Teachers of all subjects and ages—the CDSS Educators Task Group wants YOU!
Look at the sample lesson plans below. Do these spark ideas for you for how you might incorporate traditional music and dance into your classroom? If so—please contribute a lesson plan of your own!
Download the Lesson Plan Template
Email your contributions to education@cdss.org and we’ll be in touch with you. Can’t wait to see your ideas.
MLK Day Through Music
- Author: Justin Morrison
- Grade Level: Fourth
- Keywords: Black History Month, MLK, Martin Luther King Jr., songs, protest
- Lesson Overview: Over five days, students listen to and reflect on the events of the March on Washington and musical responses to it. Next, they reflect on how those musical responses contributed to the message of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Incorporating Folk Dance into the Music Class with Ease
- Author: Robbin Marcus
- Grade Level: 2 (adaptable to any elementary age)
- Keywords: Playparty, folk dance, singing game
- Lesson Overview: Over the course of several class periods, children will perform a familiar play party (such as Paw Paw Patch) as part of their regular music class routine. In an adjacent class at a later time, students will learn the additional moves for a similar folk dance (like Sweets of May) and perform it in class.
The Wagoner’s Lad Ballad and Juliet’s Soliloquy
- Author: Kathleen Brown
- Grade Level: Ninth, English
- Keywords: Ballad, narrative, “The Wagoner’s Lad,” soliloquy, “Romeo and Juliet,” theme, marriage, feminism, family
- Lesson Overview: Students read and listen to 3 versions of the ballad “The Wagoner’s Lad” and of Juliet’s soliloquy to analyze the themes and narrator’s point of view.
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.