Students recognize and clap the syncopated rhythmic beat of a rap song and identify recurring rhythmic pattern in the excerpt of "Dance of the Adolescents" from Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.

This article from Library of Congress' Performing Arts Encyclopedia gives an extensive explanation of the history of ragtime. Trace the development of the genre from the 1850s through the 1970s.

This site discusses the life of Scott Joplin and his contribution to the musical world. The information is brief but covers the main events in his life.