Making Curriculum Pop

I love to use music videos because the students are familiar with them and they are short and packed with meaning. I think of them as video poetry. Here are a couple I love:

"Teardrops on My Guitar" by Taylor Swift

This one lends itself to good discussions dealing with symbols, multiple story lines, feminist critical theory, etc. I have used it with Cyrano de Bergerac and the Unrequited Love unit.

"Her Morning Elegance" by  Oren Lavie  

I have only used this one to illustrate stop-motion photography, but there are many elements of narrative as well.

"Memory" by Zoot Woman

I downloaded this one for free last week from iTunes. It is reminiscent of the Aha video, which is still one of my all-time faves, "Take on Me." I will use this one to show point of view and rototscoping, but like the last one, there are many elements of narrative you could discuss.

I haven't really used the actual lyrics in any of these videos because I have used them for visual literacy. Maybe you could think of ways to use them narratively, or suggest other music videos that could be used in class.   


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Here is a page where I posted numerous music videos I have used for different purposes. Look for the links posted below some of the videos in the explanation and you will find examples of activities and student responses...

My Videos - Classroom 2.0

You might also have them create their own media projects combining text, images and music...

2009 Media Projects

I have also used the Eagles music video for "Heart of The Matter" in conjuction with a documentary as part of an extended writing activity on forgiveness...

"Heart of The Matter"

And the music video for "One" (the U2 with Mary J. Blige version) as part of an extended writing activity on tolerance and diversity....

"One"
Could also have them create their own visual interpretation of a song and/or literary work...

2009 Media Projects

My 8th graders are currently working on the 2010 media projects.
I had my seniors do this one time at the end of the year when they are so antsy for school to be over. It was really fun and they had some great ideas. My problem is the lack of technology. I have 3 digital camcorders and we have 3 Mac labs of laptops. This project took several class periods and when I want to do it at the end of the year, we have a problem getting computers because of state testing. How do you overcome these issues?
Hey Jeana - you might also copy and paste this post into the Music group's discussion forum for more feedback!

BTW - my absolute fav = http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/films/world_on_fire/

RRG:)
We have a laptop cart with 20 computers that is shared by middle and high school teachers...about 15 teachers. I just signed it out for three weeks for the three class periods that are now working on the current media project. I teach in a rural K-12 school so the cart is first come first serve. The laptops have Sony Vegas video on them.
Music videos are great for teaching literary concepts, higher level thinking, etc. I use Kanye West's "Good Morning" and "Heartless" to teach analysis, compare/contrast and internal/external conflicts

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