TeachRock’s Wellness Lesson Plans
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TeachRock improves students’ lives by bringing the sound, stories, and science of music to all classrooms. From The Beatles to Beyoncé, from kindergarten to AP History, in the classroom or remotely, TeachRock offers meaningful lesson plans all at no cost to teachers, students, and families, inspiring deeper learning and understanding through the power of music.
In the rhythm of education, where every beat counts, TeachRock stands out as a maestro orchestrating a symphony of social-emotional learning (SEL) through the captivating power of music. At the heart of their innovative approach lies a simple yet profound belief: that music is not just a melody to be enjoyed, but a conduit for understanding oneself and connecting with others. Recognizing that the journey of self-discovery often begins with understanding emotions, reflection, personal growth, and self-discovery, their lessons resonate with students by integrating music into every aspect of SEL.
Lesson plans include:
In this lesson, students will explore the growth mindset and the science of how our brains process and store experiences. To engage with these topics, students will examine interviews, music videos, and live performances by Steve Aoki, to see how the musician’s approach may exemplify the growth mindset. They’ll conclude with an activity that encourages them to embrace challenges.
In this lesson, students will explore the practice of Bystander Intervention and examine how its use can make music spaces and other public gathering places more safe, accessible, and fun for everyone. Students will identify the 5 Ds of Bystander Intervention and view videos explaining important terms and the need for safe public spaces. Students will then practice how the 5 Ds can be used in various scenarios and share about their experience practicing Bystander Intervention.
In this lesson, students will explore the concept of intersectionality. To examine how intersectionality operates in real life, students will be introduced to members of the band The Loneliers and to Erik Garlington, frontman and guitarist for the band Proper. By listening to the music and hearing interviews from these two groups, students will discover the challenges and opportunities these bands have encountered as women, BIPOC and queer participants in the Punk Rock scene. Students will then have the opportunity to reflect on their own intersections, and the challenges and opportunities those intersections present.
In this lesson, students compare lyrics to historical content to determine how Alessia Cara’s song “Here” defies popular music conventions. Then, they consider their own experiences with peer pressure, and imagine what their own “unconventional” pop song might be about.
In this lesson, students use “See You Again” to consider the emotional power of a song, and explore ways music might help people think about loved ones. Working in groups, students then discover other songs that have been written in memoriam to people, finally contemplating how songs might remind them of their own personal friends and loved ones.
In this lesson, students are introduced to two of the most well-known producers in music history: Quincy Jones and George Martin. By examining Jone’s relationship with Michael Jackson, and Martin’s relationship with The Beatles, students discover how interpersonal leadership skills are essential for a music producer who aspires to help artists achieve their full potential. By watching clips from the PBS Soundbreaking series and conducting a class brainstorming activity, students then further define what types of particular leadership skills are necessary to be a music producer, and how developing such skills are useful in other avenues of life.