Say It Loud!:
A Celebration Of Black Music In America 
  
Lessons for High School Music and Social Studies Classes 
   
Lesson 3 of 5
Conveying Message Through Musical Composition


  The Following Lesson Plan was originally written in collaboration with MENC: 
  The National Association for Music Education to correspond with the VH1 Music 
  Studio episode “Behind The Music 1968" and has been adapted for use 
  with “Say It Loud! A Celebration of Black Music In America" 
  
  
Objectives 
  
  
  € Students will analyze musical and topical elements in popular songs
  € Students will compose song as a classroom effort
  € Students will consider and choose musical elements to effectively convey 
  a message 
  
  National Standards 3, 4, 5, 9 - Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments; 
  Composing and arranging music within specific guidelines; Reading and notating 
  music; Understanding music in relation to history and culture
  
  
  Materials
  
  - VHS VCR Player
  - Television
  - VH1 Cable in the Classroom program “Say It Loud! A Celebration of Black 
  Music In America"
  - Web-based materials 
  - piano and some knowledge of playing basic chords 
  - lyrics of protest songs 

  
  
  Procedures 

  1. Read aloud lyrics to selected protest songs of the 1960s. (See examples below.) 
  Discuss the meter of the lyrics, pointing out to students the stressed and unstressed 
  words.
"Blowin In The Wind"
  Words and music by Bob Dylan

How many roads must a man walk down
  Before you call him a man?

Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail 
  Before she sleeps in the sand?

Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
  Before they're forever banned?

The answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind,
  The answer is blowin in the wind.

"We Shall Overcome"
  Composer unknown. Lyrics derived from Charles Tindley's gospel song
  "I'll Overcome Some Day" (1900) 

We shall overcome 
  We shall overcome
  We shall overcome
  Some day
  Chorus 
  Oh, deep in my heart
  I do believe
  We shall overcome 
  Some day. 

2. As a classroom project, write a poem with four iambic lines--each 
  line consisting of four feet, each of one unstressed or short syllable followed 
  by one stressed or long syllable. Students will eventually sing this in the 
  style of the protest songs of the late 1960s. The lyrics can address anything 
  from serious societal or global issues such as hunger, human rights, or pollution 
  to minor annoyances like homework, car repairs, or chores at home. 

3. When your class has come up with four lines, discuss the theme 
  of these lyrics. What type of music does it call for? Write a song chart on 
  the board for the class-written lyrics. To discuss rhythm, you may ask the students 
  to tap out a rhythm on their desks. Ask the students if they want a rhythm to 
  match the topic of the lyrics. Would rubato, syncopation, or other rhythmic 
  elements help the message or the sound? In a similar way, discuss melody with 
  your students. Ask the students if the melody should be lyrical or ragged. Should 
  it move by steps or leaps? For tone color, ask students if they think the song 
  should be rough and angry or smooth and innocent. 

Song Chart 

Song Title
    Subject Classification   ToneColor   Instrumental & vocal   Rhythm   Melody 
    
    3. Have the class chant the poem as you play one of the following chord progressions:
    
    4. Play the progression again, using one of the rhythms suggested (or make 
    up another by having students tap the rhythm on their desks as you play the 
    chords; then playing the chords with the newly chosen rhythm as the students 
    chant the lyrics).
    
    5. Ask for volunteers to sing the first line of the melody. While you play 
    the chords and students tap out the rhythm, have the volunteer sing the first 
    line. Continue in this manner until all four lines have been sung. 
    
    6. Have students sing the entire song with rhythm and melody. Ask your students 
    for reactions. Ask them how effective is the song and message. Would they 
    make any changes? Incorporate any changes the group thinks should be made.
    
    7. Practice the song and record a final version. Save this to play back at 
    the end of the year.
    
    8. Notate the recording for the students to read. Have students write the 
    lyrics on the manuscript. For advanced classes, ask the students to notate 
    the song from the recording.
    
    9. Ask each member of the class to write a short paragraph evaluating the 
    effectiveness of the song in conveying the message of the lyrics.
  


VH1 in partnership with Cable in the Classroom, collaborated with 
MENC: The National Association for Music Education to develop this series of 
lessons. National Standards for Music Education1. Singing, alone and with others, 
a varied repertoire of music.

2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of 
  music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. 
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. 
7. Evaluating music and music performances. 
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines 
  outside the arts. 
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.