10624 : African American Music History TV Show Project | Grades 4–6

Bring Black History Month to life with music, drama, research, and performance! As a National Board Certified Music Educator with 22 years of classroom experience, I designed this cross-curricular project to give grades 4–6 students an unforgettable way to explore, celebrate, and perform African American music history.

Students become TV hosts, featured musicians, commercial producers, and performers in their very own School TV Black History Month Special. The result? A live classroom performance that combines history, music, speaking, listening, research, and creative expression in one powerful project.

What's Covered: Spirituals • Blues • Ragtime • Jazz • Swing • Bebop • Rhythm & Blues

Featured Musicians: Louis Armstrong • Scott Joplin • Ella Fitzgerald • Dizzy Gillespie • Charlie Parker • Duke Ellington • Billie Holiday • Etta James

What's Included (32 pages):

• Teacher Guide with full 3-week, 15-day timeline
• 7 genre listening & response sheets (one per style)
• Student Research Page with musician photo grid
• Biography Questions sheet (11 questions)
• Build the History of Jazz cut-and-sort timeline
• Commercial Creation Activity overview + 5 individual genre commercial pages (Spirituals, Blues, Jazz, Bebop, Swing)
• Storyboard & Commercial Planning Sheet
• Before & After Performance Reflection Pages
• Character Name Tags (cut-out, illustrated)
• Classroom Set Design Guide with TV studio setup ideas
• Printable TV studio signs (On Air, School TV, Jazz News Network, Black History Month Special)
• Research Rubric
• Performance Rubric
• Student Vocabulary Sheet (9 key terms)
• How to Listen Like a Musician guide
• Extension Activities (Playbill design, Music Timeline, Listening Journal, Compare & Contrast, Musician Trading Cards, Hall of Fame Display)
• Differentiation Strategies for emerging learners, ELL students, and enrichment
• Materials Checklist
• Performance Day Tips

Standards Addressed: Music history, active listening, critical thinking, research skills, speaking & presentation, collaboration, and cross-curricular connections to Social Studies and ELA.

Perfect for: Black History Month • Music class • Drama integration • Cross-curricular projects • Grades 4–6

This project culminates in a live classroom or school performance your students — and their families — will never forget.