Black History Month Music Lessons: Ella Fitzgerald
Looking for some quick Black History Month music lessons for your classes? Here are some free resources for teaching a music lesson all about Ella Fitzgerald.
Introduction to Ella Fitzgerald
Teaching Points:
- For a long time, only instrumental musicians were respected for the difficulty of what they did. Ella Fitzgerald changed that by showing how much the human voice can do.
- Ella was treated differently due to the color of her skin. Her friend Marilyn Monroe used her influence to support her and help her perform in a famous club. (This is a great example of being an ally)
- Ella Fitzgerald could take even the most simple song and make it sound fancy. (Old MacDonald is a perfect example)
- Ella Fitzgerald performed with confidence. Even when she forgot the words of a song in front of a huge audience, she turned it into one of her most famous performances (see link below)
Links:
- JAZZ (BrainPop) – YouTube (Primary & Junior grades)
- Ella: Queen of Jazz – YouTube – short story
- Ella Fitzgerald “Old MacDonald Had A Farm” on The Ed Sullivan Show – YouTube
- Ella Fitzgerald The Tale of A Vocal Virtuosa – YouTube
Jr Classes - Story Time for Kids with POWER ASC | Ella Fitzgerald Children’s Book Read Aloud – YouTube
Pr Classes- 18 min
Introduction to Scatting
Scatting Teaching Points:
- Scatting is a style of singing that does not use words. Instead, the singer uses their voice to imitate the sound of jazz instruments.
- Another famous scatter was Louis Armstrong
Scatting Links:
Introduction to Scatting and Sampling
How Ella Fitzgerald Turned Forgotten Lyrics Into One Of Her Best Performances Ever – YouTube
Jr Classes
Music Lesson Plans for Black History Month
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