TeachRock

Motivational Activity:

1. Tell students they will be discussing P!nk’s song, “What About Us?” Using a whiparound and keeping track of their answers on the board, ask students:
   • Who do you think the “us” in the song’s title might refer to?
2. Show students the music video for “What About Us?” (Note to teacher: this link will open to the official video on YouTube, we recommend preloading the content to avoid showing advertising in the classroom), have students focus on both the songs and the visual cues in the video, then ask:
   • Having watched the video, who do you think P!nk might be discussing when she sings, “What About Us?” Why?

Procedure:

1. Break students into groups and distribute Handout 1 – New York Times Headlines.  Have each group read the headlines together and then respond to the questions included on the handout. Then discuss their answers as a class.
2. Have students return to their seats and distribute Handout 2 – P!nk in the Huffington Post. After students have read the interview excerpt, ask:
   • Who does P!nk suggest “Us” is in her song?
   • Do you think the lyrics of “What About Us?” leave space for anyone to be “us” in the song? Why or why not?
   • P!nk suggests that she’s “disappointed in government”? What do you think has disappointed her? What do you think she might expect from government? Are her expectations realistic?
   • Thinking back to the New York Times headline discussion you had earlier, in what ways might P!nk’s question “What About Us?” relate to the national news? How might her statement about sheltering her 6-year-old daughter relate to the news? (Encourage students to consider the news’ primary focus on politics and traumatic events–is there room for the individual in the headlines? Even for someone like P!nk?)

Summary Activity:

1. Ask students:
   • Do you think a statement as broad as that which P!nk makes in “What About Us” is useful for starting conversations about change? Why or why not?
   • Can you think of any other popular songs that have addressed social issues? Have they done so obtusely, like P!nk, or with a focus on particular issues? Which method to you find more effective, and why?

Extension Activity:

Song writing activity: Pick an issue that you find meaningful–anything from saving the whales to adding an item to the menu in the school cafeteria–and write two songs about it.

• Song 1 – Address the issue directly in the lyrics. Say exactly what you think needs to happen in your words.
• Song 2 – Zoom out from the issue and write broadly. Can you write a song that can mean what you’re thinking, but also be able to mean something to someone else?

Handout 1 – New York Times Headlines Handout 2 – P!nk in the Huffington Post

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Common Core State Standards

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading (K-12)

• Reading 1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
• Reading 6: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
• Reading 8: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
• Reading 9: Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing (K-12)

• Writing 1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
• Writing 7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
• Writing 9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening (K-12)

• Speaking and Listening 1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
• Speaking and Listening 2: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies – National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)

• Theme 1: Culture
• Theme 2: Time, Continuity, and Change
• Theme 4: Individual Development and Identity
• Theme 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
• Theme 9: Global Connections

National Standards for Music Education

Core Music Standard: Responding

• Analyze: Analyze how the structure and context of varied musical works inform the response.
• Interpret: Support interpretations of musical works that reflect creators’ and/or performers’ expressive intent.
• Evaluate: Support evaluations of musical works and performances based on analysis, interpretation, and established criteria.

Core Music Standard: Connecting

• Connecting 11: Relate musical ideas and works to varied contexts and daily life to deepen understanding.

Career Technical Education Standards (California Model) – Arts, Media and Entertainment Pathway Standards

Design, Visual and Media Arts (A)

• A1.0 Demonstrate ability to reorganize and integrate visual art elements across digital media and design applications.
  A1.1 View and respond to a variety of industry-related artistic products integrating industry appropriate vocabulary.
  A1.3 Describe the use of the elements of art to express mood in digital or traditional art work found in the commercial environment.
  A1.5 Research and analyze the work of an artist or designer and how the artist’s distinctive style contributes to their industry production.
  A1.9 Analyze the material used by a given artist and describe how its use influences the meaning of the work. ia, and Entertainment |
  A3.0 Analyze and assess the impact of history and culture on the development of professional arts and media products.
  A3.2 Describe how the issues of time, place, and cultural influence and are reflected in a variety of artistic products.
  A3.3 Identify contemporary styles and discuss the diverse social, economic, and political developments reflected in art work in an industry setting.
  A4.0 Analyze, assess, and identify effectiveness of artistic products based on elements of art, the principles of design, and professional industry standards.
  A4.2 Deconstruct how beliefs, cultural traditions, and current social, economic, and political contexts influence commercial media (traditional and electronic).
  A4.4 Analyze the relationship between the artist, artistic product and audience in both an existing and self-generated project.
  A4.5 Analyze and articulate how society influences the interpretation and effectiveness of an artistic product.
  A5.0 Identify essential industry competencies, explore commercial applications and develop a career specific personal plan.
  A5.3 Deconstruct works of art, identifying psychological content found in the symbols and images and their relationship to industry and society.

Performing Arts (B)

• B2.0 Read, listen to, deconstruct, and analyze peer and professional music using the elements and terminology of music.
  B2.2 Describe how the elements of music are used.
  B2.5 Analyze and describe significant musical events perceived and remembered in a given industry generated example.
  B2.6 Analyze and describe the use of musical elements in a given professional work that makes it unique, interesting, and expressive.
  B2.7 Demonstrate the different uses of form, both past and present, in a varied repertoire of music in commercial settings from diverse genres, styles, and professional applications.
  B5.0 Apply vocal and/or instrumental skill and knowledge to perform a varied repertoire of music appropriate to music industry application.
  B5.4 Employ a variety of music technology to record, integrate, or modify a live or recorded performance to produce a new artistic product.
  B5.7 Create melodic and rhythmic improvisations in a style or genre within a musical culture (gamelan, jazz, and mariachi).
  B7.0 Analyze the historical and cultural perspective of multiple industry performance products from a discipline-specific perspective.
  B7.1 Identify and compare how film, theater, television, and electronic media productions influence values and behaviors.
  B7.3 Analyze the historical and cultural perspective of the musician in the professional setting.
  B8.0 Deconstruct the aesthetic values that drive professional performance and the artistic elements necessary for industry production.
  B8.1 Critique discipline-specific professional works using the language and terminology specific to the discipline.
  B8.2 Use selected criteria to compare, contrast, and assess various professional performance forms.