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an y and ing harmo of combin ty of form, harmonto give u a s the art nds to produce be h music and lyric ns repre g u g d n u o s rinted si mental so ion throu s harmoniou n vocal or insrtruexpression of emot The written or p reading music as bining i
musiocr :sncoiuenn:ce
what music means to me
Starter:
Students need to engage with the subject: music. Ask students to: • List as many ways in which they experience music either as listeners or producers • Describe the type(s) of music they grew up with • Describe the music and musical artists their parents/carers listened to/still listen to/go/went to see perform • Consider how they regard early musical favourites now Give students different stimuli to listen to and ask them to respond thinking about the emotions, moods and feelings that they experience when listening to the music. Ask who they would expect would listen to the music. Choose a range of classical, pop, funk, blues, rap, RnB, rock music, heavy metal, bhangra, hip hop, country music, reggae, dance/mix. Ask students to consider the way in which music brings back memories. They can provide examples of specific songs and the associations it brings. Ask for pupil response and lead a discussion on stereotypes about the expected audience. Students might also consider: • Ways in which music is involved at differing levels in their lives • Descriptions by students for whom music is central to their lives • Times when music is a background to other activities, e.g. music playing while tidying bedroom • Music as a part of homework completion, bus, train travel, walking, leisure in general • How certain music makers may or may not influence them beyond the music itself e.g., influence fashion choices, likes/dislikes, attitudes to life, lifestyle choices • Whether music can provide support through minor or major crises – if appropriate, students should provide examples
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an y and ing harmo of combin ty of form, harmonto give u a s the art nds to produce be h music and lyric ns repre g u g d n u o s rinted si mental so ion throu s harmoniou n vocal or insrtruexpression of emot The written or p reading music as bining i
musiocr :sncoiuenn:ce
what music means to me
Extended discussion points:
• Can/does/should music provide moral or spiritual guidance? Examples from students own experience? • To what extent do students pay close attention to song lyrics or is it mostly the overall effect and sound of a song that attracts/alienates them? Give examples?
Introduction 1
Give students the title to the song Dear Mama by 2Pac. Let students listen to the song as an instrumental version what are their initial thoughts? Can they identify the song already? Do they think they are going to like the song in full? Why/why not? What were the key components of the instrumental version that identified it? Who is the expected audience? What are our thoughts over who may have written this, what genre of music is this?
Introduction 2
Give students the Dear Mama song lyrics. Brainstorm ideas around the title, author, theme, origin, audience, narrator, and the songwriter’s intention in writing, making and publishing the song.
Extension
Are there any elements in the lyrics which suggest that 2Pac in any way foresaw what might happen to him – does the fact that he chose to write the words/song at all suggest that he had premonitions about his ultimate fate? Elicit, through a discrete Speaking and Listening activity, ideas as to other contexts in which the title Dear Mama, might be found and why. Use key questions to help form the discussion giving students time in talk partners to think about their answers, and to be able to build on other student responses. What connotations do we have of America? Students might be guided towards fuller considerations by some key headings such as: • City life • Rural America • School and High School in America • Affluence • Poverty
• • • •
Violence Opportunity Growing up in the USA Life in the ‘hood
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an y and ing harmo of combin ty of form, harmonto give u a s the art nds to produce be h music and lyric ns repre g u g d n u o s rinted si mental so ion throu s harmoniou n vocal or insrtruexpression of emot The written or p reading music as bining i
musiocr :sncoiuenn:ce
what music means to me
Further extension/Gifted and Talented activity might include:
Consideration of: • Recent significant developments in American politics and what these might mean for people growing up in circumstances similar to 2Pac’s early life • America and its influence on the world – especially through music and entertainment • Differing attitudes to American life and how these might be reflected in music • Differing attitudes to American values and how these might emerge through music • The American Dream • The lyrics of the song when considered against the background of what ultimately happened to 2Pac What about the origin of the word ‘Mama’ and the dialect where would we expect to hear it? Who would we expect to write this text? What might have led 2Pac to develop his original message into a song rather than keeping it private and personal or simply sending it, unpublished, to his mother? Do you think that the lyrics now have added poignancy given what happened to the singer?
Development 1:
Give students picture stimuli based around America. What are our ideas about the cultures and traditions here?
Development 2:
Give students lyrics to read and play the song. Were students’ predictions in Introduction 1 correct? Students should work in groups of four and the text should be divided up. They now need to turn the text into Standard English and read their version in a chronological order to the class.
Plenary:
When reading out their versions, film the students. This could be uploaded onto YouTube as a ‘sweded’ version of the original (this is where amateurs copy an original and change it in order to make it funny and appeal to a different target audience). NB Ensure that you have parental consent, or if the footage is not uploaded onto YouTube, keep to watch back for the next lesson.