For this assignment, you’re going to work with a song.
Choose a song from this list, then select one of the assignments listed below.
Write an Extra Verse for the Song:
You’ve listened to the song and read the lyrics. A song has a structure: a certain amount of lines in the verse, a set amount of lines in the refrain, and a few lines in the song’s bridge.
In this assignment you will write your own verse for the song. You will have to show that you have understood the song, and it’s topic, and that you have given this topic some thought. Your verse has to have the same structure as the rest of the song. This means the verse will have to have the same number of lines, the words will have to fit the music, the topic is expressed in the same way, etc. Of course this verse will be written in your own language and will have to fit with the rest of the song.
• You will write the text in English and in your own words.
• You will read your own verse aloud and record this (You may also sing your verse).
• The shape of the verse (same number of lines, sentence length, use of topic, etc.) is the same as the rest of the song.
• The verse has to be placed between the existing verses of the song and all the song lyrics are added to the media file. (Of course it needs to be clear which verse was written by you.)
Create your own Music Video for the Song:
You can find music videos on any media platform: on the television, on youtube, etc. In this assignment you will ask yourself: what makes a music video a good representation of a song? Then you will create your own music video to go with the song. We challenge you to be as creative as possible for this assignment, but remember: think of your audience!
• Make sure to represent the tone and themes of the song.
• The music video has to cover the entire song, this means the video has to have the same length as the length of the song.
• The themes, topic, of the song have to come back in the video material used in the video.
• Be as creative as possible. You are allowed to film the video material yourself, but you are also allowed to use pre-existing video material.
• Keep in mind who your audience is, as the video will be marked by your teachers.
Mime the Song:
You have probably seen someone mime before, or maybe you have even mimed before yourself. In this assignment you will think of yourself as a mime and express the song in such a way that other people understand what song you are acting out. An example of a way in which to mime a song is given in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkzsoJf-UsA. Will you challenge yourself to represent the content of the song through miming?
• Make sure to show you have understood what the song is about by miming in such a way that other people will be able to understand the lyrics you are miming.
• The entire song needs to be mimed from start to finish.
• The themes of the song need to be shown through your miming.
• Keep in mind who your audience is. You are performing this for your teachers.
Sing (and Record) Your Cover of the Song:
Do you have a talent for singing? Do you enjoy expressing the emotion and themes of a song through performing? Then this is your chance to create your own cover for a school assignment. In this assignment you will perform the song and record a video, maybe you can even play your own instruments.
• Cover the entire song from start to finish.
• Make sure the lyrics are expressed clearly enough for the listener to understand.
• Make sure that you understand the lyrics and are able to show your teachers that you have understood those lyrics.
• Make sure that you represent the themes of the song well.
Create Your Own Dance Cover:
The internet is filled with cover dances, from modern dance, to a sassy salsa, to tiktok dances, nowadays you will be able to find dance covers everywhere. In this assignment you will be challenged to create your own cover dance to fit the song which you will then record. You may choose any style of dance you think can represent the topic of the song. Through this dance cover you will have to show your audience that you have understood the message of the song and that you know how to present this to an audience.
• Make sure to show that you have understood the lyrics of the song through the interpretation of your movements.
• The dance cover has to cover the entire song from start to finish.
• Make sure the cover is well prepared. You should be able to perform the dance cover again in exactly the same way.
• You may use every type of dance you can think of: like hiphop, street dance, jazz dance, modern dance, ballet, etc.
• Keep in mind who your audience is. You are performing this for your teachers.