Lesson #3: "Welcome to My Life/Keep Holding On: Music and Bullying"

Unit: Bullying

Unit Essential Question: What is bullying, and how can we deal with it as a classroom community in a positive, healthy way?

Grade Level: 6th – 8th

Lesson: “Welcome To My Life/Keep Holding On: Music and Bullying”

Lesson Essential Questions: What are some of the emotions and issues that surround bullying? What are some common feelings that people may feel when bullied, and what kinds of support can we offer them?

MMSD Standards:

• Key Concept: Analysis of Issue
  
• Participation Skill: Show respect for the views of others
  

NCSS Standards:

• Individual Development and Identity
  
• Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
  

Goals/Objectives:

• Students will consider and reflect upon some of the feelings and thoughts that victims of bullying may experience. They will become aware of the deeply hurtful, difficult experiences that victims of bullying may endure.
  
• Students will begin to think about what kinds of ways they can support someone who has been the victim of bullying.
  

Materials Needed:

• “Welcome to My Life” by Simple Plan – recording of song and copies of lyrics
  
• “Keep Holding On” performed by Glee Cast – recording of song and copies of lyrics
  
• Paper/Notebooks
  

Procedure:

• Begin by playing “Welcome to My Life” by Simple Plan for the class. Hand out copies of lyrics to each student so that they can follow along as they listen.
  
• As they listen, encourage students to really listen closely to the lyrics and jot down any feelings or thoughts that come to mind.
  
• After the song has ended, bring the class together for a discussion. Open up the conversation for students to reflect on the song, and use some of the following questions to guide the discussion: 
  • How did you feel while you listened to this song? (Encourage students to elaborate on specific emotions, rather than just “sad,” etc.)
  • What kinds of emotions did the artist feel? How do you know?
    
  • What kind of situation do you imagine the artist was in? What kinds of experiences could he have gone through?
    
  • How can this song relate to bullying, and what we know about it?
    
  • What tone/mood did the song have? What contributed to this – the lyrics? The music itself?
    
  • What message do you think the artist wanted to convey in this song? What did he/they want the listener to feel or think about?
• After the group has had ample time to discuss the song, instruct students to take out their notebooks and write a journal entry according to one of the following prompts: (students may wish to write about something different, which they are free to do – they should approve their topic with the teacher.) 
  • Write a journal entry as if you are the artist of the song. Elaborate on your emotions and thoughts, and describe your experiences. What has happened in your life to make you feel the way you do? What kinds of bullying have you endured?
    
  • Write a letter to the artist of this song. Perhaps ask the artist about his experiences, and explain some of what you know about bullying and how this can relate to the artist. Perhaps offer a message of support and encouragement, and some tools for how to deal with bullying, to help the artist get through this difficult time.
    
  • Write about an experience that you, or someone you know, had that relates to this song. Have you felt these same emotions in the past? What experiences have you gone through that have made you feel these ways? Do you know someone who has shared these feelings or experiences with you? Reflect on these experiences, and elaborate on your feelings.
    
  • Discuss this song’s connection to bullying. Draw on what we have learned about bullying and what you know about bullying from personal experience. What types of bullying may the speaker have gone through?
• After the students have had enough time to journal in their notebooks, move on to the next song. Play “Keep Holding On” performed by the Glee Cast for the class. Again, hand out copies of lyrics to each student so that they can follow along as they listen.
  
• As they listen, encourage students to really listen closely to the lyrics and jot down any feelings or thoughts that come to mind.
  
• After the song has ended, bring the class together for a discussion. Open up the conversation for students to reflect on the song, and use some of the following questions to guide the discussion: 
  • How did this song differ from the last one? What was different about the words, the music itself, the tone/mood?
    
  • How did this song make you feel?
    
  • Who could the speakers be speaking to? Who might the audience be? Could it be addressed to the victims of bullying?
    
  • What emotions could the audience be feeling that this song addresses?
    
  • What messages of support are given in the song? How could this be an effective way to give hope to a victim of bullying?
    
  • This song does a wonderful job of validating the emotions that a victim of bullying may experience – it restates these, before going on to offer support (example:  “You're not alone/Together we stand/I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand/When it gets cold/And it feels like the end/There's no place to go/You know I won't give in”). How is this an effective way of helping a bully victim? What does this do for the victim? (This shows the victim that you empathize with their feelings – you are aware and recognize what they must be going through, and offer your support.)
• After the group has had ample time to discuss the song, instruct students to take out their notebooks and write another journal entry according to one of the following prompts: (students may wish to write about something different, which they are free to do – they should approve their topic with the teacher.) 
  • Write a journal entry that elaborates and continues on with the song’s message. This may be in the form of additional verses that fit into the song, or regular prose form. What other words of support can you offer?
    
  • Add a back-story to this song. Who is the singer, and whom are they talking to? Place the characters in an actual bullying situation, and describe what happened to the victim, and how the speaker in the song is offering support.
    
  • Discuss a personal experience that you have had when you helped someone along during a rough time, such as when they were bullied, or when someone else offered you support. What happened, and how did you feel both before and after you were helped/you helped someone else? What was effective in offering support, and what was not?

Assessment:
            I will assess students both informally and formally throughout this lesson. Informally, I will monitor student participation during the listening activity and class discussions. I will check that students are actively listening during both, and remain quiet and respectful when the song is playing and when other students are talking. Although not all students may feel comfortable sharing their thoughts during the discussion portion, I will check that they remain engaged and involved by listening and paying attention. I will assess the students’ journal entries formally after the lesson has completed – I will check that the students have reflected thoughtfully and put effort into their writing. I will check that they have taken away the important messages of the lesson, and have gleaned an understanding of the emotions that accompany bullying and the important role that offering support can play.

Differentiation:
            In terms of differentiation, I believe that this lesson includes content, process, and product that is all varied for the different students and different needs in a classroom. The content on bullying is varied so that students of varying readiness levels can be successful in grasping it. The goals of this lesson, and the content that I am teaching, are concerned with developing an awareness of the feelings that accompany bullying, and how we can offer support to those who experience these emotions – I believe that students of different readiness levels will grasp this in varying ways, and the lesson allows for that. The processes in this lesson are varied to allow for different students’ preferences and such. There is large group discussion as well as more personal, independent reflection, so different students can respond and thrive with what suits them best. I am assessing the “product” in varied ways – by observing behavior, monitoring participation, and analyzing reflection. Students have many varied ways to respond and show what they have learned and gleaned from the activities.


“Welcome to My Life”
by Simple Plan

Do you ever feel like breaking down?
Do you ever feel out of place?
Like somehow you just don't belong
And no one understands you
Do you ever wanna runaway?
Do you lock yourself in your room?
With the radio on turned up so loud 
That no one hears you screaming

No you don't know what it's like
When nothing feels all right
You don't know what it's like
To be like me

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life

Do you wanna be somebody else?
Are you sick of feeling so left out?
Are you desperate to find something more?
Before your life is over
Are you stuck inside a world you hate?
Are you sick of everyone around?
With their big fake smiles and stupid lies
While deep inside you're bleeding

No you don't know what it's like
When nothing feels all right
You don't know what it's like
To be like me

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like
Welcome to my life

No one ever lied straight to your face
No one ever stabbed you in the back
You might think I'm happy but I'm not gonna be okay
Everybody always gave you what you wanted
Never had to work it was always there
You don't know what it's like, what it's like

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like (what it's like)

To be hurt
To feel lost
To be left out in the dark
To be kicked when you're down
To feel like you've been pushed around
To be on the edge of breaking down
And no one's there to save you
No you don't know what it's like

Welcome to my life
Welcome to my life
Welcome to my life

*Lyrics courtesy of: http://www.lyricstop.com/w/welcometomylife-simpleplan.html


“Keep Holding On”
Performed by Glee Cast

You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand
When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
No I won't give in

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

So far away
I wish you were here
Before it's too late, this could all disappear
Before the doors close
And it comes to an end
With you by my side I will fight and defend,
I'll fight and defend
Yeah, yeah!

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

Hear me when I say, when I say I believe
Nothing's gonna change, nothing's gonna change destiny
Whatever's meant to be will work out perfectly
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
 
La da da da
La da da da
La da da da da da da da da

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

Keep holding on...
Keep holding on

There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

*Lyrics courtesy of: http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/avril-lavigne-lyrics/keep-holding-on-lyrics.html