The National Museum of American History has designated April as Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM). In partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as several other national organizations, the Smithsonian will sponsor a number of programs to promote jazz, including concerts, lectures, educational materials, and an exhibition. Details about events and materials related to JAM can be found on Smithsonian Jazz.

April was chosen for JAM in recognition of the birthdays of jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Gerry Mulligan, and Tito Puente. You and your students can learn more about these figures at the EDSITEment-reviewed website JAZZ, originally created as an accompaniment to the ten-part documentary by Ken Burns that aired last year on PBS. The film and website tell the story of the origin of this uniquely American art form--the people who created it and the artists who performed it. Not simply a music appreciation course, the JAZZ website and documentary explore how the music reflected the historical periods that produced it, including two world wars, a Great Depression, and the decades of racial prejudice and Jim Crow laws that shaped the music and dictated who heard it and when.

The JAZZ website also includes lesson plans appropriate for all grade levels that teachers can use in their classrooms. The activities and lesson plans are designed to help teachers use the video series and companion website in a variety of curriculum areas. The JAZZ website also provides audio and video clips as well as transcripts of interviews with the musicians and scholars who contributed to the production of this film. In addition, PBS has developed another companion site, Jazz Kids, with young children in mind.