Switched On Pop Lessons now in the MusicFirst Classroom
We recently partnered with FFlat Books, an amazing publisher in the music education space, to bring their lesson plans from the wildly popular podcast Switched On Pop to the MusicFirst Classroom Content Library. This Unit of Study includes 5 new lesson plans that help bring the wonderful insights of musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding to chart topping hits that the students will really enjoy learning about. This collection of lesson plans is the perfect way to incorporate pop music into any middle school or high school music curriculum.
This collection of lesson plans is based on a podcast about the making and meaning of popular music. In conversation with leading artists, songwriters and producers, Switched On Pop breaks down pop songs to figure out what makes a hit and its place in culture. Listeners will come away finding "a-ha" moments in their favorite music. Published by Oxford University Press, their book Switched On Pop: How Popular Music Works and Why it Matters illuminates the essential musical concepts behind two decades of chart-topping songs. For example, Lesson 1 focuses on the hit song Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo. The lesson has students listen to the song, and then the podcast episode about it. Once they’ve done that, they are asked the following questions:
Why is perspective in music important?
What effect can perspective have on music?
What are your perspectives on the song Driver’s License?
Do you like it? Why/why not?
Is the message effective?
What parts of the song stand out most to you?
It then asks them to write a parody of the song as well as several other creative activites.
The other lesson plans in the collection focus on songs like Circles by Post Malone and Disco Fever by Dua Lipa. There are lessons on other aspects of pop music as well, including a lesson on how streaming services have changed the sound of pop music. One quick (and important) caveat - not all of the Switched On Pop podcast episodes are suitable for classroom instruction. Many of the songs that are featured in the podcast contain explicit lyrics and mature themes. The reason that we LOVE these lessons curated by FFlat Books is that they are 100% classroom safe. They even have the “clean” versions of the songs for student use. You can use this resource feeling confident that you’re using classroom safe materials - written by music teachers for music teachers.
If you are looking for the perfect activity to do with your students in the last few weeks of the school year and you’re already a MusicFirst Classroom subscriber, just navigate to the Content Library and select General Music. You’ll find the Switched On Pop Unit of study in the featured section. If you’re not currently a subscriber, but want to check out this amazing resource and all of the other content and software available from MusicFirst, just sign up for a FREE 30-day trial. Enjoy!