After searching for online teaching resources, I found a large variety of information. A lot of websites I found were related to pop culture in general. These sites included information on poetry, music, movies, and television. This information was too general to apply to teaching pop music/culture specifically. I searched further and found some sites specifically focused on teaching pop music and culture to a variety of school-aged children. It offered suggestions on how to teach the topic to children of all ages. Some of the sites offered information on how to plan lessons relating to the topic. I found one site very helpful. It offered suggestions on teaching to all different age groups, income levels, and geographic areas. The following are sites that I found especially helpful.
http://www.blackwell-compass.com/subject/sociology/article_view?article_id=soco_tr_bpl236
http://www.rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/cho3023l5.htm
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1318834
http://www.cengage.com/aushed/instructor.do?product_isbn=9781428231016
http://www.nclrc.org/teachers_corner/classroom_solutions_yana/teaching_culture.html#popular_culture
The following is a lesson plan created specifically for teaching pop music and culture in classrooms.
Introduction:
Pass out lyrics to We Didn't Start the Fire.
Play We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel.
Ask the following:
What is the song about?
What issues and ideas are presented?
Why does the song begin and end when it does?
Place students in groups of approximately 4.
Tell students that they are going to update the song.
Have students individually brainstorm events and issues from 1990 - present.
Have group members share.
Create a group stanza.
Pass out transparency and have groups write new stanza.
Each group will share / sing new stanza.
Following the sharing have groups discuss rationale for events / issues included.
Have groups research and investigate original song's events and issues.
Groups:
Individuals in groups brainstorm themes in history and music examples for integration.
Brainstorm application ideas. Share.
Modeling:
Have examples of music for groups to investigate.
Examples include Say It Loud, Long Road to Freedom, 200 Years of American Heritage in Song, We Sing America, Celebrate Women, The Civil War, Soundtrack for a Century
Discuss the examples and choose specific examples of music for classroom integration.
Examples:
Have lyrics and music for songs such as Yankee Doodle, Follow the Drinking Gourd, This is Your Land, Blowin' in the Wind, and Where is the Love
Groups should brainstorm integration ideas.
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