(Developed in association with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts)
National Roster with The Kennedy Center
Content: (Music/Writing-English Language Arts)
Teachers: 3 hours of Instruction Time
Maximum Number of Workshop Participants: 35
Grade Levels: 3-8
Students: 45 – 50 minutes per class
Residency Length: Minimum of 5 days
Maximum Number of Students per Class: 25
Teachers learn to immerse their students in the rich history of jazz, as they trace its roots and influences through African traditional chants, work songs, spirituals, ragtime, the blues, swing and bebop. Experience what happens when two cultures, African and American blues, collide to create an exciting new experience built on the musical elements of “repetition” and “call & response.” Explore strategies that are aligned with Writer’s Workshop to engage students in writing their own blues songs that express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Giving voice to children’s thoughts and feelings is an integral part of their social-emotional development. Writing personal narratives with an understanding of the stories told in musical forms that led to the development of jazz will encourage students to connect their emotions to the content of writing.