1. Mulbarton Community Choir lyric-writing competition
Lesson plan (secondary: aimed primarily at KS3)
Lyric-writing competition

2. Lesson notes
This lesson is similar to the primary lesson; differences are:
less scaffolding and modelling
slightly more graphic pictures and blunt depictions of war.
You may prefer to use the primary slides to support less able pupils to develop their ideas, or those who may be sensitive to discussing issues surrounding the topic of war.
Students are encouraged to collect together words at various points in this lesson – nouns, adjectives, verbs. They could create magpie tables to help support them when they begin to write their own choruses. A template is included on slide 3.

3. Magpie table: for collecting together words you could include in your chorus
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives

4. Curriculum links SMSC and citizenship: war and peace; remembrance
Literacy/English: magpie tables and poetry-writing
Music: music appreciation and lyric-writing
History: war and peace
Numeracy/maths: rhythms and syllables

5. Lyric-writing competition
Starter
What ideas and feelings do you associate with war?
What about remembrance?
Challenge: can you include nouns, verbs and adjectives in your lists of words?
Lyric-writing competition

6. Let’s listen to the music
What emotions do you feel when you listen to the music?
Can you use any adjectives to describe the music? Start by choosing some from the list below:
sad rousing gentle light
romantic unpredictable soaring serious
Click on ‘Let’s listen to the music’ to go to a YouTube version of the music – no lyrics this time.
The section to which the words will be set begins at 1:15, but there are plenty of ideas which can be discussed about the entire piece.
Lyric-writing competition

7. Lyric-writing competition
Task
You are going to write the words to the chorus of a song which is set to the music we have listened to.
The theme is peace and remembrance.
If you are the winner, your words will be sung to the music by the choir at their next concert.
You will be invited along to hear it.
You will also win some money and a book for the school library.
Lyric-writing competition

8. Lyric-writing competition
‘All men must be free.’
What does this phrase mean to you? Does it make a difference that it is from a song about war?
What do you think the writer was trying to say? Which words from the sentence show the writer’s feelings the best? Why?
People have to fight in wars so that all men can be free – does that make war ok?
Lyric-writing competition

9. Lyric-writing competition
Let’s listen to the song now – it is set the music we have already listened to
As you listen to the song, write down some of the words you can hear.
Discussion questions to choose from:
‘Never say the fight is done, Make the world a better one!’ – does the writer think war is a good thing? Why?
What does the sound of the music suggest the writer thinks?
Do people have the same views today? Why might we think differently?
Click on ‘Let’s listen to the song now’ to go to a YouTube version of the music, with AP Herbert’s original chorus sung.
Lyric-writing competition

10. Lyric-writing competition
Planning your own chorus: ideas. Discuss with a partner and fill in your magpie tables with your key words
What message would you like to send about war, peace and remembering people who died?
What words could you use to send this message? Can you use any words from our starter?
Lyric-writing competition

11. Make sure your chorus fits to our music!
Line 1 (5 syllables)
Line 2 (7 syllables)
Line 3 (5 syllables)
Line 4 (5 syllables)
Line 5 (7 syllables)
Line 6 (5 or 6 syllables)
Line 7 (7 syllables)
Line 8 (5 syllables)
Line 9 (5 syllables)
Line 10 (7 syllables)
Line 11 (6 syllables)
Chorus 2:
Line 1 (5 syllables)
Line 2 (7 syllables)
Line 3 (5 syllables)
Line 4 (5 syllables)
Line 5 (7 syllables)
Line 6 (5 or 6 syllables)
Line 7 (7 syllables)
Line 8 (5 syllables)
Line 9 (5 syllables)
Line 10 (7 syllables)
Extra line 1 (8 syllables)
Extra line 2 (6 syllables)
Line 11 (6 syllables)
The choruses should be the same, except for the extra two lines in chorus 2.
Lyric-writing competition

12. Why is rhyme important in a song?
Can you put these reasons in order of importance?
to make the ideas memorable
to make the song flow
to make them easy to learn
our ears like to hear rhyming sounds
it is a fun way to play with words
Should you make your chorus lyrics rhyme? There are 11 lines in Chorus 1 and 13 lines in Chorus 2, so you are going to have to think about your rhyme scheme.
Lyric-writing competition

13. Now look at the words you have written down during this lesson
Can you think of any rhymes for the words on your list, that you could use in your writing?
Can your friends think of any?
war
before
gore
deplore
ignore
roar
no more
Lyric-writing competition

14. Lyric-writing competition
Writing your chorus
You now have time to write your chorus.
Why not listen to the music as you work? – it might give you some inspiration!
Click on ‘Why not listen to the music as you work?’ to listen to the music with sung chorus.
Lyric-writing competition

15. Sharing and improving your chorus
Share your chorus with each other in small groups.
Can you make any suggestions about how your friends can improve their writing? Can you use any of their suggestions about your writing?
Remember: this is a COMPETITION and you want to do your very best to win!
Lyric-writing competition