The Connection Between Music and Poetry

Lesson Plan:
The Connection Between Music and Poetry
Dilraj Grewal
Medaille College
EDU 601 Methods in Adolescent Education: English
Professor Ami Alderman
August 9, 2014








Medaille College
School of Education
The Connection Between Music and Poetry
I. LESSON DATA:
A. Teacher Candidates First & Last Name: Dilraj Grewal
B. Subject/Content Area: English (University Preparation)
C. Grade Level (PK-12): 12
D. Unit Topic: Poetry
E. Lesson Topic: Song Lyrics
F. Duration of Lesson: 60 minutes
G. Materials, including technology integration:
- Laptop/Internet Explorer/YouTube
- Speakers
- Apple iPad (20)
- Oxford English Dictionary (20)
- Smartboard
- Online quiz - www.socrative.com Room # 1364253b
- List of student names to track participation
- Someone Like You by Adele: .
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQl3WQQoQ0
- Johnny Cash Hurt Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l95D7leeU3w
- Literary terms factsheet: http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/index.html
- Handouts: Blank triple t-chart (appendix B), song lyrics handout for Hurt
(appendix D)
- Lined Paper, Pen, Pencil
- Rubrics: Participation, Homework completion (appendix A), General assessment
(appendix C)
II. INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS
A. Standards: NYS P-12 ELA Common Core Learning Standards:

Standard Strand: Reading Standards for Literature 6-12
Grade: 12
Topic: Key Ideas & Details
Item Number and Statement:
2) Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their
development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one
another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.)

Standard Strand: Reading Standards for Literature 6-12
Grade: 12
Topic: Craft and Structure
Item Number and Statement:
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is
particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
Standard Strand: Writing Standards 6-12
Grade: 12
Topic: Text Types and Purposes
Item Number and Statement:
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using
.....valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Explore and inquire into areas of
.interest to formulate an argument.
a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of
the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims,
and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying
the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and
limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audiences
knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the
major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships
between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and
between claim(s) and counterclaims.

Standard Strand: Writing Standards 6-12
Grade: 12
Topic: Production and Distribution of Writing
Item Number and Statement:
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific
purpose and audience.

Ontario Curriculum Expectations

Standard Strand: Listening to Understand
Grade: 12
Topic: Interpreting Text
Item Number and Statement:
1.5. Develop and explain interpretations of oral texts, including complex and challenging
texts, using evidence from the text and the oral and visual cues used in it insightfully to
support their interpretations.

Standard Strand: Listening to Understand
Grade: 12
Topic: Analyzing Texts
Item Number and Statement:
1.7. Analyze oral texts, including complex and challenging texts, focusing on the ways in
which they communicate information, ideas, issues, and themes and influence the
listeners/viewers response.
1.8. Identify and analyze in detail the perspectives and/or biases evident in oral texts,
including complex and challenging texts, commenting with understanding and increasing
insight on any questions they may raise about beliefs, values, identity, and power.

Standard Strand: Developing and Organizing Content
Grade: 12
Topic: Organizing Ideas
Item Number and Statement:
1.4. Identify, sort, and order main ideas and supporting details for writing tasks, using a
variety of strategies and selecting the organizational pattern best suited to the content and
the purpose for writing.

Standard Strand: Using Knowledge of Form and Style
Grade: 12
Topic: Sentence Craft and Fluency
Item Number and Statement:
2.4. Write complete sentences that communicate their meaning clearly and effectively,
skilfully varying sentence type, structure, and length to suit different purposes and
making smooth and logical transitions between ideas.

B. Central Focus: Students will engage in auditory and textual analysis of instrumental music
and powerful song lyrics to develop an appreciation and understanding of non-print poetry. A
profound understanding of literary devices and the ability to communicate more effectively will
be achieved once students have seen and heard poetry in practice. Using a practical, popular and
stimulating form of art that is closely related to traditional forms of poetry, each student will
investigate and state three correlations that exist between music and poetry during a class
discussion phase of the lesson. To check for competency of literary devices, students will
complete a quiz on www.socrative.com (room # 1364253b) and construct a poem consisting of
five poetic devices for homework. The poems will be shared in a recital the following day.
C. Objectives:
Differentiate and explain the use of common poetic devices such as rhyme schemes,
meter, tone, point of view, similes, metaphors, allusions, imagery etc. while listening to
music and analyzing song lyrics. (Appendix D).
Implement the question the author strategy before, during and after listening to a song
and reading lyrics to determine the artists meaning, language and poetic choices.
Recognize and explain why poets use carefully selected words to communicate a message
that ordinary language cannot convey.
Careful assessment of auditory features such as rhyme, meter and rhythm, understanding
of carefully chosen words, and the application of literary devices.
Communicate through written reflections and discussion the meaning of the selected
poem/song and how it makes them feel.
After comparing and contrasting each poetic source, students will come to the realization
that the purpose of poetry is similar to the function of music, to arouse human emotion
within readers or listeners.
To construct a poem surrounding a central theme and incorporate five literary devices
discussed in class and on the literary device webpage provided.
D. Assessment Plan:
During classroom discussion of literary devices, students will be evaluated based on their
ability to identify and differentiate device usage by citing song lyrics and commenting on
the impact of sound and word choice when determining meaning. Student intuitiveness,
quality of input, and frequency will be assessed using a participation rubric. (Appendix
A).
During a literature circle, students will have the opportunity to voluntarily read parts of
song lyrics out loud. Students will be asked to identify and describe the tone, speaker,
rhyme scheme, meter, themes and other relevant information that they can extrapolate.
Student engagement will be evaluated based on the participation rubric and the teacher
will have a class list to track input.
Using the provided triple t-chart (appendix B), students will identify three central themes
in the first column, followed by the poetic device(s) used by the artist to make the theme
recognizable, and a column that cites the lines they are referring to. The triple t-chart will
be submitted at the end of the period and graded according to a general assessment rubric.
(Appendix C).
A personal reflection of the song, Hurt by Johnny Cash will be assigned once students
have broken down the lyrics as a class and watched the music video. The reflection must
include an explanation of three specific characteristics that poetry and music share. The
reflections will be shared voluntarily and inform the teacher whether or not students were
able to accurately identify the main themes of the song. Students will be evaluated based
on the participation and general assessment rubrics.
To demonstrate their ability to grasp the meaning of complex literature and recognize the
function of poetic devices, students will construct a poem that consists of similar features
to the songs heard in class for the remainder of the period and a take home assignment.
Upon completion, students will present their poems the following class and will be
graded based on the general assessment rubric. Students will read their poems to their
literature circle groups as a dry run.

E. Opening/Anticipatory Set: The teacher must be aware that some students are often reluctant
to read, write or discuss anything to do with the topic of poetry. Generally, young adults are
unenthusiastic about reading complex literature because topics, themes and ultimately the
purpose is not as transparent or recognizable compared to other sources of art such as music,
paintings, television, movies or dance. In order to make the connection between poetry and art,
students need to be engaged in a lesson that highlights the limitless interpretations a poem offers.
An English teacher must inspire students to believe and appreciate poetry as a subjective topic
that encourages different perspectives to be shared and considered. Since poetry can be cryptic
and not as straight forward as other pieces of literature, poetic devices are used by poets to
clarify the meaning behind their poems and offer insight to personal topics.
To begin, the teacher reminds students that they encounter varieties of poetry more often than
they know and that our ability to interpret, analyze and criticize different types of art such as
music or movies, shares a similar learning process compared to reading and understanding
poetry. Poems, regardless of when they are written, are personal commentaries that are similar to
social media. Poets can share their thoughts and emotions on global or local issues in an honest
and personalized fashion. To connect with students and to ensure that they remain engaged
throughout the lesson, carefully selected mainstream music will be played on the speakers at the
beginning of class to begin to process of making make poetry relevant for students.
F. Main Body/Procedure:
Before the class begins, the teacher will select a song that is relevant to teenaged students
and have the music video cued on the smartboard. The song selected to play at the
beginning of this lesson is Adeles Someone Like You.
As students fill the classroom, the teacher turns up the volume to keep student
engagement and intuitiveness at a high level.
Once the song is finished playing, the teacher calls upon students to share their initial
thoughts by having them respond orally to the following questions: What did the song
mean to you? What is the message that Adele is trying to communicate to the audience?
How is the song related to poetry? These questions will be left on the board to guide
discussion and remind students what kind of questions to ask during their critique of the
songs.
Possible response: I thought the song was written as a reflection. Someone dwelling on
the painful past and obviously having a hard time letting go. The message Adele is trying
to convey to the audience is that love has the potential to cause pain and grief. Nothing
lasts forever, just like the relationship she is recalling. The song is related to poetry
because hearing the tone in which she speaks and the images in the music video evokes
the human emotion of sadness.
The teacher hands out the triple t-chart graphic organizer and asks students to fill in the
following headings into the three columns: Central Themes, Poetic Devices Used,
and Citation.
The teacher plays the music video once again and the students fill in their triple t-charts.
Lyrics of the song will not be provided for this portion of the lesson. Students are
expected to evaluate the significance of the spoken word and are required to listen to the
song carefully as if it is a poem being read aloud.
Using the smartboard, the teacher will interject by pausing during critical moments of the
song when a connection can be made to the literary devices that have been discussed in
the previous class. The rewind feature will also be used when Adele sings a line of the
song that may be confusing or requires a second listening to in order to comprehend what
she is saying.
Allow students to record the emotions that the song evoked in their triple t-charts.
The teacher distributes iPads and dictionaries to the class and asks them to form a circle
in the center of the classroom in preparation of a literature circle where they will be
analyzing and discussing song lyrics as a class. The teacher instructs students to open the
Literary Devices page provided in the materials list. The teacher encourages students to
consult the website and dictionary to assist with difficult words or understand the purpose
of poetic device usage in the song Hurt by Johnny Cash.
The teacher distributes the song lyrics and students voluntarily read each stanza. The
teacher interjects by asking the class, What is the significance of the title? How does it
help establish the poems subject, tone and genre? What is the situation after the first
stanza? What words help us understand the message of the poem? What is Cashs attitude
towards the subject?
Possible response: The title tells us that the song is about pain and that it will not be a
cheerful subject. The first stanza of the poem makes it clear that title is referring to a
personal experience that the artist had to endure at some point in their life.
Students are expected to take anecdotal notes on the artists use of poetic devices and the
overall meaning of certain lines, words or phrases in the space provided on the lyric sheet
as we breakdown the song. The teacher distributes additional copies of the triple t-chart
and asks students to divide the columns similarly to the previous song we investigated.
Students return to their desks and the teacher shows the music video after instructing
students to fill in their triple t-charts. The teacher frequently pauses and rewinds the song
to highlight important imagery used and key words that reveal the purpose or meaning of
the song. The teacher will walk up and down the classroom to ensure students are on the
right track or assist those who need clarification. Remind students to refer to the literary
device website by using the iPads provided or consult a dictionary if they come across a
challenging word.
After the charts have been completed, students are to write and submit a reflection
paragraph explaining the impact the song had on them, their opinion on what the message
of the song was and how it can be considered a form of art or poetry. The reflection must
also include an explanation of three specific characteristics that poetry and music have in
common.
To accommodate for those with an IEP, students will be permitted song choice of any
language or genre that they enjoy as long as lyric sheet is provided in English. Choice
fosters engagement, motivation and interest. The goal of this lesson will still be achieved
when students, regardless of socioeconomic or ethnic background, are able to analyze and
interpret figurative language and demonstrate their understanding of literary devices.
A creative hands on activity is assigned. Students are expected to write a poem/song
that centers on two or three themes that are relevant in their own lives. There must be a
minimum of 5 literary devices used. The poem/song is to be presented to the class the
following day.

G. Closing/Ending: At the end of the period, the teacher will wrap up the purpose of poetry and
ask students to comment on the reasons why it has been in practice for centuries. The music and
song lyrics that students have just analyzed and interpreted will add new words to their
vocabulary leaving students with an enriched understanding of how to communicate emotion and
provide commentary through discussion, reflection, and the construction of their own poem
using carefully selected language. By looking at a sincere, relatable and structured form of non-
print poetry, students will gain a sense of familiarity and acceptance of the once ridiculed topic,
realizing that the purpose of poetry is similar to the function of music, to evoke human emotion.
Writing reflections on the songs that they heard in class and providing personal commentaries of
what is important in their own life within the poems that they are constructing, students will
learn vital information about themselves that other forms of literature or content areas cannot
provide. To check for understanding and as an exit ticket, students will choose one poetic device
from the literary devices website, define it in their own words and provide one example from the
two songs where it was evident. To check for competency of literary devices, students will
complete a quiz on www.socrative.com (room # 1364253b) before class is over and construct a
poem consisting of five poetic devices for homework. The poems will be shared in a recital the
following day.

III. REFLECTION PROCESS:
Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT)
The very nature of poetry and its ability to be interpreted in a variety of ways provides all
students with an opportunity to be engaged in the lesson. The accommodations I have made,
providing technological, textual, and visual aids will make it possible for all students, regardless
of culture and various ethnic groups to find something relatable in the two songs selected.
Discrepancies in race, gender, socio-economic status, religion, sexuality, age, weight etc. have
all been considered while formulating this lesson. It is my goal for all, if not, most of my
students to find something relatable and enjoyable during the task of interpreting song lyrics. To
accommodate for those with an IEP, students will be permitted song choice of any language or
genre that they enjoy as long as a lyric sheet is provided in English. Choice fosters engagement,
motivation and interest. The goal of this lesson will still be achieved when students regardless of
socioeconomic or ethnic backgrounds are able to analyze and interpret figurative language and
demonstrate their understanding of literary devices.

Accommodations
To avoid students from feeling isolated from the lesson, based on their learning competencies, I
structured my lesson to include elements of reading, writing and oral communication so that they
can excel at all three strands or whichever they are most comfortable with. In order for students
to perform at the level of expectation or beyond grade level, they are encouraged to read texts
that implement challenging language and encourages the utilization of additional resources such
a dictionary/thesaurus or online aids such as YouTube to hear the song rather than strictly
reading it. Students with a learning disability such as dyslexia will be accommodated for during
all steps of the lesson. If they cannot follow the text on the song lyric handout, a link will be
provided with an audio reading so that they can understand and interpret the poem to the same
degree as other students in the class. The teacher will closely monitor these students for active
engagement and encourage participation by constantly reminding them that there is no wrong
answer when it comes to interpreting poetry. For those who are severely disadvantaged during
the poetry lesson, a supplementary assignment will be provided where students can select a song
of their choosing and partake in textual and auditory analysis.
Prerequisite Skills
Students who regularly organize their thoughts using a graphic organizer such as a Venn
diagram, word web, running glossary, mind map and as mentioned in this lesson, the triple t-
chart, will have an advantage when explaining the significance or the meaning of the selected
songs. Expectations for homework completion, participation and general assessment are outlined
in rubrics that will be issued at the beginning of the unit and extra copies will be readily
available. Students who thoroughly examine the requirements for an exceptional grade will
undoubtedly benefit from this prerequisite skill as they are gaining a greater understanding of
what is required for a decent grade and what needs to be accomplished to go beyond the teachers
expectations. Since a large portion of this lesson consists of classroom discussion, students will
be expected to synthesize their argumentative claims by providing textual evidence to strengthen
the statements they are making.
Misconceptions
To eliminate the notion that poetry is geared towards a certain gender and to elaborate the fact
that poetry is a universal language and art form, I intend on showing and discussing songs that
incorporate powerful images or abstract ideas that provoke a reaction from all students. To
ensure that the topics remain relatable and enjoyable for all students, I will relate everyday
experiences of our lives to the subject of poetry, and its intended purpose to tell a unique story
from a unique perspective. I will reiterate with the class that the music videos that they are about
to watch are produced for the purpose of entertainment. I do not expect students to take the
content in which the artists speak of too seriously because they are mostly fictional. Instead,
students are expected to focus on the overall delivery of the song and highlight the specific
literary techniques that are employed for the purpose of considering poetry as a more
approachable and relative subject.
Academic Language
To ensure that students are able to comprehend the complexities of the assigned songs, it is
critical that each lesson incorporates the introduction of a few new poetic devices and simple
examples. This will make reciting poetry/songs and understanding its central message an easier
task to complete for students. Without prior knowledge, student engagement will suffer during
participation opportunities and discussion will not cover all essential points when reflecting as a
group or individually. Prior to this lesson, students are expected to know commonly used poetic
terms such as rhyme scheme, meter, tone, simile, metaphor , point of view ,
imagery etc. To meet the learning objectives of the lesson, it is essential that all students have
a profound understanding of poetic devices by staying engaged in classroom activities,
completing homework tasks, taking accurate notes during the instructional phase and apply them
during discussion and dissection of song lyrics.
Appendix A Participation and Homework Completion Rubric














Appendix B Triple T-Chart





















Appendix C General Assessment Rubric












Appendix D Song Lyrics

Hurt by Johnny Cash
I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappears
You are someone else
I am still right here
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way