Welcome to the

VocalEssence Classroom RESOURCE hub

Welcome from the LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM

Thank you for registering for VocalEssence WITNESS! Enjoy these free resources funded by institutions and individual donors. Scroll down to view a variety of resources created by the VocalEssence Learning and Engagement team staff. We hope you and your students will use and learn from these throughout the school year.

Thank you for being a WITNESS Partner School!

Emma Jirele, Engagement and Communications Manager
Robert Graham, Learning and Engagement Manager | Conductor, VocalEssence Vintage Voices Program
G. Phillip Shoultz, III, Associate Artistic Director

Meet our Teaching Artists-click on their photo to read their bio!

2026-2027 Resources

CLICK THIS TILE TO DOWNLOAD

Teachers and Teaching Artists will use these questions and information to guide their conversation during the pre-workshop planning meeting. At the end of the meeting, be sure to complete and sign the "Planning Meeting Checklist" and return that to Rob Graham via email.
CLICK THIS TILE TO DOWNLOAD

After using the Planning Meeting Guide to help guide your conversation and planning process, please complete this checklist by placing a checkmark by each category discussed, and then the Teaching Artist and Primary Contact teacher are to sign and date the checklist form. Please return to Rob Graham via email.
The WITNESS Teaching Artists introduce the Resource Hub and explain how to best use these resources in your classroom!
Explore the rich traditions of storytelling through West African griots, Mandan storytellers, and Gullah storytellers. Students discover how communities have used storytelling to preserve history, pass down cultural traditions, and connect generations.
Discover the many ways people preserve and share stories within their communities. Students explore the role of storytellers as keepers of history, culture, and community memory.
Meet Minnesota hip-hop artist and storyteller Nur-D and explore how he uses music and poetry to tell stories about identity, community, and life. Students consider what makes a story meaningful and memorable.
Use the following PowerPoint presentation or the Biographical Article in Lesson 3 to introduce your students to YPC guest artist, Nur-D!
Meet poets Langston Hughes and Amanda Gorman and explore how they use poetry to share ideas, experiences, and dreams. Students use poetry templates such as the bio poem, diamante, and acrostic, to explore and respond to their work.
Students choose a storyteller, poet, or musician to research and explore how they use their voice to share stories, preserve culture, or inspire change. Local MN artist choices are provided to help students dig deeper into Minnesota’s creative community.
Students use the think-aloud strategy to explore Langston Hughes’ “To You” and Amanda Gorman’s “Change Sings.” They identify their thoughts, questions, connections, and interpretations to discover how readers make meaning from poetry.
(To be completed the week before the YPC)
Students will discover the do's and don't of concert etiquette, getting ready to enjoy the show while being the best audience they can be!
Lesson Coming Soon: Reflect on "The Poet Sings" YPC by identifying key takeaways, emotions, and insights.
"Glorious" presents a relatable message of overcoming obstacles and pursuing one's own path, even when it goes against traditional norms or expectations. Nur-D's lyrics highlight the power of self-determination and the ability to challenge preconceived notions of success and identity.
“Take My Picture” is a joyful anthem about self-love and confidence. Nur-D uses humor and honesty to challenge negative self-talk and celebrate being comfortable in your own skin, reminding listeners that they deserve to see and appreciate their own worth.
“Brighter Day” is a song about hope, resilience, and the power of coming together. Nur-D encourages listeners to find their strength, stand up for what matters, support one another, and believe in the possibility of a better future.
“Black Kid White Town” shares Nur-D’s experiences growing up Black in Rosemount, MN - a predominantly white community. Through stories, humor, and honest reflection, he explores identity, racism, belonging, and the everyday experiences that shape how we understand ourselves and one another.
“8:46” is a reflection on the murder of George Floyd and the grief, fear, anger, and questions that followed. Nur-D explores the personal impact of witnessing racial injustice and police violence while asking what it means to speak up and create change. The song begins with a spoken excerpt from legendary artist and civil-rights activist Nina Simone, who speaks about an artist’s responsibility to reflect the times in which they live.
“42” is an autobiographical song about Nur-D’s experience growing up on the “white side of 42” in Minnesota and being underestimated because of where he came from. With confidence and reflection, he celebrates pursuing his dreams, overcoming expectations, and recognizing how far he has come.