New York Stories
Step-by-step lesson plans for grades 2-5
Teaching Artist Evan Harris takes you on a historical, cultural, and musical trip through New York City.
Students will grab their passports to visit The Lenape People of Manahatta, Chinatown, the Bronx, Jackson Heights, and Little Caribbean. They will learn music traditions and create rhythms along the way.
LESSONS
This is the first lesson from the New York Stories unit. Students will visit Manhattan, New York to learn about the history, culture, and musical traditions of the Lenape People. Then they will clap a beat to perform alongside the Lenape People.
This is the second lesson from the New York Stories unit. Students will visit Manhattan’s Chinatown to learn about Chinese immigration to the United States and the rich history of Chinese culture, including musical traditions. Then students will perform a rhythmic accompaniment to a Chinese traditional folk song.
This is the third lesson from the New York Stories unit. Students will visit the Bronx to discover its history as the birthplace of hip hop and rap music. Then students will compose an original rap and perform for an audience.
This is the fourth lesson from the New York Stories unit. Students will visit Jackson Heights, Queens to discover its immense diversity and significant Indian community. Then students will learn about rhythmic patterns inspired by the Indian musical concept known as the ‘Tala’, and draw comparisons between patterns we see and feel with those we can hear.
This is the fifth lesson from the New York Stories unit. Students will visit Little Caribbean to explore its deep cultural roots from the West Indies and Africa. Then students will perform “St. Thomas,” a song by jazz luminary Sonny Rollins, which is based on a nursery rhyme sung in the U.S. Virgin Islands.