Music National Content Standard #8
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The eighth National Standard for Music Education is, "understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts." Browse the lesson plans, activities, and references below to find ideas for connecting music with language arts, mathematics, history, social studies, and drama. Musician biographies, multicultural resources, and handouts on the history of musical styles will help you incorporate music across your curriculum. |
ReferencesDemonstrate relationships between music and other arts with these student activities and teacher strategies for music education. MENC collected successful ideas and activities for celebrating Music in Our Schools Month (March). Mathematics & Music ConnectedStudents learn how to solve music and math problems by finding patterns. Learn about the use of fractions in music. Students will create and perform songs based on math concepts and facts, with this lesson plan. It is designed for students in 5th through 7th grades, but can be customized to meet your classroom needs.
Music, Drama, & DanceWork with students to improvise dialogue (speaking and singing), music, and scenery to turn a story into an emotional performance. Familiarize your students with "Garifalia". Children will enjoy completing this crossword puzzle while reviewing famous types of dances and music. Your child learns to connect arm and hand movements with the marks he or she makes on paper. Your child also practices controlling a crayon. Teach students to understand relationships between music and other art forms. Music Resources for Social StudiesIntroduce your students to music from around the world with these multicultural lessons and printables. Use these resources to explore musical traditions, make native instruments, and sing folk songs. Integrate art and music into your study of biographies. You will find many resources, lesson, and activities to ensure that your students can use their creativity when learning about biographies. | History of Music Lessons & ActivitiesStudents read and respond to literary selections that either portray the Harlem jazz scene or were written during the period. This is an excellent activity to enjoy when studying the history of American music and during Black History Month (February). Learn the history behind the "The Star-Spangled Banner" while improving students' reading skills. This printable warm-up includes a reading passage and comprehension questions. Introduce your student to the sounds and artists who started a musical revolution called Rock 'n' Roll. This comprehensive lesson uses Billy Holiday's song "Strange Fruit" as a discussion point for the history of lynching in the United States. Use this lesson during Black History Month (February). Introduce Gospel music while explaining lyrical meaning and cultural values. This is an excellent music lesson to use during Black History Month. Music Activities for Language ArtsUse children's literature to help teach music. Explore nursery rhymes with your students and make musical connections to books with these activities. Games and activities to help students learn the difference between speaking and singing. Students will explore creating moods with music, analyze a story, and the create a musical composition that reflects and enhances the story. Distribute a guide that is helpful with the transcriptions of Native American lyrics and vocables. Students are walked through a discussion of the origins of the word symphony. Once they better understand the word, they are asked to interpret their lives as a symphony of events. More Music ResourcesIncorporate the nine National Standards for Music Education into your curriculum. Use these resources to teach students in grades K-12 about singing, instruments, music composition, and much more! Bring some music into your classroom with lessons and printables! Celebrate Music in Our Schools Month in March, or enjoy music on a regular basis with your students. |
| Provided in partnership with MENC |


