The Woody Guthrie song,"I Ain’t Got No Home in This World Anymore" invites upper graders to engage in lyric analysis. They use the lyrics to answer five analysis questions to determine a social meaning to the song. A suggested...

Class members come together to study Amanda Gorman's poem "New Day's Lyric." After a close reading of the poem, learners watch a video of Gorman reading her poem, and then craft additional lines for the poem where they offer suggestions...

In this U.S. government and civics PowerPoint, a brief history of the origin of "The Star Spangled Banner" is given, followed by the lyrics for the 4 verses of the song. Several illustrations of the American flag and a fire cracker at...

The class listens to and reads lyrics from popular songs that explore themes of self-esteem, body image, and eating disorders. The song interpretations will serve as a jumping-off point to deeper discussion on the issues, culminating in...

Pupils analyze a song to determine the composer's point of view regarding the subject addressed in the song. They design and create an original visual aid that illustrates the theme of the song. Students identify any social studies...

Contemplate what music learners listen to and why they listen. Can they find poetry within music lyrics? Specifically hone in on blues lyrics and ruminate upon the social issues prevalent in the themes. Particular song lyrics coincide...

Slaves laboring in the cotton fields of the old South singing joyously may have convinced overseers that their workforce was happy and content, but in truth, these spirituals contained secret codes. After viewing a short video about...

Bring the sounds of the deep South vocal blues to the classroom with a Smithsonian Folkways lesson plan. In preparation, scholars listen to and count the 12 bar blues patterns in several works and identify the I, II, IV, and V chords as...

"And it's one, two, three...what are we fighting for?" Use music to assess the climate of protest during the Vietnam War, listening to and analyzing Country Joe MacDonald's "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag" (lyrics included)....

Young scholars compose songs about recycling. In this ecology lesson, students use vocabulary and concepts related to recycling to generate lyrics for an original song. Young scholars construct musical instruments out of discarded...

Students discuss Public Enemy's lyrics and compare and contrast them with songs popular during the Civil Rights Movement. They write their own rap song that expresses feelings of oppression or freedom from oppression.

Students watch selected film clips about Cole Porter and discover his uniqueness. In groups, they research associates of the Porter's and present reports on them. Then, they write position papers on prominent people of the Jazz Age. ...

The students create a personal narrative on their experiences with immigration. In this lesson, students are asked to read and understand examples of narrative writing as well as evaluate lyrics from Ben Folds Five to determine elements...

Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...

Ezell Blair, Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil changed history. Their sit-in at the lunch counter of the Woolworths in Greensboro, North Carolina on February 1, 1960 became a model for the nonviolent protests that...

How do nineteenth-century texts by African American and Native American writers contribute to the country's ideals of freedom and individuality? Learners explore the topic by watching and discussing a video, reading biographies, writing...

Scholars go on a musical journey to discover the origin, importance, and evolution of the song, "This Little Light of Mine". Class members boost their voice talents and clap to the beat while learning the lyrics in both English and Zulu....

Negative effects of bullying come to light through listening to the book Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco. Class members identify philanthropic acts portrayed in the story and make illustrations to connect them to their own...

Very few outsiders get to see the Hopi "Butterfly Dance." However, using approved footage from the tribe, class members consider the importance of symbols in Hopi culture by watching the dance and analyzing lyrics from its songs....

Students analyze lyrics and narration by reading poetry.  In this language arts lesson, students read and examine the poem Belfast Confetti.  Students discuss the topics and questions asked by the author Ciaran Carson.

The dreidel song, or "I Have a Little Dreidel," is a fun traditional song for the season of Hanukkah. Teach your class how to play the dreidel game with an activity that includes the lyrics to the classic song.

Young scholars investigate communication by analyzing lyrics from a song. In this music arts instructional activity, students discuss slavery, the Underground Railroad and African American traditions while listening to a song called...

In this handout, students examine the lyrics of popular music from the counter-culture era. Songs included are: Crimson and Clover, Turn, Turn, Turn, Have you Been to Jail for Justice, Uncle Sam, Ohio, Give Peace a Chance, Eve of...

In this National Anthem worksheet, students read the lyrics to the National Anthem and describe them in their own words. They draw a picture to match their explanation.