Students discuss music of other eras students discuss the influence of elements such as politics, social events, etc. on music of the time. They examine the cause and effect of musical diversity after watching a video segment: "Behind...

How did jazz influence Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man? Class members read some of Ellison's non-fiction writings about blues and jazz, listen to records, watch videos, and engage in student-centered discussions. They then produce podcasts...

Harmony is the focus of this band lesson. Upper graders play the Star Spangled Banner, while focusing on harmony, chords, and musical voice. This lesson includes several suggested cross-curricular activities.

Nicki Minaj is a pop and fashion icon to today's youth. Here, they will read an article about her and what she wore to the MTV Music Awards. They read the article, then attempt to fill in the missing words from several of the paragraphs....

We often wait until adulthood to start analyzing learning styles. This informative and interesting presentation delves into how we learn. It is a quick and insightful look at how students perform in school. The information could be...

Spruce up a class reading of the children's book Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback with this fun series of activities. Starting with a list of reading comprehension questions and key vocabulary to address during a teacher...

In this music instructional activity, students investigate the history of music and the musical style of the Caribbean islands. Students read a 1 page information sheet about the region and its music. Students answer 8 questions.

Students explore the concept of steady beat and develop listening skills.

How much do you know about Latin American music? A crossword puzzle challenges learners to answer 24 questions about the history, genres, performers, and instruments of Latin American music.

Creative projects are great ways to increase interest in topical research. Middle schoolers learning about primitive life styles in the Americas explore the importance of music to hunter gatherers. They research and create musical...

Young explorers may not be able to travel the Silk Road but they can listen to music that was played on instruments of the time and create their own songs with the help of an interesting interactive resource. 

“Romanticism aims at enlarging experience by exploring the real.” This excerpt from Jacques Barzun’s From Dawn to Decadence introduces a PowerPoint that examines the characteristics of and the major figures in music, art, and literature...

Students compose and arrange music within specific guidelines. They # identify and explain compositional devices and techniques used in a musical work. They compare and contrast the use of those techniques between different compositions.

For this lesson students will learn about finding the blues in a variety of musical styles. They will investigate instances of the blues form heard in mainstream pop music, along with exploring the musical styles of two new artists who...

Students analyze the drum patterns and changing styles of the music and dance for the Native American song and dance "Owl Dance." They listen to a recording of "Owl Dance," discuss the cultural context of the song, and perform the song.

Students are introduced to call-and-response form of Native American song and dance. They identify and describe a call-and-response form as used in "0 Hal'Lwe." Male students will perform "0 Hal'Lwe" in call-and-response style with drum...

In this slang quiz learning exercise, students analyze the music slang examples in the sentences and select the best meaning to complete 10 exercises.

In this music worksheet, students discover facts about the musical styles and rhythms of Haiti. Students learn about Compas and Voodoo music and answer 4 questions. Note: Punctuation is missing from one of the questions.

In this web quest record sheet worksheet, students keep track of essential information about music websites according to traditions, cultural groups, and musical styles.

In this music worksheet, students read key points about English folk music including what it is, what instruments are played, its history, and two of its important styles. They answer 10 questions using full sentences before writing a...

Young scholars explore how migration to Harlem created a new life for African Americans. In this cross curricular lesson, students illustrate maps showing the migration, paint murals representing African American life in the South...

Students practice identifying different genres of music by creating posters.  In this music appreciation lesson, students research Duke Ellington and complete worksheets based on his style of music, Jazz.  Students collaborate...

Students observe global cultures by listening to music and watching videos. In this Latin American dance lesson, students define merengue, salsa and other dances from the Hispanic culture while listening to Latin rhythm music. Students...

Students view the video, Behind the Music: 1992, and discuss the new genres of pop music that were emerging in that era. They discuss the content of the music and what it's like on the surface. They write an essay comparing it to other...