Tanya S. Dillon's CU

American Music History and Cultural Identity:
What Does Music Mean to Us?

Tanya S. Dillon

Academic Setting

This unit will be implemented at Painted Sky Elementary School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am designing it to be taught collaboratively between the librarian (myself), the computer teacher, and the regular classroom teacher. This unit is designed to be used with fifth grade students.

Painted Sky has a student population consisting of 59% Hispanic, 20% Anglo, 15% Native American, 5% African-American, and the remaining 1% other. Our school has the unique opportunity to serve many students from Tohajiileeh (formerly known as Canoncito), the Navajo reservation approximately 40 miles west of Albuquerque. Our school is a Title I school with over 64% of our students on free and reduced lunch.

Context and Background

As a teacher, I am continually looking for ways to engage student learning and provide them with something meaningful to take from each lesson. My hope is to enrich the lives of the students I teach as well as empower them with knowledge, skills, and confidence. Music is a powerful means of peaking the interest of students and connecting them with ideas and experiences in a unique way.

            My role as school librarian puts me in the position of supporting the entire school’s curriculum. I have reviewed the social studies, language arts, library science, and fine arts curriculums and look for opportunities to enhance the teaching that is taking place in the regular classrooms. Unfortunately, very little time and resources are devoted to the teaching of music, drama, and visual arts in our public school system, even though you will find them as required subjects in the state of New Mexico’s curriculum standards.   Students at my school spend ten class periods every other year with a certified music instructor. This will be the end of formal music education for most of them since only those who choose it as an elective in middle or high school or who take lessons privately will have the opportunity to continue. The music classes in middle and high school concentrate on training students to be musical performers in band, orchestra, or choir, but do not address the issues of music appreciation or the study of the history of music.

            Most of us have heard reasons why children should be learning how to read and perform music, including better brain development and wellness, but not enough attention has been given to how music appreciation improves overall student learning. Music appreciation requires cultivating listening skills and looking at music in its context. It seeks to extrapolate more meaning from music by looking at the artistry of its elements. Browsing the various curriculums students are expected to master, I see many opportunities to utilize the unique power of music to engage students as learners.

            The New Mexico Social Studies Content Standards and Benchmarks, adopted by the State Board of Education June 22, 2001, states, “The Social Studies Standards celebrate the rich and diverse contributions of peoples of many backgrounds and emphasize our shared heritage.” Music fits perfectly into this goal. Looking at the musical styles and instrumentation various groups have brought to the United States and looking at the way they often cross social and cultural boundaries is part of our shared heritage. Examining the functions of music in our lives, social, religious, and otherwise, provides insight to what we value. We can ask the same things of different groups of people from different places around the world as well as peoples of the past to enrich ourunderstanding of them.

Guiding Principle 3 of the state’s social studies standards states, “Effective social studies curriculum recognizes each person as an individual, encourages respect for the human and civil rights of all people, and also emphasizes students’ shared heritage.” One of our greatest tasks as educators is to facilitate a student’s ability to view the world from multiple perspectives. Studying the history of American music gives us a unique avenue to explore individuals’ reactions to events in the daily lives of those from different cultures, ethnicities, genders, experiences, geographic regions, and socio-economic classes at various times in our nation’s history. People’s connection to music is very personal and emotional—it cuts to the core of what is important to them without being inhibited by vocabulary. Music moves us. Music gives us a vehicle to discuss and experience our interests and values. It is very important to setting a mood and making us connect or disconnect with a feeling or idea. Poetry, drama, and other forms of literature affect us as well, but not in the same way as music. The rhythm, pitch, harmony, and other elements of music speak to us in a unique way.

Often history is studied by examining acts of aggression and oppression cultures face, such as war. Studying battles and protest marches only tells part of the story of a country or a group of people. Teachers need to strive to create a richer and more complex historical picture. We need to also look at the accomplishments of people. There is a concern that minority groups are continually treated as victims in the way schools approach teaching African-American and Native American history. Music provides a way to look closely at a cultural group’s uniqueness and accomplishments while at the same time providing a voice to their struggles, if they choose to convey them. For example, listening to a hip hop song in which the rapper’s lyrics convey a protest against racial discrimination while expressing herself as an African-American, applying complicated African rhythms to her music, is empowering.

When I am teaching a group of fifth graders who were born in 1992, I need a way to connect their experiences to those of people who were alive many years before them. Music history provides one way to connect their current interests and experiences with the past. Many of my students are first, second, or third generation immigrants from Mexico. Others have roots in Spain. Many are Anglos with roots in Europe. Some are Pueblo Indians, and many are Navajo Indians either living in the large city of Albuquerque or living 10-40 miles outside of Albuquerque on a reservation in a very rural setting. Some have an African-American heritage and several come from European ancestry. All need to learn about their own cultures as well as others. Like most Americans, they are a hybrid, bringing many different ethnic and cultural ideas and traditions to their understanding of the world.

            My goals for this curriculum unit are to provide students with the skills to listen appreciatively to a variety of music and to connect this to their study of history in a meaningful and sometimes emotional way. I wanted to support the teaching of the social studies, language arts, and fine arts curriculums. In particular, I see a need for students to develop research skills, a top priority for my library science curriculum as well as the language arts curriculum. The emphasis of the social studies curriculum in fifth grade is the study of the United States from 1492-1940s. Students study the European exploration of the Americas, interactions between American Indians and European settlers, including agriculture, cultural exchanges, alliances, and conflicts (e.g., the First Thanksgiving, the Pueblo Revolt, French and Indian War). They are expected to describe how the introduction of slavery into the Americas, and especially the United Stales, laid a foundation for conflict and to describe the development of slavery as a widespread practice that limits human freedoms and potentials (Benchmark I-C of the New Mexico State Social Studies standards). For most elementary students, this will be the first time they are exposed to the study of prejudice, discrimination, and oppression. Most have a hard time imagining such cruel practices. It can seem very unreal to them. I thought it would be helpful to look at slavery in a more complex way by focusing on one state’s history: Louisiana.

During my research for this curricular unit, I encountered a wonderful resource, a PBS documentary entitled American Roots Music, produced by Jim Brown, Sam Pollard, and Jeff Rosen. Accompanying the documentary film is a four compact disc set with a 57 page descriptive pamphlet and a larger book containing detailed documentation of what the producers consider to be American roots music. The following quote gets to the heart of my research on cultural identity and music

To appreciate the diversity of ideas and experiences that have shaped our history, we need to be sensitive to the complexities and varieties of cultural documentation, to the enormous possibilities these documents afford us to get at the interior of American lives, to get at peoples long excluded from the American experience, many of them losers in their own time, outlaws, rebels who- individually or collectively – tried to flesh out and give meaning to abstract notions of liberty, equality and freedom (Leon Litwack, Ph.D. Pulitzer Prize Winning Historian, American Roots Music Adviser, page one of American Roots Music Historical Background website page).

What can exploring the history of roots music teach us about cultural identity in the United States? “Songs are an important cultural form through which people assert and preserve their own histories in the face of changing social conditions. …Roots music has long been a vehicle for offering the disenfranchised a voice” (American Roots Music Historical Background website).

I decided that to effectively teach a unit on the history of American music, I had build my own personal knowledge of the genres considered to be American music. In addition, I wanted to narrow my studies to focus on cultural identity and music, so I have focused on three of the seven genres considered by the PBS American Roots Music documentary to be the American roots music: Cajun/Zydeco, Tejano, and Native American music.

Louisiana History: Cajun and Zydeco Music and Cultural Identity

Louisiana’s complex history helps to explain its “varied, vibrant, and distinctive” culture (Santelli 106). The French explorer, Sieur de La Salle landed at the mouth of the Mississippi River in 1682, claiming the surrounding land for Louis XIV and naming it the Louisiana Territory. African slaves began arriving in Louisiana to work in early 1700s. Great Britain seized the Acadian peninsula in French Canada; King George II deported six thousand Acadians, who ended up in France, Santo Domingo (present-day Haiti), and all along the East Coast of the United States. In 1763 the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the Seven Years War in Europe; the treaty stated that land east of the Mississippi River belonged to Britain and the territories west of the river belonged to Spain (Santelli 104). Already, one can see the political strife created by Spain, France, and Britain laying claim to the area.

            Many people who came to settle in Louisiana were fleeing from areas of political unrest. The Acadian population in Louisiana began to arrive from Nova Scotia in the 1760s. Acadians continued to immigrate there for the next thirty years. Blacks and mulattos in Santo Domingo revolted against French colonists in 1791, demanding the freedom granted to them by France’s National Assembly. Many black and white residents fled to Louisiana. Nine years later, in 1800, Spain returned the Louisiana Territory to France as a result of the Treaty of San Ildefonso in 1796 (Santelli 104). In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France.

            Looking at the music in Louisiana during this time provides further insight into the cultural identities of various groups. In 1854, the button accordion arrived in Louisiana with German immigrants. Between 1908 and 1930, Cajun musicians rose in popularity, recording their first record in 1928 (Santelli 104). (The term “Cajun” in this quote refers to both the black and white French speaking populations in southwestern Louisiana. Ben Sandmel’s book, Zydeco!, makes a distinction between the terms “Creole,” referring to the members of southwestern Louisiana’s black community who speak French or have ancestors who did, versus the term “Cajun,” which refers to their white, French-speaking neighbors (15)). John Lomax began documenting Cajun music and culture in 1932.

            During the early 1940s many young musicians from Louisiana crossed the border into Texas towns in search of oil-refinery and shipyards jobs vacated by departed soldiers serving in World War II. They were exposed to fiddle music for the first time (Santelli 104). Because of the war, the accordion supply from Germany to the U.S. was cut off. Black Louisiana artists such as Clifton Chenier return to Louisiana after working in urban areas of Texas. He mixed the blues with the French language in a powerful way, creating the style later called zydeco. Houston, Texas, became a center for early zydeco because many French Creoles moved there for work (Santelli 105).

            Cajun and zydeco music are perfect examples of music that helps people to share a cultural memory, part of their cultural identity. Unfortunately, “by the 1960s, zydeco’s popularity had plummeted. Dismissed as ‘old folks’ music, it was scorned as hopelessly passe and embarrassingly ethnic in an era of rigid conformity” (Sandmel 12). In 1968 the Council of the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) was formed. Its mission was to revive the French language within the state and to counteract the stigma against speaking French. In the early 1970s, television and radio shows began promoting Cajun culture. By the 1980s, “diversity had become acceptable, if not downright chic, as had personal exploration of ethnic roots and heritage. This boded well for traditional music, and three zydeco artists won Grammy awards in quick succession” (Sandmel 12-13).

A Description of Cajun and Zydeco Music

Zydeco can be described as the “exuberant dance music of southwest Louisiana’s black Creoles” (Samdel 14). “Stylistically, it is a rich hybrid, with a core of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, blues, and Cajun music (zydeco’s white counterpart), and a wealth of other elements that may vary widely from band to band. Traditionally, zydeco is sung in French, and its lyrics are often improvised. It is absolutely not intended for passive listening” (Sandmel 14). Like Creole and Cajun culture, zydeco and Cajun music have much in common, but they are not identical (Sandmel 22). Both genres feature the accordion as the dominant instrument, with accompaniment by guitar, bass, and drums. Zydeco often features the saxophone as a solo vehicle, and may also include full horn sections, although brass instruments are rare in Cajun music. The fiddle, once prominent in zydeco, has largely disappeared. It is still a key component in Cajun music, as is the pedal steel guitar, which would adapt well to zydeco, yet did not cross over. But the electric guitar is a vital force in zydeco—more so than in Cajun music (Sandmel 23).

“Zydeco stands apart from Cajun music …in its Afro-Caribbean folk roots and rhythms. It also draws heavily on such mainstream African-American styles as blues, soul, rhythm and blues, and lately, rap music. Elements of rock, country, and reggae may also appear. Zydeco tempos tend to be more assertive and syncopated than those heard in Cajun music, and zydeco drummers have far more leeway to let loose” (Sandmel 23-24).

              Influential Cajun and Zydeco musicians include: Joe Falcon, Cleoma Breaux, Amede Ardoin, Dennis McGee, Dewey Balfa, Clifton Chenier, Marc and Ann Savoy, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys.

Texas History: Musica Tejana and Cultural Identity

The Texas-Mexicans descended from the Spanish-Mexican colonists who settled the provinces of Tejas (1718) and Nuevo Santander (1746). Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845, and Tejanos became American citizens essentially overnight. Given the frequent hostility between tejanos and americanos, the tejano people were “forced to adapt culturally in ways that worked both to facilitate their acculturation and to promote ethnic resistance” (Santelli 128).

A Description of Musica Tejana

According to Guadalupe San Miguel, Jr.,

First, musica tejana is a form of border music reflective of the historical experiences, internal differences, and ethnic identities of Mexican-origin individuals residing in Texas. Second, it is a complex array of evolving musical forms and styles based on traditional Mexican music but continually updated and modernized over time. Third, it is played by a variety of musical ensembles or groups. In addition to the conjunto and the orquesta, it includes vocal groups of different sizes as well as progressive conjuntos, trupos, and Chicano country bands. (San Miguel xv).

“Musica tejana, although originating along both sides of the border, was nurtured mostly in South Texas, especially in the twentieth century. Distinct areas of this region contributed in their own ways to the development of its content and style. The lower border region became the music’s historical breeding ground. It produced the originators of the conjunto ensemble… and created many of the corridos popular in the Tejano community” (San Miguel 5). (Corridos are narrative ballads that typically tell the story of a hero and are sung to simple tunes.)

Musica tejana has reflected this community’s unique historical experiences in the state. Prior to the middle of the twentieth century, most of these experiences were based on a rural economy, a subordinate social status, and constant conflict with Anglos. “In the second half of the century, the Tejano community became more urbanized, acculturated, occupationally diverse, and less patriarchal… Musica tejana, its various forms and content, reflected these experiences” (San Miguel 7).

Although musica tejana includes vocals, it is mostly made up of musical ensembles devoted to social dance music. Over the last century and a half, five distinct ensembles have played Texas-Mexican music—orquestas, conjuntos, progressive conjuntos, grupos, and country bands (San Miguel 16). The orquesta of the nineteenth century used primarily string instruments. The traditional conjunto included a one-row or two row button accordion; it also typically used two guitars, one of which was a bajo sexto [a type of 12-string bass guitar], and a drum. The progressive conjunto adds one or more instruments to the basic four-instrument ensemble. Among the instruments added, especially in the last three decades of the twentieth century, were pitos (a set of saxophones and/or trumpets) and keyboards (organ or synthesizer). The grupo Tejano is anchored in keyboards. Additionally, it utilizes a variety of string and wind instruments, drums, and vocalists (San Miguel 17).

Influential musica tejana musicians include Lydia Mendoza, Selena, Flaco Jimenez, Narciso Martinez, Valerio Longoria, Little Joe y La Familia, and Mingo Saldivar.

Native American History: Music and Cultural Identity

Studying the history of Native American culture (a broad term encompassing many varying cultures associated with many different tribes) gives us another opportunity to look at struggles and accomplishment through music as parts of cultural identity.

During the 1890s the United States government began an aggressive campaign to “civilize” Native American people. Much of this process involved sending Native American children to boarding schools, forcing Euro-American style and culture upon them, and forbidding them to speak in their native language (Santelli 144). In 1924 the Citizenship Act was passed, declaring all Native American people U.S. citizens. Following an investigation by a team of social scientists, it was recommended that Congress increase funding to improve health and education of Native American people and develop Native American art. The Indian Reorganization Act (1934) encouraged Native Americans to “recover” their cultural heritage. In 1952 the Termination Policy (a.k.a. Federal Relocation Policy) was adopted, in which federal support of tribes was reduced and some reservations were disbanded. As a result, many tribes were forced to move to urban areas; by 1990, more than fifty percent of all Native Americans were reported as living in cities (Santelli 144).

The 1960s was an important decade in the resurgence of American Indian music. Intertribal pow wows reinvigorated traditional Native American music as well as devised a universal set of rules to judge music and dance competitions that cross tribal lines. In 1962 the Institute of American Indian Arts was established in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Buffy Sainte-Marie appeared at the Newport Folk Festival. Indian House Records was founded; it was a label dedicated to preserving the natural sound of Native music and they refused to use synthesizers, sound effects, and many electronic instruments. Native American sing/songwriter Floyd Westerman released the LP ‘Custer Died for Your Sins’ and the American Indian Movement (AIM) formed when a group of Native American students toke over Alcatraz Island in 1969 (Santelli 145).

President Nixon formally ended the Termination Policy in 1970. In 1973 members of AIM seized Wounded Knee and occupied the village for seventy-one days. Congress passed the Indian Self-Determination Act, ensuring Native American participation in federal services to Indian communities. In 1998 the Native American Music Awards were established to recognize the accomplishments of America’s indigenous music artists (Santelli 145).

Music and dance are central to Native Americans’ cultural values.

Music and dance are visible symbols of identification. They form a complex that incorporates several dynamic elements: the human body in motion, ritual significance of song/choreography/regalia, and the reinforcement of social relationships and sharing of values on a community level. Although there was a time when many of these cultural practice were beginning to fade out, and in some areas were no longer practiced, through creative adaptation and a strong underlying cultural fabric, music and dance have been renewed to accommodate the dynamics of the modern Native Alaskan world (Heth 167).

            Maria Williams eloquently describes the important link between music and cultural identity crucial to many groups of people who have experienced great hardships.

“The identity of a cultural group is in essence acted out in music/dance performances, and because the dance/music complex is a physical and aural phenomenon, it can embody traditional expressions of self. The survival of music and dance is dependent upon the flexibility of groups to adapt to changes while keeping cultural integrity intact…tragedies have been experienced, yet the spirit of tradition lives on” (Heth 167). The theme of resilience is clearly demonstrated in this description of Native American music and cultural identity.

Conclusion

By introducing the question, “What does music mean to us?” I hope to encourage children to start thinking about what is important to them and then to think more broadly about differing and shared values amongst cultures.   Looking specifically at Cajun/Zydeco, Tejano, and Native American music can provide us with greater understanding of the complexities and creativity of “American” culture and history. It will enhance the traditional study of history by looking at the accomplishments and concerns of cultural minorities from the 1700s to the present. This study will celebrate the rich and diverse contributions of peoples of many backgrounds and emphasize our shared heritage, one of the greatest goals of the social studies curriculum in New Mexico.

Implementation

Timeframe for the Unit

15 weeks, second semester of fifth grade starting immediately after winter break in January

Assessments for the Unit

Musical Elements Worksheet and brief presentations; Oral Presentation Rubric; Research Paper Rubric

Lesson One: What does music mean to us?

Materials Needed

Wipe board/wipe board markers; Stereo; Samples of music from the following genres: pop (a current song that is very popular with fifth graders), gospel, jazz, narrative (a song which clearly tells a story from beginning to end)

Lesson Time

35 minutes

Activities:
To introduce the lesson, the teacher plays a piece of popular music and then asks students to describe what they like/don’t like about the music, how it makes them feel, images that popped into their heads while they were listening. Ask students if they think there is a message in this piece of music. Specifically, ask students if they think there is a message in the lyrics. Next, ask them if they took away the lyrics and just listened to the music if they think there is a message there. Do the messages match?

Ask students to brainstorm reasons why people listen to music or create music. Write ideas on the board. Ideas to focus on include: music for entertainment (fun, dancing, getting together with friends, celebrations); ceremonial/religious music; music that serves the function of being a cultural memory/carries on a tradition; music that tells a story; music that portrays or evokes a feeling/mood (examples: patriotic music intended to unify; rebellious music with the intention to split from the norm)

Play a piece of gospel music. Ask students why they think people may want to listen or perform this kind of music. What does this music make you think of? Can you clap to the beat? Are the lyrics important in this song?

    Play a piece of jazz music. Ask students why they think people may want to listen or perform this kind of music. What does this music make you think of? Can you clap to the beat? How is this music different from the gospel music played earlier? Are the lyrics important in this song?

    Play a narrative song (a song that clearly tells a story from beginning to end). Ask students why they think people may want to listen or perform this kind of music. What does this music make you think of? Can you clap to the beat? How is this music different from the other examples of music played earlier? Are the lyrics important in this song? Map out the story elements: characters, setting, and plot. Ask students, if they think there is a message in this music or is it just for fun. Does it make you think about things in a new or different way?

    Conclude the lesson by outlining why the class will be studying music for the next several weeks. First, music gives us a way to discuss important issues in an unusual way, much like poetry or fiction does. It allows us to look at an issue or event from multiple perspectives. Second, being exposed to a variety of music originating from many different cultures and geographic areas provides us with an appreciation of the vast varieties of music in the world as well as an avenue to discuss similarities amongst music and culture. Focusing on how music is influenced and evolves over time is a wonderful example of cultural exchange.

Lesson Two: Listening for Musical Elements
New Mexico State Standards

The Music Benchmarks for grades 5-8 require students to

A.     1.Sing and/or play with accuracy in pitch and rhythm and with sensitivity to timbre and dynamics

B.     2. Perform on non-tuned percussion instruments with movement, varying dynamics, timbre, and tempo while maintaining a steady beat

C.     Explore complex combinations of beat and rhythm patterns through movement

While this lesson does not require students to compose or musically perform, it does provide definitions of musical terminology as well as exposure to various rhythm patterns which would provide a good foundation for later musical performances.

Albuquerque Public Schools Language Arts Standards

Strand I: Reading Process; Performance Standard 3: Builds vocabulary by listening and by using context clues, glossaries, dictionaries and other reference materials to determine the meaning of unknown words.

Strand II: Reading Analysis; Performance Standard 6: Identifies the main problem or conflict in a plot and explains how it is resolved. Performance Standard 11: States the main idea and plot in material that is read or heard; summarizes in own words.

Strand III: Expressive Language: Writing; Performance Standard 2: Applies writing conventions

Strand V: Receptive Language: Listening and Viewing; Performance Standard 1: Listens responsively and respectfully in formal and informal situations. Performance Standard 2: Listens actively and critically. Performance Standard 3: Follows oral and written, multiple-step instructions that provide information about a task or assignment.

Materials Needed

Wipe board/wipe markers; Overhead projector/markers; Mini posters: Musical Elements (Each poster has a musical element and its definition.); Stereo; Musical samples: “Yellow Submarine” by the Beatles; Musical samples of an oboe and a recorder (ideally, bring in the instruments and play them for students); Musical samples of Big Mama Thornton and Madonna; The song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

Lesson Time

This lesson is split into three 35 minute class periods.

Activities:

Part I

Introduce the lesson by asking students if they think that listening closely to music helps them to appreciate it more. Ask, “What do you listen for if you decide to listen closely to music?” Students might come up with answers such as “the words,” “the beat,” and “the instruments.”

Before playing a piece of music (Ex: “Yellow Submarine” by the Beatles), ask students to listen carefully to it, focusing on the words (lyrics), the beat (pulse), and the instruments. Play the song. After listening, ask students to describe what they heard.

Play the piece again, asking students to clap to the beat. Play the piece again, asking students to count out the phrases (teacher clearly models this for students while the song is playing). Write down the pattern of the phrasing on the board.

Define rhythm. Place the Rhythm poster on the board. Introduce the term timbre. Place the timbre poster on the board next to the rhythm poster. Compare the sound of an oboe with the sound of a recorder. Discuss the different timbres. Compare the voice of Big Mama Thornton (rough and deep) with Madonna (smooth and high).

Define melody and harmony. Place posters on the board. Play part of the “Yellow Submarine” and point out the melody and harmony to students. Define dynamics (loud and soft). Place the poster on the board. Play the song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Nirvana, pointing out the loud and soft parts.

Conclude the lesson by playing the Nirvana song again. This time, students should listen for all of the musical elements we defined during the lesson: rhythm, timbre of instruments and voices, melody and harmony and dynamics.

Ask students to find an example of a song with a very unusual or interesting musical element they'd like to share with the class next time we meet. Hand out the Musical Elements Worksheet which requires students to define the following terms: rhythm, timbre, melody, harmony, and dynamics. It also asks them to find an interesting musical example and to describe what is so unusual about it using at least one of the musical element terms they just learned.

Part II

The first half of the class will present their songs, describing the musical elements they hear in the music.

Part III

The second half of the class will present their songs, describing the musical elements they hear in the music.

Lesson Three: Music and Cultural Identity

New Mexico State Standards

Social Studies Strand: History Benchmark I-A—New Mexico Grade 5 PerformanceStandard#1: Describe changes of governance of New Mexico (E.G., indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, French, Texan, United States).Social Studies Strand: History Benchmark I-B—United States Grade 5 Performance Standard #4: Identify the interactions between American Indians and European settlers. Standard #5: Describe how the introduction of slavery into the Americas, and especially the United States, laid a foundation for conflict.

Social Studies Strand: History Benchmark I-C—World Grade 5 Performance

Standard #1: Describe the characteristics of early societies

Standard #4: Describe the development of slavery as a widespread practice that limits human freedoms and potentials.

Albuquerque Public Schools Language Arts Standards

Strand V: Receptive Language: Listening and Viewing; Performance Standard 1: Listens responsively and respectfully in formal and informal situations. Performance Standard 2: Listens actively and critically.

Materials Needed

TV/VCR Unit; American Roots Music video, episode #4: Cajun/Zydeo, Tejano and Native American Music; Overhead Projector; Timeline Overheads of Louisiana History, Texas History, and Native American History; Overheads of definitions: culture, cultural identity; American Roots Music book. Edited by Robert Santelli, Holly George-Warren, and Jim Brown. Copyright 2001; Stereo; Samples of Musica Tejano (including songs by Selena), Cajun and Zydeco music, and Native American music

Lesson Time

This lesson is split into three 35 minute class periods.

Note to Teacher:

This lesson should be taught after students study U.S. land pacts (especially the Louisiana Purchase), the Mexican-American War, and the Pueblo Indian Revolt.

Activities:

Part I: Native American Music

Ask students if they can define what a culture or cultural group is. Discuss and define this terminology with students.

Ask students, “Are certain kinds of music dangerous? What (if anything) is dangerous about music?” (These questions were taken from a lesson guide found at <http://www.pbs.org/americanrootsmusic/pbs_arm_itc_lesson_four.html>)

Review a brief history of Native Americans, using the timeline poster. Show the American Roots video, episode #4, featuring Native American music. After viewing this segment, ask students , “How would you feel if you were told you would be severely punished if you listened to music associated with your cultural group? What would you miss by not being able to hear or sing this music?” (Questions taken from <http://www.pbs.org/americanrootsmusic/pbs_arm_itc_lesson_four.html>)

While students are checking out library materials, play Native American music on the stereo. Invite interested students to browse photographs in the American Roots Music book. Native American music is presented on pages 144-161.

Part II: Musica Tejana

Ask students if they ever listen to Selena. Play some of her music. Ask students if they have heard of Tejano music. Define the term Musica Tejana. Review a brief history of Texas, specifically looking at the history of Mexican-Americans in Texas. Use the Timeline overhead. Show the American Roots video, episode #4, featuring Tejano music.

Ask students what they thought was most interesting about the video. Discuss cultural identity and cultural pride.

While students are checking out library materials, play Musica Tejano music on the stereo. Invite interested students to browse photographs in the American Roots Music book. Musica Tejana is presented on pages 126-143.

Part III: Cajun and Zydeco Music

Ask students if they can define what a culture or cultural group is. Discuss and define this terminology with students. Ask students, “Why is the music of a cultural group important to that group’s cultural identity?”

Review a brief history of Louisiana, using the timeline overhead. Define cajun and zydeco music. Show the American Roots video, episode #4, featuring Cajun and Zydeco music. After viewing this segment, ask students again, “Why is the music of a cultural group important to that group’s cultural identity?”

While students are checking out library materials, play cajun and zydeco music on the stereo. Invite interested students to browse photographs in the American Roots Music book. Cajun and Zydeco music is presented on pages 104-125.

Lesson Four: The History of African American Music

New Mexico State Standards

Social Studies Strand: History Benchmark I-B—United States Grade 5 Performance

Standard #5: Describe how the introduction of slavery into the Americas, and especially the United States, laid a foundation for conflict.

Social Studies Strand: History Benchmark I-C—World Grade 5 Performance

Standard #1: Describe the characteristics of early societies

Standard #4: Describe the development of slavery as a widespread practice that limits human freedoms and potentials.

Language Arts

Content Standard 3: Strand: Literature and Media

A: Use language, literature, and media to understand various social and cultural perspectives

Music

Explore the use of rhythm in African-American music

Define the following genres of music: Slave songs, Blues, Ragtime, Jazz, Swing, Be Bop, Cool Jazz, Gospel, Rhythm and Blues, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Funk, Rap/Hip-Hop

Materials Needed

Book entitled, I See Rhythm, by Toyomi Igus. Paintings by Michele Wood. Copyright 1998; Stereo; Samples of Slave songs, Blues, Ragtime, Jazz, Swing, Be Bop, Cool Jazz, Gospel, Rhythm and Blues, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Funk, Rap/Hip-Hop; Overhead Projector; Timeline of African-American Music overhead; Photograph of Billie Holiday (use the CD pamphlet if needed)

Lesson Time

This lesson is divided into two 35 minutes lessons.

Activities

Part I

Play jazz music while students are entering the library and finding their seats. Ask students if anyone can define what type of music they are listening to. (Test student knowledge to see if any of them are familiar with the term “jazz.”)

Read the book, I See the Rhythm. Stop at page 7 after reading about slave songs. Ask students what they know about slave songs. (They might mention what they know about the song, “Follow the Drinking Gourd.”) Slave songs were used for a variety of purposes: to convey messages in code (like “Follow the Drinking Gourd”); to poke fun at oppressors; to feel unified; and to express their feelings. Discuss call and response patterns. Play an example of slave music, pointing out the call and response pattern.   Discuss the rule against slaves playing drums. Ask students if this reminds them of other cultural groups that experienced oppression of music.

Continue reading on page 8 (Birth of the Blues) and page 9 (Ragtime). Play an example of the blues, pointing out the 12 bar blues style (have kids count out the bars). Also, play an example of ragtime, Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag.” Using the Timeline of African-American Music History Overhead, outline key events from the 1500s-1920s.

Continue reading on page 12 (Jazz Beginnings) and page 15 (Sounds of Swing). Play a Louis Armstrong song and then a Duke Ellington song. Using the Timeline Overhead, discuss key events from the 1920s-1930s (Harlem Renaissance to Great Depression)

Part II

Play a song by Billie Holiday while students are entering the library and finding their seats. After students are settled, tell them a bit about Billie Holiday and show them her picture.

Continue reading on page 16 (A Tribute To Jazz Women) of the I See Rhythm book. Read page 19, about Be Bop. Play an example of Be Bop music. Read page 20, about Cool Jazz. Play an example of Cool Jazz. Read page 22, about Gospel music. Play a song by Aretha Franklin and tell a little about her life and background as a gospel singer. Using the Timeline overhead, discuss key events from 1930s-1960s. Read page 25, Rhythm and Blues/Soul Music. Talk again about music and cultural identity. Read page 26, Black Rock. Play Jimi Hendrix’s “The Star Spangled Banner” guitar solo. Read page 29, about Funk. Play an example of Funk music. Read page 30, about Rap/Hip-Hop music. Play an example of Hip-Hop music.

Point out to students that the artist of this book, Michele Wood, put a little girl named Missy in every scene. Missy was Michele’s nickname when she was growing up. Ask interested students if they can find Missy in each painting in the book.

Play blues, jazz, or funk music during the last ten minutes while students are checking out books.

Lesson extension idea: Show the first twenty minutes of the VH1 “Say It Loud: Episode I: Politics and Protest,” a television program featuring black music and America (http://www.vh1.com/shows/events/say_it_loud/epis_pushin.jhtml). This segment begins with Billie Holiday singing the song “Strange Fruit,” a song about the lynching of a black boy in the south. Comments are made about the power and importance of protest music. B.B. King is shown making the comment, “If we didn’t have the music, civil rights would have been much later….much, much, much later.”

Lesson Five: Biographical Research Project on Influential American Musicians

Albuquerque Public Schools Language Arts Standards

Strand I: Reading Process; Performance Standard 1: Uses reading strategies to approach reading for information across content areas. Performance Standard 3: Builds vocabulary by listening and by using context clues, glossaries, dictionaries and other reference materials to determine the meaning of unknown words.

Strand II: Reading Analysis; Performance Standard 1: Connects new information, prior knowledge, and related topics. Performance Standard 2: Asks and answers questions that require analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of grade-level fiction and non-fiction material. Performance Standard 11: States the main idea and plot in material that is read or heard; summarizes in own words. Performance Standard 14: Makes connections between print and non-print texts by recognizing similarities and differences using a variety of resources that contribute to informed decisions.

Strand III: Expressive Language: Writing; Performance Standard 1: Applies the steps of the writing process to create a final product. Performance Standard 2: Applies writing conventions. Performance Standard 3: Applies appropriate type of writing for the purpose and audience

Strand IV: Expressive Language: Speaking; Performance Standard 1: Applies speaking strategies. Performance Standard 2: Applies speaking and language conventions. Performance Standard 3: Applies appropriate styles of speaking for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Strand V: Receptive Language: Listening and Viewing; Performance Standard 1: Listens responsively and respectfully in formal and informal situations. Performance Standard 2: Listens actively and critically. Performance Standard 3: Follows oral and written, multiple-step instructions that provide information about a task or assignment.

Strand VI: Research; Performance Standard 1: Conducts research (with assistance) from a variety of sources for assigned or self-selected projects.

Materials Needed

Research Questions Checklist for the Study of Influential American Musicians (one for each student and an overhead to review in class)

Oral Presentations Guidelines (one for each student and an overhead to review in class)

Oral Presentation Rubric (one for each student and an overhead to review in class)

Research Paper Rubric (one for each student and an overhead to review in class)

Example of Oral Presentation (using PowerPoint) on Louis Armstrong along with a sample of Armstrong’s music

Overhead Projector

Computer hooked up to a projector and a large screen to show the PowerPoint presentation

Stereo

Lesson Time

One 35 minute introductory lesson (outlined in detail below) and four weeks of follow-up and presentation classes.

Activities

Part I (Week One):

At the beginning of this lesson, the teacher should summarize and review the main ideas covered throughout the American Music unit. First, why is music important to people? What does it add to our lives? (Lessons One and Three) Why is music so important to many groups’ cultural identities? (Lesson Three) Second, what are the various musical elements we have studied? (Lessons Two and Five) Third, how does studying music help us understand history better? How does music help us to understand others better?

Review the term “biography” with students and walk them over to the biography section of the library. Identify the many places you can find biographical information besides books from our library, such as biographical databases online, biographical dictionaries in print and online, web sites about various people, biographical videos, etc.

Outline the research project. Students will be divided into pairs. Each pair will be assigned an influential American musician to research. After their research is complete, they will write a research paper as well as summarize the main points of their research project and put it into a PowerPoint presentation. Finally, students will present their PowerPoint presentations to the class and one of their musician’s songs for the group. The twelve influential American musicians to be researched are Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington, Selena, Carlos Santana, Elvis Presley, Woodie Guthrie, Buffy Sainte-Marie, R. Carlos Nakai, Loretta Lynn, Queen Latifa, Hank Williams, Ella Fitzgerald.

Next, the teacher will hand out and discuss the grading criteria rubric for the research paper and the PowerPoint presentation. During the last ten minutes of the class period, the teacher will model a PowerPoint presentation on Louis Armstrong.

Part II (Week Two)

The librarian will teach a thirty-five minute lesson on biographical resources (online and in print), encyclopedias (online and in print), and helpful musical websites.

The fifth grade regular classroom teacher will teach note-taking and writing process lessons throughout the week. On Friday, students will write their first draft on computers in the computer lab.

Part III (Week Three)

The regular classroom teacher will hold writer’s workshops throughout the week focusing on editing and rewriting. Final drafts of the research paper will be due on Friday. The regular classroom teacher will grade them using the Writing Rubric for a Research Paper.

Part IV (Week Four)

On Monday, the computer lab teacher will teach students how to use PowerPoint. Students will take key points in their paper and put them into a condensed PowerPoint presentation. The presentation will include biographical information about their musician, a picture, the style(s) or genre(s) their musician performs, and a description of musical elements found in their works. PowerPoint presentations should be completed by Friday.

Part V (Week Five)

Starting on Monday, 2-3 groups of students per day will present their oral presentations. All 12-13 presentations should be completed by Friday, marking the end of the unit. Each presentation lasts about ten minutes. The teacher will complete the Oral Presentation Rubric after each presentation.

Assessments for the Research Project

The major assessments for this research project are the Oral Presentation Rubric and the Research Paper Rubric. I utilized an online rubric creating source called Rubistar, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, located at <http://rubistar.4teachers.org/>. It is designed for teachers to customize rubrics based on their preferred grading criteria. For the Oral Presentation Rubric, I chose the following five criteria: Content, Stays on Topic, Preparedness, Speaks Clearly, and Listens to Other Presentations. For the Research Paper Rubric, I chose the following six criteria: Amount of Information, Quality of Information, Organization, Paragraph Construction, Sources, and Mechanics.

Documentation

Bibliography

“American Music Conference.” AMC. 1. Jul. 2002. <http://www.amc-music.com>

American Roots Music [4 CD Music Compilation with 57 page booklet] American Roots Music is a collaboration between the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Experience Music Project, Palm Pictures and Ginger Group Productions. Executive Producer, Jim Brown. 2001.

Charters, Samuel. The Poetry of the Blues. New York: Oak Publications, Inc., 1963.

Crawford, Richard. America’s Musical Life. New York: W.W. Morton and              Company, 2001.

Heth, Charlotte, ed. Native American Dance : Ceremonies and Social
       Traditions. Washington, DC : National Museum of the American
            Indian, Smithsonian Institution, with Starwood Publishers, 1992.

Igus, Toyomi. I See the Rhythm. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1998.

“Into the Classroom. Tapping the Roots of American Music: A Teacher’s              Guide: Historical Background.” P.B.S.:American Roots Music. 15. June               2002                   <http://www.pbs.org/americanrootsmusic/pbs_arm_itc_historical_background.html>.

Lomax, Alan. Hard Hitting Songs for Hard-Hit People. New York: Oak              Publications, 1967.

Lornell, Kip and Anne K. Rasmussen, eds. Musics of Multicultural America.    New York: Schirmer Books, 1997.

Reed, Elaine Wrisley. “Helping Your Child Learn History.” KidSource Online.            15. June 2002
           <http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/history.html>.

Sandmel, Ben. Zydeco! Jackson: Universtiy Press of Mississippi, 1999.

San Miguel, Guadalupe, Jr. Tejano Proud. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2002.

Santelli, Robert, Holly George-Warren, and Jim Brown, eds. American Roots Music. New York:             Ginger Group Productions Inc. and Rolling Stone Press, 2001.

Bibliography of Teacher Materials

Books

Crawford, Richard. America’s Musical Life. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2001.

Emert, Phyllis Raybin, ed. Making a Statement With Song : Songs Reflecting the Social,

Economic, and Political Climate in American History. Carlisle: Discovery Enterprises, 1998.

Igus, Toyomi. I See the Rhythm. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1998.

Lornell, Kip and Anne K. Rasmussen, eds. Musics of Multicultural America. New York: Schirmer Books, 1997.

Sandmel, Ben. Zydeco! Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1999.

San Miguel, Guadalupe Jr. Tejano Proud. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2002.

Santelli, Robert, Holly George-Warren, and Jim Brown, eds. American Roots Music. New York: Ginger Group Productions Inc. and Rolling Stone Press, 2001.

Internet Web Sites

“All Music Guide.” All Music Guide. 2002. 30. Jun. 2002. < http://www.allmusic.com/>.

“American Roots Music.” American Roots Music: Into the Classroom: Tapping the Roots of American Music: A Teacher’s Guide. 2001. PBS. 1 Jul. 2002. <http://www.pbs.org/americanrootsmusic/pbs_arm_into_the_classroom.html>.

“Get Lyrics.com.” Getlyrics.com. 2002. 30. Jun. 2002. < http://www.getlyrics.com/>.

“Rubistar.” Rubistar. 2002. Al Tec, University of Kansas. 30. Jun. 2002. <http://rubistar.4teachers.org>.

Videos

American Roots Music. Dir. by Jim Brown, prod. by Jim Brown, Sam Pollard, and Jeff Rosen, and writ. by Charles Wolfe. Videocassettes. Palm Pictures, 2001.

Bibliography of Student Materials

Books

Awmiller, Craig. Wynton Marsalis : Gifted Trumpet Player. New York: Children's Press,             1996.

Christensen, Bonnie. Woody Guthrie : Poet of the People. New York: Random House, 2001.

Coombs, Karen Mueller. Woody Guthrie : America's Folksinger. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2002.

Ench, Rick. - North American Indian Music. New York: Franklin Watts, 2002.

Littlesugar, Amy. Shake Rag : From the Life of Elvis. New York: Puffin Books, 1998.

McAvoy, Jim. Aretha Franklin. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2002.

McKissack, Pat. Louis Armstrong : Jazz Musician. Berkeley Heights: Enslow, 2001.

Mendoza, Lydia. Lydia Mendoza : A Family Autobiography. Houston: Arte Publico Press, 1993.

Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Duke Ellington : The Piano Prince and His Orchestra. New York:   Hyperion Books for Children, 1998.

Remstein, Henna. Carlos Santana. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2002.

Wheeler, Jill C. Selena : The Queen of Tejano. Edina: Abdo & Daughters, 1996.

Internet Web Sites & CD ROMs

“All Music Guide.” All Music Guide. 2002. 30. Jun. 2002. < http://www.allmusic.com/>.

“Buffy Sainte-Marie.” 1996. 1. Jul. 2002. http://www.creative-native.com/biograp.htm.

Encarta 1996 Enyclopedia CD ROM

“Rollingstone.com.” Rolling Stone.com. 2002. 1 Jul. 2002. http://www.rollingstone.com/.

“VH1.COM.” VH1. 2002. 30. Jun. 2002. < http://www.vh1.com/artists/>.

“Worldbookonline.com.” Worldbook Online. 2002. 30. Jun. 2002. <http://www.worldbookonline.com>

Musical Elements Worksheet                            Name__________________

Define the following musical terms:

Rhythm:

Timbre:

Melody:

Harmony:

Dynamics:

Listening Activity:

Find an example of an interesting/unusual piece of music.

What is the title of your song?_________________________

Who wrote this music?_________________

Who performed this piece of music?_____________________________

What date was this song recorded?________________________

Write a sentence or two describing what is unusual or interesting about this song using at least one of the musical terms from above.

DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR MUSIC TO SHARE IN CLASS ON YOUR NEXT LIBRARY DAY,__________________________________ J Happy Listening.