the story of a music group lesson plan

Talk a Lot Intermediate Book 1 The Story of a Music Group Lesson Plan Level: Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate Skills: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing, and Imagination Groups: Stu

Talk a Lot

Intermediate Book 1

The Story of a Music Group (Lesson Plan)

Level: Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate

Skills: Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing, and Imagination

Groups: Students work in groups of three or four

Aim: Speaking and listening practise; making a presentation

Time: 50 mins (activities) + 10 mins (error correction/feedback)

Materials: Board and pens; handouts (optional); paper and pens for students

Notes: Depending on time and the level/interest of your class, you could choose to

do only Part 1 or only Part 2, below; you could start off with a few minutes of warmers connected with music, e.g What’s your favourite…? or How many genres can you name…? etc

Procedure:

1 SS form small groups of 3-4 students, or work in pairs

2 Think of a music group from any genre Answer the following questions:

2 genre

3 members and instruments

4 title and year of their biggest hit

5 years active

3 All small groups feed back to main group

4 Think about the history of your group in terms of three distinct stages:

Stage 1: STARTING OUT (initial period)

Stage 2: SUCCESS? (middle period)

Stage 3: SPLIT UP? (end period, or period to date – did they split up, or keep going?)

See the cards below for some ideas about what to consider for each stage

5 T demonstrates a timeline, using their own example group (see Example Timeline, below)

SS draw a timeline to show the three stages (as above) in terms of the level of success

(commercial, artistic, etc.) of their group It could be general or very detailed, with dates and events, e.g tours, single and album releases, dates when people joined/left, etc

6 Each group gives a presentation to the whole group They talk about the three stages of their group’s history and draw their timelines on the board Each student should talk about

one of the stages (Don’t let one student do all the talking!)

Note: steps 4-6 could be missed out if SS don’t know enough about their group’s history Or, SS could spend time researching their group on the internet – or decide to change their chosen group to one that they know more about

Talk a Lot

Intermediate Book 1

The Story of a Music Group (Lesson Plan)

SS repeat the process as above, but this time imagining their own group (from any genre)

1 SS work in small groups of 3-4 students, or work in pairs

2 Imagine a music group from any genre Answer the following questions:

2 genre

3 members and instruments

4 title and year of their biggest hit

5 years active

3 All small groups feed back to main group

4 Think about the history of your group in terms of three distinct stages:

Stage 1: STARTING OUT (initial period)

Stage 2: SUCCESS? (middle period)

Stage 3: SPLIT UP? (end period, or period to date – did they split up, or keep going?)

See the cards below for some ideas about what to consider for each stage

5 SS draw a timeline to show the three stages (as above) in terms of the level of success

(commercial, artistic, etc.) of their group

6 Each group gives a presentation to the whole group They talk about the three stages of their group’s history and draw their timelines on the board Each student should talk about

one of the stages (Don’t let one student do all the talking!)

7 Error correction feedback T discusses errors on the board with SS, who write notes

Extension Activities:

1 Write lyrics to a hit song by your group

2 Write a list of album track titles, or album names

3 Rehearse and perform a track

4 Write a fan letter or email/message from a fan of your group – and/or the reply

5 Devise a music video and (if possible) record it!

6 One person interviews members of the group

7 Improvise role play scenes, e.g getting together, signing a record deal, splitting up, etc

8 Discuss question forms using the prompt cards, e.g “How did the group get

together?”

Talk a Lot

Intermediate Book 1

The Story of a Music Group (Lesson Plan)

Stage 1: STARTING OUT (initial period)

who? where? when? how? why? what?

broke wannabes instruments rehearsals busking first gig late night recording sessions manager

record label first contract hit the big time!

Stage 2: SUCCESS? (middle period)

singles albums hits fans travel tour

royalties concerts press magazines big news

hotel rooms fame money recognition praise

collaborations famous friends in fashion in demand

Stage 3: SPLIT UP? (end period, or period to date)

jealousy drugs broken friendships paranoia

over-exposed excess solo projects royalty disputes end of the road groupies out of fashion holiday camps







Talk a Lot

Intermediate Book 1

The Story of a Music Group (Lesson Plan)

Example Timeline:

F

C

B

A

LEVEL OF

SUCCESS

TIME

A Starting out

B First hit record

C Biggest hit(s)

D Problems in the group/bad press, etc

E Second album is less successful

F Split up? Or carry on regardless?