Browse lesson plans

A guided journey into the past

In Intrigue of the Past, page 5.7

In their study of archaeological resource conservation, students will use guided imagery to discover and judge an alternative way to enjoy artifacts without removing them from archaeological sites.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Social Studies)

Poetry through music: "Smooth"

This lesson draws students into a study of poetry, using Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas' "Smooth" as an entry point.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts and English Language Development)

By Andrea Belletti.

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.

Resources on the web

Brass instruments and pitch

In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students create a “brass” instrument, make predictions, and explore how pitch changes based on the length of the air pipe. Students will: design investigations that determine what factors affect the... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Music Education)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Civil War music

In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students use popular Civil War songs to identify rallying songs, recruiting songs, popular entertainment songs, campfire songs, sentimental songs, or patriotic songs. Students will: compare and contrast lyrics... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts, Music Education, and Social Studies)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Corridos about the Mexican Revolution

In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students explore causes of the Mexican Revolution and key revolutionary figures. They will gain an understanding of a particular Mexican song form, the corrido, and its role as a vehicle for communicating... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–10 English Language Arts, Music Education, Second Languages, and Social Studies)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Form and theme in the traditional Mexican Corrido

In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students learn about the traditional Mexican musical form of corridos, which dates back to the 1800s and continues to be very popular. Activities in this lesson engage students in online learning,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–10 English Language Arts, Music Education, Second Languages, and Social Studies)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

I've got the literacy blues

In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students read “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry and explore the story's themes using blues music, creative writing, and media study. Students research the history of the blues and create a graphic organizer... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Music Education)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Monsters

In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students investigate the idea of “monsters” in society and how they have been viewed, what purpose they serve, why they are necessary. Students will: demonstrate an understanding of the concept of... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–10 English Language Arts and Music Education)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Music and me: Visual representations of lyrics to popular music

With a focus on critical and visual literacy, this lesson challenges students to identify a song and to evaluate the meaning of the lyrics and music. Students then select digital images they think represent the meaning of the song and learn to create a... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Computer/Technology Skills, English Language Arts, and Music Education)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

On a musical note: Exploring reading strategies by creating a soundtrack

Students create a soundtrack for a novel they have read in this lesson that emphasizes traditional reading strategies such as predicting, visualizing, and questioning. In addition to offering several project options for creating a novel soundtrack, this... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Set a poem to music

In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students choose a favorite poem, set it to a rhythmic meter, and assign an original melody to the rhythm. Students will: apply prior knowledge of note values and assign meter to each syllable of their poem and... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5–8 English Language Arts and Music Education)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Songs for Teaching - Educational Children's Music Downloads/CDs

Add music to your lesson plans. Categorized by subject, many of the selection have lyrics, sound clips, and suggestions. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan