Poetry Rocks

I decided to introduce a "Poetry Rocks" project to my 8th graders. Since many songs are poetry put to music, I proposed this project to my students:

1. Find a song that you like. No sexual references, no profanity, no discrimination. If you are not sure if the song will be okay, then DON’T USE IT. Find another song.

2. Get a CD or Mp3 of your song (You may bring in your iPod or Mp3 player on the day of presentations)

3. Type or copy and paste the song lyrics in a word processor and underline or highlight examples of at least three elements of poetry (in addition to repetition and rhyme).

Your song must have at least one example of three different elements of poetry (in addition to rhyme and repetition). The highlighted copy is due prior to the day you present.

4. You will give a presentation about your song in class. During your presentation, you will play the song while displaying the lyrics on the document camera or in a presentation format of your choosing. Do not choose a song that is extremely long (no 10 minute guitar or drum solos!) You will then give a speech about the poetic elements in your song. The entire presentation should be about 10 minutes long, with the actual speech portion of the presentation being at least five minutes long. During your presentation, you must do the following:

Introduce the song title.
Tell about the writer and group/singer.
Play the song.
Show the highlighted copy of the lyrics.
Fully explain the poetic elements your song contains.

As an example, I used the picture book Don't Laugh at Me by Steve Seskin and Allen Ramblin. The book comes with a CD of the song sung by the writers:

I'm a little boy with glasses
The one they call the geek
A little girl who never smiles
Cause I've got braces on my teeth
And I know how it feels
To cry myself to sleep

I'm that kid on every playground
Who's always chosen last
I’m the one who’s slower
Than the other’s in my class.
You don't have to be my friend
But is it too much to ask?

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm the beggar on the corner
You've passed me on the street
And I wouldn't be out here beggin'
If I had enough to eat
And don't think I don't notice
That our eyes never meet

I was born a little different
I do my dreaming from this chair.
I pretend it doesn’t hurt me
When people point and stare.
There’s a simple way to show me
Just how much you care.

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall
I'm deaf, I'm blind, hey, aren't we all?

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

A version of this song was also recorded by the country music singer, Mark Wills in 1998. I showed the picture book beneath my ELMO document camera as I played the song. Once the song was finished, I then put my highlighted copy of the song lyrics beneath the ELMO and discussed the poetic elements that the song contains. I'm hoping my students will be unique and creative with their song choices and presentations!