Utah Education Network
Uen: Song Writing
This lesson engages students in writing lyrics to songs. Students will use free musical software to aid students as they put their lyrics to a tune and tempo.
Other
Writing Guitar Licks
You have just written a cool guitar lick and you want to play it in your favorite song, however, it just doesn't sound good in the song. This article explains how you can break down your lick into the key components and refine it to suit...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: An I Pod Inspired Poetry Lesson: Poems vs Lyrics
After listening and analyzing song lyrics and, subsequently, doing the same analysis with poems, students will discover how similar song writing and poetry writing can be. Students will get their own chance to write a small version of...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Collaboration of Sites, Sounds: Wikis to Catalog Protest Songs
This instructional activity makes a connection to popular culture by asking students to research and analyze contemporary and historic protest songs and to catalogue them in a class wiki.
PBS
Pbs: American Roots Music: Lesson One: Finding the Story in the Song
In this lesson plan, students will identify and discuss themes expressed in song lyrics, analyze the social use and historical meaning of a song, and write a verse of a song drawing on contemporary events.
John F. Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center: Arts Edge: Composing With Solfege
Through solfege, students will create their own musical compositions as Maria did in the musical The Sound of Music.
BBC
Bbc Radio2: Sold on Song
If you love classic pop and rock songs and performers, you'll want to visit this site. Includes background information and audio, a glossary, a guide to songwriting styles, songwriting tips, music quizzes, interviews, and so much more....
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: An I Pod Inspired Writing Lesson: Summertime Inspired Memoirs
By listening and then responding to multiple versions of the song "Summertime," students will understand how songs can convey various moods. Writing about a personal summertime memory, students will try to mimic a mood from one of the...
Other
Musical English Lessons
Learn English vocabulary and grammar through songs from a wide range of famous pop artists from the Beatles and Elvis to contemporary standouts like Avil Lavigne, Good Charlotte, and James Blunt. Find an exercise by grammar or vocabulary...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: An I Pod Inspired Poetry Lesson: Favorite Things Poetry
Using the song "My Favorite Things" from the musical, The Sound of Music, as inspiration, students will create their own song or poem (to the same tune) that lists their favorite things. Each verse will focus on their favorite things...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: An I Pod Inspired Poetry Lesson: Things I Love Poems and Songs
This lesson and prompt encourages students to show information about themselves as they set the things that they love to the music of Tom T. Hall's, "I Love." Students will be further inspired after hearing Brigitte Minne's book, I Love,...
Other
The Golden Rules of Songwriting
Do you have the desire to begin writing music but don't know how to get started? This well written article provides some very good advice to help you on your way.
Other
Rock Instrumental Songwriting
Aimed primarily at the young guitarist, this column addresses how to begin writing your own songs. There is some good advice on how to begin to think of the structure of your song as opposed to just thinking of a few riffs.
Other
Structural Chord Progressions
When composing music, it is good to be sure you have the right set of chords surrounding your melody. This column provides a brief overview on how to begin to think of chord structures for your songs.
Other
Guitar Nine: So You Want to Be a Songwriter?
As the title suggests, this column deals with songwriting. It does not tell you specifically how to write a song, but it does cover a lot of good information and advice and how to get started.
Other
Compositional Inspiration
Without going into specifics, this article provides general ideas on how to begin writing your own music. A few of the ideas discussed are recording yourself playing around, learn a new scale or pattern, and apply some new music theory...
South Carolina Educational Television
Etv: Gullah Net: Got the Blues
Learn about music called the Blues, and then write, play, and sing an original blues song.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Composing Songs and Verse About Fraud
Students write a song, rap, or poem that warns people about identity theft and types of fraud. Includes teaching guide and student worksheet that can be filled in on a computer.
Other
The Land of Music: Homepage
Principally an e-commerce site, although free sample lessons and music clips are available from this award-winning provider of music education tools. The Land of Music teaches how to read, write, and enjoy music through songs, stories,...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Ain't That America
Students think that classic literature and historic events have little in common with life today, right? Think again! In this lesson, students get a chance to compare themes from classic novels or from American history to those found in...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Advice to Youth on Things Now Gone
Poetry and music are unmistakably intermixed, and in this lesson, we focus on the word choice and idea development of both song and poem. After listening to the modern song and reading the famous old poem, "Gone" by Switchfoot and "To...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Taking the "Un" Out of "Unwritten"
In this lesson plan, learners will use a the rap song about prefixes, suffixes and roots and the song "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. Students will be engaged as they are practice their understanding of prefixes, suffixes and roots....
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Tribute to an Artist and His/her Work
Inspired by both a song (sung by Don McLean) about Van Gogh as well as a poem written by Tupac Shakur, students will be inspired to research an artist with an interesting life and style of work. Students will research the artist they...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Poems
In this lesson students listen to three modern songs that capture the symbolism in words--"Yesterday" by the Beatles, "Today" by the Smashing Pumpkins, and "Tomorrow" from the Annie Soundtrack. They will analyze their own experiences...