Figurative Language Through Song for Language Arts and Music Teachers (Pt. 1)
Updated: Jan 29
This unit is now available for purchase in the Steve's Music Room Publishing Store. Get it here!
In a stunning feat of Irony, songwriting fits into the Language Arts curriculum more easily than the Instrumental Music curriculum. I mean, weird, right? Isn’t it? Anyway, I recently facilitated a unit on songwriting and poetry with a focus on figurative language in a Grade 9 Language Arts class. The culminating activity for this unit has learners creating their own songs individually or in pairs.
English Language Arts
This unit was written to meet the needs of Grade 9 Language Arts but can be adapted for learners in Grades 5 through 12 with relative ease.
Music and Arts
This could be used in any music course with some modifications, but would work more seamlessly in a popular music performance, composition/songwriting course, or general music class in Grades 6 through 12.
Figurative Language Through Song: A Unit for Language Arts and Music Teachers
Materials/Resources:
Google Classroom
“Ironic” Doc
Taking a Look at a Song – “Cash it In” by Andrew Waite
A Local Artist
The majority of this unit was delivered online. This means that the pacing will be different than in an in-person setting. In some situations, I will give suggestions for pacing or discuss the setting in which this was delivered.