Final Project: Lesson Structure

The lesson should be done in the course of one day during Social Studies time, preferably on the same day that we go to computer lab. Half the class will be used to discuss ideals and American ideals by listening to songs that represent the ideals of America, and the other half of class will be spent searching and listening to these songs in the computer lab. We will end the lesson with a journal entry about the meaning and thoughts about the translation of the two songs.
I will begin the lesson by having a class discussion about what it means to have an ideal or what ideals mean or is meant by ideals. Then, I will ask the students to work in pairs to come up with a list of American ideals or what are the ideals that we hold dear in America, which will be shared with the class. Next, we will listen to the songs "America the Beautiful" and the "Star Spangled Banner." I will ask the children to review their list of American ideals that was done previously with a partner, and see how it compared to the ideals represented and sung in the songs of our national anthem and the nation hymn. Afterwards, we will take a trip to the computer lab to search for these two patriotic songs and their lyrics on the internet, using YouTube, to listen to and comprehend the meaning of the two songs.
At the computer lab, I will have the students individually work and use the internet to find the lyrics to the songs "America the Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner," and have them print up the lyrics. Next, I will have them go to YouTube to search for and listen to both songs. It will be their job to listen to the songs and read the lyrics as they go and follow along with the song. I have allotted 20 minutes to find the lyrics on the Internet and listen to the song of YouTube. Within this time frame, the children can listen to both songs as often as they want. Last, we will go back to classroom to do a journal entry on the songs that we have listened to.
When we return to class the children will have about 10 to 15 minutes to record their thoughts on the meaning of the songs and how it relates to representing American ideals. As homework or work beyond the lesson, I can have the students find other songs that represent American ideals, with their translation and thoughts written as a paper to be turned into class or used as a presentation, provided they bring the music or upload it on the computer (using YouTube) to be shared with the rest of the class.

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