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Dive into the world of songwriting as you explore the reasons behind writing songs, the essential skills needed, and what sets a good song apart. Engage in group discussions, research activities, and reflective journal prompts to deepen your understanding of song creation.
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LESSON 1 • WHAT IS SONGWRITING?
BRAINSTORM • In your journal, list as many of your favorite songs as you can in two minutes. • Ready… set… GO! • .
GROUP DISCUSSION • In groups, discuss the following questions. • Be prepared to share your answers. • Who writes songs? • Why do people write songs? • Why do people like songs? • What skills are needed to write a good song? • What makes a song good? • Are you familiar with any songwriters? • Have you ever tried to write a song? • What makes songs the same or different as poems?
RESEARCH ACTIVITY • Select two or three of your favorite songs from the list in your journal. Use the Internet to complete the following steps for eachsong: • Find the name of the songwriter. If there is more than one writer, list all of them. • Find the name of the performer. • Find two other songs written by the songwriter. If there were multiple writers for your song, choose just one of them. • Write down the song title and performer for each new song you find.
RESEARCH ACTIVITY • As a class, discuss what you found in your research. • What new things did you learn about your songwriters? • Did any of the research surprise you?
REFLECTION • Answer the following questions in your journal: • What makes you EXCITEDabout writing a song? • What makes you NERVOUSabout writing a song?
HOMEWORK • Songwriter Quotes • Read the quotes from professional songwriters. • In your journal, write one or two sentences on what each quote teaches you about what it takes to write a song. • After you have done this for each quote, combine what you have learned overall about songwriting into one or two paragraphs.
HOMEWORK • Songwriter Quotes • Homework Challenge: Pick two to four of your favorite quotes, and look up a few songs by these songwriters. Read the lyrics and listen to the songs. Pay attention to what you like or dislike about the lyrics.