Song

analysis

©reading and writing haven

Dear Teacher,
This song analysis activity allows students to critically analyze poetry through an engaging platform: music.

You can easily incorporate an element of differentiation in this activity by allowing students to work in small groups or
partners, letting them choose their own song, or assigning different numbers to different students. I would suggest
modeling how to complete it first through a short video via remote teaching or direct instruction in face-to-face learning.

The questions in this exercise are focused on poetic devices and analysis of meaning as well as critical thinking
extensions.

Use this activity as… You'll find two different print versions of this activity. That
ü A warm-up to an analysis unit is because some teachers prefer having more writing space than
ü A poetry hook the condense version allows. Plus, with the separate pages,
ü A station activity you can separate the activities for learning stations or gallery
ü A fast-finisher exercise
ü A homework assignment
walks. Use whichever version you prefer!
ü A novel-study paired text assignment

Make sure to set guidelines about the appropriateness of lyrics before allowing students to choose a song to analyze
independently. Consider building in important essential questions or literary themes if they are applicable to your class
and curriculum.

If you are looking for similar activities for poems or

other texts, you may like my analyzing texts scaffolded
unit or these poetry analysis graphic organizers.
Happy Teaching,
Melissa
Click here for google slides version
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©Reading and writing haven

of at least 3 stanzas.
 1 Theme Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

What message does this song convey?

Theme is…
The overall
Message that
Applies to life
That you
Can infer
From the text

EXAMPLE:
LOVE CAN CONQUER
EVEN THE GREATEST
OF EVILS.
©reading and writing haven
 2 Connection Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

What are some specific examples of how this message is relevant in

Connecting… today’s world: to your life, in your school, in your community, in your
country, or in your world?

Drawing a
Parallel between
The text and an
Outside
experience
To more deeply
Understand the
Text’s message,
Conflict, or
Characters

©reading and writing haven

 3 Re-Title Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

What is an appropriate alternate title for this song, and why?

The title…
Usually reflects
An important
Element of a text.
They catch
readers’
Attention, are
often symbolic,
or reflect the
narrator’s
perspective.

©reading and writing haven

4 Author’s Purpose Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

What purpose, agenda, or goal do you think the songwriter had in mind
The purpose… when composing these lyrics? Explain your thinking. Draw upon
historical, political, or social events of the time period in your reflection.

The author’s
purpose is the
reason or intention
for writing. Song
writers often
write to evoke
emotion, to sort
out feelings, to
call people to
action, to
entertain, or to
highlight a social
injustice.

©reading and writing haven

 5 Media’s Influence Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Do you think young people who listen to this song would be influenced
Influence… by it? Could it sway their beliefs, words, or actions? And, do songwriters
have a responsibility to use their platforms for a positive change?
Explain.
We are often
provoked to think,
grow, and mature
when presented with
new ideas that
challenge our
current
understanding about
the world. Media is
often thought to
have both positive
and negative
influences.

©reading and writing haven

 6 Favorite Line Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Write your favorite line(s) from the song, and then add whatever you think complements them
best! Doodles, drawings, memes, sketches, pictures, etc.

©reading and writing haven

 7 Figurative Language
Use complete sentences, images, or sketches to
communicate your thinking and ideas.

Type some of the song’s lines that contain figurative language in this
Literary Devices box. Then, explain how the figurative language in this song adds a
deeper layer of meaning.

Similes
Metaphors
Personification
Alliteration
Consonance
Rhyme & rhythm
hyperbole

©reading and writing haven

8 Symbolism Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Draw a meaningful image or symbol from this song. Take a picture and
insert it here along with a thoughtful explanation.
Symbolism…
Something is
symbolic when it
represents an
idea greater
than itself.
Example: A heart
symbolizes love,
and a tree
symbolizes life.

©reading and writing haven

 9 Lines Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Find your favorite line from the song. What is the significance of these
Song lines… words that are grouped together, and how do they relate to the song /
poem as a whole?

Song lines & poetry

lines refer to a
single row of
words written
across the page.
Poets often divide
lines into groups
of words
intentionally to
impact the reading
experience.

©reading and writing haven

10 Stanza Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Find your favorite stanza. What is the topic of this stanza, and how does

Stanza… it fit into the song / poem as a whole?

Stanzas are
groups of lines
that are
connected
because they are
all related to a
similar idea or
topic. They are
like paragraphs
in an essay.

©reading and writing haven

11 Rhyme Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Look for a rhyming couplet or a set of rhyming lines. Write them

Rhyme… below. Why do you think the poet / songwriter uses rhyme here? What is
the impact?

Lines in poetry /
songs rhyme
when they end in
words that have
similar ending
sounds. Slant
rhyme happens
when words
almost rhyme,
but just miss the
mark!

©reading and writing haven

 12 Quatrain Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Identify a quatrain. Write it below. Then, answer: What is the topic of

this quatrain, and what type of rhythm or rhyme scheme does it have?
Quatrain…
Quatrains are
groups of four
lines that are
related by topic
and often have a
rhyme scheme or
intentional
rhythm.

EXAMPLE:
THE LIZARD IS A TIMID THING
THAT CANNOT DANCE OR FLY OR SING;
HE HUNTS FOR BUGS BENEATH THE FLOOR
AND LONG STO BE A DINOSOUR

-John Gardner-
©reading and writing haven
 13 Rhythm Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Consider the rhythm/beat of this song. How is it created, and how does
Rhythm… it impact the mood of the text? How is it like the heartbeat of the piece?

Rhythm is the
pattern of regular
or irregular
pulses or beats in
each line of the
poem. It’s what
tells you how fast
to snap your
fingers, sway side
to side, or tap your
feet.

©reading and writing haven

14 Mood Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Identify the mood of this song. What specific words and phrases does
Mood… the author use to create it? How does the sentence structure contribute
to the mood? What do the words cause you to visualize as you listen?

Mood is the feeling

evoked in the reader.
The author uses
words, phrases,
sentence structures,
and evokes
visualizations that
cause readers to
feel a certain way.

©reading and writing haven

15 Tone Use complete sentences, images, or sketches
to communicate your thinking and ideas.

Identify the tone of this song. How do you know? How does the point of
Tone… view and word choice contribute to your inferences about the tone?

Tone is the
writer’s attitude
toward a subject
or topic. It’s
generated
through choice of
words and point
of view.

©reading and writing haven

On the Blog…

Poetry teaching resources…

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SUGGESTED USE
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you may need to alter some of the suggestions, slow down, or speed up the suggested use.

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Melissa
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