This lesson is an example presentation. The teacher will present taPowerPoint on the history of African American Spirituals, also known as Black Spirituals. The presentation then looks specifically at the history and adaptation of the song “Deep River,” a classic Spiritual that goes back as far as—or presumably further than—the first known publication of Spiritual music in print. Students will be asked to examine the lyrics to the song and answer questions about its meaning. The students will then listen to three versions of the song (one early choir example from the early half of the 20^th century, one modern arrangement with a solo singer, and one recording of Marian Anderson). Students will be asked to compare and contrast the musical styles of the three versions of “Deep River.”

The teacher will use this presentation as an example with which to teach their students about online research resources, proper modes of citation, PowerPoint design, and presentation strategies. Students will then choose one of the following music genres of the African diaspora:  bluegrass, blues, R&B, funk, gospel, hip hop, jazz, soul, ragtime, rap, reggae, swing. Students will then conduct independent research and create their own PowerPoints.