Scholars go on a musical journey to discover the origin, importance, and evolution of the song, "This Little Light of Mine". Class members boost their voice talents and clap to the beat while learning the lyrics in both English and Zulu....

High schoolers examine the role of the Advertising Standards Agency, the image of crime portrayed by some rap artists, the reality of crime, media influence, and society's influences on the media.

Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...

Bring the sounds of the deep South vocal blues to the classroom with a Smithsonian Folkways lesson. In preparation, scholars listen to and count the 12 bar blues patterns in several works and identify the I, II, IV, and V chords as well...

The class listens to and reads lyrics from popular songs that explore themes of self-esteem, body image, and eating disorders. The song interpretations will serve as a jumping-off point to deeper discussion on the issues, culminating in...

Students compare the message of a songs lyrics to the images chosen to include in a video of that song, and search for deeper meaning in the choices.

"People Everyday" offers class members an opportunity to develop their literacy analysis skills and to develop media literacy. Guided by an included list of discussion questions, groups examaine the word choice, literary devices used,...

One of the Common Core standards requires learners to make connections between literature or media of the past and the present. Provided here, are key elements found in medieval poetry and literature that are connected to several more...

Introduce your class to Spain and liven up the class period with some Spanish pop music! Learners view a presentation about Spain and take notes on the information before watching a couple of music videos in Spanish. They use listening...

Students analyze their own culture and a Bulgarian culture to identify national, local, or ethnic traits. In this culture analysis lesson, students identify three important characteristics of their culture and compose a list of...

Students analyze a song to determine the composer's point of view regarding the subject addressed in the song. They design and create an original visual aid that illustrates the theme of the song. Students identify any social studies...

High schoolers examine role spirituals have played in African American history and religion, examine Harriet Tubman's use of spirituals in her work, explore power of spirituals in Civil Rights Movement, and work with oral tradition,...

Students study symbolism in media. They listen to two Hip Hop songs and watch the videos for them. They identify symbols and their meanings based on the context of the images seen in the videos and the lyrics heard.

Students research songs and events from the time period 1900 to 1920. They work in groups to create visual displays of the songs and historical references. At the conclusion of the unit, a concert will be held to perform the songs and...

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...

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...

Students examine the impact of the media on various wars, especially the Iraq and Vietnam wars. By examining cartoons and popular music as primary sources, they suggest motivations for the conflicts and propose reasons for public...

Eleventh graders analyze the lyrics of protest music. In this Vietnam War instructional activity, 11th graders examine conflict as they consider the controversial nature of the war as evidenced in song lyrics. Students also consider the...

Learners investigate the national, local, and ethnic traits of the Bulgarian culture. They discuss patriotic American songs, analyze a map, play a '20 Questions' game about Bulgaria, read a letter, and identify American culture...

Students research Hank Williams and explore his life and career. For this Hank Williams lesson, students complete Internet research, listen to example songs, and watch a movie all to analyze Hank Williams. The ultimate goal is to decide...

Learners compare and contrast the Boston Massacre to the Kent State shootings. In this compare and contrast lesson plan, students review what happened in each case and compare them using a Venn Diagram.

Pupils look at their own culture and at Bulgarian culture to identify national, local, or ethnic traits. They identify at least three important characteristics of their culture that help make it unique and compose a list of questions for...

Students explore Irish-American culture. In this immigration lesson, students watch video segments regarding immigration in the 1840's and 1850's. Students discuss the discrimination Irish-Americans faced as they listen to songs and...

High schoolers study biography from the 19th century. They read "The Red Badge of Courage." Students research a topic from the list provided in the lesson and write a 5-7 page paper. They study lyrics and melodies of the confederacy and...