PARTICIPATE IN A CLOSE READ
• Read the lyrics to “Part of Your World” from
the musical The Little Mermaid
• Annotate the text:

Box the central message

Circle unclear words and phrases
In your own words, write two notes in the
margins
GENERAL UNDERSTANDING
• With a partner, discuss the following
questions:
• THE OBJECTIVE: What is does the singer of this
song want?
• THE OBSTACLE: What is in the character’s
way? What is preventing her from achieving
her goal?
Write the objective and the obstacle in the
margins
KEY DETAILS
• With a partner, discuss the following:
• Describe at least two activities the singer
would like to experience if she got her wish
Use details from the text to support your
answer
Write your answer in the margins
REREAD: DEEPER FOCUS
• Each person reads one stanza aloud
• Look for pronouns
 On “I” and “me” point to yourself
 On “he,” “she,” “you,” “him,” “her,” “they” or
“them” point to someone else at your table
 Notice how this adds pauses, inflections,
intonations and emphasis
 How does this change your initial understanding
of the lyrics?
 Add to your annotations
DISCOVERING CHARACTERS
In this song, the character Ariel tells the audience
her inner thoughts and desires.
• With your group, discuss the following:
 How is Ariel feeling in this song?
 What does she want?
 Who or what is keeping her from getting what
she wants?
 Brainstorm a list of ideas (TACTICS) that Ariel
could use to overcome the obstacles in her way
Vocabulary and Structure
• Each person reads one line out loud
Choose one word in your line that you think is
the most important
Create a gesture to go with that word
Each person says word with gesture
How does this change or strengthen your
understanding of Ariel?
Add to your annotations
Inferences
• Read the lyrics out loud
• With your table group, discuss the following:
 Ariel’s obstacles are both external and internal,
she wishes to live out of her waters and her
limitations
 Choose one line from the song that best conveys
Ariel as a character
 Add to your annotations
CREATE YOUR OWN MONOLOGUE
• Monologue: dramatic text spoken (performed) by one
person
 Write a brief monologue exploring something important
that you want or thought that you could never have. What
are/were the obstacles in your way? What are/were the
feelings evoked? Why?