World History Music Timeline Assignment
Lesson Plan: Period Music Timeline (Suggested group activity)
PASS Objective(s): Standard 1: Language of Music
Standard 2: History and Culture of Music
Standard 3: Music Expression
Standard 4: Music Appreciation
Standard 3: Visual Art Expression (you can add this standard if you
request students to add small drawings to their time lines to
illustrate events of specific items.
Objectives: 1. Identify specific Music movements.
2. Place movements within timeline cross referenced with period events.
An overview of the assignment:
1. From various sources, your group will gather information about your time period,
including dates, outstanding composers (at least 3), famous works composed and
non-musical significant events (inventions, wars, books, presidents, sports,
fashions) which may have influenced a composer’s work.
2. Your group will publish your gathered information on a segment of the timeline
which follows the established guidelines for scale and design of the finished
product.
3. After research is complete, and you have had the opportunity to assemble your
portion of the timeline, your group will introduce the segment to the class in a
brief oral presentation.
4. After all presentations are complete, the final timeline will be assembled and
displayed.
Materials Needed: Pencils, markers, color pencils, paper.
Procedures: Attendance, discuss subject (verbally and via example), do project, close.
Activities: 1. Discuss timeline development in history, 2. show class a variety of
examples of timeline design and continue discussion, 3. discuss assignment,
5. Produce project, 5. close.
Here are some resources to help you in your project:
Music Resources
Dallas Symphony Orchestra - Kids (also has composer info)
http://www.dsokids.com/default.aspx?
The Internet Public Library
http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/%20www.essentialsofmusic.com/eras/eras.html
Classical Net
http://www.classical.net/music/composer/masterindex.php
DMOZ Open Directory Project
http://www.dmoz.org/Arts/Music/Composition/Composers/
General History Resources
infoplease http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001196.html
HyperHistory Online http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html
History Explorer http://www.historyexplorer.net/?World_History_Timeline
The History Channel http://www.history.com/
You will be graded on:
complete & correct information, neatness & creativity of your timeline segment and
presentation, and group participation in research and presentation.
This project is worth 50 points. (A RUBRIC format is attached. You though will need to
establish the exact requirements you seek from the students doing this and what you will
accept.)
Music History Timeline Groups:
Medieval
Renaissance
Romantic Impressionism
Renaissance
Modern/Contemp/
20th Century
Classical