LESSON PLAN: Hearing Song Form / Elements
Objective
Students will be able to recognize the parts of a song by listening the classic tune “Shout” by the Isley Brothers. They will also be able to identify some of the musical ideas used to make this song interesting.
Resources
A recording of “Shout” by the Isley Brothers, the handout describing where the parts of the song are, student participation
Procedures
- Listen to the song “Shout” as a group. Point out the different parts of the song as you listen noting that the song begins with the chorus, then 46 seconds in the verse (with the words “I still remember”), followed by the pre-chorus at 1:15 (with the words “I want you to know”), the 2nd chorus at 1:45, the bridge at 2:11 (with the words “Now wait a minute”), and the 3rd and final chorus at 2:41.
- Point out during the 3rd and final chorus
which lasts almost 2 full minutes they keep the music interesting by using a couple of different musical tricks. At one point they get quieter and quieter while saying “A little bit softer now” followed by getting louder and louder while saying “A little bit louder now”. They also use a “call and response” on the word “yeah” at 3:46. - Listen again, asking the students which part they are on as you get to the various parts. During the final chorus you can have students crouch down to the floor as it gets quieter and then stand up tall as it gets louder, followed by everyone doing the call and response together.
Extension
You can point out that the chords change differently in each section. Demonstrate that the chords change every measure during the chorus (every time you count 1 2 3 4) and every 2 measures during the verse (counting 1 2 3 4 twice). The pre-chorus doesn’t change chords at all, staying on the F chord over a repeated bass line that plays up and down the scale (F, G, A, Bb, C, Bb, A, G over and over), while the bridge section has no chords at all.
National Core Arts Standards (Music)
Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
Example: General Music MU:Pr4.2.3 a. Demonstrate understanding of the structure in music selected for performance. Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work
Example: General Music MU:Re7.2.2 a. Describe how specific music concepts are used to support a specific purpose in music. Common Core Correlation: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.5 Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5 Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.