San Francisco Symphony
Aaron Copland: Billy the Kid
Your class can think about the American Old West as they listen for dynamics, articulation, rhythm, and tempo in the Aaron Copland song, "Billy The Kid." They'll explore how Copland uses music to create an image of life for an outlaw in...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Suki's Kimono
In the story Suki's Kimono drums are used to show mood. Learners discuss mood in the story after they practice playing a simple 4/4 rhythm on their drums. Each group plays the rhythm using a different tempo. They listen to each other...
Curated OER
VH1 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons Lesson 2
Students examine the origins of ragtime music in American and analyze its musical form.
Curated OER
No Title
Third graders assess how to read and write rhythmic notation in music. They explore the concepts of whole, half, quarter, eighth, dotted lines, extended pentatonic, diatonic and major/minor modes. Symbols along with additional...
Curated OER
Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain - Kenya
Students accompany music to the story Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain - Kenya to show how sound and music can accompany story description. For this music lesson, students learn how to show sound during a story.
Curated OER
Music: Individual and Group Practice
Third graders, in groups and individually, perform various musical pieces on their instruments. After demonstrating how to play steady beats, they also play counter melodies to songs such as "Peace Like a River." While some students...
Curated OER
Rhythm In Motion
Sixth graders work independently and with a partner to demonstrate proficiency of steady beat, meter and basic note values while creating written rhythmic patterns for class performance. State and National Standards are addressed.
Curated OER
Jazz in America
Young scholars explore Free Jazz and Fusion by answering questions and listening to music.
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Watch Your Conductor Like a Hawk
Students focus their eyes on the conductor in music class. The teacher uses a music sheet to isolate the musical elements of tempo, balance, and blend.
Curated OER
VH1 All Access Spotlight: Josh Groban
Students discuss the lyrics to You Raise Me Up, sung by Josh Groban, and identify the structure and markings in the song that show expressive qualities. They explore how composers use musical concepts to show meaning and mood in a piece...
Curated OER
Contrast Listening
Students listen to two different excerpts of the same music piece. In groups, they collectively write descriptions of the tempo and dynamics of the piece and assign a color to the music. They relate the color chosen to the tempo and...
Curated OER
Introduction to Ludwig van Beethoven
"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...
Curated OER
Allegro Band Warm-Up & Joyance rehearsal
In need of a high school band lesson? This resource includes a warm up, objectives for learners to focus on, and notes for each part of the song being played. These notes are specific to the learners it is written for, but may give you...
Curated OER
Composing Project
Students design, compose, and present short musical compositions for keyboard in this lesson plan meant for the high school choir class. This lesson can be adapted to any time frame, but the author suggests a considerable amount of time...
Curated OER
A Journey Through The Seasons
Second graders demonstrate creative movement, singing in canon or rounds, and playing instruments while taking "a musical journey through the seasons" in this second grade General Music lesson. Songs and discussion questions are...
Curated OER
Singing In Canon
Third graders analyze and discuss the four seasons and how each can be represented in song form. This lesson is intended for the third grade Music classroom but could be adapted for any elementary grade. State and National Standards...
Curated OER
Rhythm Counting
Students perform various rhythms and melodies in unison on their individual instruments. Assessment is performed on the last day of the lesson with each student playing individually for the class. This lesson meets national standards...
Curated OER
Teaching Rhythm and Pitch Reading
Pupils practice correct rhythms and pitches during this short lesson plan for the middle school instrumental class. Objectives vary depending on music used for the lesson plan. Students assessed through group playing in class.
Curated OER
Spooky Notes
Second graders move to, sing, compose, and interpret various musical techniques through the use of "America", Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers", and a song called "Skin and Bones". Emphasis is placed upon identifying names and values...
Curated OER
Singing And Making Rhythm
First graders engage in a lesson that emphasizes the use of music to form a rhythmic beat that incorporates singing. They create a song in freestyle and some of them create a song. Students are assessed at using hand movement to track...
Curated OER
VH1 Storytellers for Save the Music Starring Billy Joel
Students examine recordings of Billy Joel.
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An American Ballad - Lesson 1
Students listen to and analyze the ballad "American Pie." They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan. They circle the appropriate descriptive words of the song's medium form, melody, tempo and dynamics, and style.
Curated OER
What's the Difference?
Students explore the differences between acoustic and digital pianos. In this music instructional activity, students listen to an acoustic piano and digital piano. Students play both types of pianos and discuss the differences.
Curated OER
William Tell Overture
Students explore the musical concepts of rhythm, melody, expression, and tone color in a three-lesson plan unit about the William Tell Overture. They identify dynamics and tempo and play a vocal tone color singing game.