November 30 is the deadline for submissions in this year’s Bluegrass Lesson Plan Competition.

The contest is part of IBMA’s efforts to bring the music we love to the next generation through it’s Bluegrass In The Schools program. School teachers, home schooling parents, or college students majoring in education are eligible to submit lesson plans. IBMA membership is not a requirement to enter the competition. The lesson can be designed for any subject in grades K-12, as long as it utilizes bluegrass music.

The competition is designed to encourage and reward the creation of instructional units at all grade levels that will expose students to the sounds and the analysis of bluegrass music. Lesson plans are judged by a team of experienced teachers familiar with the genre, with the aim of honoring plans that deliver high quality instruction in an interesting way, while conforming to educational standards nation-wide and also being easily adaptable by other teachers who may or may not be familiar with the genre.

Aside from the satisfaction you might derive from a job well done, the prize packages are impressive this year.

The first place winner receives $750 and two tickets for the Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike Bluegrass Cruise in January 2010. During the cruise, you will be invited to present the winning lesson plan for industry reps and fans present onboard, as a professional development workshop.

The second place winner will receive $500 and the third place lesson plan will receive $350. Additional plans may be noted as “Honorable Mention.” All award recipients will be honored with a plaque, onstage at the IBMA Special Awards Luncheon during annual World of Bluegrass events in Nashville, Tenn.

Winning lesson plans are posted online in the Bluegrass Lesson Plan Archive at the IBMA website for use by teachers and home schooling families around the world.

The application form is available on the Bluegrass Lesson Plan Competition webpage.