To be eligible, a lesson must teach or use American music in the study of music or any other subject. Lessons for students in grade levels K-12 are eligible. Public or private schoolteachers, teachers from community music or education programs, or teachers who provide private music instruction may submit lessons. The lesson must be presented on the AMEI 2004 Application Form and Lesson Plan Forms. Any submission that does not use and complete these forms will not be considered.

Please keep in mind when completing the forms:

LESSON: This term describes a coherent educational unit of instruction. The Lesson is described on the Application Form.

LESSON PLAN: This term describes the teacher's plan for a single class period. A Lesson Plan Form must be presented for each teaching period.

APPLICATION: Each Application must include one completed Application Form AND one or more completed Lesson Plan Forms.

HAND WRITTEN APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. You may recreate the forms in your computer in order to complete them (see Digital Application link below). If you do we strongly encourage you to include a diskette copy of your application with your hard copy. If you would like to print an application form, click here and if you want to copy it into your word processing program, click here.

The Judges will evaluate lessons with the following questions in mind:

1. Does the lesson use American music?

2. Does the lesson deal effectively with its subject? Does it deal effectively with American music?

3. Is the information presented in the lesson accurate? Is the information appropriate and relevant for students in the grade
level indicated?

4. Does the lesson actively engage the students in learning? Will it stimulate students to engage in further activities? Does
the lesson inspire students to maintain or develop their interest in the subject of the lesson?

5. Does the lesson have clearly stated goals and objectives? How well does it meet them?

6. Is the lesson well organized?

7. Is there an adequate plan for evaluation of the lesson? Is there evidence of its effectiveness?

8. Does the lesson represent an innovative or unique approach to its subject?

9. Can another teacher easily implement or adapt this lesson?

10. Is the lesson dependent on resources that might not be readily available to other teachers?

11. Has the lesson been tried in the classroom? Is it currently in use?

The judges make their decisions based solely on the information contained in the application and the lesson plans. Please do not include any materials that cannot be easily reproduced or published. Specifically, we cannot accept copyrighted material, audio or videotapes, brochures or photographs. Copies of student materials, tests, other student works may be appended. If original (not copyrighted) music is an integral part of the lesson, please submit a score, manuscript or lead sheet. Any materials submitted will not be returned.

SOME PRACTICAL HINTS:
Do not staple or bind your application. All applications are photocopied and bound together in large volumes for our judges. Therefore any binding you use will have to be removed and discarded so that we can copy the lesson.

Review the prior years' winners on-line. You will also see the format in which they are presented. (Notice that bold and italic type are not available in this format.)

IMPORTANT: The Application Form and other materials MUST BE POSTMARKED by September 15, 2005 and recieved by September 19, 2005 to be eligible for judging and awards. Any Applications received after that date will not be judged. Any Applications that arrive incomplete will not be judged.

The Foundation resereves the right to suspend the Initiative in the event that an insufficent number of eligible submissions are received.

For additional information about completing this Application Form, contact the National Music Foundation at 1-800-USA-MUSIC.

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