Teach Poetry Through Rock Music

In many cases, the language of poetry metaphor, simile, couplets and such can be nearly impenetrable especially to a student who has no vested interest. But all is not lost. The mastery and understanding of poetry, what it can do, and its subtle beauty can be taught using modern music. And the best news of all is that it is relatively simple to do. The following steps will show you how. Also, it is a great way to stay up to date on the current music scene and a simple way to build a lively record collection.

Step One: Set an Agenda

A quality educator knows what content and skills he/she intends to teach. Make a dictionary of all the skills to be covered during the unit and distribute it to students alliteration, assonance, and so forth. Let them know that they will need this dictionary for reference. Hold a brief discussion about why poetry is important and a significant aspect of culture and art.

Step Two: Get Primary Texts

Ask students to list their 10 favorite songs of all time. After students compile their lists, have them select their favorite. Tell them to bring the lyrics to the songs as well as a copy burned to a CD the next day. This can be homework.

Step Three: Gather Resources

Collect the songs and lyrics from the previous day. Import the songs into iTunes or Windows Media Player and create a playlist or a CD-R with the songs. Make sure to preview the songs to ensure that they are indeed school appropriate.

Step Four: Rock On

Plan to take several days to listen to the songs they selected. Present the students with the collective list and ask the students what song they want to listen to first. Make is clear that the goal is not to love every song, but to understand its poetic value.

Step Five: Discuss

For each song, distribute lyrics to every student. Listen to the song once through just to get a feel for it. Decide beforehand what skill the class will study - alliteration for example. With lyrics in hand, listen to the song again, this time having students note each time the poetic device appears. Afterward, discuss how the device adds to the piece. Also, ask students for their reaction to the song as well as their reasoning behind the decision.

Step Six: Free Bird

After studying each song thoroughly, have the students select another song on the list and examine it for poetic devices. Have the students obtain a copy of the song’s lyrics and mark the devices. This activity can be used as an assessment as well.

Give a student a practical or cultural experience that he or she can connect with and watch them thrive. When the year ends, keep the songs that are particularly helpful and discard those that are not. After several cycles, the possibilities, playlists, and connections become lively, rich, and fulfilling.

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