Curated OER
The Sounds of Change
Students recognize that music brings out feelings and emotions in people. In this music themes lesson plan, students explore the relationships between culture and music. Students answer questions about favorite choices in music.
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Bob Marley - Legend Episode #3 - Lesson 1
Pupils recognize and describe elements of Bob Marley's life that influenced his song writing as evidenced in the song "No Woman No Cry". They identify the elements of music characteristic of Reggae.
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Learning the Blues
Learners take a virtual field trip to Memphis, Tennessee in their study of the blues, its characterisitics, founding fathers, and histororical influence on modern music. They compose blues lyrics that reflect present-day attitudes and...
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Keeping Time
Students compose lyrics to songs for a music festival to promote issues in their community. They write artists' statements explaining the issues they chose to write about.
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Old Hickories
Students analyze historical events to develop a historical perspective. In this critical analysis lesson, students read excerpts, primary sources and other materials in order to understand the Native American Removal that occurred during...
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Sing the Blues
Students explore examples of this musical form, then write their own lyrics for a blues song.
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African-American Gospel Music
Students examine gospel music including the lyrics and instrumentation. They explain the meaning of the lyrics and how they are related to the cultural values associated with the music. They differentiate between gospel and spiritual music.
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Oh, Say Can You See...
Learners explore the meaning behind "The Star-Spangled Banner." In this music lesson plan, students sing the first verse of the national anthem and watch several performances of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Learners define several...
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Learning About the Civil Rights Movement Through Photographs
Students examine the racial inequality that existed in the United States before the Civil Rights Movement. After listening to song lyrics and viewing photographs, they discover the importance of the movement in helping society move...
VH1
Lessons for Hight School Music Classes: Lesson 2
Art and music have been vehicles for statements of civil unrest for hundreds of years. Upper graders critically analyze several pop songs or music movements from the 1980s that exemplify politically charged motives. They...
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Hype!
Eight various activities have your learners looking at hype in the media. Advertisements for films, politics, music, and philanthropy all contribute to emotional appeals and marketing strategies trying to convince consumers to...
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Music: Elgar (1962)
Students examine how the creation and performance of music is affected by contextual influences. They specifically examine anthems and discuss the elements that contribute to that musical genre and how the nature of a piece of music may...
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Songs About Age
Students discuss common attitudes about aging that are found in popular songs and how music is a means to explore attitudes about aging in this one-day lesson ideal for a middle-level general music classroom. The lesson includes a list...
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What is the Character of Maine?
Students create an individual portfolio using assignments from a unit on the character of Maine. They choose two of the best assignments from each of four chapters studied and then write an essay or create a magazine which synthesizes...
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Peer Pressure
Eleventh graders analyze the social impact media plays in relation to peer pressure. In this peer pressure lesson, 11th graders listen to Afroman's "Lets All Get Drunk" and read the lyrics. Students write about the song and view a party...
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Language Arts, Music, Poetry: Blues Style
This lesson focuses on how the blues both operates as poetry and informs the poetry of many prominent African American poets. Students consider the poetic devices and recurring themes in blues lyrics and the significance of the poetry of...
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Creating Music
Students explore the music soldiers listen to before and after battle. They attempt to develop an understanding of the role music plays in this conflict. They create their own lyrics to attempt to construct a pro-war and anti-war song.
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Cajun Music: the Voice of the Cajun Family
Learners use the Cajuns and their music to engage an interest in and study French. They examine the Cajuns, their customs, work, leisure time, food, and how their music unites them as an ethnic group, with emphasis on the family.
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VH1 Driven: Shakira, Lesson 2
Students watch a video about the life of Latin singer/pop star, Shakira. They research various foreign music styles and discuss how they influence American pop music today.
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National Symbols
Students explore symbols of nationalism and consider their relevance today. Students listen to national anthems of various countries, discuss sentiments that songs and lyrics invoke, research history of anthems and countries they...
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Jazz Talk
Students analyze the origins of jazz music by examining work songs, spirituals, blues, and gospel songs as well as works of poetry from African American artists. They create their own poems from either the narrative, dramatic, or lyric...
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Maquilapolis: Examining Incentives in a Market Economy
Students discuss the factors that influenced them to purchase a particular item. They work together to read and identify incentives of a character. They view a video on the topic as well.
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Storytellers: Coldplay
Students discover the importance of lyrics in the successful combination of music and words in the process of composing a song. They discuss how emotion-based lyrics influence the creative aspects in composing a song.
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One World
Students explore the urban socioeconomic and political problems in the US that caused hip hop to emerge in the 70's and 80's. Hip Hop culture is explored and related to the genre of art form.