Activity 3: Class Discussion on a Song’s Theme

Personalizing the Theme of a Song with Draw-Write-Share

Many popular songs have themes that are universal: love, resilience, friendship, and family, to name just a few. So it’s easy to see how a song can set the stage for a meaningful class discussion. What is perhaps not so easy is finding a way to structure the discussion, especially if you teach beginning level. A speaking activity that gives your students the opportunity to plan–in contrast to a spontaneous discussion–generally works best; it makes it more likely that every student will speak. (In The Art of Teaching Speaking Ken Folse makes a strong case for incorporating a “planning phase” into discussions at every level to ensure more successful student output.) One of my favorite discussion activities, Draw-Write-Share, has a two-part planning phase.

Create a Draw-Write-Share Activity in 4 Easy Steps:

Step 1: Students draw a sketch that personalizes the theme of the song.
Step 2: They write about their drawing beneath their sketch.
Step 3: They share their sketches and writing with a partner or in a small group.
Step 4 (optional): Students listen carefully as their partners talk about their drawings. They then share what they learned about their partner with the whole group.

George Harrison wrote “Here Comes the Sun,” the most streamed of all the Beatles’ songs, on a gloomy February day when he impulsively took a day off work. The song and the story behind it invite discussions on two topics: weather (Example 1) and a day off (Example 2). All three examples below are of completed worksheets.

Example 1: A Draw-Write-Share Activity Personalizing the Theme “February Weather”

How is the weather in your native city in February? Draw a picture. Answer the questions under your picture in complete sentences. Then share your picture and your writing with a partner.

clouds

Is it hot, warm, cool, or cold?     It is cold.                                        

Is it sunny or cloudy?     Sometimes it is sunny, and sometimes it is cloudy.

Is it foggy, rainy, or snowy?     It is often snowy.                                

Tip: The first time you ask students to draw, they might protest that they aren’t artists. It helps to model the activity by drawing your own sketch on the board. For example, to depict snowy weather, I drew the picture above–a few clouds and some asterisks to represent snow. No need to draw more!

Example 2: A Draw-Write-Share Activity Personalizing the Theme “A Day Off”

Draw a picture in the box. In the picture, you are enjoying your day off. Answer the questions under your picture. Then share your picture and your writing with a partner.

Cartoon_Illust

Where are you? _______I am at the park.__________________________________

What are you doing? ________I am listening to music.________________________.”

Example 3: A Draw-Write-Share Activity Personalizing the Theme “Work”

There are many songs about work. (Please see the list on the Songs page.) If you teach adults, a discussion around students’ past, present, and future work is a nice follow-up. Structure the discussion by giving students a worksheet like the one below.

What was your work before? What is your work now? What work do you want? Draw three pictures. Complete the sentences under your pictures. Then share your pictures and your writing with a partner.

FarmerIllustrationWaiterIllustrationChefIllustration

my work before                   my work now                  the work I want

Before, I worked as a/an ____farmer_____________________.

Now I work as a/an ___waiter______________________.

I want to work as a/an ____chef_____________________.

Thanks to: Gabri Fontana for the illustrations in Examples 2 and 3

Thanks to: Sharron Bassano and Mary Ann Christison, the originators of the Draw-Write-Share technique

More songs to pair with a discussion activity:

  • “7 Years” (Lukas Graham, 2015) This song, in which the songwriter reflects back on when he was 7, 11, and 20 years old, invites a discussion about “Important Years.” The interactive activity below works particularly well with adults. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more discussion activities to go with this song, please see the Lesson Plan.

important years.docx           important years.pdf

  • “Another Day of Sun” (from the movie La La Land) There are several discussion activities in the Lesson Plan. (topics: “hometown” and “weather”)
  • “Be Alright” (Dean Lewis) Caution: There are two versions of this song. Add “clean” to your search terms to find classroom-friendly lyrics and videos. In the discussion exercise below, students talk about what comments are helpful when a friend is going through a bad breakup. Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use.

It’ll be alright.docx           It’ll be alright.pdf

  • “Beg Steal or Borrow” (Ray LaMontagne) or “Breakaway” (Kelly Clarkson) Draw the place where you grew up. Under your drawing, make 2 lists: What I Liked / What I Didn’t Like.
  • “The Castle on the Hill” (Ed Sheeran, 2017) In the activity below, students draw a picture of their childhood home and talk about old friends. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more teaching ideas, please see the Lesson Plan.

childhood-home.docx   childhood home.pdf     childhood home (webpage)

  • “A Change Is Gonna Come” (Sam Cooke, 1964) In the activity below, students talk about a change they want to see–a change in themselves, in their communities, in their counties, or in the world. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more teaching ideas, please see the Lesson Plan.

change activity.docx     change activity.pdf     change activity (webpage)

  • “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” (Bobby McFerrin) Draw something that you worry about, and something that makes you happy.
  • “Driver’s License” (Olivia Rodrigo) Caution: There are two versions of this song. Add “clean” to your search terms to find classroom-friendly lyrics and videos. This song pairs well with discussions on cars and driving. There are several discussion activities in the Lesson Plan.
  • “Fast Car” (Tracy Chapman) In the activity below, students talk about where they would go if they had a fast car that could take them anywhere. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more discussion activities to go with this song, please see the Lesson Plan.

    fast car.pdf          fast car (webpage)

  • “Fight Song” (Rachel Platten) What are you fighting for? Draw something or someone you are fighting for. (Please see the examples of student writing under Activity #8: A Minimal-Prep Lesson.) For more teaching ideas, please see the Lesson Plan.
  • “Fly Away” (Lenny Kravitz) Draw a great place for a getaway.
  • “Happy” (Pharrell Williams) Draw a picture of what happiness is to you.
  • “I Will Remember You” (Sarah McLachlan) In the activity below, students talk about how they will be remembered many years from now. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more teaching ideas, please see the Lesson Plan.

remembering you.docx       remembering you.pdf      remembering you (webpage)

  • “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” (Nina Simone) In the activity below, students talk about where they would go if they could fly. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more teaching ideas to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan.

          if you could fly activity.pdf          if you could fly activity (web page)

  • “Lost Boy” (Ruth B., 2016) This song is about the fictional “Neverland” and the characters who live there. In the activity below, students talk about the idea of Neverland—a person, hobby, sport, or anything that helps them feel at home. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more teaching ideas, please see the Lesson Plan.

Who or What Helps You?.docx          Who or What Helps You?.pdf

  • “One Call Away” (Charlie Puth, 2016) In this activity, students talk about how they keep in touch with someone they don’t don’t see often. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more teaching ideas, please see the Lesson Plan.

keeping in touch.docx          keeping in touch.pdf

  • “See You Again” (Charlie Puth and Wiz Kahlifa) In the activity below, students imagine they haven’t seen their best friend in a year. When they see each other again, what will they tell their friend? Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more teaching ideas, please see the Lesson Plan.

see you again wksheet.docx          see you again wksheet.pdf

used to, draw-write-share.pdf

  • “Stand By Me” (many versions) In the worksheet below, students write about someone in their life who stands, or stood, by them. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

stand by me.docx          stand by me.pdf

  • “Thunder” (Imagine Dragons, 2017) What do you dream about doing? The singer thinks back on his younger self, someone who was laughed at for having big dreams. In the activity below, students share their dreams. Permission is granted to duplicate for classroom use.

       daydreaming.pdf         daydreaming (webpage)

  • “Underdog” (Alicia Keys) The singer advises to keep on doing what you love, and you will “rise up.” Structure a class discussion on that topic with the activity below. Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use.

do what you love.docx      do what you love.pdf      do what you love (webpage)