Curated OER
Jazz and Math: Rhythmic Innovations
Learners compare and contrast the rhythms of marches and jazz. They watch an excerpt about Buddy Bolden from the PBS Ken Burns Jazz documentary, compare/contrast march and jazz rhythms, complete a worksheet, and notate and perform jazz...
Curated OER
Ice -T's Rap School
Students research the history of rap and gain an understanding of the components of rap music. They experience the correlation between Shakespeare's poetry and rap music of today.
Curated OER
Rhythmic Movement Skills
Students explore rhythmic movements. In this performing arts lesson, students create their own movements and then repeat the each others movement. Finally, students create movements to the Haiku generated by the entire class.
Curated OER
From Page to Stage
Students, utilizing video clips and Web sites, compare specific passages from original texts to moments in Broadway musicals on which they were based, analyzing similarities and differences between them. They adapt literature into a...
Curated OER
The Affect of Music on Visual Images
Eighth graders consider cross-curricular connections between social studies, singing, and current events. They listen to the song, "I Can't Cry Hard Enough." view scenes from September 11, then create presentations using images, a...
VH1
Lesson 4: Behind the Movie Chicago
The elements of music and journalistic integrity in one instructional activity; What could be better? The class discusses journalistic approaches to better understand responsible reporting versus sensationalism. They watch the Act One...
Education Closet
West Side Shifts
Combine math, language arts, music, and dance with an activity focused on "America" from West Side Story. After listening to the song, learners compare the film to Romeo and Juliet, analyze the song's meter, design choreography, plan...
Curated OER
M.C. Bard: Hip-Hop and Shakespeare
What is poetry? Does hip-hop qualify as poetry? Do Shakespeare's monologues qualify as poetry? Class members grapple with these questions as they examine the poetic elements and themes presented in different texts. Groups of four study...
Curated OER
Learning How to Sing Rounds
Learn about rounding by reciting songs alongside classmates, discovering the difference between singing together and singing in canon. In this musical lesson, students discover what a "round" is and the melodic effect it can have on a...
Curated OER
Simple Chordal Harmony
Practice makes perfect, especially when playing a musical instrument. This lesson examines simple chordal harmony, melody, and playing with accompaniment. Learners listen to a series of songs that exemplify the concept then play a...
Curated OER
Welcome To Ella Fitzgerald: the Singer Not the Song
Students study the life and musical works of Ella Fitzgerald. They investigate how technology influences art using this series of web and video based lessons. They create their own melodies.
Curated OER
Music to Your Ears
Students explore how the sounds made by everyday objects can be transformed into musical experiences, composing and performing musical pieces using non-traditional instruments.
Curated OER
Using Visual Art to Create Scenes
Students review scene structure and the elements beginning, middle and end. They view a piece of art to stimulate an idea for a improvised scene. Students work in small groups, create and then perform their scenes for the rest of the...
Curated OER
Open Your Eyes To Art!
Students help create a colorful bulletin board for classroom art displays in this short lesson for the early elementary classroom. The lesson, which can use a variety of items, includes product ideas and resource links to find very...
Curated OER
Dancing Fast, Medium and Slow
Second graders practice dance using different speeds of music and types of movement. In this dance lesson, 2nd graders view a clip of tap dancing and analyze the speed of music in coordinating with the speed of dance movements. Students...
Curated OER
The Life and Music of Celia Cruz
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.
Curated OER
Sing a Song of Indiana
After hearing John Mellencamp's song "Small Town," 4th graders are introduced to a brief biography/history of John Mellencamp. They will perform the entire song at the annual 4th grade program at the school.
Curated OER
Patterns in Dance and Math
Students analyze how repeated body movements and shapes can represent and extend patterns. In this pattern analysis lesson, students discuss patterns in dance, math, and everyday living. Students demonstrate a dance using a sequence of...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Ostinato
Quarter notes, eighth notes, and rests; it's time to read rhythmic patterns in music. The class plays ostinatos as they practice identifying rhythmic patterns. They then listen to Mannheim Steamroller as they draw geometric patterns that...
Curated OER
Loop-based Composing based on Visual Stimuli
Learners search the World Wide Web to locate an artistic image that inspires an aural composition. They compose a musical piece using loop-based composition software and use file management and storage techniques to archive project work....
Curated OER
Creating with Clay
Middle schoolers are introduced to the Art Museum's Ahambra Vase. They explore the difference between throwing on the pottery wheel and hand building. Students create a functional vessel using two of the three hand-building techniques....
Curated OER
Standing Waves and Music: Suggested Demonstrations
There are four embedded links in this brief resource that take you to handouts or worksheets that assist young musicians in understanding standing sound waves. They'll play their instruments to show and then discuss different sound...
Curated OER
VH1 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll Lesson 3
Students examine female artists who perform in the genres of rhythm & blues, jazz, soul, and hip-hop/rap. They compose lyrics and melody in one of these genres.
Curated OER
Sondheim: Secret Metaphors
High schoolers explore the work of Stephen Sondheim. In this musical theater lesson, students examine the musicals Merrily We Roll Along and Sunday in the Park with George. High schoolers identify and...