What would it be like living during the Harlem Renaissance? How would you feel if your family packed up and moved to another state? In this lesson students will discuss, visualize and create artwork inspired by the work of Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden.

Students will explore both historical and contemporary purposes of masks in various cultures. Students will analyze visual principles and properties of masks construction. Students will communicate personal stories and identity through the creation of masks using contemporary materials. 

This plan provides teachers with the resources to guide students through the analysis of musical time periods which will provide insight into history with a lens through the fine arts.  This analysis helps students make connections with contemporaries and world events, in turn, enabling students to perform music with greater depth and style.

Students will learn about history and music history through listening, analyzing, and performing works in their instrumental class. Students will gain insight into history through a Fine Arts lens, enabling them to make connections with contemporaries and world events. 

In this printmaking project inspired by the work of Virginia Beach native and artist, Ryan McGinness, students will learn about simplifying complex imagery into basic symbols and design a personalized symbol stamp. They will also get a glimpse of artists working together in a studio environment. Students will print their symbols on a collaborative work of art in addition to creating individual prints.

Students will use their creative writing power to explore what a composer/performer might have been trying to say or make their audience feel in a piece of music. Students will use creative writing prompts to explore musical elements, using appropriate music terminology.

This plan will outline the process and resources needed to introduce and improve improvisation in an instrumental classroom. Improvisation is important for encouraging creativity and expression while providing a supportive environment that is free of judgment and criticism. 

Students learn communication and collaboration skills for theatre with improvisation games. Once games are learned and practiced, improvisation teams are formed and opportunities are given for students to perform for a live audience.

Students select an instrument and identify instrument’s origins, composers and musicians who feature this instrument, and styles of music where this instrument is featured. Students will also identify the parts and sound science of the instrument. 

Students will use the process of printmaking to create personal works of art. Students will investigate the history and processes of printmaking. Exploring traditional approaches to printmaking, students will create innovative products.

This plan outlines an approach for implementing an approachable stick control exercise for percussionists performing on snare, mallets, and timpani. Additionally, it includes strategies to integrate percussionists into most concert wind warm-up sessions (using duple subdivision). The plan also includes ideas on including auxiliary/accessory percussion.

Students will identify basic parts of the ukulele and learn to sing and play a simple folk song utilizing the C major chord with proper strumming technique.

During this lesson, students will explore concepts related to animation while creating a moving image using ideas, subject matter, and materials of their choice by designing a functional thaumatrope. 

Students will review in brief Native American history and elements of traditional Native American dance. Students will identify elements of traditional Native American culture and formal Modern/Contemporary dance aesthetics as they blend in Native Modern Dance, also referred to as Indigenous Contemporary Dance. This lesson is part two of a three-unit series designed to scaffold with each other. If the teacher wishes to provide the complete multi-unit lesson, please see lessons titled:Part 1: Learning about Native American Culture through DancePart 2: Primitivism and Identity in Early Modern Dance

Students will learn basic acting and improvisation skills through different activities. Students will be able to identify and use learned acting techniques during improvisation games through imaginative play.

Students will learn the common parts of any lighting instrument and which instruments are most appropriate for achieving certain lighting effects. This lesson covers traditional incandescent lighting instruments, not LED instruments. 

Students will take on the role of a graphic designer and create a logo for their dream business relying on symbolism and imagery over text. Students will use linoleum printing methods to print their business logo on multiple surfaces - shirts, bags, paper etc. Utilizing printmaking allows students to see the benefits of using this media when reproduction of a design is desired.

Students will experiment with various light blocking materials and how they affect creation of shadows. Using this knowledge, student will participate in a series of activities manipulating and capturing shadows to inform their own work creating a 3D sculpture that casts a unique shadow.

Developing the skill to map a musical selection will aid in the choreography of that piece. There are a variety of ways to structure this map that will allow for time efficient and productive choreography. The instructional plan can be used in its entirety, or just the warm up or group music map and choreography.

This plan is designed to reinforce students’ ability to recognize and apply whole step/half step patterns to the guitar and foster a deeper understanding of how pitches are organized on the guitar fretboard. Understanding the whole step/half step concept and the ability to apply it are important precursors to successful sight reading and navigation of the fretboard.