A Song is A Song is A Song....

If you're like me, you love music. I jam on the way to school and I play music in the background when the kids are working. Rarely does my music taste connect with their music taste. I wanted to change that, so I ventured to explore out some radio friendly (all they listen to) music and evaluate it for teaching content. I was surprise at what I found. Their music was full of similes, analogies, figurative language, adjectives, idioms, and so on. Then it hit me that I could using their music to reinforce the topics I needed to teach.

Here is an example of what I did:

Artist: Owl City
Song: Rugs from Me to You


We talked about similes for two days (read the book "Crazy Like a Fox") and did some partner work with filling in the blanks of a story.

Next we listened to the song twice (it is short).
Then the kids worked with a partner to underline any line that had to do with hair.
They also put a star by any simile.
Here are the lyrics:
Toupee or not toupee
That is the question
It refused to stay as it all turned grey;
William Shakespeare's receding hair
Please excuse the pun,
'It's hair today, gone tomorrow'
So be thankful
For what precious locks you have

Toupee or not toupee
That is the question
And by the way
I just gotta say
Thank the Lord I'm not going bald
And if I may quip
My curls and I
Are just like heaven
'Cause rest assured
There'll be no parting there

But should my head get bare like Friar Tuck
(Our chase to swallow)
It makes me smile
'Cause I know just what I'd do

Yeah if I had more wigs than I knew what to do with
I'd open a secondhand store
And if you ever went bald
You'd recall it
'Cause I'd cleverly call it
'Rugs From Me To You

Then we discussed as a whole group their findings. The kids loved the song because it was catchy and Owl City is on the radio. They found similes and worked with figurative language without realizing it.

Has anyone else had success teaching with a song? Post your ideas!