Browse lesson plans

Call and response singing

This lesson is a study of call and response singing, especially as it relates to African-American spirituals.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Music Education)

By Melody Moore.

Dance of the times: African-American expression of jazz

Explore jazz dance as a social dance form and a uniquely expressive art of African-American culture from the 1920's and 1930's. Students will learn about the complexity of African-American experiences that generated the dance and musical style. The activities develop students' understanding of jazz dance while integrating visual, audio, and kinesthetic learning styles.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Dance Arts Education)

By Shelese Douglas.

Freedom songs of the civil rights movement

Students will listen to freedom songs recorded during the civil rights movement, 1960–1965. Students will write about personal reactions to the music and lyrics. Through reading and pictures, students will briefly explore historical events where these songs were sung. Listening again, students will analyze and describe — musically — particular song(s).

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Music Education and Social Studies)

By Merritt Raum Flexman.

Personal picture narratives: Jacob Lawrence

In this second grade lesson students will look closely at paintings by Lawrence depicting historical figures. Students will identify Lawrence’s unique style from work by other artists based on the elements of color and shape. They will create a painting using the same art elements to create a picture depicting an imagined scene from the life of Harriet Tubman.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Visual Arts Education)

By Eileen Palamountain.

A renaissance of jazz and poetry

The Harlem Renaissance was the birth of a creative plethora in all fields of art for African Americans. The poetry and jazz composed during or inspired by this era naturally complemented each other. Furthermore, many of the themes from the musical and literary worlds are universal and provide a great lesson on how two different works can have a parallel theme.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–10 English Language Arts and Music Education)

By Janet Fore.

The second grade world of Louis Armstrong

Second grade students will explore the music of Louis Armstrong via booktalks, compact disc recordings, digital video disc recordings, and may pursue internet web-questing through Marco Polo (http://www.marcopolo-education.org) and http://www.redhotjazz.com as a bonus!

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Music Education)

By Dirk Robertson.

Resources on the web

Colonial Williamsburg

This extensive website features access to the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library collections, primary source materials, videos of what life was like in the 18th century in Williamsburg, Va. and much more. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Knowitall.org

Learn and have fun at the same time when you visit this website that is full of wonderful activities for students of all ages! (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: ETV Creative Services