Curated OER
Stand Up and Sing
Learners journal and respond to the question," How does society respond to change?" They create original lyrics to their own song that reflects the context of the Progressive Era.
Curated OER
Individual vs. Social Responsibility: From Camus to the Cure
Students explore the individual's role in society. In this social responsibility lesson, students analyze Camus's The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus as well as Borges's "Rosendo's Tale." Students compare the themes of the pieces to...
Curated OER
Ambassador Satch, Superb Entertainer: 1950-1971
High schoolers participated in guided listening lessons of Louis Armstrong's jazz music while interpreting his lyrics. They study his life as an entertainer and goodwill ambassador for the US.
Curated OER
A Comparative Study of the Civil Rights Movement & the Grassroots Hip Hop Movement
Students identify, research, and discuss similarities between the Civil Rights Movement and the grassroots hip hop movement in America.
Curated OER
THE PEN VS. THE SWORD: LYRICAL RESPONSES TO A NATION AT WAR
Young scholars brainstorm lists of songs that were written in response to American wars; consider the patterns in the lists they create.
Curated OER
Music Video
Learners explore songs that tell stories over various decades and create a Garage band track for their voice. In this story song lesson, students create a video for their song group. Learners present a proposal to their...
Curated OER
Bullying Skit with Music
A simple lesson focusing on bullying, and how some students don't even realize that they are bullying someone. A cleverly-written song is embedded. After singing it a few times, the class discusses each of the verses as they pertain to...
PBS
The Goals of the March on Washington
Who else had a dream other than Martin Luther King, Jr.? Pupils explore civil rights leaders in a fourth activity out of a series of five about people who paved the way to freedom for African Americans. The inquiry-based unit has your...
Curated OER
A New Life, a New Home
Students connect with an immigration unit through research, journal writing, digital photography, and a movie production using iMovie. By acting out the immigrant's experience, students gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of...
Virginia Repertory Theatre
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Accompany the story, Town Mouse Country Mouse by Jan Brett with an assortment of activities designed to reinforce concepts covering story structure, comprehension, grammar, and social studies. Here, scholars identify the difference...
Curated OER
P.O.W.: Products of War
Tenth graders are introduced to concepts of war through musical lyrics. They demonstrate and understanding of the role of segregation in US military policy and practice.
Curated OER
Stand Up and Sing
Students locate historical references in songs. They create music/lyrics to illustrate an historical topic.
Curated OER
From Where Does Prejudice Come?
Young scholars explore the concept of discrimination. In this social studies lesson, students view pictures and write down the first thing that comes to their mind. Young scholars discuss if stereotyping or prejudice affected their first...
Curated OER
A Country Twice Divided
Students 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...
Curated OER
Music of the Civil War
Students gain insight into the Civil War era by exploring the art, music, and literature of the time.
Curated OER
Hip Hop and Geography
Students study the various geographic regions of the U.S. and discuss how popular music is influenced by cultural/regional factors. Groups choose East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, or South in rap/hip hop music and create a PowerPoint or...
Curated OER
The Imagine Poetry & Mural Lesson
Readers of all ages can work together in groups to create original poetry on the theme of "Imagine," inspired by John Lennon's classic song. They also create a mural to illustrate their poetry. A beautiful lesson, inspired by a beautiful...
Curated OER
"We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover"
Students examine video clips and Web sites related to relevant productions, study song lyrics, and compare and contrast actual history with Broadway history. They create lyrics for a new song based on a contemporary or historical figure...
Curated OER
VH1 And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop
Learners examine the origin and elements of Hip Hop music and the associated culture. They visit websites and listen to examples of the music.
Curated OER
Back in the Day
Learners identify the genre of music called Hip Hop, analyze its elements, and formulate a definition of the Hip Hop culture.
Curated OER
Hank Williams: My Inspiration
Students research Hank Williams and explore his life and career. In this Hank Williams lesson plan, students complete Internet research, listen to example songs, and watch a movie all to analyze Hank Williams. The ultimate goal is to...
Curated OER
25 Greatest Protest Songs - Lesson 3
Students analyze the lyrics of protest songs as a catalyst for social change. They discuss the influence of music on behavior and explain the use of music as a means of self-expression.
Curated OER
Storytellers: The Dixie Chicks
Students explore an important moment in the course of American History through critical listening. Students analyze the lyrics of one work by the Dixie Chicks. Students have a better understanding of the way music can mirror social...
Curated OER
Guantanamera: A Poem and a Song
High schoolers compare revolutionary actions of Jose Marti and Pete Seeger. In this Cuban folk song lesson, students listen to the song "Guantanamera" and discuss the content. High schoolers read articles on the poet and the songwriter...