A Little Jazz
by Beverly S. Krueger
Jazz, it's been called the only truly American music and the classical music of America. However you want to define it, no music education is complete without an excursion into jazz. Fortunately for homeschoolers, there is an abundance of great jazz resources designed for kids.
PBS Kids Jazz
Interactive Timeline - When you click on a date you can journey back in time to discover how jazz became America's music. Explore the different places jazz was played, and discover people that created it.
Join the Jazz Band -- learn about the styles of jazz music and pick your jazz instrument.
Meet a Musician -- videos of jazz musicians explaining aspects of becoming a jazz musician.
Bandleader -- fun interactive band that lets you pick the instruments and make your own blend of jazz sound play the alphabet song.
Jazz for Young People
This site provides additional resource for those using the Jazz for Young People curriculum. The curriculum is not required to get enjoy the online lessons which include a variety of music clips, slideshows, and text.
Can You Hear a Story?
Students will explore creating moods with music. Students will assimilate this new knowledge through the analysis of a story and the creation of a musical composition that reflects and enhances it. This activity will culminate with the recording of their musical accompaniment and story to produce a book on tape.
More jazz lessons
Jazz in America
Lesson plans for grades 5, 8, and 11.
Teens and Adult Websites
What is Jazz? Four Lectures
In a four part Artsedge lecture series, recorded live at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., Dr. Billy Taylor, noted jazz pianist, historian, and educator, shares glimpses of his extensive knowledge of jazz music from its roots in the African-American slavery experience, through the early days of ragtime, and onward through swing, bop, and progressive jazz. Dr. Taylor combines academic research with a wealth of personal knowledge of the music and shares many fascinating anecdotes about the great artists of jazz.
A Passion for Jazz
This site is packed with resources for exploring jazz music and becoming a jazz musician.
Continental Harmony Project
The Continental Harmony Project brings composers and communities together to create new music that reflects their history, culture and hopes for the future. This is not a jazz site, but offers a background in how jazz relates to other musical styles.
Copyright © 2006 Eclectic Homeschool Association