Lesson Ideas to Infuse Popular Music
I have been using popular culture and music in my classroom for a while. The following will give a few examples of the activities I have done before and many on how to incorporate topics that we have been discussing into the classroom. Some ideas are also based on activities that I had done in a classroom as a student as well.
In a social studies classroom, we have many discussions, so many activities will reflect that. Hope you can use the ideas below or adapt them to fit your needs. :)
Place of Songs
Students will be given the lyrics to 2Pac’s “California Love.� Discuss what the song reveals about the human and physical aspects of place through the lyrics. Students will then do the same for California Dreams’ theme song “California Loving.� They will compare how these two song describe California.
Popular Music Diffusion
Students will view BabyVox’s cover of “Play� video. Discuss what they saw on the video that reminds them about American culture. Students will then view JLo’s “Play� video. Compare and contrast how the videos display popular culture.
What Is Popular Music
Students will do a word web for popular music to gain access to student’s understanding of what is popular music. Students will be given an academic definition of popular music. Combining the word web and academic definition, students will write their own definition for popular music, provide examples and create a picture to represent the definition.
Portrayals of Teachers
Have class discussion on stereotypes then show students clips from School of Rock, Dead Poets Society and Chalk. Students will identify the stereotypes about teachers and discuss whether there are any truths behind the stereotypes.
Music Consumption / Music Review
Have a discussion on whether we are just consuming music or are we also consuming messages and stereotypes. Students identify their favorite songs. They will put the lyrics on a collage with images associated with the song. Students will each randomly be given a song and then be taught how to write reviews to review the song. The students will give their reviews and perception on what the lyrics of the song reveal about the listener to the person who picked the song.
Women in Music
Students will view clips from Girlicious “Like Me� video and En Vogues “Free Your Mind� girl groups from early 90’s and reality tv era (2008). Think—Pair—Share on music’s portrayals of women and whether it has changed—for better or worse. Each group reports their verdict. Agree/Disagree activity based on Women’s role in music videos has gotten better.
Censorship / Hip—Hop
Students are given different eras of censorship from Eric Nuzum’s website. They have to create a generalization for why music was censored for that generation. Students will share their generalizations. Students will then do a quick write on how censorship has changed or not changed through the eras.
Students will view Grand Master Flash and Furious Five’s “The Message� and Nas’ “If I Ruled the World� and identify the messages being sent through the song. Present how hip—hop began and the controversies involved in the evolution of hip—hop and gangsta rap. Debate on whether censorship would take away these artists freedom of speech.
American Idol
Discussion on what American Idol reveals about American culture. Identify the messages sent through the format of the show and contestants who are chosen and kept on. Compare American Idol to America’s Best Dance Crew and do a compare/contrast of the format of the show. Do a free—write on students thoughts on reality television and its impact on American society.
Do a free—write on students’ thoughts on reality television and its impact on American society.