Summary
In this lesson students will begin with an analysis of the popular image, “The Ultimate Confrontation,” and move into an exploration of lyrics that are found in popular protest music of the time. Students will learn about a variety of foreign and domestic events. As they learn about the artists’ backgrounds and influence, students will begin to draw conclusions about events such as the Vietnam War, the increasing gap between the “haves and have-nots,” the Kent State University shooting, the assassination and funeral of John F. Kennedy, as well as other events that are described in the lyrics. Students will then spend some time listening to and discussing common themes and messages found in the songs, discussing how these songs reflect the social and political movements of the era and considering the question of whether music can effectively bring about change. Finally, students will have an opportunity to select a song of their own that they believe evokes an emotion and/or calls for needed change, creating a profile of their own about the artist and the song.
Essential Question(s)
How does music impact society?
Snapshot
Engage
In groups, students analyze an image focusing on one quadrant of the visual at a time.
Explore
Students explore lyrics and artists’ backgrounds by completing a jigsaw to draw conclusions about events occurring in the Vietnam War era.
Explain
Students use the Chalk Talk strategy to listen to music and silently reflect on the messages of each song.
Extend
Students create a profile poster of an artist that has meaning to them.
Evaluate
Students demonstrate their understanding of the essential question by using the Mirror, Microscope, Binoculars strategy.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
The Ultimate Confrontation Quarter Peeks (attached; ¼ of the photo to each student in the room)
Protest Music Cards (attached)
Artist Profile Template (attached; one per student)
Artist Profile Rubric (optional; attached)
Butcher paper (3 large pieces)
Optional device with internet access
Pen/Pencils
Markers/Color Pencils
Engage
10 Minute(s)
Introduce the lesson using the attached Lesson Slides. Use slides 2-4 to review the lesson title, essential question, and objectives as needed. Divide students into groups of four and transition to slide 5, introducing the instructional strategy Quarter Peeks.
Explain to students that they will be analyzing and making a hypothesis based on the section they are assigned. Each group member will only see one quadrant of the full image. Give each member of the group a quadrant from the The Ultimate Confrontation Quarter Peeks handout and instruct them to have a piece of paper or class notebook to write on.
Ask students to first independently list all the details they observe in their assigned quarter and make a hypothesis of what they predict will be found in the missing parts of the image. Allow a few minutes for students to complete this.
Transition to slide 6. Instruct groups to come together and take turns sharing their list of details and hypotheses. At this time they should not reveal their image. Once everyone has shared their responses in the group, instruct students to reveal their quarters to the group and put the image back together as it should be.
Move to slide 7. Pose the following questions to students now that they have seen the full image. Invite a few to share out.
What words come to mind when you view this image?
What was the photographer trying to capture in this moment?
Based on those responses, facilitate a short class discussion and connect students' prior knowledge of the events in the image to the domestic events and policies from 1945 to 1975.
Explore
15 Minute(s)
Display slide 8. Share the instructional strategy Jigsaw with your students and pass out the attached Protest Music Cards. Instruct your students to skim through the cards and split them up amongst their group. Provide your students with enough time to read about their artist and song, as well as listen to the song.
Once all of your students have completed the activity, move to slide 9 and direct your students to discuss with their group their personal takeaways, what foreign or domestic issue was addressed, and how the artist addressed it (directly or indirectly).
Explain
30 Minute(s)
Display slide 10 and share the instructional strategy Chalk Talk. Explain to your students that this activity is supposed to be done in complete silence. Point out the butcher paper that’s hanging around the room. Instruct your students to move around towards the paper, listen to the song clips as they are played, and record the tone of the music and how the song makes them feel using words or drawings. Use slides 11–14 to guide this activity.
Once every song has been played and students have responded on the poster, have them return to their seats. Transition to slide 15 and pose the following reflection questions to the class. Invite a few students to share their responses.
What were some common themes or messages found in these songs?
How do these songs reflect the social and political movements of that era?
Can music effectively bring about social or political change? Why or why not?
Extend
20 Minute(s)
Give each student a sheet of white paper or pass out copies of the attached Artist Profile template. Provide your students with enough time to select a song and create their own profile of an artist that has significance in their lives. Display slide 16 and go over the requirements as a class. An optional Artist Profile Rubric is attached and can also be found on slide 17.
Quote/Lyric: What is a quote or lyric from this artist that stands out to you the most?
Artist Summary: What are five key pieces of information about the artist? Students should highlight these using brief bullet points.
Importance: Why is the figure important in your life? How have they evoked change or feelings?
Image: What does this artist figure look like? Students should draw or print a picture of their figure in the large oval.
Symbols: Based on your research, what four symbols are most associated with the artist? Students should draw these symbols in the small square boxes.
Once they have completed their work, have your students present their song and explain their rationale.
Evaluate
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 18 once all of your students have had an opportunity to share their work. Instruct them to reflect on the essential question and other questions using the instructional strategy Mirror, Microscope, Binoculars.
Mirror: How has this changed my thinking on the power of music?
Microscope: How can music invoke change in a society?
Binoculars: How does music impact society?
At the end of the activity, ask if any students would like to share their responses. Instruct them to turn in their responses.
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). Chalk talk. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/197
K20 Center. (n.d.). Gallery walk / carousel. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/118
K20 Center. (n.d.). Gallery walk with wakelet. Tech integrated strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-strategy/3036
K20 Center. (n.d.). Google slides. Tech Tool. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/2335
K20 Center. (n.d.). Jigsaw. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/179
K20 Center. (n.d.). Mirror, microscope, binoculars. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/3020
K20 Center. (n.d.). Quarter peeks. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/1866
K20 Center. (n.d.). Wakelet. Tech tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/2180