Standards: 6,7, 8 and 9
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
Evaluating music and music performances
Understanding relationships between music, the other
arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Procedures
Monday
1.
Proficient
2.
Objective





The students will analyze the
poetic setting of a
contemporary and medieval
poem.
The students will compare and
contrast the subject matter of
contemporary and medieval
poetry.
Students will actively listen to
movement from Orff’s
Carmina Burana and Billy
Joel’s “Only the Good Die
Young”.
Students will make historical
connection between scandal in
contemporary and medieval
music.
Students will identify musical
significance of Orff’s setting
of the medieval poetry.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Materials





Listening Guide for Orff’s
Carmina Burana
Listening Guide for Billy
Joel’s “Only the Good Die
Young.”
Recordings of Carmina Burana
and “Only the Good Die
Young”
Video of Madonna’s “Like a
Prayer”
VHS player and media player
8.
9.
10.
11.
Prior Knowledge and
Experiences
12.

13.

Previous lesson on basic
rhythm.
Reasoning and logistical
abilities.
14.
Pass out lyrics to "Only the Good Die Young." Play the
song, asking students to listen carefully to the words.
Ask students to identify the speaker’s purpose. What is
the speaker asking of "Virginia?"
Ask students to identify and characterize the speaker.
Clarify the term "speaker" in order to distinguish it
from "author." Students love to equate the two. How do
you picture the speaker based on clues in the song?
Physical appearance? Clothing? Age?
Ask students to identify and characterize the girl in the
song using the lyrics as a guide. For example, the words
"Catholic," "Brand new soul," and "good" suggest that
Virginia is religious and chaste.
Ask students to quote and explain three arguments the
speaker uses to persuade Virginia. They should be able
to point out: a) "Sooner or later it comes down to fate/I
might has well be the one" b) "Only the good die
young" c) "the stained glass curtain you’re hiding
behind/Never lets in the sun" d) "Sinners are much
more fun." In addition to these, the speaker attacks the
hypocrisy of Virginia’s religion by adding, "She never
cared for me / But did she ever say a prayer for me?"
Have students analyze the truth of each argument they
select. For instance, "Only the good die young" is
obviously a false statement.
Have students point out references to time and time’s
effect on the speaker’s argument ("wait," "too late,"
"die young"). The speaker is trying to suggest
Virginia’s purity will actually shorten her life.
Identify and explain elements of symbolism in the song
(Virginia=virgin, white dress=purity, etc.).
Discuss if they would consider this a "love song" and
why or why not.
Now that students have discussed the above concepts in
the Billy Joel song, they are ready to look for similar
elements in Carmina Burana. Pass out a handout of the
Latin text and translation, and ask for volunteers to read
the translation aloud.
Ask for specific examples that draw a comparison
between the main idea of the Billy Joel and the Carmina
Burana.
Listen to the Carmina Burana (Ecce gratum and Amor
volat undique) have the students follow the Latin text
and translation and think about how the composer was
able to express the mood rhythmically.
How was Orff able to express the vibrance of Spring?
The power of Love?
Explain: these are individual pieces that are part of a
larger work, a choral cantata known as Carmina
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
Burana. It was written by Carl Orff in the
Twentieth Century over six hundred years after the
poetry was written. You see it is this idea of expression
that connects us with humanity centuries past, present,
and future. It may be hard to believe but people six
hundred years ago were experiencing the same primal,
complex, and driving emotions that we experience
today.
Explain: The collection of poems was found as an
anthology in a Benedictine Monastery. Can you
imagine the scandal when they found the provocative
lyrics with pagan origin in such sacred confines. The
fact is that the Benedictine monks understood the
importance of writing for posterity, much of the
literature and historical information from that period
would be a mystery if it wasn’t for their efforts of
preservation, so they didn’t actually write the poetry,
they just saved it, recognizing it as a stylistic
representation of the poetry of the Goliards—a
nickname which meant “big mouths” and for good
reason.
These people were scholars, monks and priests who,
each for his own reasons, had abandoned conformity to
their holy calling; they lived a vagrant life, begging,
thieving and singing. They wrote, not about courtly
love, but about the carnal pleasures, the joys of spring,
gambling and eating, and they took the realistic view
that opportunities for their enjoyment were in the hands
of the implacable goddess Fortune.
Pretty scandalous stuff for a bunch of monks in
medieval times. Even for Carl Orff in the 1930’s.
Listen to Amor volat undique again. This time have
them listen for what musical qualities make the
coupling of music and lyric scandalous.
Does it sound slinky, lascivious? How did Orff achieve
that sound? Striking, yet simple rhythm, tonally,
everything is easily accessible, change of meter and
mood between chorus and orchestra.
Discuss scandal in music. Who are some of the popular
icons that express ideas and feelings about some things
that our society feels are taboo?
Madonna has built an entire career on scandal.
Reaching just beneath societies comfort zone and
digging in. Like a Virgin and Like a Prayer both lash
out against the restrictive nature of the Catholic Church
on issues of love. Like a Prayer was particularly
scandalous especially after the music video was
released.
Watch the music video.
Why was this scandalous?
It was drawing a comparison between religious ecstasy
and sexual ecstasy while simultaneously dealing with
interracial relationships, and that made organized
religion and parents all over the United States a little
uneasy.
Indicators of Success

Students participate and contribute in discussion and
analysis of lyrical poetry




Students actively listen to music.
Students achieve an understanding of historical
connection between medieval and contemporary poetry.
Students identify importance of music in portraying
poetic message.
Students achieve an understanding of historical
connection between scandalous issues in medieval and
contemporary music.
Follow-up



Further listening of Carmina Burana.
Discussion of Fate theme.
Lab on the use of scandal, poetry, and rhythm in music.
Standards: 5,6,7, 8 and 9
Reading and Notating Music
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
Evaluating music and music performances
Understanding relationships between music, the other
arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Tuesday
Proficient
Procedures
1.
Objective




Students will achieve an
understanding about the
philosophical issue—fate vs.
freewill, and how it is
employed in contemporary and
popular music.
Students will review concepts
learned the previous day.
Students will actively listen to
movement from Orff’s
Carmina Burana and the
Byrd’s “Turn, Turn, Turn”.
Students will learn through
game play the basics to reading
rhythm.
2.
3.
4.
What is the main idea? Where is it stated?
(Possible responses may include the following: In
life, all occurrences are possible. There is balance
in life. Both the "good" and "bad" occur in life.
There is reassurance in knowing that nothing will
stay the same. Everything has its time and place in
life. The main idea is found in line 1 of
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and in stanza 1 in Turn! Turn!
Turn!) How does the main point of Pete Seeger’s
lyrics compare to that of your own responses?
Materials





Listening Guide for Carl
Orff’s Carmina Burana—O
Fortuna.
Listening Guide for the
Byrd’s “Turn, Turn, Turn”.
Recordings of Carmina
Burana and “Turn, Turn,
Turn”.
Media Device
Large wheel with
interchangeable parts for
various levels of play.
Prior Knowledge and
Experiences




High school English level
Reasoning skills
Previous lesson.
Basics of rhythm.
As an introductory activity, have the students freewrite
on the topic of "change." How do they feel about
change?" How does "change" affect them? Where do
"they create "change" in their own lives? How do they
react to "change" when they have no control over it? Is
"change" the same as "progress?"
After students have written for 5-10 minutes, go around
the room and have each student read all or part of what
they have written. Refrain from judgmental comments
or discussion at this time. Everyone in the room should
just be listening to the variety of ideas expressed.
Listen to the song "Turn! Turn! Turn!" Provide copies
of the lyrics, and on background of the song as needed.- A reaction to the Vietnam War.
Discuss the theme of "Turn! Turn! Turn!" Discussion
should include the following points:
5.
Introduce the concept of fate. In the pagan sense, our
lives are at the hands of a goddess. In the agnostic
sense, we are tossed at random through life. This has
been a highly debated liturgical and philosophical issue
since the start of organized religion.
6. Listen to Carmina Burana—O Fortuna—with lyrical
guide, and think about how the composer, Carl Orff
accomplishes the sense of a powerful turning wheel
through his music.
7. Discuss the wheel of fate.
8. Outreach: What popular music deals with the
helplessness of our existence in a way to which we can
all relate?
9. Divide the room into 6 groups; designate one member
of each group as the team captain—they are responsible
for spinning.
10. Round 1—Teams take turns spinning the Wheel of
Fortune which is broken into categories based on
questions taught between Monday and today and also
the previous lesson which pertained to Rhythm. If they
correctly and collaboratively answer the question they
win a spin—may earn up to 6 spins.
11. Round 2—The group with the most spins will go first.
The wheel is refreshed with a new playing surface.
Each pie is covered with different rhythmic values—4
quarter notes, 2 whole notes, 2 eighth notes, etc… The
teams are playing for beats. Whichever team
accomplishes the most beats receives a small bonus on
their next test grade. Before the team can earn the beats
displayed on each pie, they must first demonstrate an
understanding of the rhythmic value of the beats—by
correctly clapping the rhythmic figure.
12. If they land on a rest, half of their beats are erased, and
they must start again. They can pass on spins to the
next group if they feel like their luck is running thin and
they are in a good strategic position. All the spins must
eventually be used up.
13. Round 3—Each group automatically starts with three
spins. The rhythms are divided into measures and are
slightly more advanced—also worth more points. Now
if they land on a rest, all of their beats are erased—
except points from the last round.
14. Round 4—Group with most points gets a bonus and
gets to spin first on the new board which gives group
assignments for Friday’s class—they will use the same
groups…
1. Discuss the expression of fate vs. freewill in
popular music, citing specific examples of
artists and lyrics.
2. How did Carl Orff feel music should be taught
and why did he feel that way? Do you think it
would be effective—why?
3. What is the function of rhythm in popular
music and music written before the Twentieth
Century? Is it the same or different? What
influence does culture have on this?
4. Was the music of Beethoven, Mozart, and
Liszt ever considered scandalous? Give
specific examples.
5. Find four examples of popular artists who
address scandalous issues without using vulgar
language in their lyrics. Explain the cultural
appeal of the lyrics, if they have universal and
lasting appeal, using specific references to
lyrical statements.
6. Explain the basic system used for notating
musical rhythms.
Indicators of Success



Students achieve an understanding about the
philosophical issue—fate vs. freewill, and how it is
employed in contemporary and popular music.
Students review concepts learned the previous day.
Students actively listen to movement from Orff’s
Carmina Burana and the Byrd’s “Turn, Turn, Turn”.

Students learn, through game play, the basics to reading
rhythm.
Follow-up




Lab on more complex use of rhythm and notation.
Lab on syncopation.
More examples of how rhythm is a vital part of popular
genres.
Examples provided of the interesting use of rhythm by
contemporary composers and how this correlates to
popular music.
Standards: 5,6,7, and 9
Reading and notating music
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
Evaluating music and music performances
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Procedures
1.
Wednesday
Proficient
Put the following terms and definitions on the
board:
Meter: how many beats per measure (the excerpt of "Dance
of the Adolescents" has 2 beats per measure, Sumpin’
New 1,2,3,4 has 4 beats per measure)
Objective




Students will understand
specific musical terms.
Students will read and perform
basic and complex rhythms.
Students will correlate
syncopation in popular music
to cultural movement of the
early Twentieth Century.
Students will gain a greater
understanding of rhythmic
notation and the employment
of rhythmic devices in popular
and contemporary music.
Beat: the underlying pulse of the music
Syncopation: rhythm that is unexpected, accenting the weak
beats (beats 2 and 4)
Accent: to emphasize, make stronger
2.
3.
4.
Materials


Recordings of Coolio’s
“Sumpin’ New” and
Stravinsky’s “Rite of
Spring”—Dance of the
Adolescents
Media Device
Prior Knowledge and
Experiences
5.


6.

High school English level
Understanding of rhythmic
notation.
Reasoning and logistical
abilities.
7.
8.
Explain each term.
Put several examples of syncopated rhythm on the
board use some that are in Coolio’s “Sumpin’
New”. Below those examples write several
rhythms that are not syncopated.
Have students clap each rhythm separately. Explain
that the top rhythms are syncopated. The music is
being accented on the off (or weak) beat. Listen to
Coolio’s "Sumpin’ New (1,2,3,4)" from the album
Gangsta’s Paradise. (Only play through the first
two verses since the latter lyrics are not appropriate
for the classroom. Most rap songs would be
appropriate for this lesson, but this song actually
counts the rhythm out loud, making the
syncopation obvious.) Have students clap along
with the performance, which is on the syncopated
beats.
Now display a rhythmic excerpt from "Dance of
the Adolescents" that portrays a similar
syncopation.
Beginning with a slow tempo and counting out
loud ("1 and 2 and"), have the entire class clap
each line. Be sure the accented notes are
emphasized.
Next, divide the class into two groups and perform
the complete rhythm against the counter rhythm of
the strings—straight eighths on a patch. Try to
work up to a fast tempo.
Play the excerpt of "Dance of the Adolescents"
from The Rite of Spring. Have students raise their
hands or clap along each time they hear the
rhythmic excerpt. You may need to play the
example a few times.
9.
Explain the attitudes of
the audience to this new
rhythm. When
Stravinsky premiered
The Rite of Spring, the
audience rioted. The
chaos of the rhythm and
the complexity of the
score astounded and
Standards:5, 7, 8 and 9
Reading and Notating music
Evaluating music and music performances
Understanding relationships between music, the other
arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Procedures
Thursday
Proficient
Objective



The students will learn about
the use of rhythm for selfexpression.
Students will read and perform
specific rhythms on their
various “junk instruments”.
Students will collaborate to
create their own rhythmic
grooves with “junk
instruments”.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Materials




Video of “Stomp”
Student’s own “junk
instruments”
Recordings of Mozart and
Brittin’s Requiem Mass—
Dies Irae
Media Device
Prior Knowledge and
Experiences




High school English level
Prior experience reading and
performing rhythms.
Locating personal “junk
instruments”
Reasoning and logistical
abilities.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Listen to 15 to 20 minutes of student’s music and
discuss their relevance to the week’s topics. Avoid
value judgments, but keep the music relevant.
Watch 15 minutes of a video of “Stomp”.
Discuss the groups interesting approach to rhythm.
They have based their careers solely on expression
through rhythm. What are they saying about the
structure of music today? What are they saying about
society?
Have them share with one another the instruments that
they found and the sounds they make.
Divide the instruments into high sounds and low
sounds.
Have the low instruments perform the syncopated
rhythm they learned Wednesday while the high
instruments perform the eighth note pulse.
Instruct the students through the creation of a rhythmic
groove by assigning individuals and small groups
rhythmic ostinatos to perform.
Have the students switch instruments.
Do the same rhythm you just learned with different
instruments.
How did the sound change?
Split the class in half. Each half will collaborate to
create their own groove.
They will perform for each other.
If there is time left. Allow group collaboration for
presentations on Friday.
Indicators of Success



The students learn about the use of rhythm for selfexpression.
Students read and perform specific rhythms on their
various “junk instruments”.
Students collaborate to create their own rhythmic
grooves with “junk instruments”.
Follow-up

Weekly evaluation on the group projects.
Standards: 5, 8 and 9
Reading and Notating Music
Understanding relationships between music, the other
arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Procedures
1.
Friday
2.
3.
Proficient
4.
Objective


The students will take a test on
rhythm and syncopation.
Students will review important
information through group
presentations.
Materials


Test on rhythm and
syncopation.
Media Device
Prior Knowledge and
Experiences



High school English level
Reasoning and logistical
abilities.
Researched group projects.
Review rhythmic notation using examples of ostinatos
created by the students on Thursday—15 minutes.
Administer test on Rhythm and Syncopation—20
minutes.
Short time for final collaboration before presentation of
material—5-10 minutes.
Each group will give a thorough explanation of their
answer. Sequence presentations in the following order:
15.
Explain the basic system used for notating
musical rhythms.
16.
What is the function of rhythm in popular
music and music written before the Twentieth
Century? Is it the same or different? What
influence does culture have on this?
17.
How did Carl Orff feel music should be taught
and why did he feel that way? Do you think it
would be effective—why?
18.
Discuss the expression of fate vs. freewill in
popular music, citing specific examples of
artists and lyrics.
19.
Was the music of Beethoven, Mozart, and
Liszt ever considered scandalous? Give
specific examples.
20.
Find four examples of popular artists who
address scandalous issues without using vulgar
language in their lyrics. Explain the cultural
appeal of the lyrics, if they have universal and
lasting appeal, using specific references to
lyrical statements.
Indicators of Success


The students will take a test on rhythm and
syncopation.
Students will review important information through
group presentations.
Follow-up

Unit on expression through cultural music.