PBS.org: American Roots Music
(http://www.pbs.org/americanrootsmusic/)
Summary
Another website that can be used by both students and teachers, American Roots is a companion site to the PBS mini series of the same name. This website contains lesson plans that can be used with the mini series or independently to teach background history, song mechanics, genres such as gospel and blues, and Native American music. The website also contains transcripts of original interviews with Roots musicians, breakdowns of instrument histories and song histories, and links to more websites about the subject.
Quantitative/Qualitative Summary
The structure of this website is a little complicated to navigate with small text and menus that are not intuitive. Along with some technical language, I think this resource rates as a Middle High level. It is geared towards teachers and educators, but I think older teens could navigate the website and glean information from it.
Curriculum Tie Ins
US History or Music History classes could benefit from the lessons in this website. Elements of Roots/Americana can be compared with the evolution of Blues and Jazz. The social and political eras can also be examined to look at how culture influenced the music and vice-versa. This website could be beneficial with or without the mini series, though having it would certainly give more content to the teacher.
Standards
Role of Music
3.1 Identify the sources of musical genres of the United States, trace the evolution of those genres, and cite well-known musicians associated with them.
3.2 Explain the various roles that musicians perform, identify representative individuals who have functioned in each role, and explain their activities and achievements.
Diversity of Music
3.3 Describe the differences between styles in traditional folk genres within the United States.
3.4 Perform music from various cultures and time periods.
3.5 Classify, by genre or style and historical period or culture, unfamiliar but representative aural examples of music and explain the reasoning for the classification.
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