This quest is about Killer Songs: songs about murderers, thieves and other criminals. Through these songs, you will improve your English and learn about musical theory at the same time.
You will learn:
English vocabulary related to crime and to music;
English grammar used for narrating (crime) stories;
How to write a comparative essay in English;
Musical theory about song structure and music genres.
EXPECTATION MANAGEMENT
You can do this quest independently. You can sign up for a BloX with Mr Jansen or Mrs Wams if you need extra help or if you get stuck, but you can also ask the other English and K&C coaches for help.
If you need to use the Music Box for part of this quest, you can sign up for its use with Mr Jansen or Mrs Wams.
eXplore miles
This quest is worth 15 XMs if you complete all the steps and hand in your work on time.
Skill Development
Learning Goals
English
This quest's primary learning goal for English is writing skills. You can find specifications for this skill in Egodact under Engels > Schrijven.
The subskill you will be working on most is "Ik schrijf een verslag/voorstel". Below, you see how this is explained in can-do statements. The writing assignments in this quest are aimed at B1+ level, so somewhere between levels B1 and B2.
Kunst & Cultuur: Muziek
You develop skills in:
Understanding what different genres of music are and how to identify them.
Understanding the structure of songs and how they are used to tell a story.
Basic music theory - understanding the difference between major and minor keys and to what effect they are used.
Planning
Below you will find our estimation of how much time you need to plan your work for this quest.
activity
time
evidence / outcome
0. Read Start Week information
15 minutes
-
1. Get started
20 minutes
Egodact tile set up properly
2.1 Toolkit
2.1a Historical background
20 minutes
screenshot
2.1b Vocabulary
45 minutes
word list
2.1c Grammar
90 minutes
screenshot
2.1d Music Theory
70 minutes
screenshot
2.2 Hit the music!
2.2a Listen
60 minutes
timeline
2.2b Compare
120 minutes
essay
2.2c Create
120-180 minutes
choice of 4 assignments
3. Conclusion
25 minutes
completed 'Terugkijker' in the Egodact tile
Assessment
Rubric
The rubric below will be used by your coach to assess your work.
Component
Beginner
Developing
Mastery
English: vocabulary & grammar
your word list has 5-10 words
your word list contains only the words and a minimal translation
you haven't documented how you have worked on your grammar
your word list has 11-15 words
your word list contains words and a decent translation
you've documented some of your grammar work
your word list has 16 or more words
your word list contains words, thorough translations and additional information, such as sample sentences, related words, grammatical categories etc
you've documented your grammar work thoroughly and discussed this with your English coach
English: writing skills (comparative essay)
your essay doesn't have a clear introduction
you compare only one or two aspects of the songs
your essay doesn't have a clear conclusion
your don't or hardly use any paragraphs or transitional phrases
your essay's introduction makes clear which two songs you're comparing and why
you compare the songs adequately
your essay's conclusion sums up the points you made
your basic paragraph structure is okay and you use some transitional phrases
your essay's introduction makes clear which two songs you're comparing and why and grabs the reader's attention
you compare the songs thoroughly and present interesting details
your essay's conclusion sums up the points you made and makes a memorable impact
your paragraph structure is good and you use transitional phrases throughout
Music Theory:
You've completed the 3 exercises partially, and analyzed very little.
You've completed all 3 exercises but have made some mistakes in analyzing genres and song structures. Some more research would be needed.
You've completed all 3 exercises in detail and show that you've developed an awareness of song structures and of major and minor keys
Killer Song Creation
your creation shows all the signs of a rush job
you have clearly spent some time on your creation, although there is definitely room for improvement
you have gone all out on this assignment and delivered a splendid product
1. Get started
Preparation
Preparation
➜ Make a new tile in Egodact for this quest.
➜ Under the header 'Mijn Motivatie', describe what it is about this quest that interests you and has caught your attention.
➜ Under the header 'Wat ik er al over weet', describe the role music plays in your life: do you play any instruments? Do you have any favourite musicians?Is music important to you?
➜ Under the header 'Hoe ga ik het aanpakken', describe when, where and how you think you are going to work on this quest.
Checklist Assignments
Checklist
➜ Copy the checklist below into your logboek in Egodact.
➜ During the quest, link your work in Seesaw to the corresponding items in the checklist .
2.1 Toolkit
Historical background (screenshot)
Vocabulary (wordlists)
Grammar (screenshot)
Music Theory (...)
2.2 Hit the music!
Listen (timeline)
Compare (essay)
Create (choice of 4 assignments)
Conclusion
Assessment
Terugkijker
2. Killer Songs
Listeners, beware! For these are stories of horror and tragedy that you are about to immerse yourself in. Are you brave enough to carry on?
First, fill your toolkit with all the knowledge you need to face these tales of woe and misery. Gain some historical background knowledge, learn new words, perfect your grammar and become a musical expert in four assignments.
Then, you will be ready to hit the music. You will explore many different killer songs from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, examine some of them further and finally make your own Killer Song inspired creation.
Be safe, listeners, and learn!
2.1 Toolkit
2.1a Historical background (reading)
Preparation
➜ Start with the exercise below.
Oefening: Murder Ballad - preparation vocabulary
0%
Match these words to their definitions to make sure you've got the right vocabulary to understand the reading fragment.
➜ Now read the text below to find out more about the historical background of the genre murder ballad.
In this quest, you're going to learn more about songs about murderers, thieves and other criminals. These songs used to be called 'murder ballads'. The term ballad, a form of traditional or folk music, means a narrative song. Within ballads, the "event song" is dedicated to narrating a particular event, and the murder ballad is a type of event song in which the event is a murder.
Perspectives are numerous. Some murder ballads tell the story from the point of view of the murderer, or attempt to portray the murderer in a somewhat sympathetic light. Other murder ballads tell the tale of the crime from the point of view of the victim.
Murder ballads make up a notable portion of traditional ballads, many of which originated in Scandinavia, England, and lowland Scotland. Some murder ballads change over time as they travel culturally: For example, "Knoxville Girl" is essentially the same ballad as "The Wexford Girl" with the setting changed from Ireland to Tennessee — while the two of them are based on "The Oxford Girl", a murder ballad set in England. Many American murder ballads are modified versions of Old World ballads with any supernatural elements removed and more focus on the slaughter of the innocent.
➜ Now do the assignment below to check your understanding of the text.
➜ Take a screenshot of the result and post it to your logbook in Seesaw/Egodact.
Oefening: Murder Ballads - reading comprehension
0%
Do this assignment to check your understanding of the text.
➜ Use the links above to find explanations and exercises to help you master these points.
➜ Ask an English coach for help during a BloX if you feel that it's hard to figure out on your own.
➜ Finally, do the test below to see if you've mastered these topics.
➜ Make a screenshot of the result and post it to Seesaw/Egodact.
Oefening: Toolkit Grammar test
0%
Do this test AFTER you have studied and understood all the grammatical points listed above.
This part of the quest consists of 3 different exercises that will allow you to improve your music theory skills. It will take you about 1 hour to do.
Exercise 1: Recognizing genres
Exercise 2: Recognizing song structure
Exercise 3: Learning about major and minor keys
1. Musical Genres
This quest is obviously about "Killer Songs." That means that all the songs have something to do with murder. So if you had to categorize them to a genre, would they all belong to the "murder genre"? Not really. They all have the same theme, which is murder, but not the same music genre. So what does genre even mean?
Genre is about categorizing music to a certain style.Below is a list of some genres that you've probably heard of before.
Exercise 1: Pick 5 different genres from this list, and make for each genre a playlist of 3 songs.
Tip! If you have spotify, use that! Otherwise just type out the names of the songs in pages.
2. Song Structure
Now that you've learned about music genres, it's time to start analyzing some of the differences in the songs themselves. Every song has its own structure. Most pop music follows the same structure, but once you analayze a different genre, the structure of a song may be totally different.
Exercise 3: Take the same 3 songs you've just analysed and try to guess if they're in a major key or a minor key. Then use this website: https://tunebat.com and look up your song to check if you had it correct. What key do you think most "killer songs" are in? Write your thoughts in egodact.
2.2 Hit the music!
2.2a Listen
Playlist
In the playlist below, you will find a selection of thirteen killer songs from the 1950s up to the 21st century specially selected for you (and two bonus songs in German). You are going to listen to the songs and sort them in the right order, first.
➜ Listen to the playlist below while doing this assignment.
➜ Make a chronological timeline of the fifteen songs in the playlist.
for each song, list the artist, year and genre and include a picture.
you choose whether you make your timeline on paper or digitally.
beware! The playlist is NOT in chronological order, so you'll need to do some research here!
➜ Post a picture or screenshot of your timeline in Seesaw/Egodact.
In this assignment, you are going to choose two songs from the playlist that you want to know more about. You are going to compare them both musically as well as on their narrative contents. Follow the step-by-step plan below to make a thorough comparison.
➜ Choose two songs from the playlist.
make sure to choose songs that are different in some way; different eras, different genres etc.
➜ Listen to the songs a few more times and study the lyrics closely.
➜ Copy the table below and fill them in for the songs you chose.
Use keywords here instead of full sentences;
An example has been given to help you along (if you picked this one, sorry...).
song
artist
year
genre & music theory
type of murder & weapon
perspective
extra information
Where the Wild Roses Grow
Nick Cave ft. Kylie Minoge
1996
rock ballad / pop
hit in the head with a rock
both murderer and victim
this song appears on album called 'Murder Ballads'
➜ Now, make a Venn diagram based on your notes.
Each circle stands for one of your songs;
In the middle, where the circles overlap, list the similarities between the songs;
On the outsides, where the circles do not cross, list what is different between the songs.
➜ Finally, use your notes and your Venn Diagram to write a comparative essay.
Your essay should start with an introduction, in which you describe which two songs you chose and why.
Then, you should have two body paragraphs: one for the similarities between your songs, and one for the differences.
Your essay should finish with a conclusion, in which you sum up how your songs compare and in which you present your personal opinion on the songs.
Use the websites below to help you.
When you finish writing, check your grammar, your transitions between sentences and paragraphs and your structure.
Now it's your turn to create something inspired by these Killer Songs. Choosebetween four different types of assignments: a musical assignment, a lyrical assignment, a theatrical assignment or a journalistic assignment.
Choice A: musical assignment
Grab your guitar, bust out your microphone, it's time to get musical! Choose a Killer Song from the playlist and record your own version. {this option could work as a group project}
➜ If you play a musical instrument, look for the sheet music or the tabs online and study the song.
➜ If you don't play a musical instrument, look for a karaoke version of your song on YouTube or find a band that's willing to jam with you!
➜ Play it live in a BloX for Mr Jansen or Mrs Wams or record a video/audio fragment and show it off on Seesaw/Egodact.
Choice B: lyrical assignment
Are you a wordsmith or a budding singer-songwriter? Write (lyrics for) your own Killer Song.
➜ Find a crime story in the newspapers or online or use your imagination and think about the story you want to tell.
➜ Write the lyrics; make sure there is a chorus, some verses and maybe even a bridge in your song.
➜ If you play a musical instrument, think of some chords or a melody to go along with your song.
➜ If you don't play a musical instrument, that's fine; just think of a melody that you can sort of hum along to; or maybe even rap your song?
➜ Play it live in a BloX for Mr Jansen or Mrs Wams or record a video/audio fragment and show it off on Seesaw/Egodact.
Choice C: theatrical assignment
Open the costume chest, hit the stage and record a new music video! Choose a Killer Song and make a new music video for it. {this option could work as a group project}
➜ Choose one of the songs from the Killer Songs Playlist and create a new music video for it.
➜ Prepare your music video. Make a story board, gather your props, design your set.
➜ Record the video.
➜ Add the music of the song to your video and edit it to make a fabulous new music video.
➜ Show it off on Seesaw/Egodact.
Choice D: journalistic assignment
Feel like seeking out the truth and making it known to the world? Choose a Killer Song and write a newspaper article about it.
➜ Choose one of the songs from the Killer Songs Playlist and imagine you are a journalist reporting this crime.
➜ Prepare your article: study the lyrics and note details such as time, place and exact events of the crime. Feel free to invent them if they're not provided in the song. Also think about how you would report this in the news. Has an arrest been made? Are the police still investigating? What's going to happen next in this case?
➜ Write your article. Use between 200-300 words and pay attention to your use of the grammar practised in the toolkit!
➜ Find a photograph or drawing you can use as an illustration, or make your own.
➜ Give your article a newspaper-y feel: use a font like Times New Roman, or search for a Newspaper Template online.
➜ Show it off on Seesaw/Egodact.
3. Conclusion
3a. Assessment
Learning goals
➜ Go to the sliders in Egodact and look for Engels > Schrijven.
➜ Click on the skill 'Ik schrijf een verslag/voorstel'.
➜ Now move the slider to where you think your comparative essay has shown you to be.
Rubric
This is the rubric your coach will use to assess your work. Where do you think you stand?
Component
Beginner
Developing
Mastery
English: vocabulary & grammar
your word list has 5-10 words
your word list contains only the words and a minimal translation
you haven't documented how you have worked on your grammar
your word list has 11-15 words
your word list contains words and a decent translation
you've documented some of your grammar work
your word list has 16 or more words
your word list contains words, thorough translations and additional information, such as sample sentences, related words, grammatical categories etc
you've documented your grammar work thoroughly and discussed this with your English coach
English: writing skills (comparative essay)
your essay doesn't have a clear introduction
you compare only one or two aspects of the songs
your essay doesn't have a clear conclusion
your don't or hardly use any paragraphs or transitional phrases
your essay's introduction makes clear which two songs you're comparing and why
you compare the songs adequately
your essay's conclusion sums up the points you made
your basic paragraph structure is okay and you use some transitional phrases
your essay's introduction makes clear which two songs you're comparing and why and grabs the reader's attention
you compare the songs thoroughly and present interesting details
your essay's conclusion sums up the points you made and makes a memorable impact
your paragraph structure is good and you use transitional phrases throughout
Music Theory:
You've completed the 3 exercises partially, and analyzed very little.
You've completed all 3 exercises but have made some mistakes in analyzing genres and song structures. Some more research would be needed.
You've completed all 3 exercises in detail and show that you've developed an awareness of song structures and of major and minor keys
Killer Song Creation
your creation shows all the signs of a rush job
you have clearly spent some time on your creation, although there is definitely room for improvement
you have gone all out on this assignment and delivered a splendid product
3b. Evaluation
➜ In your tile in Egodact at the bottom you will find the category 'Terugkijker'.
➜ Write an evaluation using the questions and self-assessment rubric below.
How much of a challenge was this quest for your English?
How much of a challenge was this quest for your musical knowledge?
If you self-assess using the rubric below, how did you do? Does this match your own idea?
Which assignment did you like the most in this quest, and which the least?
Do you have any feedback, tips or compliments for the makers of this quest?
Rubric for self-assessment:
Excellent
Sufficient
To improve
Contents
I have shown to have expanded my vocabulary and my grammatical skills significantly; I have grown in writing skills and made this visible.
I have learned more about musical genres and theory and brought this into practice.
I have learned some new words and grammar and recorded this; I have tried to become better at writing.
I have learned some new musical terms.
I haven't made any visible growth in vocabulary or grammar; I have written something without editing it.
I haven't made any learning visible about music.
Process
I have done my assignments with care and presented them mindfully. My product(s) are interesting and inspiring.
I have done my assignments with some care and edited them a little. My products are sufficient.
I have tried to get through the assignments as quickly as I could without caring about how they look or what I could learn from them.
Het arrangement EN + K&C - Killer Songs (B1(+)) is gemaakt met
Wikiwijs van
Kennisnet. Wikiwijs is hét onderwijsplatform waar je leermiddelen zoekt,
maakt en deelt.
Dit lesmateriaal is gepubliceerd onder de Creative Commons Naamsvermelding 4.0 Internationale licentie. Dit houdt in dat je onder de voorwaarde van naamsvermelding vrij bent om:
het werk te delen - te kopiëren, te verspreiden en door te geven via elk medium of bestandsformaat
het werk te bewerken - te remixen, te veranderen en afgeleide werken te maken
voor alle doeleinden, inclusief commerciële doeleinden.
Leeromgevingen die gebruik maken van LTI kunnen Wikiwijs arrangementen en toetsen afspelen en resultaten
terugkoppelen. Hiervoor moet de leeromgeving wel bij Wikiwijs aangemeld zijn. Wil je gebruik maken van de LTI
koppeling? Meld je aan via info@wikiwijs.nl met het verzoek om een LTI
koppeling aan te gaan.
Maak je al gebruik van LTI? Gebruik dan de onderstaande Launch URL’s.
Arrangement
Oefeningen en toetsen
Murder Ballad - preparation vocabulary
Murder Ballads - reading comprehension
Toolkit Grammar test
IMSCC package
Wil je de Launch URL’s niet los kopiëren, maar in één keer downloaden? Download dan de IMSCC package.
Oefeningen en toetsen van dit arrangement kun je ook downloaden als QTI. Dit bestaat uit een ZIP bestand dat
alle
informatie bevat over de specifieke oefening of toets; volgorde van de vragen, afbeeldingen, te behalen
punten,
etc. Omgevingen met een QTI player kunnen QTI afspelen.
Wikiwijs lesmateriaal kan worden gebruikt in een externe leeromgeving. Er kunnen koppelingen worden gemaakt en
het lesmateriaal kan op verschillende manieren worden geëxporteerd. Meer informatie hierover kun je vinden op
onze Developers Wiki.
Egodact under Engels > Schrijven.
Seesaw to the corresponding items in the checklist .
