Elementary School Curriculum

CREATE A GLOBAL CLASSROOM

Designed by MIM Education
Tool Kits I–III are designed to prepare students in grades 3–12 for a field trip to MIM. Follow a strand (elementary, middle school, or high school) through each of the tool kits and find suggested discussion questions, domain-specific vocabulary, and writing prompts. Each set of resources focuses on a geographical area, ancient culture, or instrument type that exemplifies the concepts of cultural diffusion and musical archaeology. By honing their research skills, using primary source readings, looking at photographs, and learning about objects in MIM’s collections, students will begin to understand how musical instruments and musical ideas are shared, traded, 
and built upon as people around the world encounter each other.
Download “Create a Global Classroom” curriculum and supporting materials (zip 5.6mb)

“I AM AZ MUSIC: MIM CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF ARIZONA MUSIC”

Designed by Dr. Rebecca A. Cairo
Designed for fourth-grade students, this standards-based social studies lesson aims to enrich, enhance, and extend the learning begun at MIM’s centennial exhibition, titled I Am AZ Music: MIM Celebrates 100 Years of Arizona Music. The exhibition and accompanying curricula provide fun opportunities to learn research skills for history. Arizona students learn about historically important musical moments, cultural traditions, or legendary musicians who have made an impact on the world. This lesson is also suitable for middle or secondary students in general music classes.
Download “I Am AZ Music: MIM Celebrates 100 Years of Arizona Music” curriculum and supporting materials (zip 1mb)

“STEM: HOW SCIENCE BRINGS MUSIC TO LIFE”

Designed by MIM Education
These interdisciplinary lessons, designed for students in grades three to eight, are meant to deepen and extend the learning during a STEM: How Science Brings Music to Life field trip to MIM. Students will explore the characteristics of sound, how various musical instruments make sound, and how the human ear detects it. They will formulate relevant questions about sound production and test them through investigation. As they complete these activities, students will become familiar with the names, origins, and sound-making characteristics of various musical instruments from around the world. Then, students will apply this knowledge, individually or in small groups, to invent a musical instrument of their own.
Download “STEM: How Science Brings Music to Life” curriculum and supporting materials (zip 4.3mb)

“INDONESIA: THE JAVANESE GAMELAN”

Designed by Nancy Kullos, Colin Pearson, and Dr. Rebecca A. Cairo
Students will learn about the geography, culture, and gamelan music of Java, Indonesia. For cultural context, they will see and hear instruments of the Javanese gamelan. Through a music activity, the students will practice hearing the rhythm of the gong cycle.
Download “Indonesia: The Javanese Gamelan” curriculum and supporting materials (zip 6.2mb)

“INDIGENOUS MUSIC OF NORTH AMERICA”

Designed by Dr. Rebecca A. Cairo
This lesson is intended to introduce intermediate-aged students to indigenous music of North America. It is a brief overview and not a comprehensive representation. It introduces three basic principles of indigenous music of North America. Lesson components can be presented by classroom and/or music specialists for students in grades four to six.
Download “Indigenous Music of North America” curriculum and supporting materials (zip 2.8mb)