1. POP GOES THE CLASSROOM PROJECT BY: HOLLY WATSON, TINA PAUL, AND KEATON HUFFMAN THINGS AIN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE

2. MEDIA CHOICE Song : Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” (The Ecology) Artist : Marvin Gaye Album : What’s Going On Year Released : 1971 Genre : Soul Music Awards : Grammy Hall of Fame Award https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Kr1YB2cs4&feature=player _embedded

3. LYRICS "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" Woo ah, mercy mercy me Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no Where did all the blue skies go? Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east Woo mercy, mercy me, mercy father Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury Ah oh mercy, mercy me Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no Radiation under ground and in the sky Animals and birds who live nearby are dying Oh mercy, mercy me Ah things ain't what they used to be What about this overcrowded land How much more abuse from man can she stand? Oh, na na... My sweet Lord... No My Lord... My sweet Lord

4. SELECTED STATE STANDARD: LANGUAGE ARTS Common Core State Standards: Literature, Speaking and Listening CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.2 Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

5. SELECTED STATE STANDARD: SCIENCE North Carolina Essential Standards: Science NCES.8.E.1 Understand the hydrosphere and the impact of humans on local systems and the effects of the hydrosphere on humans. NCES.8.E.1.4 Conclude that the good health of humans requires: Monitoring of the hydrosphere Water quality standards Methods of water treatment Maintaining safe water quality Stewardship

6. OUR ACTIVITIES Activity One: Students generate a list of words that describe what they are thinking while reading and hearing the lyrics. Activity Two: Students will compose a final stanza for the song “Mercy, Mercy Me.” Activity Three: Students will create a video montage of polluted hydrospheric scenes to match the final song stanza they composed in Activity Two. They will utilize the video application on Kizoa.com.

7. DEVELOPMENTAL DIMENSIONS OF ADOLESCENCE Moral Developmental Area: Adolescents are “generally idealistic, desiring to make the world a better place and to make a meaningful contribution to cause or issue larger than themselves.” Our song choice “Mercy Mercy Me” will appeal to this area of adolescent development. Cognitive-Intellectual Developmental Area: Adolescents “May show disinterest in conventional academic subjects but are intellectually curious about the world and themselves.” Our activities teach about academic subjects (such as pollution of the hydrosphere) in a way that makes them relatable to middle grade students.

8. KEY CONCEPTS OF MEDIA LITERACY Media communicates values and ideology” Students will hear the lyrics to “Mercy, Mercy Me” and make the connection that humans are polluting the earth and, therefore, need to change their ways in order to be good stewards of the planet. “Media have social and political implications.” Students will learn that there are possible social and political intentions behind the lyrics of “Mercy Mercy Me.” Students will learn global changes will affect the structure of society, and politics play an important role in the causes and solutions of global pollution.

10. RESOURCES Common Core State Standards. English Language Arts Standards. Literature: Speaking and Listening. Grade 8. Standard CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.2. MKKellz’s channel. (2012, April 16). Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Marvin Gaye [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Kr1YB2cs4 National Middle School Association. (2003). This We Believe: Characteristics of Young Adolescents. Westerville, OH. 43-51. North Carolina Essential Standards. Science Standards. Grade 8. Standard NCES.8.E.1.4. [Untitled image of Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” album cover]. Retrieved March 5, 2015 from http://www.7inchrecords.com/Discography/MarvinGaye/marvingaye.asp?Page=2 &groep=