Writing a Song Parody in High School Chemistry

Writing a Song Parody in High School Chemistry Tiffany Getty tgetty@wellsborosd. org

Who I Am • Tiffany Getty • Chemistry Teacher at Wellsboro High School (Wellsboro, PA) • Teach 10 th & 11 th grade Honors Chemistry, and this year I am teaching AP Chemistry for the first time (11 th and 12 th graders). • Started a doctorate program at Wilkes University in January, 2017 • I love chemistry and music, and often perform my own song parodies in class.

How I Found VOICES • For my research course, we had find articles that might pertain to our dissertation topic (I’m considering something with music and student engagement) • I came across an article by Greg Crowther, and called him up!!! • I love to perform songs (rather than lecture) to my classes to teach chemistry • Link to “Because It’s Chemistry”: goo. gl/Zd. Pn. Kf

My Video Poster • “How to Write a Song Parody Project” for a high school chemistry assignment/assessment • Shortened URL to Google Doc with the Project: goo. gl/344 bvq • Please feel free to edit and comment on any part • I am looking for feedback on this document – ways to change and improve it • I am specifically looking for recommendations in the Grading Criteria, Rubric Itself, Tips to Writing a Song, and ideas for Recording (not specifically mentioned in the doc)

Song Parody Project • An example of a song submitted (mp 3): goo. gl/9 Ea 8 qp Lyrics to “Issues In Chemistry” What happens In chemical reactions There are lots of different kinds Listen and we’ll blow your minds Synthesis It is the simplest Two reactants, one product Compounds made from elements Decomposition Is the next, and it’s the opposite One reactant Two products You get back the OG elements Cause I’ve got issues With chemistry And they’ve got to do with stoichiometry That’s the equations, and balancing Because you gotta find the molar quantity Yeah I’ve got issues But with chemical reactions you can’t lose Single replacement Take an element and compound And the metals switch around Double replacement These ones aren’t complacent Here the cations switch sides Giving off ionic vibes Now we move on to Our final RX which is combustion The products Are always H 20 and a hydrocarbon Cause I’ve got issues With chemistry And they’ve got to do with stoichiometry That’s the equations, and balancing Because you gotta find the molar quantity Yeah I’ve got issues But with chemical reactions you can’t lose You know five reactions In chemistry (With chemical reactions you can’t lose) You know five reactions In chemistry There’s no more issues In chemistry Because you figured out the stoichiometry Bask in the glory You fixed the problems Cause you know reactants join To make the products Yeah I’ve got issues But with chemical reactions you can’t lose With chemical reactions you can’t lose x 3

Grading Criteria • The following rubric will be used to grade your song project. Remember that your goal is demonstrate your synthesis of knowledge on a particular topic of chemistry. Your song should show me how you can creatively apply your understanding of a specific topic in chemistry (such as reactions, atomic theory, the mole concept, etc. ). The total amount of points is 100, and this will go into the final exam grade as a percentage. • The song must be a minimum of 2. 5 minutes in length

Rubric for Grading 5 4 3 2 1 Comprehension & Synthesis Weight: x 5 Total = 25 points Lyrics demonstrate you have a Lyrics demonstrate a good great understanding of topic and Lots of related vocab is some related vocab is included Lyrics demonstrate a moderate understanding, but you should have included more vocab in your song to relate topics Lyrics demonstrate a minimal Lyrics used do not understanding and lyrics need demonstrate comprehension improvement to show of the topic chosen comprehension Writing and Syntax Weight = x 5 Total = 25 points Fabulously written. Rhyming Well written. Rhyming is is good and lyrics have similar good, and rhyme scheme is rhyme scheme as original similar to the original song Well written, but the parody Moderately written in terms sounds significantly different of syntax and association to in terms of rhyming to original song Creativity Weight = x 4 Total = 20 points Lyrics are original, clever, catchy, and super fun to sing along with. Your lyrics are better than what Mrs. G could write on the spot – and people will remember your “hook” Lyrics are clever, catchy, and fun to sing along with, and equivalent to what Mrs. G could write on the spot! Lyrics are good, but Mrs. Getty could write a better rhyme on the spot! Narrative Weight = x 3 Total = 15 points Song tells a great story and has a good focus, beginning, middle, end Song tells a good story and has a good focus Song attempts to tell a story, Song has components of a but the focus is slightly lost story but could be better connected Song has components of a story but needs significant improvement to connect Recording Weight = x 2 Total = 10 points Easy to hear and interpret your lyrics clearly in the recording Easy to hear, but interpretation of lyrics could be better Lyrics are moderately clear All lyrics need improvement in clarity Effort Weight = x 1 Total = 5 points Obvious you worked hard, effort was strong, worked well in a group Effort of works was demonstrated, group was cooperative Effort of work was moderately Effort of work was slightly demonstrated in production demonstrated Relatively poorly written. Writing and syntax needs significant improvement Lyrics good but lack creativity Lyrics are moderate, and need and originality (they are improvement with respect to mundane and ordinary) creativity and originality Some lyrics are clear, but other party need improvement in clarity Effort of work was minimally demonstrated

Recording • We used audacity (it was okay) • I’m looking for better ways to record songs (please let me know your secrets!)

Tips I Gave Students to Help them Learn to Write a Song Parody • Writing a Chemistry Song Parody • Your task is to write a chemistry song parody. You may work individually or in a group for this assignment. You will also get to decide both the topic of chemistry for your song, and the song itself. If you have trouble, see Mrs. Getty for help and guidance. Use the resources below to guide you through the process of writing song lyrics. • Remember – the hardest part is simply getting started! • Picking a Topic • • You want to pick a topic that is not too general, but not too specific either • ⊳Go more specific as opposed to more general, as long as you can incorporate enough vocabulary • ⊳Example: Bonding might be a good (not too general but not too specific) topic. You could choose Ionic Bonding, if you had enough terms to validate your point • • Make a vocabulary list of all the terms that relate to the topic chosen • ⊳Be creative – use more than just the vocabulary terms associated with the topic (think of famous people who relate to the topic, puns, or terms that simply might pertain to the topic or go with the song’s rhyme in loose realm, such as “discovery”, “beyond”, etc • ⊳Some topics we have studied that you might want to think about include: • Scientific Method, Scientific Measurement, Classifications of Matter, Atomic Theory/History, Atomic Structure, Electron Configurations, The Elements, Organization of the Periodic Table, Periodic Trends, Bonding (ionic and covalent), Lewis Dot Structures, Octet Rule, The Mole Concept, Chemical Quantities, Stoichiometry, Chemical Reactions, Solution Chemistry, etc.

Tips I Gave Students to Help them Learn to Write a Song Parody • Picking a Song • • Make sure there is a karaoke version or instrumental (mp 3) available!!! • ⊳The last thing you want is to complete the project and then not be able to sing your own lyrics to it, because a karaoke version doesn’t exist! • • Pick a song that contains a Chorus that you are able to match with your topic • ⊳You have to be able to “work with the chorus” of the real song (it has to at least SOUND similar to the real song). • ⊳For example: It works to make “Chemist’s Know” from “Let it Go” (it would not work to make “I like to eat, apples and bananas” from “Let It Go”) • • Pick one that has a fun beat and tune, and one that people know (and like) • ⊳You want people to sing along with you • • Pick one that has relatively slow lyrics • ⊳Raps are hard if the lyrics are fast (stay away from them if you can’t pull it off) • • Pick one that has some type of regular pentameter (doesn’t have to be perfect) • ⊳Stay away from songs that where some lines are really long while others are really short (these types of songs have an irregular rhyming scheme that is difficult to match) • • Pick a song that has a rhyme scheme you can follow • ⊳Identify the rhyme scheme (1, 2, or 1, 1, 2, 2) for each section

Tips I Gave Students to Help them Learn to Write a Song Parody • Writing the Lyrics • • Try to tell a story (have a focus) • • START WITH THE CHORUS!!!! (not the beginning of the song!) • ⊳The chorus is your main point. Try to tell your story (beginning, middle, ending) through the chorus • • Determine the rhyme scheme for each section (1, 2, 1, 2 or 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3) • • Before you get started, write down all the vocabulary words that go along with the topic you have chosen or those that generally fall under the field of chemistry. Use these items as you “base words” and build off of them. • • Try to keep the “End Rhyme” BUT • • Don’t be afraid to use a “Near Rhyme” (Chemistry & Discovery, Bond & Electron) • • Or don’t be afraid to use your own rhyme if it works (Conceal don’t feel, Contrive derive) • • Keep the syllables of the line the same (give up the rhyme before messing up syllables) • • If you get stuck – start at the end of the line (the rhyme) and work backwards • • Look at the chemistry vocab words (make lists of “regular” rhyming vocab words)

Link to the Google Doc • Shortened URL to Google Doc with the Project: goo. gl/344 bvq • Please feel free to comment and edit, and add anything you want • Thanks! • Tiffany Getty • My email: tgetty@wellsborosd. org