Lesson Plan Format Using Understanding by Design Framework

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

Title: The Power of a Song

Grade: 9th Grade
Author: Alyssa Albaugh
Number of Class Periods: 1 class period
Essential Questions: I can analyze and explain the struggles African Americans faced, and still
are facing today, through mass media and songs
State of Michigan Content Standards (GLCEs/HSCEs):
8.3.1 Civil Rights Movement – Analyze the key events, ideals, documents, and organizations in
the struggle for civil rights by African Americans
 The impact of WWII and the Cold War (e.g. racial and gender integration
 Supreme Court Decisions and governmental actions (e.g. Brown v. Board (1954), Civil
Rights Act (1957), Little Rock schools desegregated, Civil Rights Act (1964), Voting
Rights Act (1965))
 Protest movements, organizations, and civil actions (e.g. integration of baseball,
Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956) March on Washington (1963), freedom rides,
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Southern
Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee
(SNCC), Nation of Islam, Black Panthers)
 Resistance to Civil Rights (National Geography Standard 6. P. 195)
D2.His.6.9-12 – Analyze the ways in which the perspectives of those writing history shaped the
history that they produced.
D2.His.7.9-12 – Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of
the past
D3.1.9-12 – Gather relevant information form multiple sources representing a wide range of
views while using the origin, authority, structure, context, and corroborative value of the sources
to guide the selection.
Learning Objectives: Students will learn how to carefully discuss the messages that are being
sent by one song and one letter. They will learn how to analyze the text, ask questions relating to
the lyrics and letter, come up with their own interpretation of the text, and see if their
interpretation changes once they discuss their views with the class. The Letter From a
Birmingham Jail will have direct connections to MLKJ’s struggle for equal rights through his
active, non-violent, peace protests. They will be able to make inferences as to why MLKJ chose
to get himself arrest and why he decided to write back to the clergyman publically. Students will
also understand the problems Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar sing about in terms of racial
injustice. They will be given the opportunity to look at the lyrics and make inferences as to why
they are choosing their platform to sing/rap about such a passionate and controversial topic.
Content Rationale: My students will be exposed to a lot of information during the Civil Rights
Unit. They will be exposed to specific dates, key events, key people, and important legislation
that was passed to further advance equal rights and opportunity for all Americans. I chose to
incorporate a much more in depth experience lesson that focuses on one artist writing about her
life as an African American living in the 60s. Although the events and people that led to the
United States passing a series of legislation to further equal rights, I feel it is also important to
analyze a primary source that focuses more on personal experience not just specific dates and
names.
Instructional Strategy Rationale: I plan to use this lesson as an opportunity to first strengthen
my students’ ability to interpret primary sources. They will have to interpret a letter that was
written over 60 years ago, understand its meaning and be able to articulate that to their peers.
This lesson will also give my students the opportunity to strengthen their conversational and
debate skills. This majority of this lesson will be student led and I will take a step back and
encourage my students to discuss the topic to themselves not just me.
Background and Context: Students will have already been exposed to the different types of
segregation African Americans experienced before and during the 1950s and 1960s. They will
have already learned segregation in Public Accommodations, Housing, Marriage, Workplace,
and Politics. They will be introduced to the desegregation in sports, the armed forces, and
schools, however, they will still be learned the ongoing struggle desegregation during this lesson.

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence (Assessment)

Diagnostic/Formative Assessments: There will be a series of formative assessments throughout

the lesson that will eventually end with an Exit Ticket that will be given to the students to work
on at the end of the hour.
Summative Unit Assessments: There will be a summative assessment at the end of the week
where students will be tested on the information they learned in todays lesson as well as the rest
of the information attained in Chapter 44.

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences (Procedure)

Instructional Strategy
 Opening/Activator: (2-3 minutes)
o Ask the students what type of music they listen to and why they listen to music?
o Then ask, what their favorite song and what message the song is trying to give?
o Ask the students why music is important?
o Then introduce the lesson for the day and what they are going to be doing
 Activities: (50 minutes)
o Start by introducing Martin Luther King, Jr. and why he was intentionally arrested
in Birmingham, Alabama
 Read the letter aloud for each student to listen to while they highlight
important lines or phrases
o Have each student individually go through the letter and ask themselves these
questions
 What are the messages being sent through this letter?
 Highlight key lines that stand out to you and explain your own
interpretation on it
 Why do you think MLKJ chose to write back to the clergyman?
 Do you think there are people who would disagree with this letter?
o Once they have individually gone through the letter have the students turn to their
partner and discuss the questions together while adding any additional notes to
 their papers

o Then introduce Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar

 Who they are as individuals
 What their background/home life was like
 Individual musical careers first and then how their careers brought them
together to write a song
o Then pass out Freedom and have the students listen to the song and read along
with the lyrics
o Have each student individually go through the lyrics and ask themselves these
questions
 What are the messages being sent through this song?
 Highlight key lines that stand out to you and explain your own
interpretation on it
 Do you think songs are credible/trustworthy/persuasive sources?
 Should we trust the lyrics from Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar?
o Once they have individually gone through the lyrics have the students turn to their
partner and discuss the questions together while adding any additional notes to
their papers
o Have students arrange their desks to form a circle
 Have each student take two squares and instruct that each student is
encouraged to speak two times
 Those who have more to say must wait until at least everyone has spoken
once
 The purpose of this is to encourage students who are shy or quiet to
participate
o Discuss the questions as a class to see the similar or different interpretations
 What are the messages being sent through this song?
 Highlight key lines that stand out to you and explain your own
interpretation on it
 Why do you think this artist wrote this song?
 Point out specific lines from both the letter and song and see what their
interpretation was on it.
 Are there any questions or phrases that need to be clarified or interpreted?

o End the discussion with students by leaving them with a closing exit ticket
 There has been over 50 years between these two songs. Both songs were
written by African Americans revolving around equal rights and how
society treats African Americans. Based on the information we have
already covered in class and the two songs were listened to today, do you
think we have progressed in terms of equal rights AND treatment?
 If there is time this question can be answered as group, however, if there is
a small amount have the students come to class with them the following
day to wrap up the discussion
 Anticipated Students Interactions/Questions: I anticipate student interaction from a majority
of the students, instead of having 5-7 students lead the discussion. It is my hope that students
 will be interested in this lesson because of the pop culture artists that will be included in this
lesson.
 Closing/Summarizer: I would like to close the lesson with a question geared for them to think
about and possibly answer together but more so something that will make them truly question
where society is today in terms of equal rights and opportunity. I want to end by asking them,
“Have a progressed to the point where there is no more progression?”

Anticipated Total Time Required: 55 minutes

Other Important Information

Materials:
 Pencil
 Highlighter
 Song lyrics and Letter that will be printed by me
 Lined sheet of paper for exit ticket
Modifications and Accommodations: I chose this lesson to practice my skills as facilitating a
class discussion as well as teach my students the skills needed to discuss a topic such as civil
rights. I do not want to pressure my students to the point where they feel anxious about speaking
at least two times. I will not be extremely strict on the two square rule for those who have social
anxiety or have trouble interpreting a primary source.