Students research and analyze various percussion instruments from different countries and cultures in this Music lesson for the upper-elementary classroom. Emphasis is placed on internet research and hands-on drumming techniques from...

Students study Richard Wagner and his idea of "Music Drama". Students listen to his music, pantomime, and lead "music dramas" to discover Wagner's idea of the world of composition and drama.

Students imitate rhythmic patterns created by the teacher or taken from the drum performance of "Oshossi." They study and perform some of the layered and interlocking rhythms of the drum ensembles of Brazil, Haiti, Cuba, Suriname, and...

Young scholars play instruments in math class to learn the interconnectedness between math and music. In this math lesson, students subdivide a piece of music, clapping rhythms and charting rhythm patterns in the song. A guided...

Students compose a beat in the style of Kanye West. They listen to and analyze the song, "Through the Wire" by Kanye West, compose a beat, and complete a worksheet.

The string section of your school orchestra can get a proper form make-over by incorporating this lesson. They reestablish proper playing form, posture, and sound as they compose an essay on how to maintain good playing habits during...

Here is a clever, and simple, lesson on how play the guitar while singing the Happy Birthday Song. There is media content embedded in the plan that allows learners to see a video of it being played, and to print out tabulature which...

Students explore the Jazz Era in America not only by answering questions but listening to music as well.

Students apply fractions to counting rhythm in music. In this algebra lesson, students interrelate the concept of math into music as they fill out a chart identifying the names and symbols of music notes and their equivalent values in...

Students integrate the patterns of Fibonacci into music. In this geometry lesson, students apply the concepts of recursion, pattern and Phi or Golden Ratio to composing and playing music on various instruments. They lesson is co-taught...

Eighth graders compose serialistic tone-row melodies using music notation software. This instructional activity includes an email address to receive all materials and worksheets involved in the week-long study.

Fourth graders compose a melody by placing words on the music staff. They play their melody words for the class.

Students examine how to analyze musical performances and utilize practice techniques to improve their performances. They listen and evaluate another student's performance, then reverse roles with their partner.

Students improvise then compose and notate melodies with appropriate accompaniments that are inspired by events that transpired during their summer vacations. Requires a networked keyboard lab.

Fourth graders study Sergei Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." They explore the characters and the instruments that represent the characters. They create their own version of "Peter and the Wolf" for the purpose of introducing the...

Students create an awareness of how music creates a setting in a story or legend. They identify the instrumentation, dynamics and tempo used to create various settings for a musical story. They perform rhythmic patterns from listening...

Students perform basic tumbling activities.  In this movement lesson, students practice tumbling and balancing moves while listening to music.  Students are "frozen" into place while in certain positions.

Students explore the various rhythmic combinations in jazz and blues music. They watch a video segment, apply a mathematical formula to calculate the number of possible rhythmic combinations, and perform a combination of notes and...

"Ode to la Tortilla" and "Ode to Joy"? Sure! Use Gary Soto's poem to introduce learners to the ode format. After examining the descriptive words Soto uses, class members study a poster of Ludwig van Beethoven, suggest words that describe...

Students work as a class to compose an original four-measure rhythm. After a brief review of a sight reading Gordon rhythm patterns, students compose their own rhythm with each student selecting a part for the composition. All...

Students compose, notate, and evaluate their own rhythmic compositions using the song "Broccoli" for inspiration in this excellent elementary-level General Music lesson plan. Emphasis is placed upon four-measure patterns and the classic...

Students create, notate, and perform the melody of and a rhythmic accompaniment to the traditional Japanese folk song, Sakura. This lesson plan requires a networked computer lab with headphones.

Young scholars practice playing and improvising while playing the 12 bar blues. They practice compositional skills, evaluate and perform musical pieces focused on the blues.

Students practice and perform the song "B is for Banana" using their knowledge of basic rhythms in 4/4 and student-created rhythm accompaniment based on speech. This excellent lesson is provided by the MENC (National Association for...