Close Textual Analysis of a Song: 33 Revolutions per Minute

This assignment could be given with any chapters from the book since each chapter contains a title song and plenty of supporting songs from the era mentioned in text. I used this assignment with Chapters 11, 13, 14, and 15. I assigned two chapters a week, splitting them into two separate homework assignments.

Using the reading guide for the chapters and a reading strategy (group discussion, group quiz, quiz, student presentations, etc.), discuss the readings. Since I broke the chapters into two separate homework assignments, I used one class period each week for discussion.

Read “Reading a Poem: 20 Strategies” together in class, paying careful attention to the challenges of reading poetry and discussing how these challenges are similar to reading the lyrics of a song.

Have students brainstorm which song they would like to write about. Have them find lyrics online and print them out. Practice close textual analysis and annotation of lyrics.

Have students begin drafting, focusing on creating a thesis about what they think the song means and finding lyrical support for that meaning.

Assign rough drafts as homework.

Using a revision strategy (peer review, small group workshops, individual conferences, etc.), go over rough drafts and give feedback.

Assign final drafts as homework.