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200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students define the term "exoticism" and identify musical elements used by 19th and 20th century composers and modern pop icons to convey exoticism.
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Lesson 12- Quincy Jones:What Makes an American Master?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study the life of Quincy Jones and research black music for selected decades of the 20th Century. They discuss the qualities that help one create and sustain a successful career. They design a timeline of what their future...
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Immigration

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders write a 2-3 page essay explaining the problems of refugees in the world today. They explain where in the world this is happening, why the refugees are leaving their homeland, where they are going, and what happens to them...
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Lewis and Clark: The Language of Discovery

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars replicate some of the trailblazing methods of Lewis and Clark on a fifteen-minute "writing journey" through the school or neighborhood.
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Building Bridges: Living in a Diverse Society

For Teachers Pre-K - 3rd
Students participate in various activities that help them build esteem, and explore racism. In this multicultural lesson plan, Students increase their awareness of, and appreciation for, cultural differences and similarities. This...
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The Bartered Bride

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the ways music is used to convey ideas about a culture. They define folk art by viewing and comparing visual folk and fine art. Then they analyze the musical piece," The Bartered Bride" and relate it to how folk art can...
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Mary, Queen of Scots: Heroine or Harlot?

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students explain how international politics, religion, and cultural beliefs influenced the life of Mary Queen of Scots. They watch a film about Mary, Queen of Scots and participate in a discussion and variety of extension activities.
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Strega Nona Lesson Plan

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore story characters as well as cause and effect. In this Strega Nona lesson plan, students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United...
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Social Studies: Heroes in American Culture

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine heroes and discuss their characteristics, values, and actions. They produce Powerpoint presentations on real-life and fictional heroes. Students interview veterans for an oral history project.
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The Warrior Role in Greek Society

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers are introduced to the various gods and goddesses in ancient Greek mythology. In groups, they use print and electronic resources to research the ways Greek culture has influenced the modern world. To end the instructional...
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Making a Rainstick

For Teachers K - 4th
Young scholars construct a rainstick. In this music lesson, students investigate the history of the rainstick by reading the book Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema. Young scholars express their feelings about the...
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Jazz in America

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars explore the Swing Era and its implications. They answer questions and listen to music from the era.
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Renaissance Feast & Fancy

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders investigate the recreation, music, clothing, and food of the Renaissance period. In small groups, they research a topic, and plan activities, music, food, and costumes to be used in a Renaissance Feast.
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Incorporating Japanese Music into the Music Classroom

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders experience the music and arts of Japan as they explore the language and culture of the country in this instructional activity. A variety of musical elements from the culture are demonstrated.
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Dave Matthews Band - Lesson 3

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students discuss the impact of cultural diversity in the world around us, how it shapes conflict and unity, and relate the music of Dave Matthews Band to these societal issues and their own experiences. The compare Dave Matthews music to...
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Do You Really Know What Wealth Is?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine what it means to have wealth-a concept that turns out to be philosophical as well as economic-and examine the importance of music. They examine the concepts of wealth in Mali and in the United States and consider the...
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Learning to Play the Panpipes

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students experience what a pan pipe is and how sound is produced on it. Research a brief history of the pan pipe. Employ producing a characteristic tone and be able to produce various pitches. Play a simple melody and ensemble on the pan...
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Ireland: the Emerald Isle

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders complete a unit of study that examines several perspectives of Ireland. They explore how climate shapes Irish culture, reference historical and political maps, compute exchange values for Irish money, complete worksheets,...
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Isn't It Romantic?

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate the ideas, literature, music, and art of the Romantic Movement. They apply romantic ideals to their original writing and art, analyze poetry, discuss key vocabulary, and analyze artwork from this era.
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The Sounds of Samba

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers 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...
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Globe Trotting Cinderella

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students explore the fairy tale genre of literature. In this Cinderella lesson, students read fairy tales and discuss their attributes and cultural background. Students examine and write their own fractured fairy tales.
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Painted Dreams

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the importance of art in Haitian culture by analyzing the cause and effect within the story, "Allie's Basketball Dream." They examine all the aspects of the story and characters including their goals, dreams,...
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Holocaust

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders explore the geography of Eastern and Western Europe. They compare and constrast the culture of Jewish people from Eastern and Western Europe. They analyze deportation and confinement in concentration camps, using personal...
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Creating a Thunderstorm

For Teachers 1st
First graders contrast sounds and make a thunderstorm rhythm.  In this rhythm lesson, 1st graders listen to Native American music and make an original rhythm with their hands and feet.  Students discuss Native Americans.