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Michael Capelao"A Collaboration of Sites and Sounds: Using Wikis to Catalog Protest Songs" English Language Arts Grades (9-10)Estimated Length: Two 50 minute sessions
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Standards StrategiesTechnologies
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SESSION 1: Begin the lesson by playing the chorus of rapper Kanye West's "Diamonds from Sierra Leone." Ideally, students will instantly recognize the track and artist. Before you hand out the materials, ask the class to speculate as to why you played this particular song. Play snippets of other "recognizable" protest songs, including Bob Marley's "Get Up Stand Up," Dave Matthews Band's "Cry Freedom," and Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful."Audio output
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Give a brief lecture on protest songs. Emphasize to students that this is a form of expression through writing. In these instances, artists are speaking out against the wrongs of society; materialism, racism, sexism, elitism, freedom, etc.
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RL.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).Provide an example. Bob Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind" was a political statement against the war in Vietnam. Highlight how the lyrics, "The answer my friend / Is blowing in the wind" figuratively represented how clearly a vast majority of our population saw and felt that the Vietnam war was unnecessary.
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Explain that each student will first search the Internet for a protest song (subject to your approval for content and appropriateness).Internet
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Ask students to share their selections out loud. On the board or chart paper, compile a list of the selected artists and issues these artists are protesting against. Explain that a more detailed compilation will be published on the class wiki.
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If anxieties for the term "wiki" arises, explain what term is and provide an example if necessary.Internet through projector for viewing
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RL.8.1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.Have each student work with a partner to analyze their songs' content and purpose. Students will use the research guide for this part of the assignment.
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SESSION 2: Pass out copies of the two articles, "Make Way for Wikis" and "Wiki: Don't Lose That Number."
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Allow the students to read the pieces in class.
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Discuss Eric Oatman's "Make Way for Wikis" first. The article provides a good overview of wikis' history, characteristics, benefits, and potential problems.
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RI.9-10.7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums. NETS-S.5-b: Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity. Explain to students how they are exercising "Collaborative Problem Solving" working together in teams, formal and informal,
to complete tasks and develop new knowledge
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NETS-S.5-a: Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible
use of information and technology.		Display the example wiki for the class and explore the way the example works so that students have a visual understanding of what they will be working on. This is also a good time to show and discuss the Wiki Rubric so students know what is expected of them in this project.
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RL.9-10.9. Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work. NETS-S.6-b: Select and use applications effectively
and productively.		Further explain the Wiki Rubric and the fundamental factors to keep in mind when collaborating in groups: Content, Organization, Accuracy, Contribution to the Group, Attractiveness.
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Discuss Jennifer Dorroh's "Wikis: Don't Lose That Number." Remind students (and yourself) that even though wikis are potentially wonderful educational tools, they are not without problems.
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RI.9-10.8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.Dorroh's article highlights the "Transparency Problem," the challenges young people face in learning to see
clearly the ways that media shape perceptions of the world.
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RI.9-10.8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.Encourage students to think critically about the messages they are being presented to, through the media.
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NETS-S.2-d: Contribute to project teams to produce original
works or solve problems.		Have students return to their original groups of two. Explain that the class is going to post their responses to the research guide on the pre-established class wiki. For tracking purposes, you will want the students to establish login IDs. However, make sure that they either use pseudonyms or first names only.
Computer with internet access 1:2 students
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Establish a login along with students through the projector screen. Take them step by step to avoid confusion.
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NETS-S.2-b:Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers,
experts, or others employing a variety of digital
environments and media.		After this is complete, work with students on uploading their information.
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W.9-10.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. W.9-10.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. NETS-S.3-b: Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize,
and ethically use information from a variety of
sources and media.		Once all the responses are loaded onto the Website, direct your students' attention to the wiki on your projected screen. As a class, determine the best way to arrange the entries, whether that's by artists, issues they're protesting against, song names, etc.
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RL.8.6. Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader. NETS-S.1-b: Create original works as a means of personal
or group expression.		Play the protest songs that students bring in. Using the research prompts as a guide, ask the students to jot down responses to the songs they listen to. Encourage them to add their comments to the ones already posted on the class wiki. Furthermore, encourage them to add to and edit their entries in the future.
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Remind the class that the best wikis are the ones that are constantly being taken care of and tinkered with.
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Author: Chris KawakitaOrganization:NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English)URL: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/collaboration-sites-sounds-using-979.html?tab=4#tabs
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