SPOKEN WORD

Outline Created By: Danika Van Niel

Reading
Read the given
lyrics.
First silently, then
aloud

"Livin' On The Edge"

There's somethin' wrong with the world today
I don't know what it is
Something's wrong with our eyes
We're seein' things in a different way
And God knows it ain't his
It shore ain't no surprise
Livin'
Livin'
Livin'
Livin'

on
on
on
on

the
the
the
the

edge
edge
edge
edge

There's somethin' wrong with the world today

The light bulb's gettin dim
There's meltdown in the sky
If you can judge a wise man
By the color of his skin
Then mister you're a better man than I
[Chorus:]
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself at all
Livin' on the edge
You can't stop yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge

Tell me what you think about your sit-u-a-tion

Complication - aggravation
Is getting to you
If chicken little tells you that the sky is fallin'
Even if it wasn't would you still come crawlin'
Back again
I bet you would my friend
Again & again & again & again & again
Tell me what you think about your sit-u-a-tion
Complication - aggravation
Is getting to you
If chicken little tells you that the sky is fallin'
Livin' on the edge
Even if it was would you still come crawlin'
You can't help yourself
Back again
You can't help yourself
I bet you would my friend
Livin' on the edge
Again & again & again & again
You can't help yourself at all
Livin' on the edge
Something right with the world today
You can't help yourself
And everybody knows it's wrong
You can't help yourself
But we can tell 'em no or we could let it go
Livin' on the edge
But I'd would rather be a hanging on
You can't help yourself
[Chorus]
You can't help yourself
Livin' on the edge
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge
Livin' on the edge
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
[Chorus]

(AerosmithVEVO

Reading
Read the given
lyrics.
First silently, then
aloud

Write down one or

two sentences of
your initial reaction

Reading
Read the given
lyrics.
First silently, then
aloud

Re-read the lyrics,

what tone(s) is the
song writer
portraying?
Underline your proof

(Alexander-Smith

Write down one or

two sentences of
your initial reaction

Reading
Read the given
lyrics.
First silently, then
aloud

Re-read the lyrics,

what tone(s) is the
song writer
portraying?
Underline your proof

Write down one or

two sentences of
your initial reaction

Class discussion:
Similarities and
differences between
opinions?

Listening
Listen to the song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nqcL0mjMjw

(AerosmithVEVO

Listening
Listen to the song
Write down one or
two sentences
describing the
difference between
reading and listening
to the lyrics

Listening
Listen to the song

Re-listen to the
song, what tone(s)
is the singer
portraying? Circle
and describe the
places in the song
for proof

Write down one or

two sentences
describing the
difference between
reading and listening
to the lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nqcL0mjMjw

(AerosmithVEVO

Listening
Listen to the song

Re-listen to the
song, what tone(s)
is the singer
portraying? Circle
and describe the
places in the song
for proof

Write down one or

two sentences
describing the
difference between
reading and listening
to the lyrics

Class discussion:
Did the music change
the tone, or enhance
it?

Repeat With Recent Songs

Read the given

lyrics.
First silently, then
aloud
Write down one or
two sentences of
your initial reaction

Re-read the lyrics,

what tone(s) is the
song writer
portraying?
Underline your proof
Class discussion

Listen to the song

Write down one or

two sentences
describing the
difference between
reading and listening
to the lyrics
Re-listen to the song,
what tone(s) is the
singer portraying? Circle
and describe the places
in the song for proof
Class discussion

Recent Songs
Lyrics

Lyrics in the information tab https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmv8aQKO6k0

http://
www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beyonceknowles/prettyhur
ts.html

Video

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmv8aQKO6k0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXXQLa-5n5w

Overarching Theme:
Each song portrays
some sort of distress
Their distress
stems from an
issue they find
in society
Each offer a
way to fix
the issue

Spoken Word
Read the given
poem silently

https://
www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_
daughter/transcript?language=en

Spoken Word
Read the given
poem silently

Write down one or

two sentences of
your initial reaction

Spoken Word
Read the given
poem silently

Re-read the poem

silently, what
tone(s) is the writer
portraying?
Underline your proof

Write down one or

two sentences of
your initial reaction

https://
www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_
daughter/transcript?language=en

(Alexander-Smith
2004)

Spoken Word

Read the given

poem silently

Re-read the poem

silently, what
tone(s) is the writer
portraying?
Underline your proof

Write down one or

two sentences of
your initial reaction

Volunteers read the

poem aloud and
convey the interpreted
tone
Students take notes during performances
Observe body gestures, intonation, and other nonverbal
measures which emphasize the tone of the poetry and

Watch an Example

https://
www.ted.com/talks/sara
h_kay_if_i_should_have
_a_daughter?language=e
n

Observe body gestures, intonation, and other nonverbal measures

which emphasize the tone of the poetry and illustrate the social issue
or problem
Think about what lead the performer to make this poem?
Why would the writer choose to use spoken word, instead of only
written word?
Is the performance convincing? Why?
Class discussion on discoveries, similarities and differences of
opinions
(Alexander-Smith

(Alexander-Smith
2004)

Spoken Word

https://
www.ted.com/talks/jamila_lyiscott_3_ways_to_speak_english/transcript?language=en
Repeat
the process

with another poem.

Read the given
poem silently
Re-read the poem
silently, what
tone(s) is the writer
portraying?
Underline your proof

Write down one or

two sentences of
your initial reaction

Volunteers read the

poem aloud and
convey the interpreted
tone
Students take notes during performances
Observe body gestures, intonation, and other nonverbal
measures which emphasize the tone of the poetry and

Watch an Example

https://
www.ted.com/talks/jamila
_lyiscott_3_ways_to_spea
k_english?language=en

Observe body gestures, intonation, and other nonverbal measures

which emphasize the tone of the poetry and illustrate the social issue
or problem
Think about what lead the performer to make this poem?
Why would the writer choose to use spoken word, instead of only
written word?
Is the performance convincing? Why?
Class discussion on discoveries, similarities and differences of
opinions
(Alexander-Smith

Start Writing
Now that each student has started to explore performing poetry.
Its time to start one yourselves.

Start Writing
Now that each student has started to explore performing poetry.
Its time to start one yourselves.
Brainstorm topics,
ideas, issues to
address

Start Writing
Now that each student has started to explore performing poetry.
Its time to start one yourselves.
Brainstorm topics,
ideas, issues to
address

While writing think

about the tone you want
to convey

Start Writing
Now that each student has started to explore performing poetry.
Its time to start one yourselves.
Brainstorm topics,
ideas, issues to
address
Revise and edit but
think about how you
envision your poem
sounding and how you
want your audience to
FEEL or

feel

While writing think

about the tone you want
to convey

Start Writing
Now that each student has started to explore performing poetry.
Its time to start one yourselves.
Brainstorm topics,
ideas, issues to
address
Revise and edit but
think about how you
envision your poem
sounding and how you
want your audience to

While writing think

about the tone you want
to convey

Practice in front of a
classmate, friend,
family member, or
FEEL or
mirror
There will be interactive peer editing next
class, and volunteers will present their

feel

How to Peer Review for Spoken

This experience is to allow student
voices and experiences out of
Word
obscurity and to foster awareness among each other within the
classroom
Be honest, but understanding. For some it will be their first time
presenting in front of the class. Dont sugar coat but recognize the
courage that it must have taken to stand in front of the class and
share.
Feed each other: give constructive criticism to help each other
improve
Did the performer have an appropriate use of body gestures,
intonation, and other nonverbal measures to emphasize the tone of the
poetry and illustrate the social issue or problem? Explain and give
examples.
Is the performance convincing? Why?
(Fisher

Bibliography

AerosmithVEVO. "Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge."YouTube. YouTube, 24 Dec. 2009.

Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
Alexander-Smith, AnJeanette C.. Feeling the Rhythm of the Critically Conscious
Mind.The English Journal93.3 (2004): 5863. Web...
All photos from Pickit Presentation Images accessed through PowerPoint
Fisher, Maisha T.. From the Coffee House to the School House: The Promise and
Potential of Spoken Word Poetry in School Contexts.English Education37.2 (2005):
115131. Web...
Kay, Sarah. (2011). If I should have a daughter TED, 0:00 18:21. https://
www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter
Lyiscott, Jamila. (2014). 3 ways to speak English. TED, 0:00 4:25. https://
www.ted.com/talks/jamila_lyiscott_3_ways_to_speak_english?language=en