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Conveying Message Through Musical Composition

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers listen to and discuss various protest songs from the 1960's, and write original lyrics for a song addressing global or societal issues. They write a paragraph evaluating the efficacy of the song to convey a message.
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Lesson Connections

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders relate music to history and culture. Also, they listen to songs and identify some characteristics of the music in their own terms. Also listened to is "Chinese Instruments Montage," and then compare what they heard with...
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If Love Should Count You Worthy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars sing "If Love Should Count You Worthy" by James Mulholland for SATB choir, horn, and piano and a version of "The Drinkin' Gourd" in this High School choir lesson. State and National standards for Music are emphasized.
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Oh Shenandoah

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students sing Oh Shenandoah with correct notes, diction, a characteristic choral tone, appropriate style and have an understanding of the history of the lyrics. The version of Oh Shenandoah is for an SSA choir and was arranged by Ruth...
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A Song for Today - Lesson 3

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze musical and topical elements in popular songs and compose song as a classroom effort. They write a short paragraph evaluating the effectiveness of the song in conveying the message of the lyrics.
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Cable in the Classroom

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students understand how to successfully work in a group. Students create and perform their own autobiographical rap songs. Students conclude how rap music and music in general can help us to deal with emotional issues.
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'Cross the Wide Missouri

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Learners perform a song, identify melodies, and discuss the history of folk songs.
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Jazz In America

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students explore the Jazz Era in America not only by answering questions but listening to music as well.
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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.
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Teaching Serialism with Technology

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders compose serialistic tone-row melodies using music notation software. This lesson includes an email address to receive all materials and worksheets involved in the week-long study.
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VH1 Storytellers for Save the Music Starring Billy Joel

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use a Billy Joel song to write a scenerio about it.
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Ancient Greek Philosophers:Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Learners discover the famous Greek Philosophers. In this Greek lesson, students find the contributions of Ancient Greece and their philosophers. This lesson includes brief bios on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
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Soundtrack to War

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss the important role of music in lives of soldiers stationed in Iraq. They identify and demonstrate skills in creating compositions with limited resources, similar in concept to the soldiers viewed in the documentary.
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Simple Gifts

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students explore music. They practice singing with correct posture. Students practice reading music using the correct rhythms. Students also learn the intervals Major 3rd and Major 6th.
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Introduction to Ludwig van Beethoven

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
"Ode to la Tortilla" and "Ode to Joy"? Sure! Use Gary Soto's poem to introduce learners to the ode format. After examining the descriptive words Soto uses, class members study a poster of Ludwig van Beethoven, suggest words that describe...
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Looking at French Decorative Arts: The Quest for True Porcelain

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers study the effects of production and consumption of goods on French society during the porcelain period.  For this history lesson students research the trade history of porcelain from Asia. 
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Hole Hole Bushi

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders play a written rhythm pattern. They state when a rhythm pattern varies from a given pattern by listening to an ostinato. They state reasons why people migrate to different lands.
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ABBA - Lesson 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify and notate the musical device known as a "hook". They notate and perform rhythmic and melodic patterns in the ABBA song "Mamma Mia".
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Melodia Sight-Singing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners practice sight-singing skills in this Choral lesson for the High School mixed-choir. Emphasis is placed on State and National Standards in the Arts and the song "Dirait-on", a piece by Morten Lauridson, based on the French...
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Sakura

For Teachers 4th - 11th
Pupils create, notate, and perform the melody of and a rhythmic accompaniment to the traditional Japanese folk song, Sakura. This lesson requires a networked computer lab with headphones.
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VH1 Ultimate Albums Bob Marley - Legend Episode #3

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students compare Reggae to other musical genres and identify rhythms. They study the history and musical significance of Reggae as a musical genre.
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A Shape-Note Singing Lesson

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students discover the shape-note method of singing. In this reading and notating music lesson, students learn the four shapes of the shape-note method and the tradition of Sacred Harp singers. Students sing the shapes of "Yankee Doodle"...
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Storytellers: Coldplay

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students discover the importance of lyrics in the successful combination of music and words in the process of composing a song. They discuss how emotion-based lyrics influence the creative aspects in composing a song.
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VH1 Goes Inside (Out) Trey and Dave Go to Africa

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers discuss the Western method of teaching and learning music and compare that to the aural transmission method used around the world. They practice singing two songs using aural transmission and watch a video showing...