Learning about music history can be fun when you take students back in time, and around the world, to the origins of music. Play music tapes in class from very early origins of music, and give students a lesson on where the music is from and how to identify its place in the world. After you have finished playing a few tapes for students, assign them an individual project where they must select one style of music and write about its origins. Additionally, students must discuss how the origins of the music may have played a part in shaping the music heard today. Ask students to share what they write in class.
Assign each student a project that he will present in class. For this assignment, students must select one instrument and research the history of it to discover when the instrument was first used, and what it was used for. Instruct students to create a timeline of how that instrument changed and progressed throughout history. Have students include pictures of the musical instrument as it got redesigned over time. Students will need to supply the instructor with a written report, as well as a visual presentation for the class. Presentations should only last five to ten minutes for each student.
Set the classroom up for a game of Music History "Jeopardy!" and prepare to put your students' skills to the test. Split the class up into medium-sized groups and instruct everyone to assign one point-person to their team. The point-person is in charge of raising his or her hand when the team has agreed on an answer to the question. The teacher will provide four or five categories of questions, such as "Music from the 1800s," "Rock of the 1970s" and "First Musicals." Students can select from which category they would like to answer a question. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins. (See Reference 1.)
For a winding-down type of activity, pass out worksheets to students that contain word puzzles, such as word scrambles, word searches and crossword puzzles. Tailor the puzzles to the musical history lesson that was taught in class, making sure to use new musicians, vocabulary words and instruments that were discussed. Give students twenty minutes at the end of class to complete the puzzles, while they listen to music from the era that was covered that day.