A Study in Black and White is a survey of two musical styles: African-American and Anglo-American. The African-American musical tradition has its roots in the African Diaspora, slavery, Reconstruction, and the Jim Crow era. The Anglo-American country music tradition has its roots in Appalachia and the British Isles. The program explores examples of the close connection between early "old-timey" country music and the blues.

"American Heroes" is a multi-disciplinary program which examines how individuals from all economic, social, religious and cultural backgrounds emerge as "heroes." The student's definition of hero is expanded beyond that of the modern day sports, music and television celebrities. The program helps students realize that, although uncelebrated, they are surrounded by "heroes" and excellent role models in the form of their peers, teachers and parents. Musical instruments including guitar, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, violin and bass violin as well as home-made instruments, such as the washboard, jaw harp, diddley-bow, washtub bass, kazoo and percussion shakers will be introduced. Students hold a final performance of their own songs with a ROAM backup band. "Latin American Heroes" is a program variation. (Students will record the songs they have written with professional musicians, and each student will receive a copy of their recording.)

"American Heroes" is a multi-disciplinary program which examines how individuals from all economic, social, religious and cultural backgrounds emerge as ""heroes." The student's definition of hero is expanded beyond that of the modern day sports, music and television celebrities. The program helps students realize that, although uncelebrated, they are surrounded by "heroes" and excellent role models in the form of their peers, teachers and parents. The program includes both a residency and assembly component. Musical instruments including guitar, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, violin and bass violin as well as home-made instruments, such as the washboard, jaw harp, diddley-bow, washtub bass, kazoo and percussion shakers will be introduced. Students hold a final performance of their own songs with a ROAM backup band. "Latin American Heroes" is a program variation. Please call to determine availability.

Engage your parent and wider community in music to enliven a PTO meeting or other school event.

Jack Mizenko, Retired. CMSD Teacher, and Sheela Das, ROAM development director, meet with your team to develop an approved arts-integrated program in the content area you select. (Students will record the songs they have written with professional musicians, and each student will receive a copy of their recording.)

Free Planning Meeting with Roam teaching artists including Jack Mizenko, Ret. CMSD Teacher, and Sheela Das, ROAM development director, to develop an approved arts-integrated program in the content area you select. (Recommended for All Grades.)

"Black hands, white hands yellow & brown/All together we built this town/Black hands, white hands, yellow & brown/All together make the wheels go round," is the theme of this workshop. Students participate in songs about community helpers, transportation, waterways, neighborhoods, families and where our food comes from. They jump, move, play simple rhythm instruments. They practice the rudiments of songwriting (including rhyme, meter, vocabulary, grammar, and usage) and learn about oral transmission of culture by writing new verses to old songs.

Journey to the Land of the Blues is a program that takes students on a lively journey through the history of the blues, a music created out of the Southern African-American experience and one of the roots of Rock and Roll. Throughout the program, stories of social and cultural conditions are woven into the history of the music, including the experiences of slaves, the "Great Migrations" of African-Americans, and the technological advances that affected music and everyday life.

A hundred years ago jug bands were all the rage. In this residency children learn that even in the 21st century music is something we do, not just something we buy. They play oldtime washboards, spoons, and other discarded household items, and recycle cans, bottles and cardboard tubes into simple instruments. They practice simple rhythmic patterns and the rudiments of songwriting (including rhyme, meter, vocabulary, grammar, and usage) and learn about oral transmission of culture by writing new verses to old songs.

Students experience performances of traditional songs from other countries including America and participate in learning cultural dances, hearing tales from far away lands, and performing a famous tune from America circa 1930's on their take home kazoo. Parents will love this!

Students experience performances of traditional songs from countries around the world including the Bahamas, Latin America, Eastern Europe, America, Ireland, Germany, and France. Students will participate in cultural dances, discussion of folktales from far away lands, learn singing in a round, music intervals, and the basics of accompaniment.

OHIO (Only Happened in Ohio), includes activities that focus on Ohio's waterways. Students learn about the importance of rivers and canals, the Great Lakes and the historical significance of these bodies of water. Through the use of maps and timelines, students discover how Native Americans and pioneers used Ohio's waterways. This residency culminates in a "Saturday Night" square dance and performance of student-composed songs. (Students will record the songs they have written with professional musicians, and each student will receive a copy of their recording.)

OHIO (Only Happened in Ohio), includes activities that focus on Ohio's waterways. Students learn about the importance of rivers and canals, the Great Lakes, and the historical significance of these bodies of water. Through the use of maps and timelines, students discover how Native Americans and pioneers used Ohio's waterways. This residency culminates in a "Saturday night" square dance and performance of student-composed songs.

One World Rhythm, celebrates the rhythmic human spirit. Told as a multicultural, interactive story using various cultural hand drums and percussion, this program invites children to journey with an African rhythm as it travels from Africa to Cuba, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and the United States. The imagination of students will ignite as rhythms change form, patterns and sound during their travels. Students participate by singing in several languages, playing body percussion and dancing. (Students will record the songs they have written with professional musicians, and each student will receive a copy of their recording.)

One World Rhythm celebrates the rhythmic human spirit. Told as a multicultural, interactive story using various cultural hand drums and percussion, this program invites children to journey with an African rhythm as it travels from Africa to Cuba, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and the United States. The imagination of students will ignite as rhythms changes form, patterns, and sound during their travels. Students participate by singing in several languages, playing body percussion, and dancing. This uplifting story of traveling rhythms celebrates the African roots of much of today's music.

Parents, grandparents and their toddlers sing songs, clap and dance to traditional American music.

Students will learn about the movement of people from the old world to the new, from east to west, south to north, country to city, oppression to freedom, through exploration of uniquely American musical genres, such as folk, blues, jazz and rock. Students will be engaged in singing, clapping out rhythms, writing new words to old songs as well as writing an opera backed by ROAM musicians. Students will play simple instruments. They will come to understand the oral tradition, the mixing of cultures to create new genres, the influence of social conditions and technology on the transmission and experience of music. They will also learn about pitch, tempo, dynamics, melody, harmony, verse and chorus, rhythm and rhyme. (Students will record the songs they have written with professional musicians, and each student will receive a copy of their recording.)

Students will learn about the movement of people from the old world to the new, from east to west, south to north, country to city, oppression to freedom, through exploration of uniquely American musical genres, such as folk, blues, jazz and rock. Students will engage in singing, clapping out rhythms, writing new words to old songs as well as write an opera backed by ROAM musicians. Students will play simple instruments. They will come to understand the oral tradition, the mixing of cultures to create new genres, the influence of social conditions and technology on the transmission and experience of music. They will also learn about pitch, tempo, dynamics, melody, harmony, verse and chorus, rhythm and rhyme.

Roots of Rock & Roll studies the early history of Rock and Roll. The primary goal is to discover how Rock and Roll evolved from the blending of traditional Appalachian music, with its roots in the British Isles, and African-American music. These two forms, which developed separately and were isolated by geographic and cultural differences, came together with the birth of technology and the irrepressible enthusiasm of the pioneers of modern music such Chuck Berry, Hank Williams, Bessie Smith, Bo Diddley, and Elvis Presley.

Basic (How Do I Turn This Thing On?) or Advanced Training and applications across teaching disciplines for School Teachers and Administrators. Recommended for All Teachers, Administrators.

Teachers (even those who think they have no musical abilities) will learn how to involve students in songwriting to reinforce concepts in an area of curriculum. At the end of the workshop, each teacher will have a songwriting idea to use in their classroom. Recommended for All Teachers, Administrators.

The primary objective of this program is for students to grasp and retain the applications of math standards and benchmarks to real-life money management. Students will learn budgeting and how to get the most out of checking and savings accounts. Discussions will explore how to recognize financial traps involved in short-term "payday" loans, rent-to-own programs, and credit cards. Students will write and perform songs about the topic in many forms, including blues, rhythm and blues, rock, and rap. (Students will record the songs they have written with professional musicians, and each student will receive a copy of their recording.)

"Taking Charge of My Cash". The primary objective of this program is for students to grasp and retain the applications of math standards and benchmarks to real-life money management. Students will learn budgeting, how to get the most out of checking and savings accounts, and financial traps involved in short-term "payday" loans, rent-to-own programs, and credit cards. Students will write and perform songs about the topic in many forms, including blues, rhythm and blues, rock, and rap.

The Great Community Mystery, encourages inner-city youth to celebrate their community, its people and its history while they develop skills in map reading, geography, multimedia technology and music performance and appreciation. The project concludes with student recording sessions and an all-school assembly, reinforcing the meaning of community and instilling pride in the students' neighborhood. In addition, ROAM teaching artists bring a SMART Board into the classroom, and students work with interactive maps and video clips to solve the Great Community Mystery. (Students will record the songs they have written with professional musicians, and each student will receive a copy of their recording.)

The Great Community Mystery, encourages inner-city youth to celebrate their community, its people and its history while they develop skills in map reading, geography, multimedia technology and music performance and appreciation. The project concludes with student recording sessions and an all-school assembly, reinforcing the meaning of community and instilling pride in the students' neighborhood. In addition, ROAM teaching artists bring a SMART Board into the classroom, and students work with interactive maps and video clips to solve the Great Community Mystery.

The Civil War is perhaps the most defining event in U.S. history. Its effects, from the Emancipation Proclamation, through the difficulties of Reconstruction, to the successes of the Civil Rights Movement, have defined politics, culture, and race relations ever since. Through a combination of narrative and live performance, this program brings to life a colorful but turbulent period in our nation

Unchained: From Slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, teaches about the turbulent time in US history beginning with Slavery, through the Reconstruction and up to the Civil Rights Movement. Highlights of the individual classroom activities will be shared on the ROAM website. Students experience live music, learn songs and stories, write original lyrics to traditional music forms, and participate in a final performance.
(Students will record the songs they have written with professional musicians, and each student will receive a copy of their recording.)

Unchained: From Slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, teaches about the turbulent time in US history beginning with Slavery, through the Reconstruction and up to the Civil Rights Movement. Highlights of the individual classroom activities will be shared on the ROAM website. Students experience live music, learn songs and stories, write original lyrics to traditional music forms, and participate in a final performance.

Walking to the Western Reserve celebrates the 205-year history of the state of Ohio. The program includes songs and stories of Moses Cleveland, the Wright brothers, and Ohio's presidents. Other topics include the Underground Railroad, canals and rivers, the settlement of the Shakers, and Thomas Edison. Through a program of traditional acoustic music and folk dances students will be offered a glimpse of what life was like in a time before electricity and modern technology.