1. Objectives:

to illustrate the poesy of Robert Johnson's blues lyrics.

2. Learning Activities:

a. introduce students to the life of Robert Johnson and the culture of the early Delta blues

b. remind students of the rudiments of verse anlaysis

c. assign students a group of songs to independently anlayze (approx. 5 songs/day) according to specific criteria listed on a sample notebook entry

d. following independent lyric anlaysis, play the song and discuss answers and reactions

3. Materials

a. cd player

b. complete recordings of Robert Johnson (Columbia, 1990)

c. copies of complete lyrics for each student

d. journal or notebook for each student

4. Assignments:

Homework: students analyze the lyrics to approximately 5 Robert Johnson songs each night of the lesson. They use the format designated in the sample notebook entry

5. Instructional Sequence:

A. What is the blues?

Does anyone know any blues songs or artists?

Do the students think that the blues is a current medium?

B. Are songs poetry?

What makes a poem?

What makes a song?

E. Instructor directed discussion:

• Get 5-10% of the class to read their answers to most or all of the categories of verse analysis
• Does the music of the song add any dimension to the anlaysis? -- Would anyone change any of their answers after hearing the song performed?

F. Conclusion:

Did the students find any meaning in these songs? Did they like the songs? Do they think that these songs have a place in modern music or poetry?