SING AND WRITE: Sing a song and then write a story about it

A few weeks ago, I taught the expression of complimenting to my ten graders and I played James Blunts' You're beautiful to start the lesson. I asked them  to sing the song together and then guessed the topic of the lesson. That was so much fun that my students really enjoyed the lesson.
The next meeting, I taught Narrative but I had no song in my lesson plan. The students kept asking me to play a song. I was so confused that I started thinking to let them sing. But I remembered that I had no song related to the topic. So, I ignored their request.

And then, I kept thinking about it at home. I felt so wrong when I realized that it was a very briliant idea. I should have played them a song and asked them to write a story about the song.


So fo you teachers who want to teach writing Narrative to your students, this idea will really help you. There will be so much fun in the classroom.

How to use this idea in the classroom? That's really simple!

First, prepare a song which (1) has strong story behind it and (2) is familiar to your students. (You can use Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day)

Second, play the song and invite them to sing together.

Third, Let them work individually or in a group. But I suggest you to have them in a group so that there will be many ideas for the story.

Ask them to think of a title for the story developed from the song, the characters, the settings, the problems and solution. You can give them a worksheet to plan the story. (you can use graphic organizers. There are many on the internet)
This is the graphic organizer I make for Green Day's song.
Download here (PDF)


Fourth, ask them to develop a story based on the story board they have completed.
Fifth, ask them to tell the story in front of the class.