United in Song and Spirit
A lesson created by Miriam Kopelow
Academic Subject: Social Studies Content Area: Civil Rights Movement
Time Needed: 60 minutes Music Area: Singing
Grade Level: Fifth
Social Studies Content Standards:
History:
(5) Identify key events, causes, and effects of a major period in US History
Political Science and Citizenship:
(1) Describe the struggle in our society for equal rights for all people.
(2) Give examples of current and historical ways in which citizens may voice opinions and change government
Music Content Standards:
To sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music, students will:
(c) Sing from memory a varied repertoire of songs representing genres and styles of music from diverse cultures
(e) Sing in groups, blending vocal timbres, matching dynamic levels, and responding to the cues of the conductor/teacher
Objectives:
1. Given ample instruction and demonstration by the teacher, students will be able to sing “Oh, Freedom” without assistance from the teacher
2. Using their own copy of the lyrics, students will be able to name 3 central messages being projected by the words in the song
3. Given the opportunity to experience singing as a classroom community, students will be able to name 5 reasons why singing was a powerful tool used in the American Civil Rights Movement
Why is it important that students learn my lesson?
The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s was a beautifully complex chapter in American History that has yet to fully close. This was a time of movement of the masses to achieve change. Although it is mandatory to teach in most public school districts, many of us have only learned of the public figures of the movement such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. We never learn of the foot soldiers who came out in the thousands to march, protest, ride, and sing. This lesson is a step towards understanding the foundation of the movement, which includes Freedom Songs and the power of the masses. This lesson also touches on the influence of religion in the movement and the links to slavery.
Materials:
· “Oh, Freedom” lyrics (one copy for each student)
· “Oh, Freedom” recording from Selma, AL
· Stereo system
· Chalk board and Chalk
Background for Teachers:
Before teaching this lesson, students should learn about the events and history of Selma, Alabama; a place of contention and action in the heat of the Civil Rights Movement. The main fight in Selma was for voter’s rights and desegregation. Led by John Lewis and other members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), approximately 600 people attempted to March from Selma to the state capitol building in Montgomery on March 9, 1965. While attempting to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge within the first few blocks of their march, marchers were violently halted by police and state troopers who attached them with clubs, tear gas, dogs, horses, and their bare fists. The brutality of this day marked forever in history as “Bloody Sunday.”
With the help of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and state judges over 3,000 marchers left Selma, AL on March 21 with the protection of armed guards. By the time they reached Montgomery four days later, the group had grown to close to 25,000.
Prior to this lesson, students should have learned about the fight for voter’s rights and the plan to march. Bloody Sunday should not be taught yet. The song taught in this lesson, “Oh, Freedom” was a central piece to all the meetings, marches, and gatherings in the series of events that led to the successful March From Selma to Montgomery.
Steps in the Lesson:
Introduction/Building Background Knowledge:
· Lead class in review discussion of what they have learned thus far about the Civil Rights Movement
o Who can tell me what we know about Selma, Alabama?
o Did the governor of Alabama support the Foot Soldiers?
o Right now, what are the residents and supporters of Selma planning?
Teaching the Song:
· Have students begin clapping a beat slow enough to sing to. Do not begin singing until everyone is clapping at a volume that one voice can sing over.
o Introduce volume hand motions. With your palms facing down, move them from eye level towards the floor and tell the students this is the signal to clap or sing quieter.
· Tell students you are going to sing the song that they are going to learn today
· Teacher: Sing the main verse while the students clap
Oh freedom, oh freedom, oh freedom over me
And before I'd be a slave I'll be buried in a my grave
And go home to my Lord and be free
· Pause the clapping.
· Break apart the lines to teach the tune. Sing a phrase then have the students repeat.
· Go through the verse two more times in this manner with clapping. Sing longer phrases then have the student repeat. By the third time around, sing a whole line and have the students repeat.
· See if the students can sing the whole verse by themselves. If struggling, lip sync with them and then have them do it on their own.
Analyzing the Lyrics:
· Pass out the lyrics of the entire song to the class (attached)
· Sing the entire song with all the verses two whole times
o As you are coming to the end of the first round, use the hand motions to have students sing and clap louder.
· Ask students, “How did that feel?”
o Discuss emotions and what they experienced
· Describe the culture around singing in the Civil Rights Movement
· As a class, discuss the meaning of the song:
o What are the messages this song tries to portray?
o What is the meaning of the line, “And go home to my Lord and be free?”
§ Religion’s influence in the movement
o Is this a song about slavery? What is the meaning of the line, “And before I'd be a slave I'll be buried in my grave”?
Closure:
· Listen to the audio clip [Track 6]
· Discuss what you heard:
o Can you hear Dr. King? Can you hear Rosa Parks? Who do you hear? What do we think of that? Does that tell us something about the Movement?
o What is the impact of singing with a large group?
Assessment:
· Can students eventually sing the song without the teacher?
· In the “Analyzing the Lyrics” segment, can students name 3 messages of this song?
· In the same segment, can students name 5 reasons why singing was a powerful tool used in the American Civil Rights Movement?
Adaptations/Extensions:
· For students who are hearing impaired, teacher can learn signs for the lyrics
· If students are antsy, the class can create movements for the lyrics
· If students are non-communicative/talkers, movements can be their way of participating in the song
Next Steps:
· Have the students write their own verses to this song. What does freedom look like to them? What are they enslaved by?
A lesson created by Miriam Kopelow
Academic Subject: Social Studies Content Area: Civil Rights Movement
Time Needed: 60 minutes Music Area: Singing
Grade Level: Fifth
Social Studies Content Standards:
History:
(5) Identify key events, causes, and effects of a major period in US History
Political Science and Citizenship:
(1) Describe the struggle in our society for equal rights for all people.
(2) Give examples of current and historical ways in which citizens may voice opinions and change government
Music Content Standards:
To sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music, students will:
(c) Sing from memory a varied repertoire of songs representing genres and styles of music from diverse cultures
(e) Sing in groups, blending vocal timbres, matching dynamic levels, and responding to the cues of the conductor/teacher
Objectives:
1. Given ample instruction and demonstration by the teacher, students will be able to sing “Oh, Freedom” without assistance from the teacher
2. Using their own copy of the lyrics, students will be able to name 3 central messages being projected by the words in the song
3. Given the opportunity to experience singing as a classroom community, students will be able to name 5 reasons why singing was a powerful tool used in the American Civil Rights Movement
Why is it important that students learn my lesson?
The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s was a beautifully complex chapter in American History that has yet to fully close. This was a time of movement of the masses to achieve change. Although it is mandatory to teach in most public school districts, many of us have only learned of the public figures of the movement such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. We never learn of the foot soldiers who came out in the thousands to march, protest, ride, and sing. This lesson is a step towards understanding the foundation of the movement, which includes Freedom Songs and the power of the masses. This lesson also touches on the influence of religion in the movement and the links to slavery.
Materials:
· “Oh, Freedom” lyrics (one copy for each student)
· “Oh, Freedom” recording from Selma, AL
· Stereo system
· Chalk board and Chalk
Background for Teachers:
Before teaching this lesson, students should learn about the events and history of Selma, Alabama; a place of contention and action in the heat of the Civil Rights Movement. The main fight in Selma was for voter’s rights and desegregation. Led by John Lewis and other members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), approximately 600 people attempted to March from Selma to the state capitol building in Montgomery on March 9, 1965. While attempting to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge within the first few blocks of their march, marchers were violently halted by police and state troopers who attached them with clubs, tear gas, dogs, horses, and their bare fists. The brutality of this day marked forever in history as “Bloody Sunday.”
With the help of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and state judges over 3,000 marchers left Selma, AL on March 21 with the protection of armed guards. By the time they reached Montgomery four days later, the group had grown to close to 25,000.
Prior to this lesson, students should have learned about the fight for voter’s rights and the plan to march. Bloody Sunday should not be taught yet. The song taught in this lesson, “Oh, Freedom” was a central piece to all the meetings, marches, and gatherings in the series of events that led to the successful March From Selma to Montgomery.
Steps in the Lesson:
Introduction/Building Background Knowledge:
· Lead class in review discussion of what they have learned thus far about the Civil Rights Movement
o Who can tell me what we know about Selma, Alabama?
o Did the governor of Alabama support the Foot Soldiers?
o Right now, what are the residents and supporters of Selma planning?
Teaching the Song:
· Have students begin clapping a beat slow enough to sing to. Do not begin singing until everyone is clapping at a volume that one voice can sing over.
o Introduce volume hand motions. With your palms facing down, move them from eye level towards the floor and tell the students this is the signal to clap or sing quieter.
· Tell students you are going to sing the song that they are going to learn today
· Teacher: Sing the main verse while the students clap
Oh freedom, oh freedom, oh freedom over me
And before I'd be a slave I'll be buried in a my grave
And go home to my Lord and be free
· Pause the clapping.
· Break apart the lines to teach the tune. Sing a phrase then have the students repeat.
· Go through the verse two more times in this manner with clapping. Sing longer phrases then have the student repeat. By the third time around, sing a whole line and have the students repeat.
· See if the students can sing the whole verse by themselves. If struggling, lip sync with them and then have them do it on their own.
Analyzing the Lyrics:
· Pass out the lyrics of the entire song to the class (attached)
· Sing the entire song with all the verses two whole times
o As you are coming to the end of the first round, use the hand motions to have students sing and clap louder.
· Ask students, “How did that feel?”
o Discuss emotions and what they experienced
· Describe the culture around singing in the Civil Rights Movement
· As a class, discuss the meaning of the song:
o What are the messages this song tries to portray?
o What is the meaning of the line, “And go home to my Lord and be free?”
§ Religion’s influence in the movement
o Is this a song about slavery? What is the meaning of the line, “And before I'd be a slave I'll be buried in my grave”?
Closure:
· Listen to the audio clip [Track 6]
· Discuss what you heard:
o Can you hear Dr. King? Can you hear Rosa Parks? Who do you hear? What do we think of that? Does that tell us something about the Movement?
o What is the impact of singing with a large group?
Assessment:
· Can students eventually sing the song without the teacher?
· In the “Analyzing the Lyrics” segment, can students name 3 messages of this song?
· In the same segment, can students name 5 reasons why singing was a powerful tool used in the American Civil Rights Movement?
Adaptations/Extensions:
· For students who are hearing impaired, teacher can learn signs for the lyrics
· If students are antsy, the class can create movements for the lyrics
· If students are non-communicative/talkers, movements can be their way of participating in the song
Next Steps:
· Have the students write their own verses to this song. What does freedom look like to them? What are they enslaved by?
