More than Words

Abstract

This activity challenges middle school students to determine what is expressed through lyrics. Through annotation, students analyze and interpret lyrics to uncover the expressive meaning of a song as well as the specific tools lyricists and songwriters use to express their ideas. To begin, students are tasked with selecting and studying a song that they deem has interesting lyrics and labeling its form (verse, chorus, etc.). Following, students engage a three-step analysis process. First, they sift through the lyrics word-by-word to identify unfamiliar terms so that they can better contextualize the intended meanings of the song. Second, they identify and annotate expressive meanings in the lyrics. Finally, they annotate examples of songwriting craft, which might include literary or poetic devices.