Running head: FIGURES OF SPEECH IN MUSIC 1

Figures of Speech in Music

Karen A. Lopez Gonzalez

College of Southern Nevada

Education 220 -2001

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Figures of Speech in Music

Description of Class

This 8th grade English class is made up of twenty students, equal parts boys and girls.

The majority of the class is Hispanic, and the others are four Caucasian students, three African-

American students, and two Asian American students. Desks are arranged in five groups of four

with desks facing each other. Students who need the most help are assigned to the two front

groups with one gifted student among them to help guide the group. There are five students with

limited English skills who are performing at an elementary level but many others come from

Spanish-speaking homes, and one student with ADHD learning disability.

Subject/Skill:

English Language Arts

Nevada Academic Content Standards- 8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases

as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of

specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

Objectives

• Following the lecture students will be able to correctly identify and categorize types of

figurative language using context clues with 95% accuracy.

• Students will be able to work as a group to interpret figures of speech and argue their

reasoning with 75% accuracy.

• Students will be able to use figurative language in their writing to create a dramatic skit

in collaboration with their group using different kinds of figurative language with 90%

accuracy.

Procedures:
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1. Students will be greeted at the door and will promptly be seated at their assigned groups.

2. Once they are seated students will demonstrate they are prepared to learn by having their

notebooks and a writing utensil on their desk.

3. Open the Google Slide titled “Figurative Language in Music” and will present the lecture

using projector.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hEbcX9Vt8dx6VZx2SHXC_NPFv4Emjziao8M-

SHqGKVw/edit?usp=sharing

4. The class will follow along individually taking notes as I and volunteered students read

the slides with definitions and examples.

5. At the end of the slide show, students will play a game of jeopardy with the following

video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK2D8S1WBFE

6. The video plays fifteen-second clips of a song using figures of speech, pause the video

before the type of figurative language is revealed. They must correctly categorize the type

of figure of speech, argue why it falls into that category, and explain what the lyrics

mean.

7. Take turns asking each student one question, giving students thirty seconds to consult

with their team, then hit the buzzer.

8. If the student answers all parts correctly they get one point, if not the team that raises

their hand first can steal their question. Keep score on the whiteboard and the team with

the most points will get 3 extra credit points.

9. Once that is finished go around the room numbering students one through four to place

them in a group and assign each group a corner to work in.

10. Once they are in their groups explain to students they will be writing an original skit in
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collaboration with their partners. They must use two types of figurative language each

and at least eight different ones as a group. Each group will have three to five minutes to

perform their comical or dramatic skit before they are buzzed off the stage.

11. Students will turn in the written skit with the group members names before they go.

Materials

• Google Slides

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hEbcX9Vt8dx6VZx2SHXC_NPFv4Emjziao8M-

SHqGKVw/edit?usp=sharing

• YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK2D8S1WBFE

• Projector

• Buzzer

• Notebook

• Writing utensil

Grouping Structures

The class will individually take notes in their journal of information covered in the

lecture. In studies cooperative learning has been shown to produce a rise in the levels of

motivation, achievement, and positive social results (Snowman, 2015). For that reason, at the end

of the lecture students have a chance of earning extra credit by participating in a lightning round

of group jeopardy with students in their assigned groups and skits will be written and performed

in groups of five students chosen at random.

Modifications

Students who have very limited English or struggle remembering their lines will be

allowed to read off the script. Gifted students will be asked to help direct their groups skit and
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assess if figures of speech are being used correctly. The student with ADHD must be coached to

stay on task with positive reinforcement, feedback, and more supervision.

Assessment

During the jeopardy game, students must answer at least three out of four questions

correctly to pass. To answer a question correctly they must properly categorize the type of figure

of speech, argue why it falls into that category, and explain what the lyrics mean. The skits will

be a group grade and a group can receive up to ten points. Each student must use at least two

kinds of figurative language correctly and the group must use a total of eight figures of speech.

Closure

After completing this lesson students will demonstrate an understanding of figurative

language by identifying and interpreting figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, metaphor) in

context. They will have the opportunity to exercise this new knowledge in a five-minute skit

created in collaboration with their groups. At the end of the lesson check back with the class, ask

if they have any questions. If students don’t have any questions, review key concepts like what is

figurative language, how authors use it to enhance the emotional significance of passages, and

how does it help readers identify symbolic literary themes. Let students know we will be moving

on to poetry and examining how structure affects its meaning and style.
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References

English Language Arts Standards (2021) Reading: Literature grade 8 (n.d.). Retrieved March

27, 2021, from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/8/

Snowman, Jack and McCown, Rick (2015). Psychology Applied to Teaching (14th

Ed.). Belmont, CA Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.