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Resources and Lesson Plans

Lesson Guides

The following resource materials for teachers are available free of charge and mailed when a program reservation is made. The materials support specific objectives from the Tennessee State Curriculum Standards.  Key to the development of each of these materials was input from a panel of local teachers.  All teacher's guides, except Words & Music, are available online.

Teacher’s Resource Guide



Includes pre- and post-visit classroom lessons connecting students to the history of country music and its place in American culture, a bibliography of related texts, a slide of Thomas Hart Benton’s painting The Sources of Country Music. Click the icon to the right to download the kit now.




Words & Music Teacher’s Lesson Kit

Assists teachers in preparing students for the Words & Music program. This resource is available on loan only and requires the completion of a loan agreement form, which is sent with a reservation confirmation. It contains pre-visit classroom lessons that guide students through writing a song lyric.

Family Tradition:  The Williams Family Legacy Teacher's Guide

This guide assists teachers in preparing students for an in-depth tour of the special exhibit Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy, Co-Presented by SunTrust and Ford Motor Company.  Pre- and post-visit classroom lessons, a poster of photographs, and a CD are included.

Historic RCA Studio B Teacher’s Lesson Kit



Designed for groups participating in Making Waves at Studio B.  This award-winning kit include pre- and post-visit classroom lessons, historical photographs, and a CD.  These materials help students learn about the recording process and the history of recording in Nashville. Click the icon to the right to download the kit now.



Shapes, Sound Holes, and Strings Teacher's Guide



Assists teachers in introducing their students to instruments featured in country music and the sounds they create. Pre- and post-visit classroom lessons and a CD are included. A traveling trunk of featured instruments can be checked out at the museum for classroom use. Click the icon to the right to download the kit now.




Gallery Guide: For the Self-Guided Museum Visit



Designed for groups visiting the museum without a tour guide.  This booklet includes teacher suggestions for leading students through the museum, important stops in the museum and discussion questions. Click the icon to the right to download the kit now.





Teacher Information Sheet: Kitty Wells: Queen of Country Music, Presented by Great American Country Television Network

Provides information about the exhibit, Wells's career, and helpful books, CDs and web sites,  and ways to connect her story to other female leaders in American life.  The exhibit honors Kitty Wells, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.  Wells made the transition from a "girl singer" to country music star, blazing a trail followed by artists such as Patsy Cline, Lorette Lynn, and Reba McEntire.

Ray Charles and Country Music Teacher's Guide


Is available online only.  While the exhibit closed in 2007, the lesson guide materials are still relevant for classroom use. Click the icon to the right to download the kit now.





Lesson Plans

Thank you to students in Dr. Karon LeCompte's Teaching Social Studies in Elementary School and Advanced Methods of Teaching Social Studies classes at Vanderbilt University. As an assignment for these classes, students wrote lesson plans that could be used by teachers in conjunction with a class visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum. Some of these lesson plans have been posted here for your use. Adobe Acrobat required to download lesson plans.

Country Singers Take Nashville
Grade Level: 4-5
Overview: After visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame with your class, students research a famous country music singer and present their findings on a human cutout. Activity provides students with opportunities for exposure to a more hands-on approach to studying social studies.

The Atkins Family Stella: Chet Atkins Famous Guitar
Grade Level: 4-6
Overview: Students learn about migration and what draws certain people to different places. They engage parents and/or grandparents to find out where their families come from and what led them to live in the Nashville area. Students also learn about Chet Atkins and how he influenced the music industry. Students then gather in groups to search for other musical artists that came to Nashville searching for a career in the music business.

Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources
Grade Level: 4-6
Overview: Students differentiate between primary and secondary sources and learn about important legends in Tennessee and US history.

While students have suggested grade levels for which these lessons may be appropriate, we encourage you to read them and decide for yourself. You may think a lesson plan would work well for your class even if it is not within the suggested grade level range or you may want to adapt a lesson for the grade level you teach.

We welcome any feedback you might have on these lesson plans if you use them. Please email comments to education@countrymusichalloffame.com.

Free Admission for Tennessee Teachers

Tennessee teachers are invited to tour the museum for free in preparation for bringing a school group.  Please email us at education@countrymusichalloffame.com to request a ticket.  All teachers are encouraged to become members of the museum.  Membership for an individual is $25.  This entitles you to the following benefits.  Benefits are valid for one year and include:

Visit our Membership page for more information.