Lesson Overview:
This lesson explores the magic of the vocabulary used by Oscar Hammerstein in his lyrics. Students will “translate” the lyrics of the song, “Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” from the musical Oklahoma!. They will then determine if the translated lyrics provide the same meaning and feeling as the original Hammerstein lines. Taking the translation one step further, they will rewrite the lyrics using contemporary slang.
Length of Lesson:
Two 45-minute periods
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- sing the lyrics of the Oklahoma! song, "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top."
- understand that the lyrics of this piece were written to reflect place and time.
- appreciate that the lyrics of most songs are written with the intent to convey a message and/or tone.
- substitute "proper" grammatical terms for slang terms used in the lyrics for the Oklahoma! song, "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top."
- substitute contremporary slang terms for "proper" grammatical terms in their translation of "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top."
- understand that the substitution of terms within the lyrics of the song can alter the message and/or tone of the song.
Supplies:
- Hammerstein, Oscar. The Surrey with the Fringe on Top. Illustrated by James Warhola. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993.
- DVD or video of Oklahoma! (see Teacher References section for examples)
- Soundtrack recording of Oklahoma! (see Teacher References section for examples)
Instructional Plan:
Warm Up
As a class, discuss the idiosyncrasies of the English language. Explore the ways that the meanings of words can change depending on where you are in our country or even how old you are. Discuss the meanings of the following words and phrases. Ask students if and/or how they use these words:
- cool
- hot
- soda, pop, or soda-pop
- sneakers, tennis shoes, or trainers
Introductory Activity
Listen to a recording of the Oklahoma! song, "Surrey with the Fringe on Top"
or watch the scene in Oklahoma! that contains the song, "Surrey with the Fringe on Top." (If time allows, you may wish to watch a video of the entire musical Oklahoma!.) You may also wish to share some information about Oscar Hammerstein and his style of songwriting, available from the Songwriters Hall of Fame site.
Discuss the time and setting of the musical Oklahoma! (The musical takes place in 1907 in the territory of Oklahoma, just before it becomes a state.) Ask students whether they think the lyrics of the song(s) were written intentionally in a way to reflect the time and setting of the story. Ask students if the lyrics of "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" help give the story a sense of time, place, and "color?" If so, how?
Guided Practice
If time allows, as a class, read the book, The Surrey with the Fringe on Top.
As a class, sing the lyrics to the song, "Surrey with the Fringe on Top."
(This can be accomplished with piano accompaniment provided in the text of the book, with a recording of the piece, or with the video.)
Discuss the theme of the song: Curly is trying to impress his girlfriend with his new buggy. Ask students if his pride and motive affect the inflection of his voice as he sings these lyrics.
Independent Activity
Divide students into cooperative groups of four to five students. Display the lyrics of "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" (available online on the Soundtrack Lyrics Source). Have students identify and write down slang words or words that are not used in our conversations today. Each group should then rewrite the lyrics, substituting familiar and proper grammatical terms for the words that they have indentified. Students should be encouraged to use a thesaurus as a reference.
When the work is completed, students should share their revised lyrics with the class. Students should then return to small groups and read the revised lyrics aloud. As a group, they should agree upon words that could be replaced by slang terms they use in conversation with their peers. Once again, students should rewrite the lyrics and share them with the class. (Students should be advised not to use terms that are inappropriate in the classroom setting.)
Closure
Students should discuss the following questions:
- Does the choice of words affect the meaning and message of a song?
- If the lyrics are altered by replacing words that essentially have the same meaning, is the intent and message of the song altered also? Is this true for this particular song ("Surrey with the Fringe on Top") or all lyrical pieces?
Assessment:
Evaluate student performance using the accompanying Assessment Rubric.
Extensions:
This activity could be extended to explore lyrics of other songs. Students could be asked to rewrite the lyrics of their favorite song, making substitutions in terms. They should explore how word substitution can really change the meaning, message, and/or tone of a song, as well as its impact on the listener.
Sources:
Print:
- Rodgers and Hammerstein: The Illustrated Songbook. Hal Leonard Corporation: Milwaukee, WI, 1998.
Media:
- Oklahoma! (Original 1943 Broadway Cast). Polygram Records, ASIN: B00004T9TF, 2000.
- Oklahoma! (1955 film soundtrack). Angel Classics, ASIN: B00005A7XB, 2001
- Zinneman, Fred, dir. Oklahoma! Twentieth Century Fox, ASIN: 6305320802 (DVD) ASIN: 6305282927 (VHS), 1955.
Web:
Authors:
-
Leslie Thomas, Teacher
Thomas Pullen Arts Magnet School
Landover, MD
