Multicultural Music Resources
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Introduce your students to music from around the world with these multicultural lessons, printables, and references. Use these resources to explore the diverse history of musical traditions in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Your students will enjoy making native instruments, playing traditional song and dance games, and singing folk songs from different countries and cultures. There are multicultural resources for studying musical notation, performance, composition, and more! |
ReferencesLearn what materials were traditionally used to make Native American instruments, and the role these instruments played in ceremonies. Use this article as a reference for introducing your students to mariachi music. Use this guide to help you address the issues involved when introducing Native American music and culture to your class. Introduce your class to the musical styles, vocal music, instruments, and tradition of the Han Chinese culture. Singing Lesson PlansIntroduce Gospel music while explaining lyrical meaning and cultural values. This is an excellent music lesson to use during Black History Month. Capture your students' attention with this lesson focusing on "The Riddle Song" to show the pentatonic scale and Appalachian culture. Explore European Alpine culture through folk music and the yodel. Introduce your class to the artistic characters, vocal music, and instruments of Chinese opera. Have students in grades 1-3 sing and compare Israeli and American songs. Students will sing folk songs from different ethnic origins, using stylistically appropriate articulation. Explore Indian ragas and learn the differences between an Indian raga and the Western scale. Percussion, Performance, & Rhythm Lesson PlansStudents in grades 9-12 evaluate a performance, composition, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing it to similar or exemplary models. Students in grades 5-8 study African and Native American percussion, consider music's cultural relevance, and perform in the style of the genre. Teach students about Chinese percussion instruments and ensemble performances. Use this music lesson to celebrate Asian History Month and the Chinese New Year. Use a lesson that helps students understand drum rhythms, performing as a group, and improvising melodies. Work with students to perform a Native American song and dance, Owl Dance. Allow them to describe and analyze the drum patterns and changing styles of the music and dance. Introduce your students to the mariachi with this lesson. | Song & Dance ActivitiesUse a lesson that uses Spanish to introduce students to traditional Puerto Rican song and dance. Introduce students to a call-and-response form of Native American song and dance. Musical NotationUse a printable that contains drum rhythms and an example of TUBS notation for Hispanic music. Use a printable that contains scales for the panpipe. This printable has the musical notation and wording for the traditional Puerto Rican song, A La Limon. Notation and words for Fuhng Yang Wha Gu, a famous Chinese folk song. Making Native InstrumentsUse these instructions to make a guiro, a Central American percussion instrument, from cardboard. Make a maraca from beans and a juice can. In this music activity, students learn about Native American culture and make their own drums. This two-stringed instrument originated in China, has influenced modern bowed instruments, and can be made using a can. Instructions for making a South American flute from PVC tubing. Learn to construct an Asian zither a musical instrument with wood, screw eyes, and twine. Related Music ResourcesHelp students understand music's relation to history and culture. Use resources that support Music National Content Standard #9 to explore the origins of musical styles around the world. Add a Spanish theme to your music instruction with our lessons and activities! Incorporate songs and instruments from Central and South America into your curriculum during Hispanic Heritage Month. Introduce your students to the music of another culture through resources about Native American instruments and songs. Use lessons and activities to explore the history of tribal music styles. Introduce your students to Asian music, instruments, and culture with these lessons and activities. Explore Chinese opera, make a Koto, learn about Indian ragas, and much more with these resources! |
| Provided in partnership with MENC |


