Lesson Title: On Music and Culture in the 1960s
Course: Minority Perspectives / 9-12th Grade (Alternative to traditional U.S. History)
Unit of Study: Critical Perspectives of 1960’s
Abstract
Some music of the 1960s was a social commentary and vehicle for social change. Other music simply celebrated life. These ranges in music styles reflected the diversity of American culture.
Much of the rock music of the 1960s included idealistic notions of reform concerning civil rights and feminism, as well as real issues such as sexuality, drug use, and violence. Rock music gave the counterculture a forum to discuss realistic problems and ideas freely, liberating them from the conventions of a few years back. This lesson is intended to challenge students to analyze whether rock and roll was a cause or an effect of the social and political movements.
Objectives
Students will:
·study the lyrics of several songs to determine their political or social message, and what event(s) the songs centered around. [Michigan Standard I.3.HS.1 – Analyzing and Interpreting the Past]
·create images based on the musical sounds and words from the music. [Michigan Standard V.1.HS.2 – Information Processing]
·write about one particular musician or group of musicians and their effect on the sixties movement. [Michigan Standard VI.3.HS.1-Persuasive Writing]
Key Concepts
Counterculture
Anti-war movement
Silent majority
Instructional Resources
For the making of the CD covers, which represent a 1960’s LP cover, have markers, crayons, magazines, and glue available to students. Also have examples of some concert promotion posters and LP album covers for them to look at.
CD that contains the songs that students will be listening to while making their CD covers. Lyrics for these songs will also be obtained from the Internet so students can study their political and social implications.
CD player
Computer with accompanying projector to project images and text regarding the artists and bands of the 60’s
Sequence of Activities
1.Before you play the music, share some of the information on the back album cover of the albums with the students so they can learn more about the music and performers.
2.Have students listen to the 1960s music and think the songs and the messages.
3.Discuss the music based on "Questions for Discussion or Research."
·Compare the messages of the 1960s songs you heard. How do they reflect the decade? To which aspects of the decade do each song's lyrics speak?
·Can you describe the past through the eyes and experiences of the 1960s musicians as revealed through their music?
·What do you want to say about the music? The musician?
·Do you think the music of this era was a cause or an effect of the social and political movements?
4.Have students each design an album cover on paper pre-cut to the size of an CD cover (4’’ X 6’’)
5.For homework have students write their own notes for the back of the cover which should include, but is not limited to, the title of the band, a brief history, and a brief paragraph or two about music influence on the 1960’s.
Assessment
Observing students’ contributions to the large-group discussion questions can serve as informal assessment of student learning. Taking into consideration both the degree of participation but also the quality of their comments made in class. Students need to show that they can relate the lyrics/message of several songs back to the political event or social movements they belong and to guess approximately the year the songs were written.
Formal assessment will occur when students prepare a reproduction of a 1960’s LP with a modern-day CD case for homework. Within the CD project students should have their front cover decorated in a 60’s theme and include the musician(s) name, the inside cover should have a brief statement answering the following question: Did the music of the 1960’s have an effect on the social and political movements of the era? The back of the CD case students should include the year the CD was released and the songs that are referred to.