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FREE ESL Songs For Teaching English
Music can be a great way to connect with your students. even students who aren’t fluent in english often know the words of popular songs phonetically, which makes these songs ideal resources for teaching your students certain forms of grammar , as well as vocabulary . many students are happy to work with the unusual phrasing of song lyrics, because they’re learning new meanings for a piece of music that already has meaning in their lives. you might never have noticed it before, but many songs’ lyrics involve just one single tense - which means that as soon as you find a song that contains the tense you want to teach, you’ve got the makings of an exercise that your students will love. they’ll get to brag to their non-english-speaking friends that they know exactly what the song’s lyrics say, so they’ll be extra-motivated to stick with you throughout the activity to make sure they learn those meanings correctly. but where should you start your search for the right song right here on busyteacher.org, of course our 1,788 song worksheets provide you with a wealth of resources for teaching tenses , sentence structure , vocabulary, and all kinds of other aspects of english - all with songs that your students already know and love. we’ve even taken the time to organize our library of song worksheets by verb tense, or by the type of activity that each worksheet helps you organize. while some of our 1,788 worksheets simply focus on a certain feature of grammar that’s used a lot in a given song, others encourage more advanced students to really listen for the song’s meaning, and speak or write about their own interpretations of its lyrics. some of our worksheets focus on idioms used in certain songs, or on the phonetics and pronunciation different singers use. whether you want to teach the past simple tense with “call me maybe” or practice vocabulary with coldplay, busyteacher.org’s library has a worksheet for you. not only are these worksheets built around internationally popular songs that’ll be familiar to your students - they’re also designed by real esl teachers around the world, who’ve had success using them in their classrooms. this means that whenever you download a worksheet from busyteacher.org, you can be sure that it’s already been tested and proven useful by a teacher just like you. in fact, our whole community depends on worksheet contributions from teachers like you - so if you’ve got a worksheet that you think others would like, click the “submit a worksheet” button at the bottom of this page, and send it our way. it might show up in an esl classroom halfway around the world all of our 1,788 song worksheets are completely free to download, print, use, and share - so grab any that look like they might be handy. our helpful “quick view” feature lets you get a glimpse of each worksheet as a small thumbnail, so you can save time by only clicking those that look like what you need. so take a look at the worksheets on this page, print off any that catch your eye, and see how they play in your classroom. each one ought to be a hit read more... ...less.
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A collection of song lyrics to teach English vocabulary and grammar in the ESL classroom
Welcome to eslsongs.
ESLSongs.com is a collection of nearly 150 well-known, hand-picked, pop, rock & folk songs whose lyrics are perfect for presenting or for practising specific grammar or vocabulary in the ESL classroom with teenagers and adults. Most of the songs also come with an easy-to-use worksheet that you can download in pdf format!
The lyrics of every single song on this website contain at least 5 different examples of the grammar or vocabulary that it is designed to practice, which guarantees a pragmatic and efficient use of the song in your classroom.
To get started, click on the grammar or vocabulary you want to practise from the menu, or have a look at the site’s most popular song lyrics below…
A song for International Women’s Day!
All-time top 10 most popular songs for the ESL classroom
Pop Song Lyric Worksheets
Pop songs with child-friendly lyrics/themes can be hard to find. All the worksheets below are for pop songs with clean lyrics that students of all ages love to sing. Listening to pop songs can be a great way to improve students’ listening skills. All the song worksheets on this page are ‘gap fill’ exercises. Play the song in class and ask students to listen carefully and fill in the blank spaces. TIP: When showing the pop songs in class, search for ‘Lyric videos’ on YouTube as some music videos may be inappropriate for the classroom.
You may also be interested in: 10 Pop Songs That Students Love To Sing 5 Songs To Sing At Your School Talent Show
10 Pop Song Lyric Worksheets
Click on the song title to below to download the lyric worksheet.
- ‘Shotgun’ by George Ezra
- ‘The Show’ by Lenka
- ‘The Best Day of My Life’ by American Authors
- ‘Call Me Maybe’ by Carly Rae
- ‘Drag Me Down’ By One Direction
- ‘Beautiful’ by One Direction
- ‘Everything at Once’ by Lenka
- ‘Outdoors’ by Jason Mraz
- ‘Something Just Like This’ By Coldplay and the Chainsmokers
- ‘Rewrite the Stars’ by Zac Efron and Zendaya
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The Lyric Writer's Workroom
Songwriting tips, techniques, and ideas
- Start a New Lyric Right Now With These Writing Prompts for Songwriters
On this page you’ll find songwriting prompts – especially lyric writing prompts, since that’s the main topic here at The Lyric Writer’s Workroom .
You don’t need to wait for inspiration to strike. You can just write. Not sure what to write? Just choose a prompt and get started. Trust the writing process. Write something —anything—and you greatly increase your chances of stumbling into a great lyric idea.
Alright, we’ve procrastinated long enough. Go for it: Pick one of the lyric writing prompts below and get busy. Hopefully these prompts give you the kick-start you need to start a new song… because nothing feels better than writing a new song .
Update January 13, 2020 : Improvements to this page (and all of the songwriting prompts offered here) are underway!
Core Lyric & Song Writing Prompts
Free Writing
⏱ 5 minutes
This is a fast-paced writing exercise that allows you to start writing instantly, whether you’ve got writer’s block or not.
Image-Only Free Writing
⏱ 5 minutes
Pen compelling descriptions that will stimulate your listener’s senses and draw her deep into the world of your lyric.
Music + Free Writing
⏱ 30 + minutes.
Use imagery and music together to immerse yourself in the perfect mood for songwriting. We’ll stretch out a bit more in this songwriting prompt and give ourselves time to explore.
More Songwriting Prompts and Ideas
11 Places to Find Fresh Song Ideas When You Haven’t Got a Clue — Want to ensure a steady, sustainable stream of new lyric ideas? Go to the source with these 11 tips.
How to Write Lyrics for an Instrumental Track —Got a piece of music that you need to write lyrics for? No problem.
Lyric Writing Exercises: a 5-Day Workshop — Guest post by Maria Rainier. Much to my consternation, Maria’s prompts have been far more popular than any of my own. 😀 Great job, Maria.
Shake a Tail Feather: How to Use Body Language in a Lyric —As writers, we hear this advice often: “Show, don’t tell. Show, don’t tell. Show, don’t tell. ” But what about those times when we want to show what’s going on inside of a character’s head and let the audience know how that character is feeling?
The Hangman’s Book of Love Poetry —Write a song about a villain with redeeming qualities in this lyric writing prompt.
Want more songwriting tips? Click here to visit the Lyric Writer’s Workroom blog.
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SONGS AND ACTIVITIES FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
(ell, esl, and efl).
Grammar + Songs
Songs can be an effective way to introduce or reinforce a grammar topic. Click on the topics below for companion songs and activities.
Adjectives in the Song “True Colors” Adverb Clauses in the Song “Baby, I’m Yours” Adverbial Phrase “At All” Comparisons with Like Feel Like Gerunds as Objects of Prepositions Gerund or Infinitive after begin , start , continue , like , love , hate , can’t stand Get to Do Something Gotta: Informal Spoken English for Got To Infinitives as Adjectives I’ve Got It and I’ve Got ‘Em Must Have + Past Participle Noun Clauses Participial Phrases Reflexive Pronouns Should Have + Past Participle Third Person Singular: Mistakes in the Song “Memories” by Maroon 5 Used to + a Verb in the Simple Form Used to vs. Would Verbs of Perception Wanna : Informal Spoken English for Want To Wish + Simple Past: Making a Wish About the Present
Verb Tenses:
Future with Gonna : Questions Beginning with Who’s gonna … Future with Gonna : Talking About the Weather Future with Gonna : Talking About Plans Future with Will : Offering to Help Future with Will : Making Promises Future with Will: Contractions I’ll and It’ll Present Perfect: It’s Been vs. It Was Present Perfect Progressive Present Progressive Verbs in the Song “Tom’s Diner” Simple Past: Changing Verbs in the Simple Present to the Simple Past Simple Past Verbs in the Song “And We Sang La Da” Simple Past Verbs in the Song “Because You Loved Me” Simple Past Verbs in the Song “The Castle on the Hill” Simple Past Verbs in the Song “Lost Boy” Simple Past Verbs in the Song “This Town” Simple Past Verbs in the Song “Underdog” Verbs in the Simple Form in the Song “I Don’t Care” Verb Tense Review with the Song “Tucson Train”
- Adjectives in the Song “True Colors” Level: Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “True Colors” (Cyndi Lauper, 1986) Recommended Videos: the 2019 lyric video ; the live performance video ; the audio-only video ; Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick’s 2016 lyric video ; a brother-sister duet by Joshua and Erin Evans (My students thought the lyrics in the 2016 Timberlake/Kendrick video were easier to understand than the Lauper version.)
The lyrics gap-fill exercise below targets the 10 adjectives in the song. Lyrics are intended for nonprofit educational purposes only. More teaching ideas are in the Lesson Plan .
true colors, lyrics gap-fill.docx true colors, lyrics gap-fill.pdf
- Adverb Clauses in the Song “Baby, I’m Yours” Level: High Intermediate and Advanced Pair with the Song: “Baby, I’m Yours” (Arctic Monkeys, 2006) Recommended Video: the official audio-only video
The lyrics gap-fill exercise below targets the many adverb clauses beginning with the word until in the song. Lyrics are intended for nonprofit educational purposes only.
Baby I’m Yours, gap-fill.docx Baby I’m Yours, gap-fill.pdf
- Adverbial Phrase At All Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “Both Sides Now” (Joni Mitchell, 1967) Recommended Videos: audio-only performance from the 2021 movie Coda ; Emilia Jones’ live performance at the 2022 British Academy of Film Awards ; audio-only 2021 remastered recording of Joni Mitchell; Joni Mitchell’s performance at the 2024 Grammys
The song “Both Sides Now” repeats the adverbial phrase “at all.” (“I really don’t know life at all.”) The expression “at all” is common in English, but somewhat difficult to define or explain; it is best clarified through examples. It is important to point out that the expression is used in negatives and in questions but not in affirmative statements: Correct: They don’t speak any French at all. Correct: Do they speak any French at all? Incorrect: They speak French at all. Permission is granted to reproduce the activity below for classroom use. For more activities to go with this song, please see the Lesson Plan .
at all, worksheet .pdf
- Comparisons with Like Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “When We Were Young” (Adele, 2015) Recommended Video: the live performance video
In the song “When We Were Young,” Adele uses the word like to make a comparison 14 times. ( It was just like a movie, It was just like a song , etc.) The interactive worksheet below offers practice with this construction. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan .
comparisons with like.docx comparisons with like.pdf
- Feel Like Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “In My Blood” (Shawn Mendes, 2018) Recommended Video: the official music video
The song repeats the phrase “sometimes I feel like giving up.” In the worksheet below, students practice using the expression “feel like” to mean “want to.” Permission is granted to reproduce the worksheet for classroom use. (One line in the song–“laying on the bathroom floor”–is grammatically incorrect; it should be, of course, be “lying on the bathroom floor.” However, laying is being used instead of lying more and more often in informal conversation.)
feel like.docx feel like.pdf
This song is autobiographical. Advanced learners can watch an interview in which Shawn Mendes talks about struggling with anxiety for the first time. View until about minute 2.
- Future with Gonna : Questions Beginning with Who’s gonna Level: Low Intermediate and Up Pair with the Song: “It Ain’t Me” (Selena Gomez, 2017) Recommended Videos: audio-only video ; video with lyrics
In informal speech, gonna is often used instead of going to in future-tense sentences. (It is important to tell students that gonna is not used in writing; it is the way going to is pronounced. It is also important to stress that gonna is substituted for going to in future-tense sentences only; they can’t say I’m gonna the park now . For these reasons, this apparently simple exercise may not be appropriate for lower levels.) The song “It Ain’t Me” repeats the phrase who’s gonna many times. Below are annotated lyrics for the song and an interactive activity in which students practice using gonna when forming questions beginning with Who’s gonna . Permission is granted to reproduce the worksheet for classroom use. Lyrics are intended for nonprofit educational purposes only. (Please note: This song is about a relationship ruined by alcoholism, so there are references to alcohol consumption; previewing the lyrics is advised.)
it ain’t me.docx it ain’t me.pdf
future with gonna.docx future with gonna.pdf
- Future with Gonna : Talking About the Weather Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “I Can See Clearly Now” (Johnny Nash, 1972; Jimmy Cliff, 1993) Recommended Video: the official video by Jimmy Cliff
In informal speech, gonna is often used instead of going to in future-tense sentences. (It is important to tell students that gonna is not used in writing; it is the way going to is pronounced. It is also important to stress that gonna is substituted for going to in future-tense sentences only; they can’t say I’m gonna the park now . For these reasons, this apparently simple exercise may not be appropriate for lower levels.) The song “I Can See Clearly Now” repeats the refrain It’s gonna be a bright sunshiny day many times. In the activity below, students practice using gonna when talking about the weather forecast. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.
gonna activity.docx gonna activity.pdf
- Future with Gonna : Talking About Plans Level: Low Intermediate and Up Pair with the Songs: “I’m Gonna Love You” (Meghan Trainor, 2015) or “When I’m Gone” (Anna Kendrick, 2012) Recommended Videos: the official video for “I’m Gonna Love You” (It is suitable for most classrooms. It does, however, show romantic kisses, so previewing is advised.); the official video for “When I’m Gone” (This is the famous “cups” video. A reference to whiskey in the lyrics may make this song inappropriate for some classes; otherwise, both the song and video are classroom-friendly.)
In informal speech, gonna is often used instead of going to in future-tense sentences. (It is important to tell students that gonna is not used in writing; it is the way going to is pronounced. It is also important to stress that gonna is substituted for going to in future-tense sentences only; they can’t say I’m gonna the park now . For these reasons, this apparently simple exercise may not be appropriate for lower levels.) The song “I’m Gonna Love You” repeats the phrase I’m gonna 21 times; the song “When I’m Gone” repeats the phrase you’re gonna 20 times. The Moving Line activity below gives students multiple opportunities to practice this construction. First, ask several students, “What are you gonna do after class?” (or this evening , this weekend , tomorrow , etc.) to model the exercise and make sure students understand how gonna is used. Then follow the steps below. This low-prep activity facilitates a lot of interaction in a short amount of time and gets students up and out of their seats. It is highly recommended.
3. Students exchange the same information with their new partners. (Having students recite the same lines with each partner, like actors in a play, keeps the activity–literally–moving along. The activity doesn’t get boring because students hear new information from each partner.) Then they shift positions again.
4. The students in the moving line continue to interact with new partners and then move on. The activity concludes when the students in the moving line are back in their original positions.
Variation: The Moving Circle. Students form two concentric circles. The inside circle faces out, and the outside circle faces in. After each exchange, the outside circle shifts position; the inside circle remains stationary.
- Future with Will : Offering to Help Level: Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “One Call Away” (Charlie Puth, 2016) Recommended Video: the official video
The future-tense construction I’ll + a verb in the simple form is used when offering to help (usually spontaneously) and making promises. In the song “One Call Away,” this construction is used in the line I’ll be there to save the day (repeated four times), which is both an offer to help and a promise. The interactive worksheet below focuses on making offers to help. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan .
will, offering to help.docx will, offering to help.pdf
- Future with Will : Making Promises Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Songs: “I Will Remember You” (Sarah McLachlan, 1999); “One Call Away” (Charlie Puth, 2016); “Can’t Buy Me Love” (Beatles, 1965); “I Will Always Love You” (Whitney Houston, 1992) Recommended Videos: the official video for “I Will Remember You” (This video ends with a romantic kiss and may not be suitable for your class; previewing is advised.); the official video for “One Call Away”; the live performance video for “Can’t Buy Me Love”; the official video for “I Will Always Love You,” with scenes from the movie The Bodyguard (This video ends with a romantic kiss and may not be suitable for your class; previewing is advised.)
The future-tense construction I’ll + a verb in the simple form is used when making promises. The songs “I Will Remember You” and “I Will Always Love You” repeat the title phrase, which is a promise, many times, and the song “One Call Away” repeats the promise I’ll be there to save the day four times. Part 1 of the interactive worksheet below gives students practice making promises. Part 2 is slightly more challenging; it asks students to evaluate promises (all beginning with I will) that people make when they get married. It prompted a lot of interaction and laughter in my class of adults in their 20s and 30s. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities, please see the Lesson Plan for “I Will Remember You” or the Lesson Plan for “One Call Away.”
will, making promises.docx will, making promises.pdf
Another song that uses will + a verb in the simple form to make promises is The Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love” ( I’ll buy you a diamond ring , I’ll give you all I’ve got to give , etc.). The lyrics gap-fill exercise below focuses on this construction. Lyrics are intended for nonprofit educational purposes only.
can’t buy me love, cloze
- Future with Will : Contractions I’ll and It’ll Level: Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “Meant to Be” (Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, 2018) Recommended Videos: the official lyric video (previewing advised); the official audio-only video ; the official acoustic video (Bebe Rexha sings solo and is accompanied by only a guitar.)
In the song “Meant to Be,” a man asks a woman to ride with him in his car—to relax and put her feet up on the “dash” (the dashboard). She is reluctant because she wants to know where they’re going—that is, where their relationship is going. In the end, they both decide to take the ride, singing “If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”
The song repeats the contraction it’ll many times. The worksheet below targets the contractions I’ll and it’ll . Students use the two contractions when writing about their dream vacation. For levels beginning and up. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.
dream vacation.docx dream vacation.pdf
- Gerund or Infinitive after begin , start , continue , like , love , hate , can’t stand Level: Intermediate and Up Pair with the Song: “7 Years” (Lukas Graham, 2015) Recommended Video: the official lyric video
In the song “7 Years,” the songwriter sings, “I started writing songs. I started writing stories.” The verb start belongs to a group of verbs that can be followed with either a gerund ( I started writing songs) or an infinitive ( I started to write songs ). The interactive worksheet below gives students practice using this group of verbs. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan .
infinitive or gerund. docx infinitive or gerund. pdf
- Gerunds as Objects of Prepositions Level: Low Intermediate and Up Pair with the Songs: “Hello” (Adele, 2015); “Crazy” (Willie Nelson, 1961) Recommended Videos: Adele’s official video for “Hello”; Willie Nelson’s audio-only video for “Crazy”; Patsy Cline’s audio-only video for “Crazy”; the informal performance of “Crazy” by Allison Young and Josh Turner (My students all liked the informal performance of “Crazy” best.)
The English language seems uniquely fond of gerunds, using the -ing form of a verb as a noun where other languages might use an infinitive or an entirely different construction. (Consider the English sentence Thank you for helping me and the Spanish sentence Gracias por ayudarme .) In the song “Hello,” Adele repeats the line I’m sorry for breaking your heart three times–a perfect example of using a gerund ( breaking ) as the object of a preposition ( for ). The song “Crazy” has many gerunds following the preposition for . The worksheet below gives students practice using gerunds after prepositions. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.
preposition + gerund.docx preposition + gerund.pdf
For more activities to pair with the song “Hello,” please see the Lesson Plan . The lyrics gap-fill exercise below is for the song “Crazy.” Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only.
Crazy, gerunds.docx Crazy, gerunds.pdf
- Get to Do Something Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “This Town” (Niall Horan, 2016) Recommended Video: the official lyric video
The song repeats the phrase “the words I never got to say” twice — a perfect example of using got to meaning had the opportunity to . The interactive activity below gives students practice using get to + a verb in the simple form in conversations about visiting places that have famous landmarks they hope to get to see. All the tasks in the activity lead up to Task #4, in which students offer information about their home countries and famous landmarks there. On the day I field-tested this activity, all of my students were from Mexico, but from different parts of Mexico, and they were eager to describe famous landmarks in their particular region–a museum, pyramids, etc.–and to use those places and landmarks in the dialog. This activity is highly recommended. Permission is granted to reproduce worksheet for classroom use.
get-to-worksheet.docx get-to-worksheet.pdf
- Gotta: Informal Spoken English for Got To Level: Low Intermediate and Up Pair with the Songs: “You Gotta Be” (Des’ree, 1994) Recommended Video: the official video for “You Gotta Be”
In informal speech, got to is often pronounced gotta. (It is important to tell students that gotta is not used in writing.) Also, the ‘ve is often dropped in I’ve, you’ve, they’ve, and we’ve, as in the song “You Gotta Be.” The interactive exercise below appears to be simple, but there are layers of understanding behind it: Students need to know that I’ve got to means I have to or I need to , and then understand that gotta is substituted for ‘ve got to only in informal spoken English. For this reason, the activity may not be appropriate for lower levels. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.
gotta.docx gotta.pdf
- Infinitives as Adjectives Level: Intermediate and Up Pair with the Songs: “Someone You Loved” (Louis Capaldi, 2019); “Easy On Me” (Adele, 2021) Recommended Videos: for “Someone You Loved”: the official video or the audio-only video ; for “Easy On Me”: the official video or the audio-only video
The chorus of the song “Easy On Me” includes these lyrics: “the chance to feel the world around me” and “no time to choose.” The song “Someone You Loved” also has repeated examples of infinitives and infinitive phrases used as adjectives ( somebody to know , somebody to heal , no one to save me , etc.). In the annotated lyrics for “Someone You Loved” below, that construction is highlighted. (Previewing the lyrics is recommended; some content may not be appropriate for your class.) The worksheet below gives students practice using the construction and would work with either song. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only. Permission is granted to reproduce the worksheet for classroom use.
someone you loved, lyrics.docx someone you loved, lyrics.pdf
infinitives as adjectives.docx infinitives as adjectives.pdf
- I’ve Got It and I’ve Got ‘Em Level: Low Intermediate and Up Pair with the Song: “Can’t Stop the Feeling” (Justin Timberlake, 2016); “My Girl” (The Temptations, 1965) Recommended Video: the official video for “ Can’t Stop the Feeling”; the audio-only video for “My Girl”
The song “My Girl” repeats the phrase I’ve got seven times. The song “Can’t Stop the Feeling” repeats the phrase I got many times. (In informal spoken English, people sometimes drop the ‘ve in I’ve got –they say I got .) In the interactive worksheets below, students practice saying I’ve got it and I’ve got ’em when going over a list of what they’ll take to a picnic, when traveling to Wisconsin, or when traveling to Hawaii. (These worksheets are 3 versions of the same activity–going over a checklist. I use the worksheet that’s most appropriate for the season and students I’m working with.) Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. Accompany the worksheet with this activity: Distribute common items (a comb, a pen, a magazine, etc.) to students, one item to each student. Ask students, “Who has the _________?” (For example, Who has the comb?) The student who has the item answers, “I’ve got it” and gives it back. For more activities to pair with “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” please see the Lesson Plan .
picnic.docx picnic.pdf
packing-list-Wisconsin.docx packing-list-Wisconsin.pdf
packing-list-Hawaii.docx packing-list-Hawaii.pdf
- Must have + past participle Level: High Intermediate and Advanced Pair with the Song: “No Excuses” (Meghan Trainor, 2018) Recommended Video: informal performance with three singers and guitarist
The singer says this song is about respect: “I don’t disrespect you—don’t you disrespect me,” she sings. The line “You must have confused me with someone else” is repeated many times. The worksheet below targets the construction “ must have + past participle” to describe past actions that almost certainly happened. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. Before students listen, you might say, “Read the first verse of the song. The grammar is not correct because the singer leaves out a word. What is the missing word?” (It’s “are.”)
What _____ you sippin’ on that got you talking crazy? Lookin’ at me sideways, always coming at me Why _____ you, why _____ you acting hard when you _____ just a baby? Boy, I keep it real with you, but you _____ trying to play me
must have.docx must have.pdf
- Noun Clauses Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Songs: “As Long As You Love Me” (Backstreet Boys, 1997) and “Wonderful World” (Sam Cooke, 1960) Recommended Videos : live 2016 performance of “As Long As You Love Me”; the official lyric video for “Wonderful World”
The topic of noun clauses is usually not addressed until the intermediate or advanced level. Yet the reality is that lower-level students encounter noun clauses regularly in everyday speech, in sentences such as Do you know what time it is? These grammar-based Lesson Plans for the songs “ As Long As You Love Me ” and “ Wonderful World ” give students practice using noun clauses without making it necessary to go into lengthy explanations or even using the words noun clause . (Click on the links to the lesson plans for reproducible worksheets.)
- Participial Phrases Level: Low Intermediate and Up Pair with the Songs: “Don’t Stop Believin'” (Journey, 1981), “She’s Leaving Home” (Beatles, 1967), or “True Colors” (Cyndi Lauper, 1986) Recommended Videos: Journey’s live 2016 performance of “Don’t Stop Believin’ in Manila; the Beatles’ live 2008 performance of “She’s Leaving Home” in Moscow; Lauper’s 2019 lyric video or Timberlake’s 2016 lyric video of “True Colors”
There are worksheets on participial phrases in the Lesson Plan for “Don’t Stop Believin’,” the Lesson Plan for “She’s Leaving Home,” and the Lesson Plan for “True Colors .”
- Present Perfect: It’s Been vs. It Was Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with these Songs: “See You Again” (Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa, 2015); “Here Comes the Sun” (George Harrison); “A Change Is Gonna Come” (Sam Cooke, 1963) Recommended Videos: the official video for “See You Again”; the audio-only video or the official video for “Here Comes the Sun”; the 2016 official lyric video for “A Change Is Gonna Come”
The song “See You Again” repeats the sentence It’s been a long day without you, my friend , “Here Comes the Sun” repeats the phrase it’s been a long, cold lonely winter , and “A Change Is Gonna Come” repeats the sentence it’s been a long time comin’ . Point out the use of the present perfect tense ( it’s been ) to describe a situation that began in the past and continues into the present, contrasting it with the use of the simple past ( it was ) . Because the worksheet below focuses on just the expressions it’s been vs. it was , it can be used for levels as low as high beginning. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. More activities to go with “ See You Again ,” “ A Change Is Gonna Come ,” and “ Here Comes the Sun ” are in their Lesson Plans.
it was vs. it’s been.docx it was vs. it’s been.pdf
- Present Perfect Progressive Tense (also called present perfect continuous) Level: Advanced Pair with the Song: “Counting Stars” (OneRepublic, 2013) Recommended Video: the live performance video
In the worksheet below, the speakers use the present perfect progressive tense in an everyday conversation at a bus stop to talk about activities that began in the past and continue into the present and to emphasize their duration (using words like for , since , lately , etc.).
pres perfect prog.docx pres perfect prog.pdf
- Present Progressive Tense (also called present continuous) Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “Tom’s Diner” (Suzanne Vega, 1987) Recommended Videos: Vega’s 1987 a cappella audio-only video ; Vega’s 1990 audio-only video ; the 2015 cover featuring Britney Spears (The Spears music video does not have all the the present-progressive verbs of the Vega version, and it has an added verse. It works best as the “grand finale” of the lesson.)
The song “Tom’s Diner” is loaded with verbs in the present progressive tense, and the lyrics are easy to understand. If you’re looking for a song to supplement a lesson on this tense, “Tom’s Diner” is a great choice. The grammar-based Lesson Plan includes a worksheet, a chant, and a suggestion for a writing exercise.
- Reflexive Pronouns Level: Low Intermediate and Up Pair with the Song: “Love Yourself” (Justin Bieber, 2015) Recommended Video : the official video (Previewing is advised.)
The song “Love Yourself” repeats the reflexive pronoun yourself eight times. The worksheet below gives students practice using reflexive pronouns. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan .
reflexive pronouns.docx reflexive pronouns.pdf
- Should Have + Past Participle Level: Intermediate and Up Pair with the Song: “Always on My Mind” (performer: Willie Nelson) Recommended Video: the live performance video
The phrase “should have” + past participle is used to express regret for past mistakes. Perhaps no song expresses that sentiment better than “Always on My Mind,” which repeats the phrase several times. The interactive worksheet below gives students practice using the construction.
should have worksheet.docx should have worksheet.pdf
- Simple Past: Changing Verbs from Simple Present to Simple Past Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “I Will Remember You” (Sarah McLachlan, 1999) Recommended Video: the official video (The video ends with a romantic kiss; previewing is advised.)
The song “I Will Remember You” invites lessons on both the the simple future and the simple past tenses. (For an exercise using this song to teach the simple future, please see Future with Will: Making Promises.) The worksheet below, “Remembering You,” focuses on the simple past. First, students describe themselves in present-tense sentences. Then their partners change those sentences into the past tense, forming descriptions descendants might use to describe their great-grandparents. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan .
remembering you.docx remembering you.pdf
- Simple Past Verbs in the Song “And We Sang La Da” Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “And We Sang La Da” (Cynthia Chitko, 1996) Recommended Video: the official audio-only video
This song’s clear, straightforward lyrics and slow tempo make it ideal for language learning. But the big bonus is that the song tells a story using 16 verbs in the simple past tense—6 regular and 10 irregular. (The irregular past-tense verbs are: were , couldn’t , caught , drove , fell , heard , said , saw , sang , and stood .) Below is a chart of the verb forms followed by a lyrics cloze exercise targeting the verbs. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only.
And We Sang La Da, cloze.docx And We Sang La Da, cloze.pdf
You could follow up by handing out paper and markers and asking 12 student volunteers to illustrate these lines in the song:
- I drove up to your house.
- I saw the lights were on,
- And so I parked my car
- And walked up to your door.
- As I stood outside,
- I heard your voice.
- And we sang La Da.
- You looked out your window, your face full of surprise.
- You opened the door
- And pulled me in.
- As I caught the look within your eyes, you caught the look in mine,
- And we fell into a dance across the floor.
As you play the song, the student artists come forward when they hear the line they illustrated. Holding their drawings in front of them, they line up in the correct order.
- Simple Past Verbs in the Song “Because You Loved Me” Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “Because You Loved Me” (Celine Dion, 1996) Recommended Video: the live 2011 live performance video
If you’re looking for a song with lots of verbs in the simple past, it doesn’t get much better than this one. It has 19 past-tense verbs, 5 regular and 14 irregular. (The irregular verbs are: was , were , brought , could , found , gave , had , held , let , lost , made , said , saw , and stood .) Below is a chart of the verb forms and a lyrics gap-fill exercise targeting the verbs. The verbs are repeated throughout the song, so students will write the past-tense forms a total of 66 times. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only.
because-you-loved-me-gap-fill .docx because-you-loved-me-gap-fill .pdf
- Simple Past Verbs in the Song “The Castle on the Hill” Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “The Castle on the Hill” (Ed Sheerhan, 2017)
- Recommended Video: the official lyric video (There are references to alcohol and smoking in this song; previewing is advised.)
This song has 13 verbs in the simple past tense, 5 regular and 8 irregular ( was , broke , found , got , had , left , lost , and made ). Below is a chart of the verb forms and a lyrics cloze exercise targeting the verbs. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan .
castle-gap-fill-past.docx castle-gap-fill-past.pdf
- Simple Past Verbs in the Song “Lost Boy” Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “Lost Boy” (Ruth B., 2016) Recommended Video: the official video
This song has 14 verbs in the simple past tense–7 regular and 7 irregular. (Irregular past-tense verbs are: was , came , had , hit , said , saw , told .) Below is a chart of those verb forms followed by a lyrics cloze exercise targeting the verbs. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan .
Lost Boy, gap-fill.docx Lost Boy, gap-fill.pdf
- Simple Past Verbs in the Song “This Town” Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “This Town” (Niall Horan, 2016) Recommended Video: the official lyric video
This song has 6 verbs in the simple past tense–1 regular and 5 irregular. (Irregular past-tense verbs are: were, got, met, saw, and thought .) Below is a chart of the verb forms followed by a lyrics cloze exercise targeting the verbs. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only. This song can also be used as a springboard to practice the construction “to get to do something.” (It repeats the phrase the words I never got to say twice.) An interactive worksheet is on this page under “Get to Do Something.”
this-town-gap-fill.docx this-town-gap-fill.pdf
- Simple Past Verbs in the Song “Underdog” Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song: “Underdog” (Alicia Keys, 2020) Recommended Video: the official lyric video (This video is in English, but it is subtitled in many other languages as well. Search “Alicia Keys Underdog lyric video” + the language you’re looking for.)
The gap-fill exercise below targets the past-tense forms in the song. (Most are in the first verse.) Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only. You’ll find more ideas for using this song in the Lesson Plan .
Underdog, simple past.docx Underdog, simple past.pdf
- Third Person Singular: Mistakes in the Song “Memories” by Maroon 5 Level: High Beginning and Up Pair with the Song : “Memories” (Maroon 5, 2019) Recommended Videos: the official audio-only video ; the official video
Based on the melody of Pachelbel’s Canon in D, this song was written in memory of the band’s manager and close friend, who died in 2017. The song has a few grammatical mistakes (mainly dropping the final s in third person singular) that can be exploited for a grammar lesson. In the worksheet below, students find the mistakes and correct them. The song also works well as a springboard for a discussion about people that were important parts of our lives. Some ideas for structuring the discussion are in the Lesson Plan for the song. Note: The lyrics mention “drinks,” but not specifically alcoholic drinks. Teachers who avoid songs that refer to alcoholic beverages may find this reference vague enough to be acceptable, but only individual teachers can make this judgment.
memories, lyrics with mistakes.docx memories, lyrics with mistakes.pdf
The song “Somebody That I Used to Know” repeats the title phrase nine times, and Swift’s song repeats the phrase “used to” three times in the first verse. You could follow up with a Draw-Write-Share Activity. (Please see Activity 3: Class Discussion on a Song’s Theme for more on the Draw-Write-Share concept.) Ask students to draw a picture of what they used to do or how they used to be. Under their drawing, they complete the sentence “I used to _____________________, but now I _____________________.” Then they share their drawing and their writing with a partner. Or students could practice “used to” with the worksheet below.
- Used to vs. Would Level: Intermediate and Up Pair with the Song : “Another Day of Sun” (from the movie La La Land , 2016) Recommended Videos: the audio-only video or the movie clip from the movie La La Land. Please see the Lesson Plan for links to more videos–there are many excellent performances from all over the world.
In this song, the singer imagines that she becomes a famous Hollywood actress and that her boyfriend from her hometown will see her face in a movie and “think of how he used to know me.” Earlier in the song, she says that on summer nights, she and her boyfriend would go to a movie theater and “We’d sink into our seats.” Explain that we’d is a contraction for we would . Would is used to describe actions done repeatedly and regularly in the past. What is the difference between used to and would ? Used to + the simple form of a verb is used to emphasize that the activity was done in the past but is not done anymore. Would + the simple form of a verb is used to emphasize that the action was done repeatedly and often. The straightforward exercise below gives students practice with used to and would . Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use.
used to vs. would.docx used to vs. would.pdf
You’ll find annotated lyrics and more activities in the Lesson Plan for this song.
- Verbs in the Simple Form in the Song “I Don’t Care” Level: Intermediate and Up Pair with the Song : “I Don’t Care” (Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, 2019) Recommended Videos: the official lyric video ; the audio-only video ; Sheeran’s audio-only video
I don’t care.docx I don’t care.pdf
- Verb Tense Review with the Song “Tucson Train” Level: Intermediate and Up Pair with the Song : “Tucson Train” (Bruce Springsteen, 2019) Recommended Video: the official video
The gap-fill lyrics worksheet below targets these verb tenses in the song: simple present, present continuous, simple past, present perfect, and future with will .
Tucson Train, verb tenses.docx Tucson Train, verb tenses.pdf
- Wanna: Informal Spoken English for Want To Level: Low Intermediate and Up Pair with the Songs: “Something Just Like This” (The Chainsmokers and Coldplay, 2017); “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (The Beatles, 1963); “Brave” (Sara Bareilles, 2013) Recommended Videos: the official lyric video for “Something Like This”; the official video for “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (a TV performance); the Beatles’ audio-only video ; Himesh Patel’s performance from the 2019 movie Yesterday; the official video for “Brave”
These songs repeat the contraction wanna —a pronunciation of want to that is rarely included in grammar books or practiced in the classroom but is common in informal spoken English. The interactive exercise below gives students practice using the contraction in short dialogs with a friend. Permission is granted to reproduce the activity for classroom use. (This activity, though simple, is not recommended for beginning levels; students should be rock-solid in the use of want to before trying this pronunciation.) You’ll find more lesson plan ideas for the song “Something Like This” in the Lesson Plan .
wanna for want to.docx wanna for want to.pdf
- Wish + Simple Past: Making a Wish About the Present Level: Intermediate and Up Pair with the Songs: “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” (Nina Simone); “Stressed Out” (Twenty-One Pilots, 2016) Recommended Videos: the official video for “Stressed Out”; the audio-only video for “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free”
The construction wish + simple past is used to make a wish about the present; that is, to express the idea that we want a present situation to be different. (On the VOA website , there is a clear explanation of the uses of the verb wish .) The song “Stressed Out” repeats the construction ten times ( I wish I had a better voice , Wish we could turn back time , etc.), and Nina Simone’s “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” uses it nine times. The worksheet below gives students practice with this construction.
wish worksheet.docx wish worksheet.pdf
Follow up with the Memory Circle game. First, choose one of the sentences below and have students complete it in writing.
I wish I had _______________________________. I wish I could _______________________________. I wish I didn’t have to _______________________________.
Students form a circle and follow the steps below. (A circle should not contain more than 12 students, so they may need to form several circles.)
- Student 1 says the sentence he/she wrote. (For example, I wish I had more time to study .)
- Student 2 repeats what Student 1 said. (For example, Maria wishes she had more time to study .)
- Student 2 then adds his/her own sentence. (For example , I wish I had a new car .)
- Student 3 repeats what Students 1 and 2 said. (For example, Maria wishes she had more time to study . Yoshi wishes he had a new car. )
- Student 3 adds his/her own sentence.
- Students continue going around the circle, repeating what the other students said, in order, and then adding his/her own sentence.
- After the last student says all the sentences, ask students to give him/her a round of applause. (It’s not easy to be the last student!)
For more activities to pair with these songs, please see their Lesson Plans .
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Songs of Our Lives: Using Lyrics to Write Stories
- Resources & Preparation
- Instructional Plan
- Related Resources
Students learn about the life of John Lennon through his lyrics in a breathtaking book, John's Secret Dreams: The Life of John Lennon by Dorren Rappaport . After studying the life of Lennon, students write a short story from their lives following the style of Rappaport by weaving lyrics from some of their favorite songs throughout. Finally, students create a classroom book including each student's story from their life.
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From theory to practice.
Does nonprint media-television shows, films, and songs-belong in the classroom? Absolutely! Nonprint media reach students and make connections in different ways from print media. Further, nonprint media often focus on contemporary topics that are not yet included in classroom textbooks. Jerome Evans states, "Artifacts of pop culture serve as advanced organizers for students, who can then connect new material (prominent and persistent themes in American literature) to their own experiences with literature (song lyrics). Once they see that songwriters and performers develop themes in the music they enjoy, discovering those themes (and, of course, others) in literature new to them is simply not so difficult." As Evans discusses, the use of nonprint media aids students when they do need to read and respond to print media.
Further Reading
Common Core Standards
This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.
State Standards
This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.
NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts
- 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
- 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
- 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
- 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
- 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
- 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Materials and Technology
- John’s Secret Dreams: The Life of John Lennon by Dorren Rappaport (Hyperion, 2004)
- Book making/binding supplies (as well as heavy-weight paper/cardstock for book pages)
- Art supplies for book making
- Three Ways to Bind a Handmade Book
- Editing Checklist for Self- and Peer Editing
- Self-Reflection questions
- Essay Rubric
- Qualities of Good Storytelling
- Song Lyrics Notes
This site provides information on the author, Doreen Rappaport, as well as a learning guide for the book.
The official John Lennon website, courtesy of Yoko Ono, features the latest news, downloads, videos, and more.
This searchable, browsable free song lyrics archive allows the user to search for the lyrics to songs from a variety of artists, albums, and genres.
Preparation
- Locate a copy of John’s Secret Dreams: The Life of John Lennon (Hyperion, 2004) from your classroom collection, a bookstore, or your local library. Review the book and the uses of Lennon’s song lyrics throughout.
- Acquire the supplies necessary to make a classroom book. These may include heavy-weight paper, binding materials, and other art supplies needed for the front and back cover.
- Test the Graphic Map interactive and Book Cover Creator tools and familiarize yourself with the content and layout. Ensure that you have the proper Flash plug-ins installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page .
Student Objectives
Students will:
- discuss the book John’s Secret Dreams and the style in which the author chose to write the book, integrating song lyrics from Lennon’s life.
- research songs and song lyrics that help explain/tell a story from their lives.
- synthesize their learning through completion of a story related to song lyrics and the creation of a classroom book of stories.
Session One
- Show the cover and a few pages of the book John’s Secret Dreams: The Life of John Lennon to the class, and have a short brainstorming session on the board or chart paper about what students know about John Lennon. Allow students to share information that they know about The Beatles (and/or the time period), as well.
- Read John’s Secret Dreams aloud to the class, pausing throughout to point out the quotations and lyrics from Lennon that are embedded throughout the story. Allow students to point out interesting things about the illustrations, as well.
- Return to the board/chart paper to add additional things that students learned about Lennon through the story and his lyrics that they’d like to add to their information. Discuss why these particular points in Lennon’s life stood out in the book.
- Discuss with students why they think that the author chose to embed lyrics from Lennon’s songs throughout the book. (Make sure students understand that this makes the story more personal and helps readers understand Lennon’s life from his point of view, and also helps create a more broad understanding of this time in history.)
- Explain to students that they will be following the same format as the author of this book to write a personal story/essay about their lives and will be incorporating lyrics into the story. Students will then compile their stories to make a class book of the stories they wrote.
- Have students use the Graphic Map interactive (or print a hard copy if computer access is not available) to map out important events from their lives to help them think about certain stories or a time period to write about.
- Once students are thinking about a story they’d like to tell or event/time period they’d like to write about, ask students to think about song lyrics from music that they listen to (or from a previous time in their life) that remind them of a story or event they are interested in sharing. They will use this information for the next session’s activity.
Session Two
- Allow students a few minutes to brainstorm ideas (or remember ideas from the last session) for song lyrics that remind them of a certain time period or event from their lives.
- Ask students to decide on one interesting story (this can be sentimental, humorous, informational, sad, etc.) that describes an important event/time period in their lives. They will need to pick a story that can be told to others through writing, and that they can integrate song lyrics into.
- How was John’s Secret Dreams focused and organized?
- How did Rappaport use the song lyrics within the story as a structural element (to make transitions, etc.)?
- What aspects of Lennon’s life did the author choose to focus on? Why?
- Have students begin to write down ideas for the story/song lyrics that they’d like to integrate, much as Rappaport did in John’s Secret Dreams . These song lyrics will become a part of the personal essay/story itself.
- Allow students access to the library or computer lab to do research on song lyrics that they are interested in, if necessary. They will use the website Song Lyrics.com to help them with their research. Discuss with students that all lyrics included in their personal essay must be appropriate for school use (no cursing, vulgar language, sexual connotations, etc.).
- Students should use the Song Lyrics Notes worksheet to help them keep track of the lyrics they want to use, the name(s) of the performer(s), the writer, and the year that the song came out so that they can give the proper credit when they write their story.
- Before the end of the session, collect students' Song Lyrics Notes worksheet and review for completion and appropriateness. These will be returned at the beginning of the next session.
Session Three
- Share with students the Essay Rubric that will be used to assess their writing. Discuss the different elements that make up a quality story/essay and how to score high in each area. Allow student input on things they can do to get good scores on their writing.
- Students should spend this session taking their ideas that they brainstormed and the song lyrics that they found (using the Song Lyrics Notes worksheet ) to work on their stories, modeling their written work after the John Lennon story they read as a class. Remind them to refer to the Essay Rubric often to make sure they are on track with what their writing should look like.
- When students finish a rough draft of their personal essay, they may begin self-editing and peer-editing with a partner (either assigned by the teacher or chosen by the student). They may use the Editing Checklist for Self- and Peer Editing to assist them and a partner when they are ready to edit.
- Additionally, after peers have used the Editing Checklist for Self- and Peer Editing to focus on their grammar and mechanics, students should have their partner read their entire story for the “bigger idea.” While reading the essay of their partner, students should focus on the progression of the story, logical movement, holes in time, consistent point of view, etc.
- Collect student rough drafts at the end of the session to check that editing was completed and that all included information is appropriate for publication in the class book.
Session Four
- Return students’ rough drafts. After students have edited their own story and have had it edited by a peer using the Editing Checklist for Self- and Peer Editing (and checked by the teacher after the previous session), they may begin to write their final draft, for inclusion in the class book. Depending on the age of the students and computer availability, you may choose to have your students type their final draft.
- You may wish to provide students with cardstock/heavy-weight paper for this project to make the book a nice addition to the classroom library (to be used only after final revisions have been made). Students’ final stories/essays will be assessed by the teacher using the Essay Rubric that was previously discussed with the students.
- A student or student(s) may also work on designing the front and back cover for the classroom book. They may choose to use the same style as illustrator Bryan Collier in John’s Secret Dreams using collage and other mediums, or they may use the Book Cover Creator to make a book cover on the computer.
- After all of the students’ stories are collected and the front and back cover are created, refer to the printout Three Ways to Bind a Handmade Book to decide on the best way to finish your students’ book.
- Invite parents and other students and adults in the school to come into your classroom for a read aloud on a future date. What a wonderful way to share the stories that define your diverse classroom of learners!
- Students can create a soundtrack of their lives using the songs they quoted in their stories.
- Have students write a short explanation/rationale for why they used each song lyric that they did within their story.
- Students may use CD/DVD Cover Creator to create a CD cover that depicts the story that they wrote and the songs that were quoted within.
- Have students write a letter to John Lennon about their own secret dreams and wishes using the Letter Generator interactive .
- Invite other classrooms to have your book read to them as a read aloud. You may choose to send a few students to other classrooms around the building to share some or all of the stories from your students’ masterpiece with other classrooms and grade levels.
- Students can create a Bio-Cube about John Lennon’s life and career.
Student Assessment / Reflections
- Using the Self-Reflection questions, ask students to think about the steps they took as they worked on this assignment—what they had problems with, how they worked out their problems, and how they feel about their final project and presentation.
- After discussing expectations with students, the teacher can use the Essay Rubric to grade students’ final drafts before they are complied into the class book.
- Calendar Activities
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- Professional Library
- Student Interactives
The Book Cover Creator is designed to allow users to type and illustrate front book covers, front and back covers, and full dust jackets. Students can use the tool to create new covers for books that they read as well as to create covers for books they write individually or as a class.
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How to Never Run Out of Lyric Ideas
We’ve all been there.
You’ve just cruised through the first verse of your song. You’ve crafted the perfect chorus. Then you get to the second verse and…
You’re all out of lyric ideas. You feel like there’s nothing left to say. Or maybe you simply don’t see how to expand on your ideas. You put the song aside to work on it later… and don’t touch it again for six months.
While writer’s block is normal and on occasion can be a helpful indicator that you need a break, it can also show up at really inconvenient times. When this happens, it can be helpful to turn to a tried and true lyric writing technique to get the ball rolling again. So next time you’re struggling to finish a song, try this helpful songwriting technique adapted from the “songwriting bible,” Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison.
Building Song Worksheets
Don’t be fooled. These worksheets aren’t like the busywork your teacher would pass out to the class before retiring to their desk to surf the web and drink Diet Pepsi. They are actually really easy to create and can serve as a resource to develop hundreds of lyric ideas for the topic of your song. And the best part is that you can create them in under fifteen minutes.
Step One: Identify the song topic
The first step is to figure out what the overarching topic of your song. For example, if you have this chorus:
Living life off the grid Where the city don’t sleep In a room full of people No one looking at me
You could be interpreted as feeling alone even though you’re surrounded by others. So, the overarching theme could be identified as loneliness.
Step Two: Make your first list
Next up, you’re going to write down every word and idea you can think of that is associated with this topic. Sticking with our example above (loneliness), you would write down words like isolation, quiet, empty, barren, space, other, insecurities, etc.
Step 3: Time to surf the web
Next, it’s time to blow the dust off your old thesaurus. Or use LyricStudio’s Thesaurus Tool. This will help you find synonyms and related lyric ideas. Simply choose “thesaurus” from the suggestions dropdown menu, and enter words you came up with in step one to compile a larger list of words and ideas. For the “lonely” example above, we get the following words.
Step 4: Build your worksheet
You’ve conceptualized. You’ve pondered the meaning of multiple synonyms. You’ve broken out your favorite pack of gel pens and now you’re ready to build your worksheet. This is the fun part! Write your chosen words across the page like this:
Deserted | Withdrawn | Outcast | Solitary | Dry | Fallow | Secretive
Now, for each word, use a rhyming dictionary to compile a list of near rhymes for each word. Whereas in a perfect rhyme the end syllable has the same vowel and consonant sounds, a near rhyme at minimum shares the same ending vowel sound.
You might be wondering: Why near rhymes instead of perfect? Near rhymes help us avoid writing cliche and predictable lyrics, and open up our options to many more possibilities. LyricStudio makes it easy to search for near rhymes by setting the drop down menu to “rhymes” and checking the “near rhymes” box. However, feel free to add some perfect rhymes as well if you like. Let’s build our sample worksheet using a few of the words above.
Once you have completed your lists, your song worksheet is done! You now have a resource filled with potential rhymes for words related to your main topic that can help you build lines in minutes.
Although it can be fun to just sit down and write, sometimes a little song planning can go a long way. It can help you make more intentional choices in your lyrics , arrangement and production. Perhaps one of the best things about it is that it can help to give you some direction when you are feeling stuck. So next time you’re agonizing over writing the perfect chorus or that second verse, try turning to these songwriting techniques to give your writing session some much needed structure!
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Analyzing a Song – So Simple Every Student Can Do It
December 13, 2022 // by Lindsay Ann // 2 Comments
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English teachers, teaching your students how to analyze song lyrics needs to be a “go-to” strategy, a step toward deeper analysis of more complex texts .
Whether you’re teaching poetry, persuasive essays, or some other writing unit, analyzing song lyrics will give your students an opportunity to look at the different ways that language can be used to capture emotions and tell stories .
This close reading process will also help improve their vocabulary and grammar skills while they are having fun!
Here are some tips on how to teach students to analyze song lyrics so that they can gain valuable writing knowledge through a familiar medium they love!
Analysis of Song Lyrics
Taylor Swift makes analyzing song lyrics in the classroom easy peasy. Like her or not, you can count on her to write songs that tell a story, are layered in deep meaning, and littered with Easter eggs that are fun to try and collect (even for the non-Swifties).
Taylor Swift’s “ Anti Hero” is a fun student-friendly song to bring into the classroom to practice analysis skills.
With callbacks to songs on other albums in lines like “I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser,” you can challenge students to analyze the development of a theme across multiple texts (helloooo higher level DOK and those really tricky to meet standards!).
Lyrics like “I’m the problem; it’s me” coupled with the title setup an opportunity to teach the concept of anti-hero (I especially like the idea of teaching about anti-heroes after teaching about the hero’s journey) and challenging students to analyze how Swift herself could be seen as this archetype by analyzing other songs and conducting online research.
“Anti Hero” also has what appear to be two references to pop culture ( 30 Rock and Knives Out ) that had even the swiftest of Swifties stumped online. These references are an accessible way to introduce the idea of allegory.
Taylor has really teed up the song analysis practice in English classrooms to be endless with so many rabbit holes to go down at every turn!
Song Meaning “Hallelujah”
Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” has a deep meaning making it a popular choice for teaching song analysis. The meaning of Hallelujah is about someone who was deeply in love and is mourning the guilt of the loss of that love .
The song can teach students how to analyze lyrics by pointing out that even though it doesn’t say so explicitly, this is a song about a break-up .
They can also learn other aspects of reading literature, like examining tone and form. Analyzing song lyrics enables students to apply what they’ve learned as they read other texts or songs.
After reading a poem or listening to a song’s lyrics, students should be able to answer questions like:
- Who is speaking?
- How do you know?
- What do you think the speaker’s feelings are?
- What does this tell you about their personality?
- Do these feelings make sense for the situation?
Good Songs to Analyze
When choosing good songs to analyze remember these three things:
- Choose a song that tells a story
- A song with a deep meaning or theme that challenges students’ inferential thinking skills works best
- Pick songs that students will know and be excited to listen to (that means that while “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is technically a great song for analysis, it might not be the most engaging for your students)
Here are some songs for teaching song analysis that will not only help you teach important analysis skills but also engage and delight your students:
- “ Pray for Me ” by the Weeknd ft. Kendrick Lamar
- “ Thunder ” by Imagine Dragons
- “ Bohemian Rhapsody ” by Queen (this one is suitable for older students)
- “ Born This Way ” by Lady Gaga
- “ Getting Older ” by Billie Eilish
- “ Drivers License ” by Olivia Rodrigo
- “ This is America ” by Childish Gambino/Donald Glover
- “ Matilda ” by Harry Styles
- “ Victoria’s Secret ” by Jax (does have some profanity – I’ve linked the “clean” version)
- “ Vacation ” by The Dirty Heads (does say “shit”)
How to Analyze a Song
Teaching students how to analyze a song is similar to teaching poetry or literary analysis, but using songs disguises the learning as a fun activity making it really engaging and accessible for all learners.
Start by having students listen to their song twice .
- Instruct them to listen through for the first time just for enjoyment and to follow along with the printed lyrics (or digital if you have a way for students to access the lyrics online).
- Then have them listen a second time but this time have them highlight and circle words and phrases that they think are important and interesting.
Challenge students to consider the following questions during their second time listening and to annotate the lyrics as they go:
- Who’s telling the story? What’s their perspective? How do they feel? What’s making them feel that way?
- What’s the mood of the song? Do the lyrics or the music contribute more to the mood?
- What figurative language do you notice in the lyrics? Why might the songwriter have chosen to include that figurative language?
- What could the songwriter be saying about human nature or society through their lyrics? How could you write a theme statement about these lyrics?
Once you’ve gotten your students started with the analysis process, make sure to involve your students. Ask them what they notice and use their insights to build discussion. Have them write a summary of the song or write a detailed analysis or work on a more creative, visual response.
Song & Poem Analysis Paired Text Lesson Plans
Make close reading, textual analysis and literary analysis of songs (and poems) less intimidating with these detailed, CCSS-aligned close reading song analysis lesson plans for paired texts . Integrated close reading, text-based writing, speaking, listening, and inquiry skills, make these lessons both engaging and worthwhile.
To help you save prep time, I’ve put together some awesome lessons for you HERE , including:
- Carrie Underwood’s song “Cry Pretty” & Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ song “Growing Up”
- William Ernest Henley’s poem “Invictus” & Imagine Dragons’ song “Whatever it Takes”
- Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” and Tupac’s song “Still I Rise”
- Stephen Dobyns’ poem “Loud Music” and Incubus’ song “Dig”
- “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
- “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day and “Brick by Boring Brick” by Paramore
- “Hotel California” by the Eagles and “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin
- Protest Songs
- “Mad World” by Tears for Fears and “A Million Dreams” sung by Pink / The Greatest Showman
Wrapping Up
When students analyze songs, they think about its overall impact.
What makes this song great, and why do you like it? What is it about this song that makes it stand out?
Thinking through these ideas with easily-accessible texts makes transferring their skills and knowledge to literature (ya know, the kind with the capital L ) easier.
They’ll have practice analyzing craft moves like figurative language and allegory, but they’ll also have practice with those more complex reading strategies like making inferences and connections .
Have a song you think would be perfect to analyze in the classroom? I’d love to hear about it! Drop me a comment below to share!
Hey, if you loved this post, you’ll want to download a FREE copy of my guide to streamlined grading .
I know how hard it is to do all the things as an English teacher, so I’m excited to share some of my best strategies for reducing the grading overwhelm.
About Lindsay Ann
Lindsay has been teaching high school English in the burbs of Chicago for 18 years. She is passionate about helping English teachers find balance in their lives and teaching practice through practical feedback strategies and student-led learning strategies. She also geeks out about literary analysis, inquiry-based learning, and classroom technology integration. When Lindsay is not teaching, she enjoys playing with her two kids, running, and getting lost in a good book.
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9 Easy Places To Find Creative Lyric Ideas
Composing strong lyrics can be challenging, and consistently coming up with original, creative words for your music is often difficult for even the most experienced songwriters. Here we look at nine easy places from which to draw lyrical inspiration.
Guest post by Sammy Hakim of Soundfly’s Flypaper
It is often said that a good melody will last a season, but a good melody combined with strong lyrics can last a lifetime. The only thing is, good lyrics are difficult to come by.
Whether you’re writing music everyday, or just starting out, over time it can be hard to come up with new and creative lyric ideas with any consistency. So, from time to time, you might need to secure a few devices to help your songwriting workflow become stable and high quality.
Here are nine easy places you can look for lyric ideas if you’re running low.
1. Television
Sia Furler (better known as Sia) has said she gets some of her song ideas from the television shows she watches. If a prolific writer like her can do it, then why can’t you?
Characters are often tasked with reciting lines that, honestly, real people might never think up; sometimes you need to listen with a songwriter’s ear. They also act in ways that can inspire and move people — and they act reactively, which helps you think through cause and effect based narrative arcs.
But, heck — even a TV show’s title can end up inspiring something mysterious or dramatic. I mean, television is drama; it belongs in a song! The possibilities are endless!
2. Novels and Novellas
You knew this was coming… Once again, it’s all about the characters!
Books of all kinds tell stories that you might find yourself relating to — whether fiction, non-fiction, historical, contemporary, or futuristic — and it’s the characters who can provide wonderful examples of personalities ripe for your song’s storyline.
Or, simply look out for interesting writing and curious turns of phrase. Take a look at your favorite books of all time and see if you can pluck out a line or two that might fit into your lyrics (after it’s reworked of course ).
3. Poetry Books
Poetic language can often incorporate different literary formats, structures, and devices; such as metaphor and odd rhyming schemes . Poetry also tends to flow more like a song than other literary forms, and the words might lean heavily on descriptive, colorful language; all of which is great for inspiring your inner creative side to make new connections when thinking about new ways to formulate lyrics.
4. Metaphor and Simile
Here are two things you can create on your own: metaphors and simile!
A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another; whereas a simile compares two things, by highlighting the similarities between them using words such as “like,” “as,” or “than.” Essentially they’re both very similar devices to use, but also a great way to talk about something another song or creative work talks about, without stealing or plagiarizing .
Katy Perry’s “Firework” utilizes metaphor in the following lines:
“Do you ever feel like a plastic bag Drifting thought the wind Wanting to start again”
Thinking of objects and experiences and how they relate to facets of life is a great way to get your brain into the habit of connecting metaphors and similes together. Try a few out on your own!
+ Learn songwriting, theory, production, composition, arranging, mixing, and more — whenever you want and wherever you are. Subscribe for unlimited access !
5. Things You Hear People Say
We all know the saying: “Kids say the darndest things.” But it also pretty much applies to most of humanity, kids and adults alike.
Spend any amount of time eavesdropping in cafes, malls, restaurants, buses, etc., and you’ll fill the pages of your lyric notebook in no time with interesting, odd lines to think about. And believe me, your friends will say unusual things sometimes too. So pay attention, and always have a notebook handy.
6. Lyric Worksheets
Speaking of jotting things down: if you’re like me, you love making spreadsheets. I would even make my bedsheets out of spreadsheets if I could… Okay on second thought, you’re probably not like me at all.
However, creating a songwriter’s worksheet is an awesome, tried-and-true technique for brainstorming and cataloguing song and lyric ideas that you can refer back to later. You can start with something as simple as a word you like — or a passing idea that makes your mind wander for a moment — and eventually you’ll have a long list of words and lines to play with, and fit into whatever song needs a fresh addition.
7. The Songwriters You Love
Always look to your favorite songs written by your favorite writers! What stands out in their work that you feel might be lacking in your own? What kinds of words are they using, or what types of stories are they telling? As long as you’re not copying, it’s okay to borrow ideas from other artists if you can put it into your own point of view (more on that in the following section).
Secondly, something I always try to do is to approach a topic from a song I love in a new light. Add a new spin to a familiar love story narrative, tell it from a different perspective, or tell the opposite version of that song. That’ll get your brain working creatively to fuel original ideas out the wazoo!
8. Reversing a Point of View
A point of view is an excellent thing to manipulate in the songwriting process; and it can help you generate creative ideas without necessarily having a “new” idea to begin with.
On a similar note to the idea above, simply changing the perspective of a familiar story you’ve been told, or one you read about or saw on television, or heard in a song, will force you to look at things in a way you hadn’t before. It might even make you empathize with the “enemy,” which can open up tons of great avenues for your lyrical journeys to take.
It can even be as simple as putting the protagonist in a different subject position. For example, the third person can be a little less emotionally close to the narrator, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. First person, on the other hand, gives you a nice, close personal hand in the song. Try them both out and see which inspires you the most.
9. Co-Writers and Collaborators
If all else fails: try reaching out to a friend or cohort for ideas. Whether you’re just looking for some outside help, or you really need to bring another creative mind into the equation — such as in a co-writing scenario — you pretty much can’t go wrong with the fresh perspective of someone else. Two brains are always better than one. It’s likely that adding someone else into the mix will really enhance your writing and ideation.
Good luck and happy writing!
The latest version of spotify is also available at https://apksapps.com/spotify-premium-apk/
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- How To Write Blues Lyrics
The 12 Bar Blues
The 12 Bar Blues are a popular choice when it comes to teaching form, chord structure, chord progressions and songwriting to students.
I’ve recently been working on my GarageBand, Soundtrap and Bandlab Lesson Plans and Teacher Tips Course (yep, the title is a mouthful!) and in module 3 we learn how to record a 12 bar blues backing using a virtual keyboard instrument, bass guitar and a drum track.
In the course (which is available to all members of the Midnight Music Community ), students learn to create a blues progression “with a twist”: their blues backing can be in any musical style they like! After listening to examples of songs that use the 12 bar blues progression , they use the virtual instruments in GarageBand, Soundtrap or Bandlab to create their own unique style.
Here’s a Spotify playlist I put together with examples of songs that use the 12 bar blues progression in all, or part of the song. There are traditional blues examples as well as contemporary/popular style songs.
In the GarageBand, Soundtrap and Bandlab Lesson Plans & Teacher Tips course once students have created their blues backing track, they look at the standard lyrics structure used by many blues songs – the traditional AAB pattern – and write their own lyrics.
Today I wanted to share this small part of the Restyling The Blues project from the GarageBand, Soundtrap and Bandlab Lesson Plans & Teacher Tips course: the lesson on how to write blues lyrics.
Below you will find:
- written instructions
- tutorial video for students
- downloadable How To Write Blues Lyrics student worksheet
- blues backing track in A (Youtube video) which students can use to accompany themselves singing/speaking their blues lyrics
How to write blues lyrics
Songs in a Blues style often talk about things that are sad or troublesome so this is your chance to tell us about something that’s annoying you or that you’re struggling with. The lyrics don’t have to be super-serious – you can make them tongue-in-cheek if you like.
The lyrics will follow the traditional 12 bar blues lyric pattern:
- There will be 3 lines and they will follow an A A B format.
- This means the first line (A) is sung twice and the next line (B) is sung once
- It’s best if the word that’s at the end of line A rhymes with the word at the end of line B
- Each line needs to fit into 4 measures (bars)
- A I woke up this morning and I found myself alone
- B I got nothin’ to do so I’ll go call my friends on the phone
You might have noticed that, the lyrics follow a “problem-solution” pattern:
In my example. line A is the problem:
- PROBLEM: I woke up this morning and I found myself alone
And line B is the solution:
- SOLUTION: I got nothing’ to do so I’ll go call some friends on the phone
Here’s another example. This one doesn’t quite follow the problem-solution pattern but it still works!
- A I’m late for school ‘cos the bus never came
- A I’m late for school ‘cos the bus never came
- B I’ll probably get detention and that’s really lame
Your lyrics can be about any topic you like. Here are a few suggested topics or problems if you’re stuck for ideas:
- The wifi is down
- I forgot my password
- There’s no milk left
- I’m stuck at home with my sibling
- I can’t get a haircut
- My phone battery died
Here’s a walkthrough of the process:
What’s next? Sing or speak your lyrics over a backing track!
Once students have written their lyrics, they can perform them by singing or speaking in time to the beat. If they choose to sing, they can make up a simple blues melody using just 2 or 3 notes.
Here’s a blues backing track in A they can use:
If you’re a member of the Midnight Music Community , you will have access to step-by-step student tutorials showing how to blues backing tracks using GarageBand, Soundtrap or Bandlab (from mid-July 2022). There is also a follow-up tutorial showing how they can record their lyrics (sung or spoken) over the top of the backing they created.
If you’re looking for more Blues resources, here are
- 41 Free Resources for Teaching the 12 Bar Blues
- BB King Museum education resources
- Blues backing in A
Free Student Worksheet!
Would you like a copy of the student worksheet that I show in the tutorial video? Download a copy here, along with all the other information in this blog post.
Looking for More Resources for Music Teachers?
Hello! I’m Katie Argyle – an Australian music technology trainer and consultant with a passion for helping music teachers through my business Midnight Music .
I’m a qualified teacher but no, I don’t currently teach in a school. I help teachers through my online professional development space – the Midnight Music Community – where there are tutorial videos, courses, links and downloadable resources.
I like to focus on easy ways to incorporate technology into what you are already doing in your music curriculum through a range of creative projects. I also run live workshops and have presented at countless conferences and other music education events.
If you want simple, effective ideas for using technology in music education, I would LOVE to help you inside the Midnight Music Community .
Learn more and take a sneak peek inside
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Thank you very much for the great ideas!
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Songwriting Advice
Writing a rap song worksheet.
- May 12, 2023
When it comes to writing a rap song, it can feel like an overwhelming process, especially for beginners or those experiencing writer's block. Thankfully, there is a more structured approach to songwriting that can help facilitate the creative process. In this post, we'll explore a step-by-step rap song worksheet designed to help you structure, refine, and polish your lyrics to create a masterpiece. And, once you've got the hang of it, remember that Lyric Assistant is right here to aid you in writing your perfect unique song in just a few minutes!
Writing A Rap Song Worksheet Table of Contents
1. choose your theme or topic, 2. set the mood for your song, 3. write your hook, 4. develop your verses, 5. create your bridge, 6. arrange the song structure, 7. revise and edit your lyrics, 8. practice performing your song, writing a rap song worksheet example, try lyric assistant - #1 song writing assistant.
Firstly, you'll want to decide what theme or topic you want to address in your rap song. You can find inspiration from personal experiences, current events, social issues, or even fictional stories. Once you have a clear topic, jot down any ideas or emotions you want to evoke in your listeners.
Now that you know what your song is about, consider the mood you want your lyrics to convey. Your song can be happy, sad, angry, reflective, or anything in between. This will help you choose the appropriate tone, language, and style to engage your audience effectively.
A catchy and memorable hook is vital to any rap song, as it's the part that will stick in people's minds. Focus on creating a catchy melody and pairing it with a memorable phrase that connects to the theme of the song. It's usually best to keep your hook short and sweet, as it will be repeated throughout the track.
Each verse is an opportunity to expand on the theme of your song and impress your listeners with your lyrical talent. Using a worksheet format, structure your verses with 16 bars each (or a different number if you prefer) and begin with an opening line that grabs attention. Then, move on to the following bars, experimenting with various rhyme schemes and wordplays.
A bridge acts as a transition between the different sections of your rap song. It serves to break the monotony of the verses and adds an extra layer of depth to your song. Your bridge could be sung, rapped, or even spoken word – the choice is yours.
Now that you have your verses, hook, and bridge, you'll need to arrange them into a cohesive song structure. Typical rap song structures follow the pattern of Verse-Hook-Verse-Hook-Bridge-Hook, but you can experiment with other sequences to create a unique sound.
Once you have your song structure, take some time to revise and edit your lyrics. This step is crucial in transforming your raw ideas into a polished masterpiece. Look for any areas that could be improved, such as tightening up the flow, finding stronger rhymes, or expressing a concept more clearly.
Now that your song is written, practice performing it with confidence, making sure you pay attention to timing, breathing, and flow. You could also record yourself to study and improve each practice session.
Let's say you decide to write a rap song about overcoming personal struggles. After researching various artists and songs from the same genre for inspiration, you develop a notebook of ideas you can use. Integrating these ideas with the worksheet process previously discussed, you craft lyrics with a mix of personal stories, vivid imagery, and punchy rhymes. With your song structured and polished, you begin to practice performing it, excited to share your creation with the world.
Now that you're equipped with a step-by-step rap song worksheet, the process of creating an engaging and memorable rap song is within reach. By taking advantage of this structure, you allow yourself to discover your unique voice and expand your skillset as an artist. But, why not make things even easier by using Lyric Assistant, a powerful tool that can help you write the perfect unique song in just minutes? Give it a try today and watch your songwriting reach new creative heights!
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927 Lyrics English ESL worksheets pdf & doc. SORT BY. Most popular. TIME PERIOD. All-time. leo2014. Lyrics. Lyrics for helping s. 419 uses. ViviMoraes. Misheard Lyrics. Great listening acti. 673 uses. lhs80. Missing Lyrics. Listen to the song "458 uses. jolyhannah. Rasputin lyrics. This is a very simpl. 329 uses. aaangieee. christmas lyrics ...
Beginners' Lyrics Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World! To practise: Adjectives, Basic level, Colours Band/singer: Louis Armstrong Practise colours & adjectives as well as the basic present simple tense in your ESL class with this classic song, What a Wonderful World! by Louis Armstrong.
Our 1,788 song worksheets provide you with a wealth of resources for teaching tenses, sentence structure, vocabulary, and all kinds of other aspects of English - all with songs that your students already know and love.
The 6 defining relative clauses in these song lyrics follow the pattern "You are the one (who) I…". There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here. Lyrics… Alan Smith Robertson - Then Again To practise: Wish Band/singer: Alan Smith Robertson
ESLSongs.com is a collection of nearly 150 well-known, hand-picked, pop, rock & folk songs whose lyrics are perfect for presenting or for practising specific grammar or vocabulary in the ESL classroom with teenagers and adults. Most of the songs also come with an easy-to-use worksheet that you can download in pdf format! The lyrics of every single song on this website contain at least 5 ...
All the worksheets below are for pop songs with clean lyrics that students of all ages love to sing. Listening to pop songs can be a great way to improve students' listening skills. All the song worksheets on this page are 'gap fill' exercises. Play the song in class and ask students to listen carefully and fill in the blank spaces.
Here are some ideas to help you start writing your own song lyrics. Task 1: Rhyming Pairs Pick four pairs of rhyming words and list them here (e.g. day - play, fear - dear, cat - hat, meet - greet etc.) ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________
Song Lyric & Interpretation This worksheet contains three fill-in-the-blanks songs (Fight Song, It's My Life & Ka Ching) and several prompts to encourage students to interpret the song in their o... 140 uses JulcsiTamas Frozen song lyrics Listening activity based on identifying simple general usage words from the text.
This is a worksheet where students listen and complete the lyrics. Also they match sentences and circle the correct answer... 1306 uses hatalar205 Father and Son by Cat Stevens Lyric of Father and Son by Cat Stevens. Fill in the blanks with the given words. 1071 uses Gislika Song Activity_Belle_90's cartoon version
5 minutes Pen compelling descriptions that will stimulate your listener's senses and draw her deep into the world of your lyric. Music + Free Writing 30 + minutes. Use imagery and music together to immerse yourself in the perfect mood for songwriting. We'll stretch out a bit more in this songwriting prompt and give ourselves time to explore.
The lyrics gap-fill exercise below targets the 10 adjectives in the song. Lyrics are intended for nonprofit educational purposes only. More teaching ideas are in the Lesson Plan. true colors, lyrics gap-fill.docx true colors, lyrics gap-fill.pdf. Adverb Clauses in the Song "Baby, I'm Yours" Level: High Intermediate and Advanced
Guide them in creating new lyrics using the ideas from the Suggested Songs for Changing Lyrics sheet, and write the new lyrics on a piece of chart paper. 8. ... Pass out a copy of the My Song Lyrics Draft worksheet to each student, and make sure all students have pencils to write with. 15.
John's Secret Dreams: The Life of John Lennon (Hyperion, 2004): Students read this book as a class to learn about the life of John Lennon and understand the author's style of integrating song lyrics within the text. Book Cover Creator: Using this feature, students can fully develop the front and back cover of their classroom book of stories.
Step One: Identify the song topic The first step is to figure out what the overarching topic of your song. For example, if you have this chorus: Living life off the grid Where the city don't sleep In a room full of people No one looking at me You could be interpreted as feeling alone even though you're surrounded by others.
Lyrics like "I'm the problem; it's me" coupled with the title setup an opportunity to teach the concept of anti-hero (I especially like the idea of teaching about anti-heroes after teaching about the hero's journey) and challenging students to analyze how Swift herself could be seen as this archetype by analyzing other songs and conducting onlin...
Bang Bang - My Baby Shot Me Down - 3 Pages of Exercises. (two versions - three pages) I used this worksheet as a follow up activity after teaching "used to" and "would" for past habits. The students listen to the song ... 5916 uses. A selection of English ESL music lyrics printables.
1. Television Sia Furler (better known as Sia) has said she gets some of her song ideas from the television shows she watches. If a prolific writer like her can do it, then why can't you?...
example 1 A I woke up this morning and I found myself alone A I woke up this morning and I found myself alone B I got nothin' to do so I'll go call my friends on the phone You might have noticed that, the lyrics follow a "problem-solution" pattern: In my example. line A is the problem: PROBLEM: I woke up this morning and I found myself alone
However, creating a songwriter's worksheet is an awesome, tried-and-true technique for brainstorming and cataloging song and lyric ideas that you can refer back to later. You can start with something as simple as a word you like — or a passing idea that makes your mind wander for a moment — and eventually you'll have a long list of ...
Civil War Resources Worksheet & Song LyricsThis informative but humorous worksheet features a chart that compares the resources of the Union and Confederacy as well as the hilarious lyrics to the Civil War song "John Haralson".The introduction explains how resources for war were in short supply in the South and the Confederacy resorted to collec...
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sit there jotting down lyrics or exploring sounds on your instrument to match the feelings in your brain and body. As Bill Withers put it "[t]o me, songwriting is you sitting around scratching yourself and something crosses your mind." I love that quote, so funny and totally true. Very important to let ideas arrive, rather than forcing the ...
7. Revise and edit your lyrics. 8. Practice performing your song. Writing A Rap Song Worksheet Example. Try Lyric Assistant - #1 Song Writing Assistant. 1. Choose your theme or topic. Firstly, you'll want to decide what theme or topic you want to address in your rap song.