detailed site includes a history of the dance, as well as key dancers and musicians associated with it. Easy to read charts cover films, theaters, sheet music and a variety of other things connected to the rumba.
Article
Musicals 101

Musicals101: Minstrel Shows

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Musicals 101 is a very good site that focuses on the history of minstrel shows through different eras. Provides pictures as well.
Handout
Other

Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization: Rodgers & Hart

For Students 9th - 10th
Presents the history behind the collaboration of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart who are recognized as one of America's greatest musical playwrighting teams.
Article
Talkin' Broadway

Talkin' Broadway: Broadway 101: 1900 1910, Give My Regards to Broadway!

For Students 9th - 10th
A great look at the birth of Broadway and musical revues. You can find info on the theaters, players, and writers.
Website
Other

Mad River Theater Works: The Ballad of John Henry [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Scroll down this study guide to find the lyrics to the Ballad of John Henry, which was collected from individuals in the West Virginia mountains in the 1920's. Discusses the different versions of the song and the history behind it.
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Clip Art Etc: Sir William Gilbert

For Students 9th - 10th
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 - 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his fourteen comic operas produced in collaboration with the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan, of which...
Website
John F. Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

For Students Pre-K - 1st
One of the finest sites of its kind on the Internet, ArtsEdge is dedicated to supporting arts education through such initiatives as curriculum development, cross-curricular teaching, and technology integration. Find arts-related...
Graphic
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian American Art Museum: Picturing the 1930s

For Students 9th - 10th
Enter a virtual movie theater and learn about art of the 1930s in the United States. Exhibitions include: The Depression, The New Deal, The Country, Industry, Labor, The City, Leisure, and American People.
Handout
Other

Kingwood Library: American Cultural History: 1940 1949

For Students 9th - 10th
Take a walk through this part of American history surrounding World War II. Each section includes cultural history of the time, with links pertaining to art and architecture, books and literature, education, fads and fashion, historic...
Website
Other

Oxford University Press: Lorenz Hart a Poet on Broadway

For Students 9th - 10th
A look at the great American lyric writer, Lorenz Hart. The article is a review of a book which talks about his impact on American theater and music.
Website
Other

The Minstrel Show: Preface

For Students 9th - 10th
Richard Moody does a fine job with a general description of a minstrel show. He gives background information on the history and development over the years. There are many links in the left-hand column for more information.
Activity
Florida State University

Florida State University: Molecular Expressions: Shadowbox Theatre

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Have you ever thought about your shadow? One way to learn about them is to make your own shadow box theater--once a very popular form of entertainment in Europe during the 1800s and early 1900s.