Lessons
While music in the classroom might be entertaining, it's real purpose is to help students gain a deeper understanding of U.S. history. Below are some lesson plans and classroom ideas that myself and other educators have developed so that you can use it in your classroom--regardless of whether or not you are a musician.
Using Singing History in the ClassroomIf you'd like to use my songs in your classroom, here's the format I use to present them, along with additional information to communicate the historical context behind the songs.
Historical Background
Begin by having students read the lyrics; next, have them read the historical background document for each song. Themes and Concepts Discuss the major themes and concepts introduced in the song lyrics, and their corresponding context that is presented in the historical background documents. Play the Song While playing each song, project the multimedia historical images and lyrics associated with them. Play the song a second time, this time pausing between phrases to gauge student understanding of the lyrics' historical significance. Ask questions such as: From whose perspective is the song written? What time period is being covered in the song? Who are the major characters in the song? What historical events are being described in the song? What major ideas are missing from the song? You may want to develop further questions, as appropriate to the students you teach or the topic you are discussing. Sing Along While students are standing, have them sing the lyrics along with the music, using the lyric sheets to help them remember the words. American Music Goes to WarThis is a primary source-based week-long lesson highlighting the role of music and entertainment in bringing a nation together during wartime. The lesson was written based on sources for World War II, but could be adapted to any wartime period.
I submitted this lesson to the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to be featured in their online journal History Now.
Click on the banner above to visit their site. I encourage all K-12 educators to create a free account, as their site has a wealth of U.S. History classroom resources. |
Extension ActivitiesHere are some additional ways you might use these songs in the classroom beyond the basic lesson plan:
"Next Verse"Have students write successive verses to the existing songs to cover themes or topics that are absent. Download a sample Next Verse activity: Word PDF Create a DBQ and ResponseStudents use the content contained within the existing songs and primary historical sources to create a Document Based Question (DBQ).
Download a sample DBQ activity: Word | PDF Songwriting ProjectHave students write their own songs about U.S. History from scratch.
Download a sample Songwriting Project activity: Word | PDF The Whole Kit n' KaboodleAll of the above activities can be combined into an extended, year-long project which can help students develop a progression of higher-order thinking skills through a progression of primary source-based activities.
This is the song-based curriculum that I integrate into my US History classes throughout the entire year. Download the full lesson: Word | PDF |