LESSON UNIT: Songs to discuss problems teenagers face nowadays

Level group: …Intermediate…………

LESSON N°1: INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC

• Warmer (5 to 7 minutes):

T will ask students the following questions:

- What types of music do you know?

- What types of music do you like?

- Who is your favourite singer?

- What do you like about songs? The rhythm? The lyrics?

• Web (25 minutes)

T will show students a poster with the following phrase:

“You are beautiful no matter what they say, words can't bring you down. You are beautiful in every single way, words can't bring you down. Don't you bring me down today...”

T will ask students if they know where this phrase comes from. If they don’t, T will explain it is part of the song “Beautiful”, written by Christina Aguilera. She will also ask them if they can explain what that phrase means and what the message is.

After that, she will tell them that most of the songs have a certain message. T will write the following topics on the bb for students to see if they can connect them with the lyrics of the song:

Eating disorders – Dating - body image –Diseases – Relationship with parents

Ss will reflect on the problems teenagers may face nowadays.

Activity n°1

Ss will go click on the following link: Muvids (n.d). Video Welcome to my life – Simple Plan. In MuVids. Retrieved August 30th, 2011 from http://www.muvids.com/91_video_simple_plan_welcome_to_my_life and listen to the song “Welcome to my life” written by Simple Plan. They will watch the video and read the lyrics.

• What next (10 minutes)

Students will think about the songs they always listen and try to find which the message is. They will discuss if those messages are connected to the problems teenagers may face nowadays.

LESSON N°2: WEBQUEST

• Warmer ( 5 minutes)

T will ask students to go to this link in order to activate the things they had talked about in the previous lesson.

The Teenager’s guide to the Real World (n.d). Teenage Problems. In bygpub. Retrieved August 30th, 2011 from

http://www.bygpub.com/books/tg2rw/problems.htm.

Ss will discuss briefly the different problems described in the web page.

• Web ( 30 minutes)

Ss will work on the WebQuest.

Title: “Using songs to discuss teenage problems”

Introduction: We will focus on the area of Teenage Problems. The title of the WebQuest is “Using songs to discuss teenage problems” because our purpose is to help Ss learn about teenage problems through songs.

Task: You are going to work in groups; each group has four members, including you. That means that you will be working with another three students to finish this WebQuest.

You will have to surf the Internet so that you can find the information as regards teenage problems.

You are required to answer some questions so you get to know more about the topic.

Process: Follow each link and find out more about the messages in the songs.

Part A:

1) Which teenage problem is the song “Big girl (You are Beautiful)” by Mika describing?

2) What is Bulimia Nervosa and Anorexia Nervosa?

3) What are their causes and symptoms?

Links: Slack-time (n.d). Video Big Girl You are Beautiful. Slack-time. Retrieved August 30th, 2011 from

http://www.slack-time.com/music-video-2648-Mika-Big-Girls-You-Are-Beautiful

Anorexia Nervosa - signs, symptoms, causes, and treatment (2001). Mental and Emotional Health. Retrieved

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/anorexia_signs_symptoms_causes_treatment.htm

Abigail H. Natenshon (2000). Bulimia Nervosa – symptoms, causes and recovery. Articles Empowered Parents.

Retrieved August 30th, 2011 from http://www.empoweredparents.com/1eatingdisorders/bulimia.htm.

Part B:

1) Which teenage problem is the song “Papa, don’t preach” by Madonna describing?

2) What is Teenage Pregnancy?

3) Which courses of action can a teenage take after discovering pregnancy?

Links: Batlyrics (n.d). Madonna Papa Don’t Preach Lyrics. Batlyrics. Retrieved August 30th, 2011 from http://batlyrics.com/papa_don't_preach-lyrics-madonna.html

WHQW, (2009). Teenage Pregnancy. Women’s health. Retrieved August 30th, 2011 from

http://www.womhealth.org.au/studentfactsheets/teenagepregnancy.htm

CHY (n.d.). Pregnancy Options. Women and children Health’s network. Retrieved August 30th, 2011 from

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=240&np=299&id=2136#2

Evaluation

Ss will keep track of all of their findings. Then they will open a word processing document and copy the answers for each question. They will save the document and the teacher will correct it later.

T will tell students she will concentrate on grammar, lexis and content.

• What next (10 minutes)

Ss will write about their experiences. They will write at least 100 words. If Ss do not finish, they will write it at home and hand it in next class.

T will tell Ss she will concentrate on content rather than on grammar.

LESSON N°3

Warmer (5 minutes)

Each group (that work together the previous classes) will have to deliver a five minute presentation on the songs and their messages.

Web (30 minutes)

T will ask Students to watch the video of REM’ song, ‘everybody hurts’ read the lyrics of the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pudOFG5X6uA&feature=related

http://www.lyrics007.com/R.E.M.%20Lyrics/Everybody%20Hurts%20Lyrics.html

After listening to the song and watching the video students will have to work in groups of four and discuss possible interpretations of the songs. Students will have ten minutes to do this. A final discussion will take place to conclude the themes of the song.

Ss will have to follow these guided questions.

A- What do you think the song is about?

B- Does the video tell a story?

C- What does these two phrases mean?

• To hang on

• To hold on

D- How can you relate them with the song to explain the message of it?