RESOURCES
CURRICULUM FOR THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS
The Music of Strangers curriculum guide is designed to help you bring the film into your classrooms, explore the characters stories, and highlight culture’s power to connect. Educational licenses for the film can be purchased here.
SAMPLE LESSONS
Lesson 3
Everything Old is New Again: The Chinese Cultural Revolution and Its Legacy
Lesson 3 begins with an introduction to the pipa player Wu Man and a dynamic simulation that opens student’s eyes to the difficult realities of the Cultural Revolution in China. Students research the personalities, events, goals, and impact of the Cultural Revolution; then they write an informative paper using appropriate documentation to explain this watershed event in Chinese history.
Lesson 7
Ancient Instruments, New Music
Lesson 7 is a music lesson that gives students more information about the traditional instruments that come together in unexpected ways in the Silk Road Ensemble.
Lesson 4
The Ongoing Syrian Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis
The humanitarian crisis ignited by the popular uprising in Syria and the incursions of ISIS is the subject of Lesson 4. After reading about the roots of the conflict and becoming aware of more recent events, students use the RAFT technique (Role, Audience, Format, and Topic) to write a detailed narrative that reflects an aspect of the Syrian crisis. Finally, they view an interpretive music and visual arts collaboration and design their own interpretive project.