The lessons are geared toward students in grades 4 through 8 and are arranged to generally represent the chronological order of the arrival of each instrument into the mountains and the peoples and music styles it represented. The lessons are designed to be presented as a whole unit. However, each lesson can stand alone or with select others if desired. Teacher background information is supplied with each lesson in order for the teacher to have an understanding of the material presented in the lessons, provide introductory information, and guide follow-up discussions. The lesson topics are as follows:
Lesson One – What and Where is Appalachia?
This lesson focuses on finding Appalachia on a map and identifying West Virginia as part of Appalachia.
Lesson Two – The Oral Tradition
Early mountain people relied on the oral tradition to pass on many skills. This lesson looks at the importance of passing things down within a family or community and the skill required to pass it on correctly. It also takes a look at daily life in early Appalachia in order to understand the harsh living conditions and the importance of music.
Lesson Three – The Mountain Dulcimer and the Oral Tradition
In this lesson students are introduced to the mountain dulcimer. They learn a brief history of this instrument that actually developed in Appalachia and learn how to play two tunes on the dulcimer. Teachers are encouraged to continue allowing students to play these two tunes daily for the remainder of the project.
Lesson Four – Ballads and the Voice
This lesson encourages students to look at the voice as an instrument. Often without the means to acquire actual instruments, mountain people shared music and song in whatever way possible – often with their voices. Some of the first songs to be shared were ballads that were brought from the old country with the settlers. These were often used to remember and pass on important events. Students learn the characteristics of a ballad, listen to past and contemporary ballad singers, and write their own ballads.
Lesson Five – The Fiddle
In this lesson students will learn about fiddle vs. violin and the music played on each. They will investigate the function and fun of a fiddle contest.
Lesson Six – Dance
This lesson explains Appalachian flatfoot dancing as an individual style of dancing. Students are introduced to dancing as a percussive addition to music.
Lesson Seven – The Banjo
This lesson focuses on the banjo which is considered to be the last of the early instruments. It is also widely recognized as being introduced in America by enslaved Africans. Students will listen to current Appalachian claw-hammered banjo musicians. Then they will research the akonting from Africa to determine for themselves whether the banjo and akonting are related.
Lesson Eight – Assessment
Using what they have analyzed about traditional Appalachian music and reading/listening to excerpts from current musicians, students will write a postcard to someone in a region outside of Appalachia explaining the importance of traditional mountain music. Or they will create a poster with personal and biographic information about a West Virginia musician that they have found interesting.
Lesson Nine – Jam Time
Using an audio recording of local musicians playing Boil Them Cabbage Down, students will jam along with their mountain dulcimers.
These lessons were created by Lynette Swiger. Ms. Swiger is a retired public school teacher and the folk music instructor at the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center. Ms. Swiger plays and teaches the hammered dulcimer and is often a featured performer at the West Virginia State Folk Festival.