APRIL SMITH'S S.T.E.M. CLASS
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THE FIRST AMERICAN ART FORM


YOUR MISSION

Know what you will be able to do when the lesson is over.
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I can describe how Jazz developed and explain why it spread in the 1920s.  


YOUR PORTFOLIO

Prepare the header for your portfolio entry for today.  List the entry in your table of contents.
Name                                                                                                                    Homeroom 
                                              Lesson 7.3:  The First American Art Form

Lesson Mission:  I can describe how Jazz developed and explain why it spread in the 1920s.  


CLASS READING

As a class, we will take turns reading the class reading below.

Dixieland Jazz

The following information was obtained from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.
PictureKing Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, 1921
Jazz was America's first truly original art form.  It was the first art created by Americans to become so popular that it spread all over the world.  Jazz was born in New Orleans about 100 years ago (in the early 20th century), but its roots can be found in the musical traditions of both Africa and Europe. In fact, some people say that jazz is a union of African and European music.  From African music, jazz got its rhythm, beat, and blues quality.  It developed from the African tradition of playing an instrument in your own expressive way, making it an "extension" of your own human voice.   From European music, jazz got its harmony, the chords that accompany the tunes. Jazz harmony is similar to the Europeans’ classical music harmony.  Most of the instruments used in jazz originated in Europe like the saxophone, trumpet, piano, etc. 

PictureNew Orleans Levee, Bob Blanks Loading ~ 1905

New Orleans was the perfect city for all of these elements to come together, as it was a port city, with people arriving from all parts of the world, a meeting place for people of different ethnic groups, and a city with a nightlife where musicians had the opportunity to play together, learn from each other, and blend all of these elements. 


PictureSlave work was hard and singing was a way to ease the burden.
Jazz was born out of and evolved through the African American experience in the U.S.  Jazz came from slave songs and spirituals, religious African American folk songs. The people who created and changed jazz were mainly African Americans.  Today, jazz is played and listened to by people of all cultures and ethnicities and includes musical elements and styles from all over the world; jazz has gone from being America’s music to being the world’s music. 

PictureScott Joplin, called the King of Ragtime.


Early jazz was called Dixieland.  It developed in the early 20th century, roughly between 1900 – 1928.  Its four main influences were ragtime, military brass bands, the blues, and gospel music.  The usual instruments in a Dixieland band was, and still is, trumpet or cornet, clarinet, trombone, piano, string bass or tuba, drums, and banjo or guitar.   

PictureMammy Smith's Jazz Hounds, 1920
The primary feature of Dixieland jazz is "collective improvisation;" that is, rather than each musician taking a solo in turn, Dixieland jazz musicians all improvise at the same time.  Each instrument has its own specific role.  The trumpet or cornet usually plays the melody.  The clarinet usually embellishes the melody with running notes.  The trombone generally adds to the bass line but sometimes plays the melody’s "after beats", which adds that "umpha" to the rhythm.  Trombones also add sound effects such as "smears" and "slides".  The piano, banjo, and/or guitar play chords to make the music sound full and rich.  The string bass or tuba plays the bass and the line drums keep the beat steady and swinging.

PictureA Dixieland Jazz Funeral, 1920
Dixieland bands were originally small marching bands.  They played for parades, dances, parties, and funerals.  In funerals, they marched along with the funeral procession in celebration of the life of the departed.  Funerals with bands in the procession line were typical in New Orleans.  They were called Dixieland Jazz funerals.


PictureLouis Armstrong
There were few long solos in Dixieland jazz until the appearance of trumpeter, Louis Armstrong.  Louis Armstrong was the first great jazz soloist or improviser and one of the most important figures in jazz history.  There are those who say that without Louis Armstrong, there would be no jazz today.  Almost all early Dixieland jazz musicians were African American. There were many famous jazz greats, each with their own special style and talent.

Picture
art form:  a type of art, such as -  painting and sculpting; music; acting; and dancing -  that is done to create beautiful things

roots
:
 the cause or source of something

traditions:  a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time

extension:   an additional part to a whole

harmony:  The sounding of two or more musical notes at the same time in a way that sounds nice.

chords:  The sounding of three or more musical notes played at the same time in a series.

New Orleans: the major port city in Louisiana, located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, on the Gulf of Mexico.  The birthplace of Jazz.

elements:  parts that make up something

evolved:  to improve, develop, or change gradually over a period of time

spirituals:  religious African American folk songs

Dixieland Jazz:  the earliest form of jazz that developed from ragtime, marching bands, the blues, and gospel music.

collective improvisation:  when musicians all improvise at the same time

solo:  when the melody in music is played by one instrument or sung by one singer with background or backup music playing underneath

melody:  the main tune of a song

embellishes: to make more pleasing by adding detail

bass line:  the lowest part or sequence of notes in a piece of music.

after beats:  musical notes falling on a weak beat
beats

procession lines:  the line that forms by people or cars when moving from a funeral in a church to the gravesite

Dixieland Jazz Funeral:  a funeral that used a band in the procession line to celebrate the life of the person who died

Louis Armstrong:  the first great jazz soloist or improviser and one of the most important figures in jazz history

improvisation:  when a soloist plays whatever they wanted  not by reading music but played by ear

tributaries: smaller rivers, creeks, or streams that stem off of a bigger, major rivers

PictureKing & Carter Jazzing Orchestra, Houston, Texas, 1921
The collective improvisation of Dixieland jazz partly symbolized, African Americans' newfound freedom.  Although they were hardly experiencing civil rights, African Americans were no longer slaves and celebrated their newfound freedom through jazz improvisation, playing whatever they wanted.  They were not "restricted" to notes written on a page, but instead could play whatever they "heard" in their hearts and minds.  The music was not read, it was played "by ear".  Freedom was and continues to be an important issue regarding all styles of jazz. 

PictureJazz traveled up the Mississippi River and tributaries on riverboats
At the turn of the century, riverboat cruises traveling up the Mississippi River and its tributaries began to become a popular thing to do.  Riverboat companies started hiring jazz musicians to entertain passengers on these riverboats.  Soon, jazz music began to spread to other major cities along the Mississippi and tributaries.  Jazz made its way from New Orleans to Memphis, Saint Louis, Kansas City, Chicago, and New York; then to the rest of the country and eventually the world.  Dixieland was the music of city life during the Roaring Twenties and the early years of the Harlem Renaissance. 


Jazz in America Timeline

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The Path of Jazz Migration Map

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

As a class, we will discuss the questions.  You will answer these questions in your portfolio in PQA format.  An example portfolio entry is embedded below.
  1. What major cultures of music combined to form jazz music?
  2. How did these cultures contribute to the development of jazz?
  3. How did the location of New Orleans play a part in the development of jazz?
  4. What was Dixieland Jazz?
  5. What did Dixieland Jazz symbolize for African Americans in the South?  Why?
  6. How did Jazz first spread through the United States?
Name                                                                                                                    Homeroom 
                                              Lesson 7.3:  The First American Art Form

Lesson Mission:  I can describe how Jazz developed and explain why it spread in the 1920s.  


Discussion Questions:  
1.  The major cultures that came together to create jazz were ____________________
     _________________________________________________________________________________.

2.  The ________________ culture contributed  _______________________________________
     to the development of jazz.  The  ____________________ culture contributed  

     _________________________________________________ to the development of jazz.

3.  The location of New Orleans contributed to the development of jazz because 
     _________________________________________________________________________________.

4.  Dixieland Jazz was ______________________________________________________________.

5.  Dixieland Jazz symbolized ____________________________ for African Americans in
      the South because _____________________________________________________________.

6.  Jazz spread through the United States when ____________________________________.

LESSON REFLECTION

I will play the interactive map activity over the projector for the class.  As the interactive plays, take notes on what you learn about how jazz spread all over the United States.  When you are done, you will use your notes to create a summary.  I have embedded the activity below so that you can play it on your home computer or on your mobile device.
As the last section in your portfolio question write a paragraph summary explaining how jazz developed and spread during the 1920s. 

Remember, when you write a paragraph to follow the proper paragraph structure below:
  1. Write a topic sentence outlining three points.
  2. Write a supporting sentence about the first point and provide evidence for your point.
  3. Write a supporting sentence about the second point and provide evidence for your point.
  4. Write a supporting sentence about the third point and provide evidence for your point.
  5. Write a closing sentence summarizing your topic.

You need help with structure click on the icon to the right to read about, How to Write a Paragraph.
how to write a Paragraph
Name                                                                                                                    Homeroom 
                                              Lesson 7.3:  The First American Art Form

Lesson Mission:  I can describe how Jazz developed and explain why it spread in the 1920s.  

Discussion Questions:  
1.  The major cultures that came together to create jazz were ____________________
     _________________________________________________________________________________.

2.  The ________________ culture contributed  _______________________________________
     to the development of jazz.  The  ____________________ culture contributed  
     _________________________________________________ to the development of jazz.

3.  The location of New Orleans contributed to the development of jazz because 
     _________________________________________________________________________________.

4.  Dixieland Jazz was ______________________________________________________________.

5.  Dixieland Jazz symbolized ____________________________ for African Americans in
      the South because _____________________________________________________________.

6.  Jazz spread through the United States when ____________________________________.



Lesson Reflection:
Write your summary about how Jazz spread throughout the United States here.

THE FIRST AMERICAN ART FORM QUIZ

On your own, answer the quiz questions in the quiz below.  When you finish the quiz write the answers in your portfolio.  I have set up the questions for you in the sample portfolio below.  You will need to add the answers.  To take the quiz, click on the quiz icon to the right.
Take the quiz
Name                                                                                                                    Homeroom 
                                              Lesson 7.3:  The First American Art Form

Lesson Mission:  I can describe how Jazz developed and explain why it spread in the 1920s.  

Discussion Questions:  
1.  The major cultures that came together to create jazz were ____________________
     _________________________________________________________________________________.

2.  The ________________ culture contributed  _______________________________________
     to the development of jazz.  The  ____________________ culture contributed  
     _________________________________________________ to the development of jazz.

3.  The location of New Orleans contributed to the development of jazz because 
     _________________________________________________________________________________.

4.  Dixieland Jazz was ______________________________________________________________.

5.  Dixieland Jazz symbolized ____________________________ for African Americans in
      the South because _____________________________________________________________.

6.  Jazz spread through the United States when ____________________________________.


Lesson Reflection:
Write your summary about how Jazz spread throughout the United States here.


Lesson Quiz
1.  Which word is a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that 
     has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long 
     time?  __________________________________.



2.  Which word is used to describe when a soloist plays whatever they wanted, not 
     by reading music, but playing by ear?  ___________________________________.


3.  Which word is the earliest form of jazz that developed from ragtime,  
     marching bands, the blues, and gospel music?  ______________________________.


4.  Which words means to improve, develop, or change gradually over a period of 
      time?  ______________________________.


5.  Which word means the cause or source of something?  _________________________.


6.  Paintings, sculptures, music, theatre, and dance are all called 
     ______________________.


7.  What city was the major port city in Louisiana, located at the mouth of the 
     Mississippi River, on the Gulf of Mexico and was the birthplace of Jazz?
     _________________________.


8.  What is the line that forms by people or cars when moving from a funeral in a 
     church to the gravesite?  __________________________.

9.  What are smaller rivers, creeks, or streams that stem off of a bigger, major 

     rivers?  ______________________________.


10.  Who was the first great jazz soloist or improviser and one of the most 
        important figures in jazz history?  _________________________________.

LESSON CHECKLIST

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You have accomplished your mission after you have done the following.  If you are absent, you need to do the following to complete your missed work.
  1. Read the class reading.
  2. Create a portfolio entry.
  3. List the portfolio entry in your table of contents.
  4. Answer the discussion questions in your portfolio.
  5. Take the Lesson 7.3: The First American Art Form Quiz.
  6. Record the quiz questions and answers in your portfolio.
  7. Complete the lesson reflection in your portfolio.
  8. If you finish early, go ahead and start studying for the test by playing the Lesson 7.3. First American Art Form Arcade Games .


STUDY ARCADE

Click on any of the icons to play that game.
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