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The Nutcracker

For Teachers 1st
First graders define a ballet as a story told through dance. They listen to melodies and demonstrate beat and accent through body movement. They watch the ballet.
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Winter Through the Arts

For Teachers K - 3rd
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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Patriotic Songs

For Teachers 1st
First graders recognize patriotic songs of America. In 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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The Heart of Human Experience: Cultura Azteca

For Teachers 1st
First graders explore Aztec culture to gain understanding of relationship between music, recreation, and culture. Seven lessons on one page.
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Visualization of Rhythms in 4/4

For Teachers 1st
First graders investigate musical notes. In this music lesson, 1st graders discuss the values of each note by counting the beats accordingly.
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Graffiti Project

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students inspect performing arts by participating in a class presentation. In this art collage lesson, students examine the graffiti art created on New York subways and discuss the life of Keith Haring. Students create their own images...
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An Introduction to Opera: The Emperor's New Clothes

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders are introduced to opera, its vocabulary, definitions and are given an opportunity to listen to an opera sung by children. They identify phrases and events in the story, "The Emperor's New Clothes." Each student creates a...
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The Cleverest Thief

For Teachers K
Students practice their reading comprehension while listening to a classic folktale from India.  In this cultural storytelling lesson, students read the book The Cleverest Thief and complete word identification worksheets based on...
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Underground Railroad- People Get Ready...There's a Train a Comin'

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn about the Underground Railroad. In this Civil War and slavery lesson, students discuss how successful slaves would be moving around at night, learn the secret vocabulary used for escape routes and review background about...
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Artistic Influence - Lesson 3

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss how musicians' messages can influence society. They think of examples of artistic expression in music, the visual arts, dance, and theater that can lead to a society's self-examination.
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THE TRAVELS OF BABAR: An Adventure in Scale :Interpreting the music of Raphael Mostel's Dance/Movement exercise

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars explore how dance/movement tell a story. They analyze the elements of dance through interpretation of the story. Students exercise how the feelings and moods of the music suggest certain body movements and actions.
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Songs of Unrest - Lesson 4

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils identify popular songs from 1968 and make connections with the year's current events. They pretend that they are producing a new CD. The CD includes four songs that comment on today's social issues. They write the liner notes.
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VH1 Legends Sam Cooke Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine the reasons and controversy regarding Sam Cooke's transition from gospel to pop.
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Elements of Music

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify three of the essential elements of music: rhythm, melody and harmony. They discover a simple song which will illustrate these three elements separately and bring them together in a final form. They analyze and critique...
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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.
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Doin' The Moonwalk

For Teachers K - 2nd
If you are looking for an outstanding lesson on the Moon for your budding astronomers, look no further! This outstanding plan is full of wonderful, meaningful activities for your charges to engage in. Pupils will discover why there are...
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An American Ballad - Lesson 1

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers 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.
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Humanities in Colonial and Revolutionary America

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students demonstrate dances of colonial America. In this colonial American lesson, students learn forms of colonial social dancing including the Juba and Virginia Reel. Students examine the history of the 2 dances as well.
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Locomotion, Time And Shapes

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars practice the concepts of time and rhythm using drum beats. They also create body shapes using verbal cues. The shapes made include stretched, curled, angular, or twisted. The rhythm of beats is increased or decreased to...
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Beat the Clock

For Teachers K - 5th
Students discuss the importance of working together. After forming groups, they perform the movement based on their teacher's instructions. When asked to stop, they must sit down and form their groups immediately. If not, the game is over.
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The Harlem Renaissance: Awakening the Black Soul

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore, examine and study about the impact of the Harlem Renaissance on the American culture. They assess and explain how the Harlem Renaissance was a "rebirth" for the African American culture through art, music, and...
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I Spy a Pattern-Kindergarten

For Teachers K
Students copy, create, describe, and extend patterns with objects. They explore a variety of patterns through the use of manipulatives, sound, rhythms, songs and movement. Cooperative processes are used to encourage partner discussion.
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JoJo's Circus: 100 Days and Counting and Hoop Happy

For Teachers K
Students watch an episode of JoJo's Circus on the Disney Channel. While viewing, they note how many things they see represented by the number 100. As a class, they practice counting numbers by tens and end the lesson plan by dancing to...
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A Songwriter Not Silenced - Lesson 2

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discuss how a musician's message can influence society and government. They debate if political viewpoints should be publicized in music.