Teachers package

'Crying Lightning'

By

Eline-Angela-Nathalie

2

Teachers package

'Crying Lightning'

By

Eline-Angela-Nathalie

3

Table of contents

Teachers package4Background information 5

Goal 5

Facts – song Crying Lightning – Arctic Monkeys 5

Teacher necessities 6

Lesson plan 7Introduction 7

Pre-reading exercises 7

While reading exercises 7

Post-reading exercises 8

Homework 8

Answer key 9Students worksheets 11

Introduction 13

Pre-reading exercise 13

o Exercise 1 13

While reading exercises

o Exercise 2 14

o Exercise 4 16

Post-reading exercises

o Exercise 3 15

o Exercise 5 16

o Exercise 6 17

o Exercise 7 17

o Exercise 8 17

o Exercise 9 18

o Exercise 10 19

o Exercise 11 20

o Exercise 12 20

o Exercise 13 20

Homework assignments

o Exercise 1 21

o Exercise 2 21

o Exercise 3 22

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Teacher’s package

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Background informationIn this teacher package you’ll find extra information and teacher’s materials regarding the poetry lesson “Crying Lightning”.This lesson is suitable for year 2 VMBO-TL and onwards.We‘ve chosen a song to introduce poetry into classroom. Our students aren’t used to poetry in the classroom. Using songs makes it light and fun. We think it’s close to the students’ perceptions.

Goal At the end of the lesson students have

o cooperated and discussed with fellow studentso worked on their vocabularyo learned to dig deeper into the meaning of words and sayingso learned that words have power o explained their opinion in their own wordso used their imagination and creativity through drawing and

making a postero had fun

Facts – song Crying Lightning – Arctic Monkeys:The Arctic Monkeys were formed in 2002 in Sheffield, UK. There typical sound is mostly formed by their lead singer and frontman Alex Turner. His often rapidly delivered lyrics, sung in a distinctive strong Sheffield accent made their music famous in their early years. The punk poet John Cooper Clarke has been a great inspiration for their music. And their frontman is often praised as one of the greatest lyricist and their lyrics are by some even titled as poetry.This song is from their album 'Humbug' released in 2009.

The song is about falling for a bad girl.At first it's good fun being with her: She's kind of crazy, and he likes her hard-to-get games (that's crying lightning). The line, "her past-times consisted of the strange, the twisted and deranged," means she likes messing with this guy's mind. She's all over him one day, but fighting him the next. Toying with his feelings is fun for her. In the song's context, "past times" means hobbies, or things to do for fun— not a past experience.

He knows the girl is bad news, but he goes with it ("I love that little game you call crying lightning"). I think he tried to avoid getting involved with her ("the next time that I caught my own reflection it was on its way to meet you, thinking of excuses to postpone") because he knew she played games, but he was too attracted to her...

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However, as he spends time with her, he realizes her games aren't fun anymore. Now he sees her attitude as mean and conceited with no regards for his bruised feelings ("..stood and puffed your chest out like you never lost a war..") He doesn't want to be a broken-hearted wimp about realizing she's really a bitch, so he doesn't say anything and holds in his emotions ("..I try so not to suffer the indignity of a reaction.."), but he does conclude that being her boy toy and emotional punching bag is not what he wants to be. She's been a hard pill to swallow, but even if it was fun in the beginning (she was "uninviting, but not half as impossible as everyone assumes"), he doesn't want to play crying lightning anymore.

In the end, he's changed his mind: "I hate that little game you had called crying lightning."

(Source - songmeanings.com http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858759902/)

Teacher’s necessities:Worksheets for all students (please check page numbers when printing for students)SmartboardWhiteboardWhiteboard markersPowerPoint with title of the song and hyperlinkMarkers for students

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Lesson plan:

Introduction:Showing a slide on the smartboard with title of the song and a hyperlink to the song.Hand out the worksheets and if necessary provide students with markers.

Depending on the level of the students this lesson could be more teacher structured or student structured. The idea is that students work individually and discuss their outcome with fellow students. It’s up to the teacher to decide what to do.

Pre-reading exercises:1. ask the students to go to page 2 and write down what they

think the song is about.

After a few minutes there’ll be a brief discussion in small groups.or teacher invites students to write their thoughts on the whiteboard. This will not take more than 5 minutes.

2. Start the video. Students will listen and read along with the text.

While reading exercises3. After listening students will read the text again,

they’ll mark difficult words and cooperate with fellow students to find out the meaning of the words.

5. While reading (or listening to) the beginning of the song again, students have to fill in the gaps. They have to use the words from exercise 4.

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Post-reading exercises4. In this exercise students combine pictures with words

from the song to expand their vocabulary.

6-8 In these 3 exercises students have to dig deeper into the meaning of the text and answer questions.

9. Students have to explain in their own words why they think the images matches the song or not.

10-12 In these 3 exercises students have to dig deeper into the meaning of the text and answer questions.

13. Students will use their own imagination and creativity and make a drawing.

Homework:1-3 Students have to check the lyrics of their favourite

songs and try to find the most important words of the lyrics.They’ll use their creativity to make their own poster.The teacher will let the students when they have to finish the homework and bring to class.

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Answer key

1. students could have different answers2. no question just reading and listening3. no question4.

LightningGob-stopper Ice-cream

Strawberry lace Throne Factory

5.Outside the cafe by the cracker factory______________You were practicing a magic trickAnd my thoughts got rude, as you talked and chewedOn the last of your pick and mix

Said you’re mistaken if you’re thinking that I haven't been called cold beforeAs you bit into your strawberry laceAnd then offered your attention in the form of a gobstopperIs all you have left and it was going to waste

Your past-times, consisted of the strangeAnd twisted and derangedAnd I love that little game you had calledCrying lightningAnd how you like to aggravate the ice-cream man on rainy afternoons

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6.He knows the girl is bad news, but he goes with it ("I love that little game you call crying lightning"). I think he tried to avoid getting involved with her ("the next time that I caught my own reflection it was on its way to meet you, thinking of excuses to postpone") because he knew she played games, but he was too attracted to her...However, as he spends time with her, he realizes her games aren't fun anymore. Now he sees her attitude as mean and conceited with no regards for his bruised feelings ("..stood and puffed your chest out like you never lost a war..") He doesn't want to be a broken-hearted wimp about realizing she's really a bitch, so he doesn't say anything and holds in his emotions ("..I try so not to suffer the indignity of a reaction.."), but he does conclude that being her boy toy and emotional punching bag is not what he wants to be. She's been a hard pill to swallow, but even if it was fun in the beginning (she was "uninviting, but not half as impossible as everyone assumes"), he doesn't want to play crying lightning anymore.In the end, he's changed his mind: "I hate that little game you had called crying lightning."

7.Students could have different answers. In the song it’s never mentioned but we think that the girl is just a friend, not specially his girlfriend.

8. students could have different answers

9. students could have different answers

10.Both songs are about heart breaking love. In Crying lightning the singer is the one who loves the girl. The girl is the bad lover. In Jar of hearts the singer is the one who is loved by the boy. The boy is the bad lover.

Students could have different answers.

11. Possible answer: having many unhappy relationships, a lot of break-ups.Students could have different answers.

12. Meaning: You might end up hurting yourself as well.

13. students own individual drawings

The homework assignments are student’ individual work. There’s no wrong answer.

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Student worksheets

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Poetry worksheet

'Crying Lightning'

By

Eline-Angela-Nathalie

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Dear students,

You're going to listen to a song performed by the English band 'Arctic Monkeys'.

They were formed in 2002 in Sheffield, UK. There typical sound is mostly formed by their lead singer and frontman Alex Turner. His often rapidly delivered lyrics, sung in a distinctive strong Sheffield accent made their music famous in their early years. The punk poet John Cooper Clarke has been a great inspiration for their music. And their frontman is often praised as one of the greatest lyricist and their lyrics are by some even titled as poetry.This song is from their album 'Humbug' released in 2009.

Look at the title on the cover page of this worksheet or onthe board.

1. What do you think the song is about? Write down in maximum of 4 lines.

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2. Read along with the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXKk7gSwFpQ

Crying Lightning-Arctic Monkeys

Outside the cafe by the cracker factoryYou were practicing a magic trickAnd my thoughts got rude, as you talked and chewedOn the last of your pick and mix

Said “you’re mistaken if you’re thinking that I haven't been called ‘cold’ before”As you bit into your strawberry laceAnd then offered me your attention in the form of a gobstopperIs all you have left and it was going to waste

Your past-times, consisted of the strangeAnd twisted and derangedAnd I love that little game you had calledCrying lightningAnd how you like to aggravate the ice-cream man on rainy afternoons

The next time that I caught my own reflectionIt was on its way to meet youThinking of excuses to postponeYou never looked like yourself from the sideBut your profile did not hideThe fact you knew I was approaching your throne

With folded arms you occupy the bench like toothacheStood and puffed your chest out like you never lost a warAnd though I try so not to suffer the indignity of reactionThere was no cracks to grasp or gaps to claw

And your past-times, consisted of the strangeAnd twisted and derangedAnd I hate that little game you had calledCrying lightningAnd how you like to aggravate the icky man on rainy afternoons

UninvitingBut not half as impossible as everyone assumesYou are crying lightning

Your past-times, consisted of the strangeAnd twisted and derangedAnd I hate that little game you had calledCrying lightning

Your past-times, consisted of the strangeAnd twisted and derangedAnd I hate that little game you had calledCrying lightning

Songwriters: Alex TurnerCrying Lightning lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Words to helpPast-times : verleden tijdAggravate : (ver)ergerenPostpone : uitstellenApproaching : naderenIndignity : vernederingAssume : ervan uitgaanDeranged : gek, niet normaal

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3. Read the text again and mark all the difficult words. Check the difficult words with your neighbour. Does he/she has

scribbled the same words or different ones?

Try to help each other and try to find the meaning of the words. Write down the words and meanings you found together.

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4 Match the pictures with the words. Write the correct word under the pictures.

Gob-stopper

Ice-cream

Lightning Strawberry lace

Throne Factory

5. Listen to the beginning of the song and complete the text with 4 words from exercise 4.

Outside the cafe by the cracker ______________You were practicing a magic trickAnd my thoughts got rude, as you talked and chewedOn the last of your pick and mix

Said you’re mistaken if you’re thinking that I haven't been called cold beforeAs you bit into your strawberry laceAnd then offered your attention in the form of a ______________Is all you have left and it was going to waste

Your past-times, consisted of the strangeAnd twisted and derangedAnd I love that little game you had calledCrying ______________And how you like to aggravate the ______________ man on rainy afternoons

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In the song it’s just like the singer is talking to someone or talking about someone. Underneath you’ll find another passage from the song.

Your past-times, consisted of the strangeAnd twisted and deranged

And I love that little game you had calledCrying lightning

And how you like to aggravate the ice-cream man on rainy afternoons

The next time that I caught my own reflectionIt was on its way to meet you

Thinking of excuses to postponeYou never looked like yourself from the side

But your profile did not hideThe fact you knew I was approaching your throne

With folded arms you occupy the bench like toothacheStood and puffed your chest out like you never lost a warAnd though I try so not to suffer the indignity of reaction

There was no cracks to grasp or gaps to claw

And your past-times, consisted of the strangeAnd twisted and deranged

And I hate that little game you had calledCrying lightning

6. Why would he at first say he loves that little game and later on that he hates that little game?

7. What kind of relationship do you think, the two have?

8. In exercise 1 you explained what you thought the song is about. Did you change your mind? What do you think now?

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The images above are photos, posters made for the song ‘Crying lightning’.

9. Do you think these images match the song? Explain in your own words.

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Have you ever heard of the word ballad or ballads?

A ballad is a type of poetry or verse which was basically used in dance songs in the ancient France. Ballad is the oldest form of English poetry. However this form of poetry represents one of the earlier stages in the evolution of poetic art. A ballad tells a story. Ballads are often quite dramatic.

Nowadays ballads have a slightly different meaning. Ballad took on the meaning of a slow form of popular love song and is now often used for any love song, particularly the sentimental ballad of pop or rock.

Below, you can see an example of a modern ballad.

Christina perri – ‘Jar of Hearts’

I know I can't take one more step towards you'Cause all that's waiting is regretDon't you know I'm not your ghost anymore?You lost the love I loved the most

I learned to live, half aliveAnd now you want me one more time

Who do you think you are?Runnin' 'round leaving scarsCollecting your jar of heartsAnd tearing love apartYou're gonna catch a coldFrom the ice inside your soulSo don't come back for meWho do you think you are?

The song from the Artic Monkeys and Christina Perri have a similar topic, but are also very different.

10. What do they have in common? And how are they different?

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Title of the song is ‘Jar of hearts’, the Dutch translation is: harten in een pot. Look at the picture above. Jar of hearts has a deeper meaner than just (‘harten in een pot’)

11. What do you think it means?

‘You’re gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul’. 12. What is the translation of this sentence? And what does it

mean?

13. And how would you draw this?

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Homework assignments:

1. Pick out 1 song that you really like. Print out the lyrics. You will need this for your next assignment in class.

2. Write down some words from your song lyrics that you think are important for the song. Example: strange, twisted, deranged.

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3. Make your own poster for the song that you choose, just like the examples that you have already seen.

Part of the poem 'Drive She Said' by John Cooper Clarke

I hit the deck like a ton of lardwhen the back of my neck hit something hard

A yard of lead or a judo chopdrive she said, I’ll tell you when to stopUp my sleeve she stuck me with a spike

said you can leave whenever I likeGive me bread

Take me round the shopsdrive she said, I’ll tell you when to stop

There was eloquencestyle and poise

and pure malevolencein her voiceMove it manchop-chop

Drive she saidI’ll tell you when to stop

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THE END