We Shall Overcome Together
Goal: To cooperatively interpret the world through song.
Abstract: In groups of 5-6, students will write their own stanzas to the song “We
Shall Overcome” in response to challenges the students face.
Materials: Recording/sheet music of “We Shall Overcome.”
Pens
Paper
Guitar or piano if teacher is musically inclined, CD or tape player if not..
Procedure:
1. Students are placed in heterogeneous groups of 5-6 students
2. The teacher begins by introducing the song “We Shall Overcome”
and explains its contexts throughout history, including its role
in the Civil Rights Movement.
3. The teacher either performs the song or plays a recording of it for
the class.
4. Students are then instructed to come up with their own set of lyrics,
following the syllabication and tune of “We Shall Overcome.”
In each group, the students decide what issue facing their class needs
to be overcome, such as school violence, bullying, eating disorders,
teen suicide, etc
5. Each group picks a recorder to write down ideas.
6. Student brainstorm a group issue and decide on a theme for their
version of the song.
7. .Every group’s song begins and ends with the “We Shall Overcome”
stanza. Group members take turns contributing stanzas .
8. All suggested stanzas are written down, and the group decides which
two stanzas they will use from each student. The final version of the
song is written neatly.
9. After composing, the groups of students are invited to share their songs
with the class. Ideally, each student will sing his or her own stanzas,
but students may prefer to send a singer on behalf of the group.
10. Students submit their song with a list of all group members to the teacher.
Discussion:
As each
group presents, the group members are asked the following
questions, one
question addressed to each group member.
1. How did your group decide on your theme?
2. Why is your issue important for the class to address?
3. Were there any difficulties working with a group? What?
4. Did working in a group making writing the song easier
than it would have been to write yourself?
5. How did you decide who would sing the song? Were there
any disagreements over this?
6. What have you learned about working together?
Positive interdependence: This activity promotes positive interdependence by asking students to work towards a common goal. As they create a song together, they will feel a sense of connectiveness as they learn about one another’s values and concerns for the
school’s environment.
Individual Accountability: Each student is accountable to the success of the group because each student contributes two stanzas. Students are also held accountable during the discussion period when a question is directed at each student to answer on behalf of the group.
Social Skills: Students must use their social skills of taking turns, listening, and sharing to contribute to the song. They must be attentive to the ideas of others and give and receive feedback when deciding which stanzas to use in the final song.
Face-to-face interaction: Because students are in close proximity to one another, they can easily read non-verbal expressions to gauge the reaction from the group. To reach their cooperative goal, students must rely on feedback from one another, both verbally and nonverbally, which is more effective in face-to-face interactions.
Heterogeneous grouping: Students are assigned to heterogeneous groups to promote multiple perspectives within the group. Students may consider their diverse personal experiences with gender, ethnicity, culture, and ability when they consider stanzas for the song.
Evaluation: This activity should be evaluated informally in the form of good-faith participation. All students who actively participate (monitored by teacher observation when students are in groups) should receive maximum credit for the day. The goal of this lesson is to work cooperatively and to consider multiple views of a topic. Students should not be graded on their ability to sing, but rather their ability to reflect upon and address an issue important to them.
Processing: As each group presents their song, individual students are asked questions about the group process and what matters to their group. Students consider the advantages and difficulties in working with a group, as well as roles of leadership and consensus.
In a group, students have expectations of their classmates. They expect all members to contribute equally if they care about their grade. If students have had bad experiences with particular students previously, it is possible that they will expect less of those students. Similarly, student who perform well in groups and assume leadership roles are likely to be expected to emerge as leaders in the new group.
As groups work together, friendships often play a role. Sometimes friends end up in the same group and are eager to work with one another. Other times, students who otherwise would have no interaction with one another may find they have things in common with a classmate and make a new friend. New friendships are rarely forged in one day, but over time, repeated group work with the same students can foster friendships. Also, as students work in groups with many other students, they learn to work cooperatively with many others, and the class forms cohesion.
Sometimes conflicts may occur in groups, though. For example, sometimes students who strongly dislike each other are picked for heterogeneous groups. In this case, the conflicts may disrupt the group and upset the expected behavioral norms of group members. When this occurs, students can we encouraged by fellow group members to work together and the group can try to help with the conflict of two students.
Other times, conflicts occur because certain members do not meet the behavioral norms. There is a cognitive norm for the group to accomplish its goals, but a disruptive student can jeopardize that goal. For the group to be successful, conflicts must be resolved.
There are many factors which affect group effectiveness. The expectations and norms of the group will set the tone for working together, and anyone or anything that disrupts those norms threatens group cohesiveness and leads to conflict.
For an example, see the attached alternative lyrics to
“We Shall Overcome” in response to September 11, 2001.
We shall overcome.
We shall overcome.
We shall overcome someday.
Deep in my heart
I do believe
we shall overcome
someday.
Terror will not strike.
Terror will not strike.
Terror will not strike
someday.
Deep in my heart
I do believe
terror will not strike
someday.
Buildings will not fall.
Buildings will not fall.
Buildings will not fall
someday.
Deep in my heart
I do believe
buildings will not fall
someday.
We won’t be afraid.
We won’t be afraid.
We won’t be afraid
someday.
Deep in my heart
I do believe
we won’t be afraid
someday.
We shall all feel safe.
We shall all feel safe.
We shall all feel safe
someday.
Deep in my heart
I do believe
we shall all feel safe
someday.
There won’t be a
war.
There won’t be a
war.
There won’t be a war
someday.
Deep in my heart
I do believe
There won’t be a war
someday.
We shall overcome.
We shall overcome.
We shall overcome someday.
Deep in my heart
I do believe
we shall overcome
someday.