For decades, teachers have incorporated song lyrics into their instruction. Most often, the intent with song lyrics is to "analyze meaning." But what hasn't already been done with song lyrics? Here is a new twist on an old trick.
The learning sequence typically spans a week, but may take longer depending on the class.
Day 1: Students are introduced to the text. The teacher reads the song aloud, giving students a chance to focus on clarifying and comprehending. After reading, students may write down questions or predictions. The reader may try to clarify new or unknown words, including words that may carry a different or metaphorical meaning. When using "Buffalo Soldiers" by Bob Marley, many students try to clarify the lyric "analyze the stench," which forces them beyond literal interpretation (smell) into the "ulterior motive" interpretation. Students, then, read the song and further apply strategies by writing in the margins of the paper and preparing for small-group discussions. At the end, a paragraph summary is written consolidating the learning acquired. This confuses some students as they have yet to "learn" about the topic. Summarizing "where we are at" is necessary to show day-to-day meaning making.
When using Paul Kennerley’s "Story to Tell," two short texts are offered. One is a primary source document from the 1850’s describing Southern values, written by a Southerner. Another is an excerpt from "Daily Life on a Southern Plantation, 1853." The primary source is often read aloud. Writing in the 1850’s differs starkly from today. The exposure to the writing is necessary for students to gain understanding of the time. Modifying documents to reflect today’s writing styles—making a text more accessible—steals the authenticity of the document. The secondary source is more accessible to students; however, they are quick to note the quality change in information. Most prefer, despite complexity, the primary source.
Day 2: Readers are provided primary documents that align with the song. Meaning is made through a whole class effort and interpretations are recorded on an anchor chart. Students have the text to refer to and cite later in the process. After the anchor chart is made, students carry out a reciprocal teaching discussion before revisiting the song lyrics. To conclude this lesson, students refer to their predictions and questions from the previous day, initiating clarification of the song lyrics. As a ticket out, paragraph summaries are collected.
Day 3: Day two is repeated with a second text. Students strategically and independently read this text. Students discuss the reading before revisiting the song lyrics and further clarifying.
Day 4: Stanzas are assigned. Students are asked to clarify a stanza using text evidence. Most of the ideas to clarify concepts are present at this time, turning students’ attention to closely reading and locating text evidence. This reading period is longer and has two defined parts, one for each text. The primary source is read in small-groups as a scaffold for those who need or desire support or encouragement. The text read independently is conferred upon between the teacher and the student. Evidence is collected in a graphic organizer.
Day 5: After modeling an argument essay, through a think-aloud, students begin to draft a response that clarifies the song lyrics using text evidence. For the most part, basic drafts are completed and shared. The idea at this time is not perfectionism, but the organization of an argument and sentence construction that incorporates text evidence. The next week may be devoted to enhancing the writing, if so desired.
Using lyrics in this manner creates the following learning opportunities.
Common Core State Standards would like teachers to abstain from providing extensive background information before reading. Song lyrics used to introduce a topic. Using Paul Kennerley’s "Story to Tell," from White Mansions, readers use reciprocal teaching strategies (Palinscar & Brown, 1984; Ozckus, 2010) to read and discuss their initial understandings and interpretations. Song lyrics alleviate pre-teaching because there is plenty to infer and wonder within a songs’ ambiguity. By creating a scenario where readers must draw on any level of background knowledge and collaborate to share perspectives create schema and become prepared to read specific content related material, aiming to clarify and expand knowledge base.
Readers consider possible viewpoints, biases, and stances from a variety of writers. The song used may or may not have a stance. What is certain, by reading associated short text from varying perspectives, student will learn stances or biases within related texts. Afterwards, students may ask and clarify what influences the song writer’s viewpoint
The rewarding aspect of this study is students can chart their learning from the start to the end. Many students already know facts about the Civil War. This study launches a study into the emotions and people behind the war and invites interpretations. When the song is revisited after reading primary sources and essays, the meaning changes! How real life is that?
Readers, in this activity, are breaking critical literacy ground. Reading content-related documents to clarifying the song lyrics, students discover lyrics have multiple meanings and that "facts" do not contain multiple interpretations. This dissonance creates the thinking and learning. With respect to the Civil War, students learn about clash between cultures, ethics, and principles between the two sides. Students, throughout the study, also begin to consider the war’s ramifications. The questions they ask, the conclusions they draw, the learning that is composed all melds into one idea students begin to ponder, how different is today from yesterday. Critical literacy is off and running.
The everlasting effect appears down the road. For example, if students study "Buffalo Soldiers," what comes to mind when they hear the song later? For most the link back to African-American units battles with Indians, during Westward Expansion or the Indian Removal Act, and the slave trade. Most importantly, when hearing the song again, the learning rushes back. The historical concept attaches to the song in the way many of us relate to a life event through song.
In the end, really, this is a new spin on an old idea. Song lyrics remixed, so to speak. The model of instruction can be applied with poetry or other short texts, not just lyrics. Like in the classroom, the lyrics define the starting point, a hook to invite students exportation of profound topics and ideas in history.
Coming to IRA 2014? See Justin Stygles present "Close Reading and Critical Literacy: Song Lyrics—The Ultimate Teachable Moment, Grades 4–8" on Saturday, May 10th, at 4:45 PM to 5:45 PM.
Justin Stygles is a gr. 5/6 teacher at Guy E. Rowe School in Norway, Maine. He is a member of the IRA's Advisory Committee of Teachers and is a liason for the Maine Reading Association.