Utah Education Network
Uen: Song Writing
This lesson engages students in writing lyrics to songs. Students will use free musical software to aid students as they put their lyrics to a tune and tempo.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: The Golden Treasury of Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in Eng Lang
Electronic text of Thomas Palgrave's book, "The Golden Treasury: Of the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language". There are several ways to find the poem that you want to study: by author, by title, by first line, and by...
University of Houston
University of Houston: Lyric Poem
Explains what a lyric poem is and gives examples in modern culture. Discusses why lyric poetry is appealing, how its quality is judged, some different definitions, and how it has evolved over time. RL.9-10.5 text structure effects
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: An I Pod Inspired Poetry Lesson: Favorite Things Poetry
Using the song "My Favorite Things" from the musical, The Sound of Music, as inspiration, students will create their own song or poem (to the same tune) that lists their favorite things. Each verse will focus on their favorite things...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Hyperboles
This tutorial focuses on the use of hyperbole; it defines the term and explains when it is used. It offers two video clips: the first demonstrates the use of hyperbole in song lyrics as it highlights them, and the second shows the use of...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Stairway to Heaven Examining Metaphor in Popular Music
Contains plans for two lessons that ask students to make connections between literary texts and popular culture texts like song lyrics. After checking popular culture texts for literary elements, these elements are then examined in...
Other
Usps: Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song
Celebrate Black Heritage Month by studying this extraordinary vocalist who transcended a troubled childhood to become an American treasure. Create a musical timeline of the noteworthy events in Ella's life. Explore her sensational lyrics...
Other
How Anyone Can Write Better Lyrics
If you like to write lyrics or poems then you will want to look at this site. It gives good advice on how to improve your writing and suggests other resources you may want to invest in.
University of Toronto (Canada)
University of Toronto: My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night
This website provides lyrics and general information for the song "My Old Kentucky Home," written by Stephen Foster. Includes in-text notes about specific parts of the lyrics.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Ain't That America
Students think that classic literature and historic events have little in common with life today, right? Think again! In this lesson, students get a chance to compare themes from classic novels or from American history to those found in...
Library of Congress
Loc: Lyrical Legacy: 400 Years of American Song and Poetry
Explore eighteen American songs and poems each represented by an original primary source document, along with historical background information and, in many cases, sound recordings and alternate versions.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: An I Pod Inspired Writing Lesson: The Dust Bowl Blues
The 1930's Dust Bowl era was about the grueling times of people suffering in the drought-stricken region of the Oklahoma pan handle. This activity will help students to gain an understanding of the plights of the people. Using Woody...
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: The Mc Ardle Notebooks: Dawn at the Alamo
Henry Arthur McArdle's "Dawn at the Alamo" notebook is "packed with letters, notes, and photographs," which McArdle used when researching for his well-known painting recording this important moment in Texas history. Browse the pages to...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Grammar Basics: Metaphors
Learn about similes and metaphors through this multimedia presentation. First view a slide show describing different types of metaphors as well as a simile. Then watch a video [3:13] showing similes and metaphors used in popular songs. A...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 43: Screening Coleridge's Fantasies
Students are often hesitant to speak out with their own explications of literature, but usually have no qualms when asked to offer interpretations of popular musical lyrics. In fact, they seem quite eager to defend a lyrical explanation...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Your Glorious Gene Pool
Students read the books like I Am the Dog. I Am the Cat by Donald Hall and Joyful Noise by Paul Fleischman and read the lyrics while listening to the song "Shallow End of the Gene Pool" by the Austin Lounge Lizards. Then students learn...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Right Brained Lesson: Serendipitous Love Metaphors
Based on its title, student writers predict what Benatar's song means when it says that "Love Is a Battlefield." After discussing Benatar's extended metaphor as a class, learners will create an original extended metaphor about love in...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: c.s.i.: The Cory Crime Scene
The character talked about in E. A. Robinson's poem, Richard Cory, is about a man with everything, a man that everyone wants to be like, a man who ends his own life without explanation. Singers Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, intrigued by...