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CREATIVE PRINCIPLES
Jr. high learners review the basic principles of design (balance, unity, movement, rhythm, pattern, contrast and emphasis) by watching a video by Gerald Brommer. Then they provide "aerobic exercise" for the right side of their brains by...
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Illustration # 5: Phone Number Melodies
Fourth graders create their own melodies by making up a phone number with the numbers of the C major scale (the number 9 will be played by double the C at an octave. Students are encouraged to end their piece with V, I progression in...
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Building Canons on Pachelbel's Canon in D
Students demonstrate the structure of a canon by composing melodies and variations over Pachelbel's Theme from the Canon in D. Requires a networked keyboard lab and computers.
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Compositional Techniques: Are There Similarities Between
High schoolers recognize how chromatic scales create tension and pentatonic scales create relaxation as compositional techniques used to create tonality. Also, students aurally recognize the use of mixed or alternating meter as a means...
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DIGITAL WATERWORKS
Learners add digitally-produced, water sound effects to a song, using electronic keyboards.
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Portrait of the Artist - Georgia O'Keeffe
Students study the work of Georgia O'Keefe. They use a digital camera or scanned images from a regular camera and the PhotoShop application to create a landscape of their own which reflects the important shapes or objects in their...
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Insect Collection
Students explore how to use several types of insect sampling and collectin equipment. They work in groups to collect insects in different areas of their schoolyard. Students are explained that quadrats are generally used to randomly...
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The Spread of Enlightenment Ideas
Looking for a simple and straightforward reference on the Enlightenment for your young historians? Check out this list of key terms and important figures from the period, followed by a traditional assessment where your learners will be...
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Computer Graphing Calculator Explorations
High schoolers explore the graphing calculator feature on the Macintosh computer to explore some "parent" functions and their translations, combinations, and composites.
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DO YOU REMEMBER?
Students explore where a melody and melody fragments enter different voice parts, and adjusts dynamically to enable the listener to perceive these events. Each student uses a rubric to make critical evaluations of the performances.
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Graphing Trigonometric Functions
The student should be able to transfer his knowledge of graphing functions to graphing trigonometric functions. Student should be able to graph trigonometric functions, find amplitude, period, and frequency.
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Landscapes of the Mind
Students review Emily Dickinson's biography and examine themes and forms of some of her poems. They measure ways Graham integrates aspects of Dickinson's life and the themes and forms of her poetry into Letters to the World.
Museum of Tolerance
The Role of Citizens in a Participatory Democracy
Groups research participatory democracies and compare the role and rights of citizens in ancient history with those in recent U.S. history. Guided by a series of questions, individuals compose a persuasive essay in which they discuss the...
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Learning to Resist: Watercolor
Consider wax resist drawings as a way to bridge art and science. Learners view, discuss, and practice drawing insects or animals using waxy crayons. They pay attention to the creature's features as they create images with watercolor and...
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For the Love of Publication!
What is a ‘Zine? Although the referenced PBS video that launches this study of self-published magazines is not available, the activities detailed and the step-by-step directions for creating ‘Zines would engage young writers. This...
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Broccoli
Students sing a song and figure out the rhythm notation for pharases while describing the benefits of broccoli. They compose a four-measure pattern using the rhythms of these phrases. They play the rhythm patterns with the recording.
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Urban Concentration and Racial Violence
Young scholars research one of the many urban race riots in U.S. history, from the New York City riots during the Civil War to the "Red Summer of 1919" or the hate-strikes of 1943. They present their findings in the form of a newspaper's...
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Dance
Students participate in different types of dances in which they explore time, action and other elements of dancing. They dance with a group or a partner and explore how to work together.
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Haydn's Surprise
Students listen to Haydn's "Surprise" and use the score to create themes and variations with other rhythms. They create poems using Haydn's rhythm in the symphony and research his life. They also use "body percussion" to play parts of...
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VH1 Road to Fame: Harry Connick Jr.
Students are divided into groups of employees of a jazz radio station and a classical radio station. They role play their own broadcasts.
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KEYBOARDS
Second graders become familiar with appearance and characteristic sound of piano, identify piano as part of percussion family, find middle C on the keyboard, observe scale, chord, and "broken" chord, and listen to a well-known classical...
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Flowers, Flowers, Flowers...A Visit with Georgia O'Keeffe
Young scholars analyze, discuss, and research Georgia O'Keeffe and her flower paintings. They select a flower to paint and create a watercolor painting in the style of Georgia O'Keeffe. Students compose a poem describing their painting.
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Lighting The Way - Activity 1
Students discover the "rule of thirds" technique used in photography through the investigation of magazine and newspaper pictures and an in-class discussion. The work of photojournalist Jeff Bizzel is emphasized.
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Teams in the Field
Students conduct team interviews outside the classroom, either within the school or beyond, as part of a fieldwork project. They use reasoning skills as they formulate questions, plan, predict, hypothesize, and speculate about the...