The history or rock music is vast and hotly debated. Many feel that the music itself originated with the slaves in the American South, who used musical call and response to communicate with one another while in the fields. Have your students write a brief history of rock and roll, using library books and Internet sources. You can even ask them to interview local musicians, if possible.
Fad dances have been around as long as music, and many originated from rock music. Dances such as "The Watusi," "The Twist" and "The Mashed Potato" evolved in the earlier days of rock music. Teach your child or students to do some of the steps to the old dances, introducing them to the music that goes along with the dance as well. Your kids will gain some physical exercise as well as a better understanding of our culture's history.
Music has often been used as political expression, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s when rock and roll was often used to protest American politics. Have students pick songs and analyze the lyrics, discussing how they relate to what was going on the year the songs were written. If you have younger students, pick a song yourself and dissect it with them as a class.
Music students might appreciate rock and roll projects that discuss the music itself. Give music students songs from several different decades (such as one from the 1950s, one from the 1960s, one from the 1970s and one from the 1980s) and have them discuss the compositions of the song. What instruments are used? How are the song similar or different?