Introduction
March is Music In Our Schools Month. Sponsored by the National Association for Music Education, MIOSM supports music education advocacy to encourage well-funded school music programs nationwide. Year-round, however, music plays a significant role in the lives of many children and teenagers – both in school and out. The resources in this blog include classroom activities and lesson plans for teachers seeking to integrate music into their curricula, nonfiction books about musicians and instruments for kids seeking information about the world of music, and fiction books about teen musicians for young music-lovers to enjoy.
Lesson Plans and Curricular Connections
Most of these resources provide lesson plans and activities for elementary school teachers seeking to integrate music study and appreciation into classroom activity. To find more resources like these, try looking up the following subject terms in the catalog:
Music — Study and teaching
Music appreciation
Music in education
School music — Instruction and study
Sound experiments
Children’s songs
Anderson, William and Joy E. Lawrence. Integrating Music into the Elementary Classroom. 2010.
The eighth edition of this touchstone text relates music from different cultures and historical periods to all subject areas. With easy techniques for teaching young children how to sing, play instruments, and move to, create, listen to, and understand music, this text is perfect for students with no prior knowledge of music fundamentals. Includes Gr. K-6 lesson plans and 150+ songs.
[Education 372.87044 An24i 2010]
Carlow, Regina. Exploring the Connection between Children’s Literature and Music. 2008.
This book offers substantial advice for primary grade teachers on combining language arts studies with musical exercises. The book opens with ideas for teaching fundamentals such as high and low, rhyme, animal sounds, improvisation, and instrumentation; as well as the musical potential of echo, chants, rhythm, movement, and repetition. Includes Gr. Pre-2 lesson plans and book/song lists.
[Education 372.87 C196e]
Gardner, Robert. Jazzy Science Projects with Sound and Music. 2006.
The science experiments outlined in this book are made with simple materials that answer questions like: Can you feel the vibrations made by sound? How do musical instruments make sound? Gr. 2+
[Education Curriculum TEXT. 534 ENSLO 2006]
Hackett, Patricia. The Musical Classroom: Backgrounds, Models, and Skills for Elementary Teaching. 2001.
Assuming little or no musical background, this text shows students how music works, and demonstrates how to convey this understanding to others. It helps students develop skills in teaching music while offering them introductory experiences in playing and reading music. Includes lesson plans, information on learning instruments, song materials, and an accompanying CD.
[Music & Performing Arts MT1 H12M87 2001]
Kallen, Stuart A. The Instruments of Music. 2003.
Drums, guitars, flutes, trumpets, and pianos have been bringing joy to people for centuries. Kallen’s The Instruments of Music is an enjoyable and comprehensive exploration of percussion, woodwinds, brass, strings, and keyboards that includes history, cultural background, and the place of individual instrument in music from classical orchestra to rock and roll.
[Education Storage S. 784.19 K125i]
Spanoghe, Kelly. Jazzing Up Instruction: An Integrated Curriculum for Elementary Students. 2002.
These lessons use ten individual jazz lyrics as a starting point to teach concepts in reading, social skills, mathematics, social studies, language arts, art, physical education, science, and health, as well as an appreciation for jazz. Includes Gr. 1-5 lesson plans, workbook pages, and a CD with recordings of the songs used in the lessons.
[Education Curriculum CURR. 780 CHIGU 2002]
Seskin, Steve. Sing My Song: A Kid’s Guide to Songwriting. 2008.
Through author’s notes and songs written with students, Seskin shows readers how to come up with a title, create lyrics and rhymes, and use emotion and imagery. Each song appears with an original illustration by a top artist. Includes a CD with recordings of the songs along with blank musical tracks to use in original songwriting.
[Education S Collection S. 782.4216413 Se71s]
Stenner, Heather. SINGuini: Noodling Around with Silly Songs. 2006.
Written specifically for upper-elementary and middle-school students, parodies of old favorites and hilarious original tunes keep kids laughing while they learn to love singing. Short, melody-only versions of the songs photocopy easily and are accompanied by full-piano leader editions. Each song is presented in four different sections that highlight lyrics, time signatures, melody, and accompaniment.
[Education Curriculum TEXT. 782 COTWD 2006]
Musical Instruments, Types of Music, and Famous Musicians
These nonfiction trade books for youth will help curious children and teens learn more about different types of musical instruments, musical styles, and famous musicians. To find more resources like these, try looking up the following subject terms in the catalog:
Music — Juvenile literature
Instruments — Juvenile literature
Music — Juvenile biography
Angel, Ann. Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing. 2010.
Forty years after her death at age 27, Janis Joplin remains among the most compelling and influential figures in rock-and-roll history. Her story is one of a girl who struggled against rules and limitations, yet worked diligently to improve as a singer; an outrageous rebel who wanted to be loved; and of a wild woman who wrote long, loving letters to her mom.
[Education S Collection SB. J81a]
Easterling, Lisa. Music. 2007.
Through stunning photographs and simple text, books in this series introduce children to elements of our global community. In this title, children learn about music around the world, including different types of music, ways people play music, and why music is important.
[Education S Collection S. 780 Ea777m]
Kenny, Karen Latchana and Mary Lindeen. Checkerboard How-To Library: Cool Music[Series] 2008.
Each volume in this series introduces readers to a type of music and includes activities that will immerse children in that musical tradition. Styles profiled include: classical, country, Latin, hip-hop, reggae, and rock.
[Education S Collection]
Krull, Kathleen. The Book of Rock Stars: 24 Musical Icons that Shine through History. 2003.
Twenty-four of the greatest figures of rock ‘n’ roll are celebrated with in-depth mini-biographies and colorful accompanying block prints. Each entry features behind-the-scenes stories, facts, and entertaining anecdotes on artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, and Carlos Santana.
[Education S Collection S. 781.66 K939b]
Orgill, Roxane. Shout, Sister, Shout! Ten Girl Singers Who Shaped a Century. 2001.
Ten of the 20th century’s most prolific and talented female singers — from Sophie Tucker and Judy Garland to Madonna and Lucinda Williams — are featured in this volume that includes intimate personal details, photographs, interviews, and tidbits of little known information about each woman.
[Center for Children’s Books S. 782.42164092 Or3s]
Raintree Sprouts: Making Music [Series] 2006.
This series explores different types of instruments based on the techniques used to play them. A range of practical activities encourages young readers to discover for themselves, step by step, how to make musical sounds, how to build up tunes, how to make rhythms, and much more. Titles in series include: Banging, Blowing, Shaking.
[Music & Performing Arts]
Rubin, Susan Goldman. Music Was IT: Young Leonard Bernstein. 2011.
Beginning with Lenny’s childhood in Boston and ending with his triumphant conducting debut at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic when he was just twenty-five,Music Was IT draws readers into the energetic, passionate, challenging music-filled life of young Leonard Bernstein.
[Center for Children’s Books SB. B531m]
VanHecke, Susan. Raggin’, Jazzin’, Rockin’: A History of American Musical Instrument Makers. 2011.
This history of American musical instrument inventors includes biographies of the people behind the familiar names of Steinway, Moog, Fender, and Zildgian.
[Center for Children’s Books S. 784.19092 V312r]
World of Music [Series] 2008.
Each book in this series takes a comprehensive look at the musical styles and instruments of various regions around the world, discusses how the music of other cultures influenced the region’s music and vice versa, and profiles some of the region’s musicians. Regions explored include: Africa; Australia, Hawaii, and the Pacific; Eastern Asia; Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Western Asia.
[Education S Collection]
Musicians in YOUR Schools: YA Fiction about Teens who Love Music
Most teenagers are passionate about music. They have different passions and goals, come from different backgrounds and traditions. They are classically trained pianists, hip-hop MCs, future managers or DJs, and band members of both the rock and marching varieties. And nearly all of them are found in YA fiction. To find more resources like these, try looking up the following subject terms in the catalog:
Music — Juvenile fiction
Musicians — Juvenile fiction
Wealer, Sara Bennett. Rival. 2011.
Two high school rivals compete in a prestigious singing competition while reflecting on the events that turned them from close friends to enemies the year before.
[Center for Children’s Books S. B439r]
Benway, Robin. Audrey, Wait! 2008.
While trying to score a date with her cute co-worker at the Scooper Dooper, sixteen-year-old Audrey (who loves music and dreams of being a DJ) gains unwanted fame and celebrity status when her ex-boyfriend, a rock musician, records a breakup song about her that soars to the top of the Billboard charts.
[Education S Collection S. B447a]
Boles, Philana Marie. Glitz. 2011.
Sixteen-year-old orphan Ann Michelle runs away from her grandmother’s house in Toledo, Ohio, with a new friend who is intent on seeking her own fame while the teenagers follow a hip-hop musician to New York City.
[Education S Collection S. B637g]
Crowley, Cath. A Little Wanting Song. 2010.
Originally published in Australia in 2005. One Australian summer, two very different sixteen-year-old girls — Charlie, a talented but shy musician, and Rose, a confident student longing to escape her tiny town — are drawn into an unexpected friendship, as told in their alternating voices.
[Education S Collection S. C8864l]
Dionne, Erin. Notes from an Accidental Band Geek. 2011.
French horn virtuoso Elsie Wyatt resents having to join her high school’s marching band playing a mellophone, but finally finds a sense of belonging that transcends the pressure she has always felt to be as good as her father, principal French horn player in the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
[Center for Children’s Books S. D622n]
Donnelly, Jennifer. Revolution. 2010.
Andi — an angry, grieving seventeen-year-old musician facing expulsion from her prestigious Brooklyn private school — travels to Paris to complete a school assignment and uncovers a diary written during the French revolution by a young actress attempting to help a tortured, imprisoned little boy — Louis Charles, the lost king of France.
[Center for Children’s Books S. D718r]
Going, K.L. Fat Kid Rules the World. 2003.
Seventeen-year-old Troy, depressed, suicidal, and weighing nearly 300 pounds, gets a new perspective on life when a homeless teenager who is a genius on guitar wants Troy to be the drummer in his rock band.
[Education Storage S. G561f]
Goode, Laura. Sister Mischief. 2011.
Esme Rockett, also known as MC Ferocious, rocks her suburban Minnesota Christian high school with more than the hip-hop music she makes with best friends Marcy ( DJ SheStorm) and Tess (The ConTessa) when she develops feelings for her co-MC, Rowie (MC Rohini).
[Center for Children’s Books S. G613s]
John, Anthony. Five Flavors of Dumb. 2010.
Eighteen-year-old Piper, who is deaf, becomes the manager for her classmates’ popular rock band, called Dumb, giving her the chance to prove her capabilities to her parents and others, if only she can get the band members to get along.
[Center for Children’s Books S. J6131f]
Marchetta, Melina. The Piper’s Son. 2011.
After his favorite uncle’s violent death, Tom Mackee watches his family implode, quits school, and turns his back on music and everyone who matters, and while he is in no shape to mend what is broken, he fears that no one else is, either.
[Education S Collection S. M332p]
Nelson, Blake. Rock Star Superstar. 2004.
When Pete, a talented bass player, moves from playing in the high school jazz band to playing in a popular rock group, he finds the experience exhilarating even as his new fame jeopardizes his relationship with girlfriend Margaret.
[Center for Children’s Books S. N331r]
Zalben, Jane Breskin. Four Seasons. 2011.
Over the course of a year, thirteen-year-old Allegra Katz, a student at the demanding Julliard School and the daughter of two musicians, tries to decide whether she wants to continue to pursue a career as a concert pianist or to do something else with her life.
[Center for Children’s Books S. Z142fo]