The following sample syllabi show you how the 15 lessons of Roots of Rhythm can be adapted and combined to meet your curriculum needs. In each case, the model of a typical six-week elementary or junior high school calendar block has been used. These plans are based on the core curriculums of New York and California.
A: Social Studies
Grade 5—US & Latin American History (New York/California)
| Week | Country/Culture | Instrument | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal | Adufe | Lesson 1 |
| 2 | Ghana | Dondo | Lesson 5 |
| 3 | Cuba | Bongo | Lesson 2 |
| 4 | Lakota Nation | Lakota Drum | Lesson 7 |
| 5 | Trinidad | Steel Drums | Lesson 13 |
| 6 | USA | Turntable | Lesson 15 |
Grade 6—The Eastern Hemisphere (New York)
| Week | Country/Culture | Instrument | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romania | Buhai | Lesson 3 |
| 2 | Turkey | Naqqara | Lesson 8 |
| 3 | Egypt | Sajat | Lesson 10 |
| 4 | Japan | Kakko | Lesson 6 |
| 5 | Thailand | Ranat Ek | Lesson 9 |
| 6 | India | Tabla | Lesson 15 |
Grade 6—Ancient Civilizations (California)
| Week | Country/Culture | Instrument | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guinea | Djembe | Lesson 4 |
| 2 | Egypt | Sajat | Lesson 10 |
| 3 | Turkey | Naqqara | Lesson 8 |
| 4 | Lakota Nation | Lakota Drum | Lesson 7 |
| 5 | Japan | Kakko | Lesson 6 |
| 6 | India | Tabla | Lesson 14 |
| Alternates: Ghana (Dondo/Lesson 5), Thailand (Ranat Ek/Lesson 9) |
B: MST/Math, Science, & Technology (New York)
Grade 5—MST Key Ideas: An Inter-Disciplinary Approach
| Week | Subject | Key Idea | Instrument | ROR Lesson | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Math | Problem Solving | Bongos | Lesson 2 | Group drumming with TUBS notation |
| 2 | Math | Math in Everyday Life | Ranat Ek | Lesson 9 | Aristotle and the math behind music |
| 3 | Science | Scientific Inquiry/Method | Turntable | Lesson 15 | The invention of recorded music |
| 4 | Science | Energy Production & Conservation | Dondo | Lesson 5 | Materials science behind sound/pitch |
| 5 | Technology | Engineering Design | Djembe | Lesson 4 | Build a djembe drum |
| 6 | Technology | Impact of Human Engineering | Steel Drums | Lesson 13 | Commerce and war in the Caribbean |
C: Arts & Music (California)
Grade 6—Visual & Performing Arts Key Ideas: An Inter-Disciplinary Approach
| Week | Subject | Key Idea | Instrument | ROR Lesson | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dance | Development of Motor Skills | Lakota Drum | Lesson 7 | Symbolic movements in Lakota dance |
| 2 | Dance | History & Function of Dance | Pandeiro | Lesson 11 | Culture of Brazilian capoeira dancing |
| 3 | Music | Artistic Perception | Bongos | Lesson 2 | Group drumming with TUBS notation |
| 4 | Music | Historical & Cultural Perspectives | Buhai | Lesson 3 | The role of the buhai in Romanian culture |
| 5 | Visual Arts | Artistic Perception | Adufe | Lesson 1 | The symbolic use of the adufe in Portugal |
| 6 | Visual Arts | Historical & Cultural Perspectives | Turntable | Lesson 15 | Explore the hip-hop/break dancing/graffiti art of 1980s Brooklyn |