Famous Female Musicians Your Students Want to Celebrate

 

Rock Women's History Month 

Ask your students to name famous musicians.  Without intentional dedication to presenting students with an inclusive representation, most kids will name these late composers:

Bach. 

Beethoven.  

Mozart.

Maybe they'll toss in Prokofiev & Tchaikovsky.  Copland, Ives, or Brahms, too.  

So I've started rephrasing my questions:

1. What makes someone a musician?

Often, they'll tell you it's someone who makes music.  Pretty expansive if you ask me.  Singers.  Instrumentalists.  Composers.  Conductors.  Well, the doors are wide open now!  

2. What makes someone famous?

Well, the doors are wide open now!  Kids tell me anyone can be famous for anything.  

3. Who are some of your favorite musicians?

With this reframing, now students offer me everything from Sousa to Swift, Beyoncé to Beethoven, DJ's, rappers, classical musicians, YouTubers, etc.

With the idea that anyone can be an important & impactful musician, here are some of the famous female musicians your students will love to celebrate for Women's History Month:

• Aretha Franklin  "RESPECT"
• Ella Fitzgerald  "A Tisket, A Tasket" - I love this lesson for elementary musicians.  There's also "The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa" which is great for upper elementary
• P!nk - coloring page
• Clara Schumann 
• Queen B
• Adele - coloring page
• Whitney Houston
• Dolly Parton
• Fanny Schumann
• Etta James
• Billie Holiday
• Patsy Cline
• Stevie Nicks 
• Bessie Smith

From playing Guessing Games to coloring by note, Posters & Bulletin boards to Virtual Field Trips, I've found that students want to learn about historical figures who paved the way for their modern musical idols.

Without Dolly Parton, there'd be no Miley Cyrus or Taylor Swift.  

Without Billie Holiday or Bessie Smith, Aretha and Rihanna wouldn't be able to do what they do!

Not sure where to start?  

Read a book.  

I get it.  Studying composers can be tricky. How do you engage littles in classical music, or select appropriate lyrics from contemporary songs?  

Maybe you have curriculum guided by Core Arts Standards instead.  Try lessons to teach rhythm, notes, or listening skills through children's literature.

I love Misty Copland's "Firebird" because it has classical music connections, contemporary representation, connects music to other art forms, and it's beautifully illustrated!

I Am Mozart, too  Offers a historical glance of women's rights in a colorful & age appropriate manner.  These are great for sub tubs, odd filler days, and early finishers!

However you do it, well done.

However you teach it.  Well done.

Enjoy teaching, friends,

Jaime