1 - History of Jazz Music Worksheets and Reading Passage Using Rap Song

JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY
READING ACTIVITIES
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NAME ......................................... 1
JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY QUESTIONS 1

Directions: Listen to the song listed below on YouTube then
read the lyrics on pages 3 and 4 about jazz music history.
Answer the questions that follow.
Search YouTube or Google:

- Jazz Music History for Kids Song - Rap Opera for Kids
1) Name three (3) cultures/groups that influenced jazz music.
2) What is improvisation?
3) In what city did the Congo Square event happen?
4) When in history did the Congo Square event happen?
5) Who went to the Congo Square event and what did they do?
6) Why is African heritage important to jazz music?

NAME ......................................... 2
JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY QUESTIONS 2


7) When in history do some people say jazz began?
8) Name two (2) people who are said to have started jazz music.
9) When did the "Jazz Age" of history happen?
10) During the Jazz Age, where did the center of jazz move to?
11) What instrument is Louis Armstrong most famous for?
12) Name two (2) of Louis Armstrong's contributions to jazz music.

3
JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY LYRICS

(Chorus) 2x
Jazz: cool grooves so smooth this style demands chops.
Skills on the horns and the keys, keep it hot.
Cats banging on the skins and picking on the box.
Improvisation: making music on the spot.
(Verse 1)
An original style of music made in America
with diverse roots. Let’s dive in first with Africa.
In the 1600s, slaves came by the hundreds.
No instruments in hand. They had to improv on it.
Improvisation: working with what you’ve got.
Africans made music with animal skins and pots.
Fast forward in time. Let’s hit the Congo Square.
Around the 1800s, what do we have here?
A field in New Orleans where African slaves gather
for song, dance, and drums in traditional manner.
Congo Square helped develop the jazz sound.
For miles and miles around,
you could hear what was going down.
Now, add that French and Spanish influence
where jazz got its classic sound and instruments.
Creole music in the pot: a blend of this and that.
Mix the music like a DJ and all that...
(Chorus 2x)
Continued on the next page.

4
JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY LYRICS CONTINUED

(Verse 2)
Some say jazz began in 1917 in New Orleans
when Nick LaRocca and the Dixie band hit the scene.
Others debate for Buddy Bolden back in 1895
When he debuted with his first band.
Now, whether you jive (dance) or Rocca a beat with a Buddy
jazz made its mark like the street lanes in the city.
It grew in popularity in the early 1900s.
Took the country by storm like the Flash when he’s running.
The 1920s came. The center for jazz changed
to Chicago and New York City.
This is the "Jazz Age" where Louis Armstrong took center stage.
"Satchmo" and “Pops” are some of his nicknames.
Pops brought jazz into the spotlight
with a gravelly voice and trumpet sound that’s out of sight.
He popularized scat singing and paved the way
for other cool cats and all that...
Jazz music history. Kids, learn your history
right here with Rap Opera for Kids
because we’re talking all that...
(Chorus) 2x
Jazz: cool grooves so smooth this style demands chops.
Skills on the horns and the keys, keep it hot.
Cats banging on the skins and picking on the box.
Improvisation: making music on the spot.

NAME ......................................... 5
JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY AND CONTEXT CLUES

Directions: Read the words listed below then find them in the
lyrics on pages 3 and 4. (They are underlined.) Use context clues
to define each word. (The first 3 are jazz terms.) Circle each
context clue as you read. Write your definition on the line next to
each word. Write your context clues on the line below each word.
*Example* "Cats" means musicians.

Context clues: banging, picking, making music
1) "Chops" means
Context clues:
2) "Skins" means
Context clues:
3) "Box" means
Context clues:
4) "Diverse" means
Context clues:
5) "Debuted" means
Context clues:

NAME ......................................... 6
JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY TIMELINE

Sequencing: Create a chronological sequence of the events in jazz
music history. Reread the lyrics, looking for events and their dates. Write
them below on the timeline. Then write them as a paragraph using
sequence words such as, "first, next, then, finally" on page 7.

:2 tnevE
:2 etaD
:1 tnevE
:1 etaD
:4 tnevE
:4 etaD
:3 tnevE
:3 etaD

NAME ......................................... 7
JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY SEQUENTIAL PARAGRAPH

Sequential paragraph: Using your timeline from page 6, write
a paragraph about jazz music history using sequence words.
Some words that you may use are listed below:
- First, next, then, later, finally, at last.

8
*ANSWER KEY 1* JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY


1) Name three (3) cultures/groups that influenced jazz music.
African, French, Spanish, and Creole cultures. The Congo Square group.
2) What is improvisation?
to create something without preparation, to make new music while performing
3) In what city did the Congo Square event happen?
New Orleans
4) When in history did the Congo Square event happen?
Around the 1800s, 1769 - 1840
5) Who went to the Congo Square event and what did they do?
African slaves went and performed traditional songs, dance and drums.
6) Why is African heritage important to jazz music?
African heritage represents the spirit of improvisation and freedom in jazz

music. African slaves improvised instruments, music, and dance the same
way that performance is improvised in jazz music throughout history.
9
*ANSWER KEY 2* JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY


7) When in history do some people say jazz began?
1895 and 1917
8) Name two (2) people who are said to have started jazz music.
Nick LaRocca and Buddy Bolden
9) When did the "Jazz Age" of history happen?
1920s
10) During the "Jazz Age," where did the center of jazz move to?
Chicago and New York City
11) What instrument is Louis Armstrong most famous for?
Trumpet
12) Name two (2) of Louis Armstrong's contributions to jazz music.
Armstrong brought much attention to jazz, popularized scat singing, and
showed other people that it is possible to be successful as a jazz musician.

NAME ......................................... 10
*ANSWER KEY 3* JAZZ MUSIC CONTEXT CLUES

Directions: Read the words listed below then find them in the
lyrics on pages 3 and 4. (They are underlined.) Use context clues
to define each word. (The first 3 are jazz terms.) Circle each
context clue as you read. Write your definition on the line next to
each word. Write your context clues on the line below each word.
*Example* "Cats" means musicians.

Context clues: banging, picking, making music
1) "Chops" means skill, ability, knowing how to do something
Context clues: "demands," the following line says "skills,"
2) "Skins" means drums

Context clues: "banging," you hit the drums in order to play them
3) "Box" means guitar
Context clues: "picking," a guitar looks like a box
4) "Diverse" means many different types
Context clues: in verse 1, many cultures are listed as having influenced jazz
5) "Debuted" means perform for the first time for people
Context clues: bands perform for people and the next line says "first"


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JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY

Rap Opera for Kids is on .

JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY QUESTIONS 1

Answer the questions that follow.

Search YouTube or Google:

1) Name three (3) cultures/groups that influenced jazz music.

3) In what city did the Congo Square event happen?

4) When in history did the Congo Square event happen?

6) Why is African heritage important to jazz music?

Rap Opera for Kids is on .

JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY QUESTIONS 2

Answer the questions that follow.

Search YouTube or Google:

7) When in history do some people say jazz began?

9) When did the "Jazz Age" of history happen?

11) What instrument is Louis Armstrong most famous for?

12) Name two (2) of Louis Armstrong's contributions to jazz music.

Rap Opera for Kids is on .

JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY LYRICS

Jazz: cool grooves so smooth this style demands chops.

Skills on the horns and the keys, keep it hot.

Cats banging on the skins and picking on the box.

Improvisation: making music on the spot.

An original style of music made in America

with diverse roots. Let’s dive in first with Africa.

In the 1600s, slaves came by the hundreds.

No instruments in hand. They had to improv on it.

Improvisation: working with what you’ve got.

Africans made music with animal skins and pots.

Fast forward in time. Let’s hit the Congo Square.

Around the 1800s, what do we have here?

A field in New Orleans where African slaves gather

for song, dance, and drums in traditional manner.

Congo Square helped develop the jazz sound.

For miles and miles around,

you could hear what was going down.

Now, add that French and Spanish influence

where jazz got its classic sound and instruments.

Creole music in the pot: a blend of this and that.

Mix the music like a DJ and all that...

Continued on the next page.

Rap Opera for Kids is on .

JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY LYRICS CONTINUED

Some say jazz began in 1917 in New Orleans

Others debate for Buddy Bolden back in 1895

When he debuted with his first band.

Now, whether you jive (dance) or Rocca a beat with a Buddy

It grew in popularity in the early 1900s.

The 1920s came. The center for jazz changed

to Chicago and New York City.

"Satchmo" and “Pops” are some of his nicknames.

Pops brought jazz into the spotlight

with a gravelly voice and trumpet sound that’s out of sight.

He popularized scat singing and paved the way

for other cool cats and all that...

Jazz music history. Kids, learn your history

right here with Rap Opera for Kids

because we’re talking all that...

Jazz: cool grooves so smooth this style demands chops.

Skills on the horns and the keys, keep it hot.

Cats banging on the skins and picking on the box.

Improvisation: making music on the spot.

Rap Opera for Kids is on .

JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY AND CONTEXT CLUES

Example "Cats" means musicians.

ANSWER KEY 1 JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY

ANSWER KEY 2 JAZZ MUSIC HISTORY

ANSWER KEY 3 JAZZ MUSIC CONTEXT CLUES

Example "Cats" means musicians.