Music and Song in our Life

                                                                                                           Michurina T.

Topic: Music and Song in our Life  

 

Стаття присвячена вивченню деяких аспектів творчості англійського музиканта Стінга, подано завдання з теми «Музика у нашому житті».

Objectives:

Practical (skills-forming) : to teach students listening comprehension, speaking on the topic, doing musical network, answering questions on the content of the song and the text, writing poems (creative work), writing «Star Report».

Educational: to enrich students’ topical conversational vocabulary, encourage students to learn English-speaking culture.

Developing: to improve students listening, reading, speaking skills; to enhance their cognitive abilities and memory, pairs and group co-operation.

Moral values: to cultivate the aesthetic taste, awareness and respect to the world culture.

Equipment: blackboard, handouts (lyrics and the biography), «Personality quiz» sample, card «Star Report », singer’s photo.

PROSEDURE:

     1. Lead-in

(The theme of the lesson is on the board.) T: Good morning! We are going to talk about music, its impact on you, and your preferences in music.

2.Warming-up

T: Let us see if you are keen on music. I have « Personality Quiz» for you. You are to answer the questionnaire, find your score and read the interpretation defining how musical you are.

(Teacher gives handouts with «Personality Quiz» to students.)

HOW MUSICAL ARE YOU? [ 1,197 ]

1. Which instruments do you play…?

• very well?( 3 points for each)                                        
• quite well (2 points for each)
• a little (1 point for each)
• not at all (0 points)

2. Is music important for you?

• Yes. (5 points)
• Sometimes.(3 points)
• It depends on the kinds of music. (2 points)
• No. (0 points)

3. How often do you sit down and listen to music?

• Every day. (4 points)
• Most days. (3 points)                                                                                                                                                                                                           
• Some days. (2 points)
• Never. (0 points)

4. How many concerts did you go last year?

• More than 5. (4 points)
• 2-5. (3 points)
• 1. (1 point)
• None. (0 points)

5. How many CDs and\ or cassettes have you got?

• So many you can’t count. (4 points)
• 20-40. (3 points)
• About 10. (2 points)
• None. (0 points)

6. Where and when do you listen to music? (1 point for each)

• In the sitting-room.
• In your room.
• In bed.
• In transport.
• While you are working.
• While you are studying.
• When you are doing sport.
• Your variant….

TOTAL: You are music mad! Score:

25-30 you are music mad! Take your earphones off and listen to your teacher!

20-25 you like music but you know there are other things in life.

10-20 you like other things more than music.

0-10 it’s OK. Music is for birds.

(Teacher asks several students to read their interpretations).

3. Speaking

T: So, you like music, don’t you? Let us see what styles and instruments of music you know. (Teacher writes a music network on the board asking students about their associations and explains the pronunciation, spelling).          

 

        DRUMS                               TYPES OF MUSIC                              BLUES           

        TRUMPET                                                                                       GOSPEL

        VIOLIN                                       MUSIC                   COUNTRY AND WESTERN

        GUITAR                                                                                           ROCKN ROLL

       FLUTE                                  INSTRUMENTS                               SOUL

        PIANO                                                                                             HEAVY METAL

        SAXOPHONE                                                                                  REGGAE

        DOUBLE-BASS                                                                               RAP

        ORGAN                                                                                           HOUSE

        TROMBONE                                                                                    TECHNO

        PIPE                                                                                                INDIE

         HARF                                                                                               HIP-HOP

 

4. Discussion.                                                                                                                                                                                             (Teacher asks students the questions at random.)

1. Do your parents like the music you listen to?
2. Can you play a musical instrument? If so, which one?
3. Will you buy a new album if you go shopping this weekend?
4. Do you sing in the shower or bath?
5. What kind of music do you prefer?
6. Do you go to discos? How often?
7. Do you study music?
8. If you could take only three albums with you to a desert island, which three would you take?
9. What is your favorite singer/musician /composer? What is your favorite group?
10. Have you ever written a song?
11. Do you read pop music magazines? Which ones?
12. If you could see any group or singer you wanted, who would you see?
13. Do you like to sing karaoke? Why? 

5. Listening

Pre-listening activity.

T: We shall listen to the famous song «Shape of my heart» by Sting. Have you heard this song before? What is the main idea of the song?

 While-listening activity.

1. What do you know about Sting?
2. Which other Sting’s compositions can you mention?
3. Do you like his songs?
4. Which is your favorite composition written and sung by Sting? 

T: You’ll listen twice, so your task is to find and correct mistakes.

 

                                                   SHAPE OF MY HEART [2, 28]

                                     He is deals the cards as a meditation

And those he is plays never suspect,

He doesn’t play for the money he is wins,

He doesn’t is play for respect.

 

He deals the cards to find these answers,

The sacred geometry of many chances

The hidden law of a probable outcoming,

The numbers lead a dance.

 

I know that the spades is the swords of a soldier,

I know that the clubs were weapons of war,

I know that diamonds mean money for this art,

But that’s not the shape of their heart.

 

He may play the jack of diamonds,

He may play the queen of spades,

He may conceal a king in his hands

While the memory of it fades.

 

And if I told you that I loved you,

You’d maybe think there’s somewhere wrong,

I’m not a man of two many faces,

The mask I wear is one.

 

 Those who speak know everything

 And find out to their cost

 Like those who curse their luck in too many places

 And those who fear is lost.   

 

       Post-listening activity:

1. How does the man deal the cards? How does he play?
2. What kind of man is the author? Why?
3. What are the spades, the clubs and the diamonds for the author?
4. Do you enjoy the song «Shape of my heart»? 

The vocabulary of the text of the song:

 to deal – поводитись, мати справу;

a meditation – роздум; міркування;

an outcome – наслідок;

to one’s cost – з гіркого досвіду;

to find out – дізнаватися; зрозуміти;

to be lost – програвати, втрачати;

spades – вино; піки(у картах);

diamonds – бубни ( у картах);

clubs – трефи ( у картах);

jack – валет (у картах);

to curse – клясти; проклинати, лаятися.      

6. Project work

T:  Let me divide you into 3 groups and do the tasks imagine that you are sitting somewhere and doing nothing. You are alone and in a thoughtful mood.

So, you are to write a short poem (4-6 lines in 10 minutes). Then each group will read its poem and we’ll choose the best one. (While the students write the poems, the teacher turns on the light music for relaxation. In 10 minutes the music turns off and students choose the best poem).

7. Reading

 Pre – reading activity

T: So, we have listened to and sung the song by Sting. I wonder if you know anything about the author. (Students might want to get the information about him.)

Now you are going to read interesting facts about Sting and then answer the                                               questions below. (Teacher gives handouts with the text and tasks.)

     T: First, look at the new words and expressions, read them, and mind the translation.

   Sting – жало

   Bruiser – надира

   Fang – клик

   Stage-name – псевдонім

  Participants – учасники

  Pert – задиристі

  Mordancy – язвивість

 To mock at – насміхатись над

  Versatile – різносторонній

  Amnesty – амністія

STING means «sting»

Who is he – this mysterious, shy Englishman, which is called the man of the year? Why Sting?

Some years ago Sting was the member of the group «Fenix Jazzmen». It was accepted in the group that all the participants perform under the stage-name. Sting got his stage-name because he wore yellow-black striped sweater. It seemed to the members of the group that he looked like a bee. The other members of the group had the pert stage-names as Bruiser, Fang. According to the other version Sting deserved his nickname for his mordancy and the habit mock at his group friends.

The real name of Sting is Gordon Sumner. He grew in the gloomy industrial city Newcastle. His mother was a hairdresser and his father was a milkman. However his mother had a musical education, she could develop nature abilities, teaching him to play the piano at home. He was suggested the course of education at musical school, but jazz and guitar attracted Sting more.

Sting was a road worker, and also he taught music. Later Sting had an opportunity to move to London and to play professionally.

In 1977 Sting entered the «Police» group. Their song «Roxanne» was quickly noticed by BBC and it became hit in a moment. During the six years the group wrote some albums.

In 1983 after the world tour Sting decided that he had achieved everything he could and the group broke down.

Sting’s independent career formed successfully. He wrote his own albums «Sacred Love». His first album with the elements of jazz «Dream of the blue turtles» became platinum. The album «Soul Cages» (1991) and «Ten Summoners Tales» presented Sting as a mature composer. Both his albums got Grammy rewords.

Sting is versatile developed man. He is active in politics he takes part in the protection of Brazilian woods, supports the organization «International amnesty». Sting acted in some films. His favorite books are «The Castle of Gormengast» by M.Pik, «The Canterberian stories» by J.Chauser.

The secret of unbelievable success is in that he writes not only sincere music, but also he uses sensible texts. His unique style of songs doesn’t let the listeners to be wrong and mix up him with other singers. Sting’s songs are full of reflection of the essence of existence of simple things, people around us. It is no mere chance that Sting belongs to the cult singers of the world.

Post-reading activities.

(Students ask and answer questions on the text).

1. What was Sting’s stage-name?
2. What is the real name of Sting?
3. Who were his parents?
4. When did he enter the Police group?
5. Why did the group brake down?
6. What Sting’s albums do you know?
7.  Do you like his songs?   
8. Summing – up

T: In our today’s lesson we have revised and learnt the words and word combinations on the topic «Music and song in our life», discussed various preferences, got some new information about pop singer Sting. And I believe that all of you enjoyed listening to and singing the song «Shape of my heart». I suppose you’ve realized that music plays a great role in our life and makes it more colorful and efficient.

 9. Home assignment

As a part of your homework you are to write the Star reports and make up the presentations of your own. They can include playing music, songs, talking about the star or acting out a mock interview.

  Література:

1. Бондарь М.В. Англійська мова. Дидактична мозаїка. 9 клас. – Харків: Веста: Видавництво «Ранок», 2003. – 304с.
2. Цап Н.М., Ярошенко М.І. Співаємо і спілкуємося англійською (Lets sing and speak English): Навчальний посібник для школярів та студентів. – Тернопіль: Медобори, 2005. - 48с.