Source: Point of View

Explore the relationship and discuss the connection between music, history and culture. Select songs that personify American places and historical events.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Civics: Community & Citizenship. Media Studies. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: Frontline / World

Explore cultural and social issues by listening to music and participating in discussions on topics such as song lyrics regarding social themes and musical inspiration from nature and world cultures.

Grade Level: 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Anthropology/Cultures. Geography. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: Frontline / World

Explore geographical locations and social issues by participating in musical and writing activities such as job descriptions for the position of government minder, editorials regarding Jews and Arabs and letters describing capitalism.

Grade Level: 9-12

Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Writing: Composition. Geography. World History: 1990-present. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: From The Top

Compose and record a "found percussion" piece using materials at hand in the classroom, your body and rhythms identified in the environment.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: The Arts

Topics: Creative Thinking. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: From The Top

Discover how traditional, folk and classical music influence one another, as exemplified by 19th-century composer Pablo de Sarasate's "Gypsy Airs." Compare and contrast the elements of music in this piece with contemporary music.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: The Arts

Topics: Critical Thinking Skills. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: Independent Lens

Reflect on the increasingly violent, materialistic and sexually explicit American culture using hip-hop as a point of reference. Consider the impact of violent and sexual imagery on society today.

Grade Level: 9-12

Subjects: Health & Fitness, The Arts

Topics: Human Sexuality. Social Skills. Critical Thinking Skills. Media Studies. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: American Experience

Study the history, original performers and songs of the Fisk University Jubilee Singers, and explain what made them a unifying force among America's slaves. Create a travelogue describing life on tour for these African Americans.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. United States History: 1850-1877. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: American Experience

Define the American dream and take a position on whether Las Vegas represents the American dream in an especially pure form. Compare and contrast the legends of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley as American icons, performers and personalities.

Grade Level: 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Media Studies. Urban Studies. Film. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: Point of View

Describe the role of folk music in expressing cultural identity. Investigate the procedures used by folk music preservationists and use those techniques to "collect" a song from your own cultural background.

Grade Level: 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Anthropology/Cultures. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: The War

Listen to songs produced during World War II, analyze the lyrics and melodies and explain their effect on audiences. Review movies produced at this time to look for messages about the war effort depicted in the movies' plots, dialogue and sets.

Grade Level: 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Media Studies. United States History: 1929-1945. War. Critical Thinking Skills. Film. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: Concepts Across the Curriculum

Identify how cultures use murals to depict social issues and reclaim ethnic and cultural identity, and design a class mural on a political issue. Consider how art and music have been used for propaganda and political statements throughout history.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. Media Studies. Critical Thinking Skills. Music. Visual Arts.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: American Experience

Study the changing lyrics of Stephen Foster's folk songs as springboards for studies of pre-Civil War public feeling regarding slavery and issues of race. Describe how Foster's experiences with songwriter wages compares to copyright issues today.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. United States History: 1850-1877. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: American Experience

Examine the lyrics of several Carter Family songs for the way they reflect attitudes and beliefs about love, God, hope and fate. Survey friends and your own opinions about songs that have special meaning for different people.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: The Arts

Topics: Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: American Experience

Select a popular song from the past five years that reflects some important aspect of life today and create a poster that connects the lyrics to popular culture. Explore the public's fascination with the private lives of prominent entertainers.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Media Studies. Sociology. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: American Experience

Explore the idea of people being chosen as symbols of national pride and patriotism and research the African-American artists and organizations of Harlem, New York, to explore the cultural renaissance of the 1930s.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Civics: Community & Citizenship. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project

Source: American Experience

Examine the lyrics of popular songs of the era that refered to the Vietnam War and explore the influence they may have had on certain sections of the public. Construct a timeline and critique of Hollywood films about the war.

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts

Topics: Media Studies. United States History: 1945-early 1970s. Music.

Resource Type: Offline Activity/Project