Lesson Plan
Little Kids Rock

The Influence of Latin Music in Postwar New York City

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Music has often been called the international language that transcends cultures and regions. Scholars analyze the impact of Latin American music on New York City culture in the years following World War II. They research music, video,...
Lesson Plan
Little Kids Rock

The Latin Rhythms of “Despacito”

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
When you hear the first few beats of "Despacito," the unrivaled Latin pop hit of 2017, you can't keep your feet from moving! A music analysis lesson plan examines the intoxicating hit by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and introduces the...
Lesson Plan
Berklee College of Music

Create Your Own Afro-Latin Groove

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The backbone of Latin American music is the beat! Young musicians work on blending Afro-Latin rhythms and beat patterns before incorporating the major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and blues scales in their own compositions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Elementary Music Plan

For Teachers 3rd
Hey Macarena! Third graders keep time while they sing a Latin Folk Song. To practice keeping a steady rhythm and singing in pitch, the class sings the Folk Song together and in a round while keeping a beat. They then learn to do the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music Styles

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students identify many genres of music and connect styles of music with various cultures. They watch "The Greatest TV Moments: Sesame Street Music A to Z" and list music styles: folk, jazz, rock, etc.
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Latino Expression

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How much of your daily life is influenced by Latin American music? Take a listen—the answer may surprise you! High schoolers keep a journal to note any instances they see Latino culture represented, including the media, their school, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hispanic Arts: Visual Arts, Dance and Music

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners observe global cultures by listening to music and watching videos. For this Latin American dance lesson, students define merengue, salsa and other dances from the Hispanic culture while listening to Latin rhythm music. Learners...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hispanic Arts and Culture Unit: Visual Arts, Dance, and Music

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students learn about Latin American dance and rhythm in different forms and participate in dancing. In this Latin American lesson plan, students also analyze Latin American paintings.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Driven: Shakira

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students watch a video about the life of Latin singer/pop star, Shakira. They identify the elements of Latin Pop-style music and identify the elements that make the singer Shakira unique.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Life and Music of Celia Cruz

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students create a set and design a costume for a musical performance. In this Life of Celia Cruz lesson, students study biographical facts about Celia Cruz on the exhibition web site. Then students share their creations with the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VH1 Driven: Shakira, Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rhythmic Travel Around the World

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Pupils explore and play rhythm sticks while listening to songs from around the world. They locate the countries of origin on a map, and tap their rhythm sticks to the beat of the music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dizzy Gillespie

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students compare and contrast two songs by Dizzy Gillespie and identify elements of bebop. They construct a Web page about Gillespie and his music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Firework Dance

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Teach some dance moves to "Firework" by Katy Perry. It's such an upbeat song, you will have those dancers moving and wanting to move more! There are four 16-count parts to learn. It's not too complicated. Teach them the steps, then put...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Cappella

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students review the song "Laudamus Te" while focusing on the dynamics and style of the piece. The instructional activity incorporates the appreciation of different learning styles as students use multiple sensory inputs to learn music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exile: Cuba and the United States

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students gain an understanding of U.S./Cuban Relations. In this world history lesson plan, students examine the events of the Cuban revolution and their effect on U.S.-Cuban relations and U.S. foreign policy.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rooster's Night Out

For Teachers K
Mitch Weiss and Martha Hamilton's Rooster's Night Out, a retelling of a classic Cuba folktale, launches a cross-curricular study of Cuban cultural traditions. Class members draw the characters from the book, participate in math and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Festival Hosanna

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students sing and perform the song "Festival Hosanna" by Carole Stephens in this Choral lesson for the High School classroom. Emphasis is placed upon the National Standards for Music and singing proper Latin text in a group setting.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Sounds of Samba

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research the origins of Samba in Brazil using the internet. After defining new vocabulary, they locate the cities in Brazil using latitude and longitude which practice the Samba. In groups, they compare and contrast the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An American Ballad - Lesson 1

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students listen to and analyze the ballad "American Pie." They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan. They circle the appropriate descriptive words of the song's medium form, melody, tempo and dynamics, and style.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

ARTIFACT to ART to GLYPHS

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners study the development of early Latin American civilizations in unit one. The second part of the unit is based on early image-making attempts from the Cro-Magnon to the Peruvian Incas. Students create their own weavings using a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Little Train of Caipira

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students listen to the "Berry Pickers' Song" on the piano twice. They practice the song several times to become familiar enough to recognize it in the piece. They listen to the CD and recognize the tune by raising their hand and tell...
Lesson Plan
Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Byzantine Architecture

For Students 9th - 12th
View Byzantine architecture from the comfort of your classroom. A PowerPoint presentation introduces important vocabulary terms and examples of Byzantine architecture in the ninth lesson of the 11-part series. A Jeopardy game reviews...