While my inquiry project is looking at how to incorporate music into social studies curriculum, I wanted to pick a few different topics of social studies and see how I could incorporate it into those different lessons. Since I am personally more versed on music from the 1940’s and beyond, I figured I would start by trying to incorporate the music that I am already familiar with.
Ward, B., 2006. "People Get Ready": Music and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. History Now, (8).
This text was written by an American Studies professor and describes the different ways that music helped spark the civil rights movement, as well as how some of the songs that were influential at the time they were created. It describes both popular music that was recorded and distributed via records and radio, as well as the songs that were created and sung by people participating in the movement at rallies or concerts. The article also talks about how certain songs were based off of popular songs of the time, and this is where students would be familiar with some of the songs that are mentioned. This article does a great job of showing how all types of music (folk, jazz, gospel, and R&B) impacted the civil rights movement.
Text Complexity: This text is moderately complex because it expects the reader to know background information about the civil rights movement, as well as referencing many artist of the 50’s and 60’s that the students may not be familiar with and additional research would be required of them to know who they were. If I used this in my classroom, I would expect much of the background information of the civil rights movement to have already been covered. Much of the information given is fairly straightforward though and describes why certain music was important. I think this article would be appropriate for any high school student with minimal background knowledge in the civil rights movement.
Task: I think that this article would be best suited for an introduction to a project where students picked a piece of music that was used during the civil rights movement and did an in depth look at the piece of music. It would give them ideas of what kind of songs were created at the time, how they were used and why. It would be after learning what the civil rights movement was so students could use direct examples of instances when music would have been used. Students could do a think-pair-share after reading the article and compare what they found interesting and see what kind of questions the article brought up for them and their partner.
First Mondays: Soundtrack for a Revolution. 2009. [video] Directed by D. Nelson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SiYbO2DD8M
This video looks at the freedom songs that were created during the civil rights movement that were sung at meetings, protests, and on the picket lines. It describes who created them and why, but it also gives the viewer historical context, so they know what was happening when the song was created. The songs that are discussed are played in their original format, but also covered by famous artists of the 21st century.
Text Complexity: This text is only slightly complex as is requires some background knowledge of the time, but it also provides some information to help the viewer get a good idea of what was happening at the time. The meaning of the songs is provided and explained so the viewer is able to see what certain songs meant since there is some symbolism and words that they may not have known. There are some depictions of violence, but nothing that is graphic. This would be appropriate for any high school student as long as they have minor background knowledge of the civil rights movement.
Task: I would create a viewing guide that I would give students before they watch this video. It would include surface level questions that they would answer during the video to make sure that they were paying attention during the film, and it would also include deeper questions that would allow them to make inferences about the songs, the composers, and the events surrounding the civil rights movement. This would not only keep the students engaged during the film, but it would give them questions to think about afterwards, and possibly discuss in small groups or with a partner.
The Freedom Singers perform "We Shall Not Be Moved" at the March on Washington. 2015. [video].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duvoETGVvYU
This video gives a firsthand look at freedom singers performing one of the most famous songs of the civil rights movement. They are performing it at the March on Washington in August of 1963. It also shows footage from the crowd of people who also attended the March on Washington. I think seeing the passion and feelings that were evoked by the performers and the audience’s reaction to the performance allows the students to see how important this was to the people fighting for their rights. Hearing the songs and reading about the march give the students good information, but seeing it puts the whole movement into perspective for the students.
Text Complexity: This text is very simple. It is a video showing what someone would see and hear on the March on Washington. The inferences that can be made from what was happening to these people and what they were going through make it more complex. This video is appropriate for any student, but again having the background knowledge and understanding of the time would make this text more difficult to comprehend.
Task: I think I would have students watch this clip and write a reflection piece afterwards. I would want them to place themselves at the march and describe their feelings and try to describe that those around them would be feeling. I also would give them a handout that had the lyrics to the song and let them describe how they interpreted the song. They would need to know that there is no right or wrong answer and to answer it as personally. This would give me a look into my students feeling about the movement and see if their schema plays a role in their feelings.
Additional resources:
Music in the Civil Rights Movement
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/eyesontheprize-music-civil-rights-movement/
Teaching with Protest Music
https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/lesson-plan-teaching-with-protest-music/
Songs of The Civil Rights Movement
https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/99315652/songs-of-the-civil-rights-movement
10 Essential Civil Rights Songs
https://www.thoughtco.com/essential-civil-rights-songs-1322740
