EDUCATION PROGRAMS
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s onsite education programs are curated and taught inside the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by the Museum’s award-winning education team. Beginning September 5th, teachers can register for programs between October 2023 and May 2024 at the links below.
Each program begins with an interactive 30-minute presentation followed by 2-3 immersive and engaging activities in the museum’s exhibits. Self-guided activities, available on Rock Hall EDU Online, help chaperones/leaders ask students to investigate specific exhibit cases and artifacts and reflect on what they observe. The interactive Garage exhibit and the Power of Rock Experience also have guiding questions, making these marquee Rock & Roll Hall of Fame experiences part of your programming day.
Even better: Certain Ohio schools are eligible for FREE educational programming! To find out if your school meets the requirements, please fill out the form here.
ROCK HALL EDU
2024-2025 ONSITE PROGRAMS
FROM THE BRONX TO THE HALL: HIP-HOP CULTURE’S BIRTH AND EVOLUTION
Grades 5th-8th and 9th-12th
Now what you hear is not a test! This program is designed to explore the revolutionary birth of hip-hop. Students will discover where hip-hop began, how it served as a voice for social justice, and how it continues to push boundaries to this day. Through discussion of hip-hop’s sound, technology, and lyrical content, students will get a glimpse of why hip-hop has been one of rock & roll’s most successful styles for over fifty years. Grades 5-8 will think critically about hip-hop’s cultural origins and the unique sound it created using turntables, drum machines, and rapping. Grades 9-12 will examine the technology and sound innovation of the early years and compare how technological innovation have allowed artists to create new sounds.
After participating in this program, students should be able to:
Express how the social and cultural climate of The Bronx in the 1970s contributed to the birth of hip-hop.
Examine music technology, such as turntables and drum machines, that fostered innovation in the hip-hop sound.
Discuss how lyrics became a part of hip-hop and would develop into a vessel for getting a message across to listeners.
Hello Cleveland!: Why Cleveland is the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Grades 5th-8th and 9th-12th
Cleveland Rocks! This program helps to answer the question, “why is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio?” Students will learn about how Cleveland became a mecca for the rise of rock & roll in the 1950s and see how it connected to the birth of teenage culture. The program also describes the development of the Hall of Fame and the decision to make Cleveland the museum’s home. Grades 5-8 will dive into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s history and discover how Cleveland played its part in the revolution of rock & roll music. Grades 9-12 will look closely at the social and cultural impact rock & roll had in overcoming racial boundaries.
After participating in this program, students should be able to:
Summarize how rock & roll began and how Cleveland played a part in its genesis.
Consider how local and international artists found success in Cleveland via radio play and live performances.
Discuss how the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame began and its current impact on Cleveland.
The Roots of Rock and Roll: An Exploration American Culture
Grades K-4th and 5th-8th
Let there be Rock! This program takes a close look at some of the diverse roots music that would become the building blocks of Rock & Roll. Students will analyze Blues, Country, and rhythm & blues, and discuss how they play a part in America’s regional history and culture. Through listening, live performance, and lyrical analysis, students will discover influential early artists and how each of their styles established America’s musical roots. Grades K-4 will listen to musical examples and read U.S. maps highlighting the country’s regions. Grades 5-8 will compare each musical style and how regional culture affected their sound.
After participating in this program, students should be able to:
Recognize musical styles and cultures that contributed to the birth of Rock & Roll.
Identify some of the most important and influential performers of these early musical styles.
Locate the regions of the United States where these early musical styles originate.
