Song Lyrics Analysis Lesson

CAPSTONE
English Academy
Daily Lesson Planning Tool

Course/Grade
:
English Senior Seminar
Teacher: S. Brandt
Lesson Topic:
CCRE/Objective
Song Lyrics Analysis (Beginning Lesson leading up to 3MP Project: Podcast)
Engage
& Hook
Explain
& Model
Date of Lesson:
Quarter 3
2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 19, 31, 38, 44
Materials and Resources:
Lesson
Component
Woodside High School,

School: Newport News, VA
Way to project text to edit (e.g., SmartBoard, LCD/Computer, overhead projector), Computer per
student, Highlighter, Pen/Pencil
Teacher
Student
Music is very influential in most peoples lives,

especially teenagers. In the age of iTunes, iPods, and
iPhones, most of us have created playlists that fit a
particular mood or temperament. We have pensive
songs to play when we are sad, brooding, or worrying
about something; uplifting, upbeat songs we listen to
when we are feeling on top of the world, and songs for
every emotion in between.
Ask the students one or more of the following:
Think of your favorite song. What is your favorite
song right now and why?
How has music influenced you and what
experiences have you gained from it?
Why is music important in your life, and to the
world as a whole?
Student responses can be given:

by teacher calling on students to respond
by putting responses on sticky notes and
posting them on the board to see common
answers
think-pair-share
in a journal response then share some of the
responses
individual white boards
1. For this teacher modeled lesson, the teacher will

model an analysis of a song lyric that relates to
his/her text set topic. Example: My text set topic
is Personal Identity: Who or What Defines Us?
I have chosen Beautiful by Christina Aguilera.
2. Prior to teaching the lesson, highlight important
phrases and annotate the songs lyrics.
Microsoft Word Comments feature located under
the Review tab on the tool bar. As you highlight a
word, phrase, or sentence in Word, click on the
Comments icon in Word Review to annotate/
comment. You will then see your comments in
the right margin of the document.
3. Also, prior to teaching the lesson, create a
paragraph summary of the songs lyrics to show
the students at the end of the lesson. Use proper
MLA documentation at the end of the summary.
4. Model and show this feature to the students by
using the Teacher Copy of Beautiful handout.
2011-2012 Capstone
Teacher will need to use the SmartBoard to

project the teacher copy of the handout showing
the students how to utilize the Microsoft Word
Comments feature.
5. The Teacher Copy of Beautiful handout should
also be used for guided instruction and
discussion.
6. As the students provide answers to some of the
guided discussion questions on the Teacher
Copy of Beautiful handout in the Comments
section, the teacher will write some additional
notes on the SmartBoard.
7. Also, natural and unplanned questions do tend to
pop up as the students provide feedback and
commentary from their different points of view:
gender, culture, ethnicity, etc. The teacher can
certainly gain valuable insight from these class
discussions and see things he/she has never
even considered or thought of because we all
analyze with our own prior knowledge that is
greatly influenced by our own culture, gender,
ethnicity, socio-economic status, age, etc.
Explore
& Apply
5.7 Students will follow along with the teacher

model lesson with their own Student Copy
of the Beautiful handout using highlighters
and pens to annotate.
1. Students are going to do the same process with

this lesson:
Select a song that relates to their text set
topic. (This lesson can be repeated
throughout the school year, but this particular
lesson will be used as a scaffolding tool in
working toward their 3MP Project: Podcast).
Highlight and annotate the songs lyrics
using Microsoft Word Comments feature
Type a paragraph summary of the songs
lyrics in relation to their text set, using proper
MLA documentation.
2. Model again for students if necessary.
1. Choose a song that pertains to their text set

topic.
2. Use the writing process practiced in class
today:
Copy the songs lyrics in Microsoft Word.
(Most selections can be found on the
internet; copy and paste the excerpt into
a Word document)
Highlight important information in the
songs lyrics and annotate using the
Microsoft Word Comments feature.
In the same Word document, at the end
of the songs lyrics, in paragraph from,
write a summary of the songs lyrics in
relation to their text set topic using the
information they annotated on the
Comments section.
1. Tell the students that in the 3MP, they will produce

a podcast analyzing their song and its lyrics in
relation to their text set topic.
2. Follow up lessons to prepare students for this
project will include:
Evaluation of podcasts: what works/doesnt
work, and why?
Collaboration of student/teacher created
rubric for the 3MP Project: Podcast
Modeling of a podcast script (teacher created
podcast script)
Modeling of a podcast (teacher created
podcast)
Writers Workshops to discuss students
progress
ITC modeling how to create a podcast using
Audacity
1. In the 3MP, students will produce a podcast

analyzing their song and its lyrics in relation
to their text set topic.
2. There will be follow up lessons in the
following weeks to prepare the student for
this project. This lesson has been the first of
many crucial steps that need to be
accomplished, as the subsequent lessons
build off of each other, to get them prepared
for the final 3MP Project: Podcast.
Capstone 2011-2012
This document was developed as part of the English Capstone Collaborative Pilot Program, a VDOE grant, supporting a partnership between James
Madison University and SURN at The College of William and Mary to pilot and develop materials for the English Senior Seminar. Virginia educators
have permission to use and adapt this document for educational purposes.
Capstone 2011-2012

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CAPSTONE

Daily Lesson Planning Tool

Song Lyrics Analysis (Beginning Lesson leading up to 3MP Project: Podcast)

2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 19, 31, 38, 44

Materials and Resources:

Woodside High School,

Music is very influential in most peoples lives,

Student responses can be given:

1. For this teacher modeled lesson, the teacher will

Teacher will need to use the SmartBoard to

5.7 Students will follow along with the teacher

1. Students are going to do the same process with

1. Choose a song that pertains to their text set

1. Tell the students that in the 3MP, they will produce

1. In the 3MP, students will produce a podcast

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