Source: Great Performances
Conduct background research and create an imaginary television segment based on the tenor trio Cook, Dixon and Young. Research different musical genres, construct a musical program and explore various aspects of diversity in the arts.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Critical Thinking Skills. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Consider the various influences on musicians' creations, understand the musical contributions of Skip James and Robert Johnson and explore the creation of personae by musicians, past and present.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Synthesize information from a variety of sources concerning Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and describe the conflict between characters in the famous play. Explore the era during which Shakespeare lived, and write a script for an opera.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Literature: British. Writing: Composition. Drama/Dramatics. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Interpret key themes and concepts in "Invisible Man" that are also found in jazz compositions; describe the influence of jazz on the characters in "Invisible Man;" and explain the influence of jazz on Ralph Ellison as a writer.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Literature: American. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Explore events of African American history since the Civil War, understand political and social issues involved in African Americans' struggle for equality and evaluate how these events and issues influenced and are reflected in blues music.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Explore regional geography and culture while also learning about the effects of different environments on musical styles, the relationships between natural resources and social organization and the cultural legacies of migrations of people.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Geography. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Perform the 12 bar blues format as a vehicle to gain fluency with improvisation and create a melodic line in the 12 bar blues structure.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Investigate the origins of the blues, and practice mapping out a blues song. Explain the difference between the use of floating verse and the violation of copyright law.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Explore the history of Muddy Waters's and B.B. King's musical careers, recognize contributions made by both men to the role of electric guitar in blues music and understand the important role each has played in bringing the blues to wider audiences.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Explore urbanization, technology and their effects on everyday life in the 20th century through a study of blues music. Examine the experiences of African Americans who moved to the city during the Great Migration.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. United States History: 1929-1945. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Masters
Describe the era in which Bob Dylan grew up, and examine the cultural and musical influences that shaped his style. Analyze lyrics of Bob Dylan songs for content and meaning.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: United States History: 1945-early 1970s. Media Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Broadway: The American Musical
Compare and contrast literary works and the contemporary musicals they inspired within the context of their influence on popular culture. Adapt an excerpt from a literary work into a three-minute musical and produce it for an audience.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Drama/Dramatics. Literature: American. Writing: Composition. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Explore the origin of blues music and its various styles. Examine how the blues has influenced modern music and how the electric guitar and guitarists have changed the sound of the blues over time.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Civil War
Describe the ways historic events influence popular music. Compare lyrics of Civil War songs from both sides, including "Battle Cry of Freedom" and "Dixie," and make conclusions about the lyrics.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: United States History: 1850-1877. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Masters
Explore the Jazz Age in terms of the lives of important public figures of that period. Examine the influences on Cole Porter's music, and discover the cultural relevance of places, people and things mentioned in Porter's lyrics.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Sociology. United States History: 1890-1930. Drama/Dramatics. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Examine and form opinions about the notion of artistic influence, research the life of John Lennon, learn about the artists who inspired Lennon's music and create projects tracing the evolution of popular musical genres.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Organizing Information & Ideas. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Recognize personal crossroads, depictions of the devil and pacts with the devil as prevalent themes in literature, blues music and world mythology. Analyze decisions made by people, fictional and real, when at crossroad situations.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, The Arts
Topics: Mental/Emotional Health. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Compose a working definition/explanation of jazz, develop a time line of the jazz era from the early 1900's to mid-century using multiple resources and learn about various jazz artists.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: United States History: 1890-1930. United States History: 1929-1945. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Analyze the plot of the musical "South Pacific," and create a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts two characters. Discuss how the dialogue and the lyrics in "South Pacific" address racial prejudice.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Literature: American. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Identify the significance of Lisbon to the European arts community and investigate the connections among music, visual art and literature. Design and present an informative presentation explaining the highlights and importance of the Europakonzert.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Media Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Explore the plot of an opera. Address 19th-century themes and the meaning and usefulness of stereotype as a plot device.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Drama/Dramatics. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Experience
Explore points of view in a mock interview between two young white men and a confrontation during a civil rights demonstration. Compare hip hop music of today with African American music of the past, describing their influence for both good and ill.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. United States History: 1945-early 1970s. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Independent Lens
Examine some of the ways in which African Americans were treated unfairly under Jim Crow, and learn about life in Greensboro and the Greensboro sit-ins. Discuss the purposes of protest music.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. United States History: 1945-early 1970s. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting: Art Beat at School
Learn how music is used in film and advertising to influence our perceptions and emotions. Consider career choices and life goals while learning about film scoring and how to use music to enhance a film clip.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Careers. Creative Thinking. Film. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Investigate instances of the blues form heard in mainstream pop music. Explore the career of Eric Clapton and the musical styles of two new artists who are helping to keep the blues alive today.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Roots Music
Identify and discuss themes expressed in song lyrics. Analyze the social use and historical meaning of a song, and write a verse of a song drawing on contemporary events.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Reading: Reading Comprehension. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Explore the blues as a form of African American folklore, including its language, imagery and function, define and explain the nature of oral culture and understand the ways in which cultural traditions develop over time.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Folklore. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Masters
Study the life and work of Muddy Waters to learn about the Great Migration of black Southerners to the North and about the relationship between geography, transportation, history, music, culture, and civil rights.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Roots Music
Identify some of the leading figures in post-war gospel music. Compare the differences in style and approach of several gospel musicians and analyze how music has different meanings in different social contexts.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Masters
Analyze the lyrics of Hank Williams' songs to help gain an understanding of how he used music to express his feelings and tell a story. Determine and discuss why some song lyrics resonate more than others with listeners.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Explore life for African Americans during the Jim Crow era, consider terms of respect and disrespect and analyze the effectiveness of different forms of cultural protest.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. United States History: 1890-1930. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Calculate how many different rhythmic combinations can be improvised in a jazz/blues piece by using trial and error techniques, deriving a mathematical formula and applying the formula.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Math, The Arts
Topics: Numbers and Operations. Problem Solving. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Practice improvisational skills to collaborate and create an improvised group short story. Improvise a musical piece on found objects.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Explore the relationship between vibration and pitch in airwave and water. Create and demonstrate a simplified version of Ben Franklin's glass harmonica, and construct a set of air columns to produce the eight notes of an octave.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Science & Tech, The Arts
Topics: Sound. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Masters
Study the life and work of James Brown and his impact on American music.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Understand Jim Crow laws and their effect on African-Americans and the importance of jazz music in American life during the Depression. Contrast the ways in which America's jazz music depends on collaboration whereas segregation valued separation.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. United States History: 1929-1945. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Learn about lynching, its relationship to racism in American history and strategies that were used to stem the tide of lynchings that engulfed the South. Examine the ways that jazz contributed to the political awareness of the American public.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Masters
Examine the role of race and discrimination in the entertainment world through connections to the life story of Lena Horne.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting: Art Beat at School
Analyze, discuss and compare sources of inspiration and writing styles, including use of words and imagery, of various songwriters. Create a journal documenting your life experiences and write a song or poem that reflects those experiences.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Creative Thinking. Poetry and Poets. Writing: Composition. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting: Art Beat at School
Learn about the creation of wooden instruments, the factors that affect the price of an instrument and how manufacturing choices affect local and world economies and ecologies. Explore options for music-related careers other than performing or teaching.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Careers. Economics. Geography. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Explore the art of storytelling. Retell parts of the Stravinsky opera "The Nightingale" using contemporary lyrics and poetry.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Storytelling. Writing: Composition. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Watch a video clip of Josh Groban in concert and learn about his career and his music. Respond to his music on a personal level through a variety of activities.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Explore gender divisions in the U.S. in general and as they are reflected in blues music. Understand how blues women were both limited by and defiant of the gender expectations under which they lived.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Media Studies. Womens Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Experience
Compare and evaluate representative songs from different New Orleans musical styles. Prepare and taste various foods from New Orleans cultures, and write a description of the cuisine of that city.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Anthropology/Cultures. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Explore the African American oral tradition and the relationship of this tradition to the blues. Identify the oral traditions that exist within one's own family.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Folklore. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Cultural Studies: African Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Global Tribe
Compare and constrast music from the Hudland with American folk music and examine disappearing cultural traditions.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Folklore. Civics: Community & Citizenship. Sociology. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Describe blues music and practice simple blues improvisation. Investigate the use of bending and sliding pitches and their importance in both the understanding and performance of blues music.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Consider the poetic devices and recurring themes in blues lyrics and the significance of the poetry of the blues as part of the African American oral tradition.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Reading: Reading Comprehension. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Compare and contrast "straight" march rhythms and jazz rhythms. Understand the connection between musical notation and numerical representation of fractions, and notate and perform jazz rhythms.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Math, The Arts
Topics: Numbers and Operations. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Civil War
Examine the events of General Tecomseh Sherman's march across the South through letters and the lyrics of a popular song. Determine whether you think Sherman's battle strategy was too severe or the only way to subdue the South.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Non-Fiction: Letters, Diaries and Essays. Ethics. United States History: 1850-1877. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Point of View
Learn about a musical band born in a West African refugee camp that chooses to fight back against their circumstances with music. Write new lyrics to an existing song to address a current social issue.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. Cultural Studies: African Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The U.S. - Mexican War
Explore the relationship between real-life events and popular music, focusing on a song written during the U.S.-Mexican War. Rewrite the song from a new perspective.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Media Studies. United States History: 1801-1861. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Distinguish between two styles of music: blues and phychedelia. Evaluate quotations about and construct a definition of "genius," and analyze its application to the members of the 1960s musical group Cream.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Understand the musical and cultural importance of African drumming. Recognize the role of the backbeat in blues music, and demonstrate steady rhythms in a variety of blues styles.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Cultural Studies: African Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Analyze various musical clips to determine the attributes that make them blues, gospel, country, jazz, rhythm and blues, funk or soul tunes. Explore the lives, careers, musical contributions and social contributions of Stax recording artists.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. United States History: 1945-early 1970s. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Apply the Fibonacci Sequence and find its relationship to a piano keyboard. Explore various relationships between music and the Fibonacci Sequence.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Math, The Arts
Topics: Numbers and Operations. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: And Then One Night
Examine how art and music help define and unify a social movement, how they can function as symbols of protest, and can communicate an effective message from controversial topics. Analyze and express personal views on capital punishment.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Civics: Current Events/Issues. Ethics. Music. Visual Arts.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NewsHour Extra
Research lyrics and/or poems associated with a specific American war, and create a poster with information on the history and significance of the works. Write a song or poem about the war in Iraq or war in general.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Literature: American. Media Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Explore the special role the piano played in preserving music created prior to the invention of recorded music and create a skit that celebrates that role. Investigate the different elements of the Verbier Music Festival and design an information packet about it.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Understand the difference between profiles and biographies, and explore the symbolic meaning of the soul. Write personal, literature-based and/or musician-focused profiles.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Non-Fiction: Biography and Autobiography. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Examine the correlation between blues music and African American literature, understand what life was like for African Americans in the Jim Crow South and explore the literature produced by African Americans throughout the 20th century.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Literature: American. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. United States History: 1929-1945. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Roots Music
Analyze and discuss the relationship between music, culture and history. Identify and discuss how music can be a tool for cultural survival, and understand the role of music in the preservation of Native American culture.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: Native American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Explore Leonard Bernstein's contributions to the world of American music, examine the relationship between language and music and understand how music can be used to express emotions.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Drama/Dramatics. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Examine the manufacture, history and classical performers of the violin, explore different elements of playing the violin and respond to a piece of violin music through art and creative writing.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Investigate the Civil Rights movement with a focus on Little Rock, Arkansas. Reflect on how Louis Armstrong and other jazz musicians contributed to American music and expressed the zeitgeist of the Civil Rights era through their music.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Civics: Civil and Human Rights. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Explore the world of Strauss waltzes, polkas and marches, create a presentation about the cultural life of Vienna and design a musical production.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Critical Thinking Skills. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Explore poetry, jazz, rap and hip hop music, and discover the common threads that run through the poetry and music. Examine how the themes and subject matter of the poetry and music reflect the lifestyle of the period.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Literature: American. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Masters
Examine the concept of influence, and explore how Joni Mitchell and her work have influenced others. Interpret Mitchell's lyrics by using the Choral Reading method.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Great Performances
Listen to a number of Beethoven's compositions, learn about the composer's life and works and use the Internet to learn about music terminology and how music enhances other forms of media. Discuss Barenboim's views about classical music and Beethoven's music in particular, and work in small groups to create original stories and illustrations to accompany Beethoven's sonatas.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
Topics: Media Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Jazz
Connect themes of literary forms and art to Harlem Renaissance jazz. Compare and contrast historical and fictionalized versions of the jazz scenes of the Harlem Renaissance, and describe the impact of jazz on African-American literature.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Literature: American. Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Broadway: The American Musical
Investigate how Broadway musicals can reflect the times in which they were created, and determine how well Broadway portrays real people, eras or incidents. Compose and perform a sample song based on contemporary or historical people or incidents.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, The Arts
Topics: Drama/Dramatics. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Blues
Examine issues of black or white ownership of music in the U.S., explain the relationship between marketing of blues music and its target audience and identify ways that Southern African-American culture has had meaning for white audiences.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Cultural Studies: African American Studies. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: American Masters
Explore and describe the political climate of Woody Guthrie's time and how people aligned themselves in order to make sense of the Depression, the Labor Movement of the 1930's and events in Europe. Examine how Guthrie's music reflected his times.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies, The Arts
Topics: Media Studies. United States History: 1929-1945. Music.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
