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Words/Music/Images: Interpretation and Meaning A Motivational Activity
Young scholars explore popular music in its historical context. In this music lesson, students examine the lyrics, musicical arrangement, and video imagery of selected songs to interpret the messages and themes of the songs.
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Follow the Drinking Gourd
Students listen to the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and repeat what they have heard. They discuss the significance of the story and how it relates to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. They observe a map of areas in the...
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You Don’t Know What You’ve Got Until It’s Gone: The Changing American Landscape
Students examine the changing American landscape. In this cause and effect activity, students listen to rock music that exemplifies urban growth in America and the interconnectedness of America today. Students write cause and effect...
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Helping Others
Students explore community service. In this character development and community lesson, students sing a song based on the fable The Lion and the Mouse. Students participate in a discussion about kindness, and generate ideas for...
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Connecting to Colonial Music
Students listen to songs from the French and Indian War period. They answer questions about the song and identify any historical terms. They examine the role of music in their own lives.
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You've Got to be Taught to Hate and Fear
Students explore themes of prejudice and acceptance. For this character education lesson, students listen and respond to several fiction books, poems, and lyrics with a similar theme. Students locate articles with the main idea of...
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Understanding Past and Present Labor Injustice through Music
Students explore early 19th century labor conditions through the use of period songs. In this tolerance lesson, students listen to period songs and respond. Students write their own song that protests unfair and dangerous working...
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Patriotic Slaves
Eleventh graders listen to a song and read the lyrics and discuss what patriotism means to them. After viewing pictures of important patriots throughout history, they describe their contribution to society. They write in their journals...
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Peer Pressure
Eleventh graders analyze the social impact media plays in relation to peer pressure. In this peer pressure lesson, 11th graders listen to Afroman's "Lets All Get Drunk" and read the lyrics. Students write about the song and view a party...
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Intro to the Cold War
Eleventh graders examine the Cold War. In this American History lesson, 11th graders develop answers to comprehension questions about the song "We Didn't Start the Fire". Students write a persuasive essay at the end of the unit.
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No Path Without Pain
Students analyze the message of John Lennon's "Imagine." In this promoting peace instructional activity, students complete a cloze activity on the song and discuss its meaning. Students then write their own versions of "Imagine."
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Feminism Does Not Have to be an F-Word
Students analyze social activism messages in music. In this feminism activity, students explore selected music that expresses sentiments voiced in the women liberation movement in the United States. Students compare the lyrics of the...
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Halloween Music Lesson Plans
Halloween music lesson plans can provide students a motivating way to learn about writing, dance, and rhythm.
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Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey
Twelfth graders read lyrics for "My Hometown" and complete a worksheet to identify setting and tone in the song. In this Romanticism lesson plan, 12th graders read Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey by Wordsworth and discuss...
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Exploring Personal Responsibility
Third graders examine themselves to evaluate their own levels of personal and social responsibility. They read the lyrics to 'The Man in the Mirror' and compose journal entries about personal responsibility.
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The Star-Spangled Banner
Students explore the Star-Spangled Banner. In this civics lesson plan, students read the lyrics of the song as well as a handout that details its creation. Students respond to discussion questions from the handout.
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From Where Does Prejudice Come?
Middle schoolers explore the concept of discrimination. In this social studies activity, students view pictures and write down the first thing that comes to their mind. Middle schoolers discuss if stereotyping or prejudice affected their...
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Greek Music Video Project
In this Greek gods and goddesses worksheet, students choose and Greek god or goddess and dress up as that character. Students write a song or use music to preform a skit to illustrate their origins, the country, and characters from...
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The Star Spangled Banner
Fourth graders investigate the importance of The Star Spangled Banner after listening to a teacher explanation of how Francis Scott Key wrote the song. They talk about the battle during the War of 1812 that led to the writing of the...
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Rap Music and Hip-Hop
Students explore rap and hip hop music. In this music and culture instructional activity, students experience the music of Will Smith in order to work on language and communication skills such as rhyming words, writing, and public speaking.
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African Women: Their Roles and Music
Students explore music by African women. In this African society lesson plan, students compare and contrast the roles of African and American women. Students listen to music by African women and analyze the lyrics of the music.
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Black Music: Its Message and Meaning
Students develop an appreciation for modern black music from a historical, political and lyrical perspective. They examine the political and the historical surge of the civil rights movement of the 1960's and how this surge directly or...
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Connecting Poetry with Philanthropy
Students use their knowledge of philanthropy and poetic conventions to write original poetry about philanthropic giving. In this philanthropy lesson, students write poetry based on philanthropy using poetic conventions. Students...
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The Underground Railroad and The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
Students discover racism and slavery by completing a role playing activity. In this U.S. history lesson, students analyze documents from the Civil War era and describe the Fugitive Slave Law. Students view a video on YouTube about the...