Free Curriculum
American Music History & Listening
A full-semester, listening-centered high school course covering American music from early foundations through the streaming era. Designed for large classes, low grading load, ready to teach.
Built by a band director — free for any teacher to use.
At a Glance
What this course covers
How We Listen
Building a shared listening vocabulary and the D-A-C-E framework
Foundations of American Sound
Indigenous music, spirituals, folk traditions, and the roots of American identity
19th Century Roots
Minstrelsy, brass bands, ragtime, and the dawn of recorded sound
Blues, Jazz & Recording
The blues tradition, early jazz, and how recording changed everything
Swing Era & Bebop
Big bands, bebop revolution, and the split between popular and art music
Rock, Soul & Protest
Rock and roll, Motown, soul, and music as a vehicle for social change
Scenes & Technology
Punk, hip-hop, electronic music, and the democratization of production
Streaming Era & Beyond
Algorithms, genre fluidity, and how students consume music today
Listening Framework
Students build skills through D-A-C-E
Every unit uses the same four-step framework so students develop progressively deeper listening skills across the semester.
What do you hear?
How is the music organized?
What shaped this music?
What does it mean?
Designed For
Built for real classroom conditions
- Large classes (150+ students) — projects work at scale
- Low grading load — simple rubrics, no daily homework collection
- No music performance required — students listen, write, and discuss
- Works with any school's existing listening equipment or student devices
- One major project per unit — students go deep instead of broad
- Full answer keys, discussion prompts, and grading guidance included
Download
Get the full curriculum
Three documents, everything you need to teach the course or get it approved. All free, no account required.
Teacher Edition
65 pagesFull lesson plans, discussion prompts, answer keys, grading guidance, and a listening literacy progression table.
Student Workbook
26 pagesUnit projects with D-A-C-E framework prompts, response sheets, and end-of-course reflection pages. Print-ready.
Administrator Overview
7 pagesCourse rationale, standards alignment, staffing requirements, and budget summary for curriculum approval.
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About
Built by a band director
Justin Berchtold
Band director and private lesson instructor at Merit School of Music. Former Concertmaster and Principal Clarinet of the Marine Forces Pacific Band. BM in Music Performance from DePaul University. This course was written for real classrooms with real constraints — large sections, limited prep time, and students who need structured listening experiences they can't get from a textbook.
Questions