music video assignment

51 Creative Video Project Ideas for Students (With Templates)

• video project ideas

It’s always a challenge to keep students engaged during classes, especially virtual classes. One of the ways to do this are video projects. Video projects not only make for fun viewing, they also supplement learning. While creating videos with fellow students is a fun activity, it’s not always easy to come up with video project ideas.

So here we bring you some of our favorite creative video project ideas for students. We also share ready-to-use free video templates that you can plug into and start using. Stay tuned till the end and find a bonus section for students on how to make a good video project! Let’s dive in!

A. Video project ideas for elementary students B. Video project ideas for high school students C. Video project ideas for higher education students D. How to make a good video project

Bring your video project ideas to life in minutes

With 3000+ ready-to-use project video templates

A. Video project ideas for elementary students

Video projects for elementary students are mostly a way for the teachers to ensure comprehension and interest in the classroom. These can also be a good tool to make students think about different topics. Let’s check out some video project ideas for this age group:

1. Summarise a lesson

Get your students to summarise history or literature lessons on video. Have students research major figures and events in history and make videos around these concepts. This gives students the chance to learn digital storytelling as well as thoroughly research important historical figures! For example, check out this video sharing the history of television!

Use This Template

2. Share a talent video

Have students share a video performing a talent! They can share singing, dancing, painting, art, baking, playing an instrument or various such videos. This can be a fun activity where students learn more about their peers. For example, check out this music artist launch promotion video that can be used by students to promote their own music videos .

3. Create a book report video

Instead of traditional book reports, get students to create book reports or trailers for various literature projects. These can be a good way to get students curious about concepts you will be teaching them too! Check out this video book report.

4. Celebrate a holiday

Get students to create videos on their traditional or religious holidays. This is a great way to cultivate curiosity, awareness and tolerance for different ethnicities and cultures. Check out this Christmas facts video as an example.

Use This template

5. Create science experiment videos

Encourage students to create their own slides to explain science experiments and their findings. This way, students start thinking of STEM disciplines in a more analytical, hands on manner. Check out the lesson plan presentation below that can be used to document the objectives and findings of such an experiment.

B. Video project ideas for high school students

Video projects for high school students can be a little more advanced as they are in the process of growing their skills and learning more about different subjects.

1. Create a video portfolio

High school is when students start thinking about college applications. This is a great time to start making a portfolio. Teachers can give students the chance to create a portfolio video and share their unique skills and interests. For example, students interested in engineering and STEM can share their coding or science related know-how. Check out this copywriter portfolio as an example.

2. Create a news show

Students need to know current events, both for their school community and for the world around them. Having a school news show is a way to communicate with the school community of students, teachers, staff, and parents. This can be a group effort that helps students learn the value of teamwork and allocation. Check out this newsreel video you can customise to create your own weekly news show.

Use This Template 

3. Make a video tour of an important location

If students visit a place -- on a field trip, on vacation or any time -- they can share their learning experience with others by recording video of it and narrating as they go. (If they're at a museum or other such places, asking permission first is probably a good idea!) If they can't visit it, creating a video slideshow with InVideo is also an option. Get your students to share video projects on important locations as an assignment. These projects can be themed around festivals , cultural concepts and activities too. For example, check out their Halloween cross country tour slideshow.

4. Share practice records

Learning a language, cooking , music or sports require constant practise. To gauge the progress of each student, you can ask them to record themselves learning to play an instrument or speaking a new language. Students can make video projects of themselves learning or mastering a particular song, key phrases and more. For example, check out this violinist’s progress video.

5. Create an ad or a promotional video for school events 

Get students to make an advertisement or a pitch for a school event. This could include a political ad for class president election, a video resume , or an ad for the latest games or tournaments in the school. Students will need to think about the audience they are trying to reach and the length of the advertisement. For example, check out this match poster video.

6. Promote a good cause

Get students to create a video project promoting a cause they believe in. This helps them build their opinions and develop persuasive skills. Students can share this video with everyone, not just the classroom! For example, here’s a video you can customise to debunk myths around a way of life (going vegan in this case).

C. Video project ideas for higher education students

Post high school, it may seem that video projects aren’t that important. But this is the time when students are most focused on improving skills related to their career. Video projects can thus help students showcase their understanding and interest areas, especially to future employers. So let’s check out some video project ideas for these students.

1. Interview interesting people

The people around us and around the world are living history. Their experiences, information, and advice is a treasure trove waiting to be mined. Get your students to interview individuals from their interest areas or in interesting professions. They could be in-person interviews where both parties sit next to each other or they could be virtual interviews, where someone far away records responses to questions. These interviews can act as learning aids, as well as help students connect with people in their future careers. Check out this video interview on how to approach people for their life stories.

Make your own video highlighting interesting interviews by sharing quotes , testimonials, and more. Check out this testimonial video as an example you can use and customise.

2. Teach a concept via videos

Truly understanding something is the ability to teach it to others. Students can make a video where they are recording themselves completing a task on their computer screen or they can make a demonstration video like a coding class. Teachers and professors could then use these videos to help reinforce skills in your class or even flip some of your lessons. For example, check out this video tutorial on note taking apps.

3. Create a self-assessment video

Being able to assess oneself is an extremely important skill that students need to improve themselves. Self assessment empowers students to become better learners. It also allows them to take an active role in their assessment and push for a grade they feel is unfair - a direct correlation to performance reviews at the workplace! Personalise this testimonial video to create your own self assessment video.

4. Create a video presentation for a written assignment

Written assignments are a staple when it comes to college. But only professors and classmates can view these. Instead, creating a short, promotional video on a written assignment is a great way for students to share their work with more people and learn editing skills at the same time. Check out this digital marketing trends video you can use to create your own video presentations .

5. Create a video resume

For most students, the job hunt begins in college itself. A video resume helps highlight key skills as well as share the student’s personality and attitude with employers. Especially when applying to remote or distant positions, a video resume along with a normal resume provides brownie points. Check out this video resume you can use as a blueprint to create your own.

Leverage the power of video to land your dream job!

Create a PRO video resume in minutes with InVideo

6. Create a University promotion video

Universities and colleges need as much promotion as they can get. And who better than students to share their experiences and highlights. Get students to create unique videos with their best anecdotes or areas in the university. This is also a good way to get them to research interesting aspects of college life. Check out the University promotional video and make it your own.

D. BONUS: How To Make A Good Video Project

Your school video project can earn you good grades. It is also an opportunity to showcase your creativity. But how to create the perfect video without any error? Video creation may not be your forte, but you still wish to excel in school video projects, right? No worries!

If you have a school video assignment in hand but don’t know where to begin, read below to learn how to create a video project super easy and quick, without any error and fuss. Now, let’s divide your video project into 5 easy steps.

Step 1: Video topic or idea

If you are working on a school assignment, you probably have a video topic given by your teacher or professor. If you are looking for video topic ideas though, find them here .

Step 2: Plan your video assignment

Planning is super important for your videos. This is when you decide how you want to create your video. Consider whether you want to live record your video or create it online using an app or a tool. An online tool like InVideo offers you pre-created templates that might meet your requirements. This is also a super quick and easy way to make your video from scratch. The first thing you need to do is go to InVideo and login or sign up if you wish to use this tool. Next click on the “Pre Made Templates” Option and select the video dimension you want. Finally, type phrases related to your video in the search bar.

You will now see templates related to your search as you scroll below. Simply select the template you want to use and click on the “Use This Template” button to start editing!

If your video idea is to record an event , but you don’t have a DSLR, camcorder or GoPro, use your own smartphone camera for the school project.

Step 3: Prepare a video script

Now that you know how you will record your video, the next step is creating a script for your video. Here’s a step-by-step guide on script writing you can refer to. 

3 questions to ask yourself before you create your script:

- What is the objective of your video? - How long does your video need to be? - Who is the audience that will watch your video?

Step 4: Shoot your video + audio

Once your script is finalized, it’s time to shoot your video. You also need to make sure that you are recording audio to go with your video. Check out this list of equipment and how you can use it to record video and audio. 

Step 5: Edit your video

As mentioned earlier, one of the most effortless ways you can edit your video is using the free, online InVideo editor . This is simple, easy to use, and does not need you to make any downloads. Here’s how you can edit your video on InVideo.

Step 1: Log in to InVideo . Now click on the “Blank Canvas” option and select the dimension of your video. Next, click the “Make A Video” button.

Step 2: Now click on the “Upload Media” button at the left-hand corner of your screen and upload the video you shot.

Step 3: Double click your uploaded video to add it to the timeline. You will now see a pop-up that asks if you wish to trim your video. You can Trim your video or use the full version. Simply click on the “Done” button once you are finished with your trim.

Step 4: You can now use the controls on the right side of the screen to edit your video further.

Step 5: You can apply filters, create transitions between shots for a seamless flow, add subtitles, or insert a logo to give a personal touch to your school video. Just head to the left side of your screen and select the controls you wish to use.

Step 6: Once you are done with your edits, it’s time to download your video. For this click on the “Download & Share” button on the top right. Now click the “Export” video button.

Step 7: Your video will now start to render. You can download it once it’s complete. You can also directly share the video link or share it on social media using the button provided.

Wrapping up

So these were some video project ideas for students and how you can create your own videos on InVideo. If you’ve found value in this article, and are looking for more video ideas, you also want to check out this guide where we’ve put together 200+ video ideas for businesses and brands that you can take further inspiration from. 

For more quick tips and hacks on editing and creating videos, subscribe to our YouTube Channel . 

This post was written by Upasna and edited by Abhilash from Team InVideo

Let’s create superb videos

• By use case
• AI assisted videos
• Advertising video
• Animated video
• Animated logo video
• Animated text video
• Animation video
• Cartoon video
• Commercial video
• Business video
• Explainer video
• Infographic video
• Intro video
• Movie maker
• Photo to video
• Presentation video
• Short videos
• Trailer video
• Book trailer video
• YouTube video
• Diverse Workplace Scenes
• Leadership Skills Tips
• A Reason to Celebrate
• Frank Character Explainer
• Superpowers Girl
• Robot Character Explainer
• Team Birthdays
• Birthday Cake
• Birthday Calendar
• Birthday Greetings
• Funny Birthday
• Staff Birthday
• Workplace Announcement
• Business Explainer
• Employee Onboarding
• Business Ad
• Hybrid Work Policy
• Workplace Wellness Tips
• Explainer Script
• How to Change Your Password
• Snappy Explainer
• Mental Health for Employees
• Product Explainer
• E-Learning App Ad
• Infographics
• Industry Trend Update
• Real Estate Infographic
• Marketing Infographic
• Animated Infographics
• Infographic Explainer
• Infographic
• Introductions
• New Teammate
• New Employee Introduction
• Welcome New Team Member
• Warm Welcome
• New Team Members
• Meet the Team
• We're Hiring Manager
• Recruiting Ad
• We're Hiring IT Support
• Video Resume
• Now Hiring Product Engineer
• Job Offer Congratulations
• Dancing People Ad
• Eager Dog Ad
• Winter Sale
• Funky Sloth Ad
• Product Promo
• Book Trailer
• Thanks Group
• You Rock Employee
• Great Job Team
• You Rock Team
• Great Job Employee
• Great Job Group
• Weekly Update
• Company Update
• Product Launch
• Monthly Update
• News Update
• Year in Review

Ready to get started?

• Video Trimmer
• Remove audio from video
• Add music to video
• Add text to video
• Video merger
• Video resizer
• Convert image to video
• Montage maker
• Add image to video
• Watermark maker
• Add frame to video
• Video analytics
• Add button to video
• Image Resizer
• Convert video to GIF
• Convert GIF to MP4
• Extract audio from video
• Quick start guide
• Education , Inspiration

15 creative video project ideas for students (and their teachers)

Fall is here. The leaves are starting to change color and teachers everywhere are asking the same question: How do I come up with video project ideas for my students?

Video has been a staple learning tool for decades. But having students create, design, and edit video projects themselves is becoming a much more common classroom activity. Video projects are a great way to help students of all ages  actively engage with subject matter  and learn from one another.

Online apps like  Biteable  make it easy for students to turn video ideas for school into a reality. Templates and easy-to-use editing tools keep the process simple and offer plenty of inspiration for student video projects.

To help teachers and students alike leverage video as an  educational tool , we’ve gathered our favorite creative video project ideas for students. Each idea comes with a ready-to-edit video template so you and your students can get started right away.

Create videos that drive action

Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.

Elementary student video project ideas

It can be tricky to keep young students interested and engaged all day long. Creating videos gives elementary students a fun, creative way to learn about anything. And student-created videos are an amazing classroom learning supplement. If a video is produced by their peers, interest will skyrocket.

1. Create a book trailer

Instead of a traditional book report, have students design a movie-style trailer that drums up excitement about a novel or a non-fiction book. Creating a book trailer gives students the opportunity to think creatively, share a story with their classmates, and reinforce their learning in a new way.

2. Give a video tour

To supplement social studies curriculum, students can create a video showing off a significant location or their favorite part of the school. If you have a field trip planned, ask students to share their experience by recording videos throughout the day and adding voice over narration.

A video tour of the school is also a great way to share the campus with new students and visitors. As a way to pass the torch before they leave for middle school, how about asking your fifth graders to collaborate on an orientation video for incoming kindergarteners?

3. Celebrate the holidays

There’s always something to celebrate, no matter what time of year it is. Have students film letters to Santa, make video Valentines for parents or grandparents, or make short educational videos about lesser known holidays. Students can even create simple, digital thank-you notes for classroom visitors or parent volunteers.

4. Recreate a moment in history

Learning about historical people and events? Have your students research and recreate major moments in history, like the story of Rosa Parks or the Oregon Trail.

Videos help students visualize and remember these important moments. It also gives students the opportunity to experiment with digital storytelling. And students will be challenged to bring each scene to life accurately.

5. Try stop-motion video

Video learning isn’t limited to literary or historical topics. Encourage students to use stop-motion or create their own slides to explain science experiments or other STEM projects. With the right footage, like Biteable’s extensive collection of clay animation footage, students won’t even need to build stop motion models. They can just focus on the presentation and storytelling in their video.

Video project ideas for middle and high school students

Video projects for high schoolers can be a little more advanced, as students should be practicing editing and narrative skills in addition to learning about new topics.

6. Create a news channel

To supplement learning in a current events class, have your students film a news broadcast covering both local and international events.

Ask students to take on certain roles in the newsroom: anchor, sports reporter, weather reporter, or entertainment correspondent. Doing a news segment helps everyone get involved and promotes teamwork.

7. Start a portfolio

Many high school students are thinking about college applications. Give them the chance to  jumpstart their applications with a portfolio video project  and showcase what makes them unique.

Art students can show off their best work and design skills. Students applying to traditional schools can answer an application question or create a video showcasing their community service and extracurriculars.

8. Promote a good cause

Rather than writing a traditional essay or report, have students create a video advocating for a cause that’s important to them. This helps students build their identity and develop persuasive skills. And students can share their  promotional video  with everyone, not just their teacher and classmates.

9. Questions for your future self

Think ahead with a video full of inspiring questions. This project is great for incoming freshmen. At the beginning of the year, have students create videos with questions for their future self or with goals for their life and career. At graduation, send the videos back to them. It’s a fun, positive way to celebrate their success throughout high school.

Higher ed video project ideas

Higher education might not seem like the place for student-made videos. But in the real world, businesses use video for all sorts of things. Video projects build plenty of resume-worthy skills that college students can take with them to the workforce.

10. Create a university promotion video

It’s easy to forget that colleges and universities are businesses, too. And they need help with promotion. A solid college or university promotion video could open opportunities for internships or college employment. Promoting something that they’re already familiar with is a great way for students to build video persuasion skills.

11. Record and edit interviews

Being able to conduct a good interview and edit it in a way that’s appropriate for the purpose of the interview is a valuable skill in multiple industries. And interviewing experts in the field is appropriate for just about any class.

12. Make a video self-assessment

Grades are important. But being able to self-assess is also an incredibly valuable way for students to incrementally improve at any skill.

Making video self-assessments gives students a more active role in the grading process and offers them a creative way to highlight the work they’ve put into a course. It also gives them a chance to make an argument for the grade they feel they deserve — a skill that easily correlates to performance reviews in their future workplace.

13. Film a job interview guide

For most people, the interview is the most nerve-wracking part of getting a job. Practicing interview questions is a great way to prepare. But most students don’t know how to prepare for a job interview.

Creating a job interview  how-to guide  is a perfect way for students to learn how to prepare for a job interview and help other students prepare at the same time.

14. Create a video presentation based on a written assignment

Written assignments are the backbone of a university education (in most disciplines, at least). However, the audience for most written assignments is limited to the professor and assistants. Creating presentation videos for their assignments gives students the opportunity to share their hard work with their fellow students, while also learning valuable video editing skills.

15. Build a video resume

For most students, the job search starts even before graduation. A video resume helps students highlight the skills they acquired and the experience they gained during college. And, given the global workforce, a  video resume is a great supplement to a paper resume, especially when applying for remote or distant positions where an in-person interview may not be an option.

Take your video project from idea to reality with Biteable

Ready to get started  making an education video project ?

Biteable has a huge  library of video templates that help students get going fast rather than struggling to start from a blank screen. Drag-and-drop editing and easy to use tools let students focus on what’s important: the project assignment and delivering a thoughtful message.

Make stunning videos with ease.

Take the struggle out of team communication.

Try Biteable now.

• No credit card required
• No complicated design decisions
• No experience necessary

Arts and Justice

Analyzing music videos.

Description: This lesson provides strategies for analyzing music videos and the messages, themes, lyrics and symbols they use. The lesson is influenced by the the work presented in  Press Pause: Critically Contextualizing Music Video in Visual Culture and Art Education by Pamela G. Taylor. Thank you Pamela! http://www.questia.com/library/1P3-1261926661/press-pause-critically-contextualizing-music-video

LESSON PLAN: Grade: 9-12 or College Level Time:   3, 50 minute sessions (may vary depending on class) Introduction: This lesson introduces students to the process of critically examining music videos. Students will analyzing the symbols, content and lyrics present in a music video. This lesson asks students to become critical listeners and viewers and to discuss and share their thoughts with each other. The lesson can culminate with a class discussion, writing activity, or indiviual or group based video projects. California Visual Art Standards: 1.5 Analyze the material used by a given artist and describe how it use influences the meaning of the work 3.3 Indentify and describe trends in the visual arts and discuss how the issues of time, place and cultural influence are reflected in selected works of art. 4.1 Articulate how personal beliefs, cultural traditions, and current social, economic, and political contexts influence the interpretation of the meaning or message in a work of art. 4.3 Formulate and support a position regarding the aesthetic value of a specific work of art and change or defend that position after considering the views of others. 4.5 Employ the conventions of art criticism in writing and speaking about works of art. Student Learning Outcomes: Analyze the symbols and concepts present in a music videos. Analyze and interpret the lyrics in a song. Use and understand words such as semiotics and aesthetics and use them in discussion and in writing. Materials: 1. A computer with an internet connection for watching videos and finding lyrics. 2. LCD projector of TV with A/V capabilitiy 3. Video camera and editing software SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTION: DAY 1- CLASS DISCUSSION/CLASS ACTIVITY 1. Teacher will introduce the word semiotics – the study of signs and sign processes (semiosis), indication, designation, likeness, analogy, metaphor, symbolism, signification, and communication and aesthetic judgement – critical reflection on art, culture and nature 2. Teacher will show students a music video. Teacher will play video in its entirety. 3. When the video is over the teacher will asks students to give examples of symbols, metaphor or other messages present in the work (semiotics). The examples will be written on board/screen and students and teacher will discuss details relating to the symbols. 4. Teacher will also share the lyrics for the song and discuss any literary devices used and the connection between lyrics and images in the video. 5. Next the Teacher will ask students to critically reflect on the video and dicuss whether or not it is effective, entertaining, informative, beautiful, confusing, etc. Next the teacher will asks students to formulate a position based on their own perspecitve and analysis of the video. HOMEWORK: Students are to find 5 music videos and copy the links  for each or make a youtube playlist. Students can use any music videos but 1 must be a personal favorite, 1 must be a video they don’t understand, 1 must be a video they do not enjoy watching. Students also need to collect/find the lyrics for each of the videos. DAY 2 -CLASS DISCUSSION/CLASS ACTIVITY 1. Students will share links/youtube playlists with teacher. Teacher will pick one of these videos and ask the student to explain their reasons for choosing the video. Teacher and students will repeat this process with 2 more videos. 2. Students and teacher will discuss the video in terms of semiotics and aesthetic judgement using the questions provided below. 3. Students and teacher will also discuss the lyrics of the song and whether or not the visuals correspond to the lyrics and seek to find meanings and interpretations of the lyrics. 4. Teacher will make sure to note any forms of  sexism, racism and other forms of stereotyping that may be  found in the video. HOMEWORK: Students are to choose one of the videos shown in class and answer three questions from the MUSIC VIDEO QUESTIONS provided below. Each question must be from a different sub category and answered in a short paragraph format. Students will also attach the lyrics to the song. DAY 3- CLASS DISCUSSION/CLASS ACTIVITY 1. Teacher will asks introduce the basics of storyboarding. 2. Teacher will show students an example of how an existing music video uses storyboarding. Teacher will show a video and pause at pivotal moments and save these as screenshots. Then teacher will describe the camera angles, sets, characters and other details in these shots and develop a storyboard. 3. Teacher will then ask students to create a storyboard for any song they like, students may work in groups. 4. Students will work on creating a storyboard during class. HOMEWORK: Students will prepare a full color storyboard of their idea. If possible they may use traditional drawing/painting tools or use Adobe Photoshop to create collages. DAY 4- CLASS DISCUSSION/CLASS ACTIVITY 1. Teacher will asks students to create a music video. Using the previous discussions and written assignments as a guide, the students and teacher will work on developing the storyboard into a detail shot list. 2. Students will work on creating a music video based on their storyboard. 3. Depending on equipment available this video could be an animated digital video, a live action video, a green-screen enabled video or any combination of these. 4. Teacher will help facilitate the video production and provide feedback as necessary. HOMEWORK: Students will begin and complete their music video. RESOURCES: 1. Press Pause: Critically Contextualizing Music Video in Visual Culture and Art Education by Pamela G. Taylor. http://www.questia.com/library/1P3-1261926661/press-pause-critically-contextualizing-music-video 2. The Semiotics of Music Videos by Heidi Peeters http://www.imageandnarrative.be/inarchive/issue08/heidipeeters.htm 3. A concise article of music video semiotics prepared by Gina Miller 4. Storyboarding Basics (Ohio University) http://accad.osu.edu/womenandtech/Storyboard%20Resource/ 5. Student created 3D animation music video (Ohio University) http://accad.osu.edu/womenandtech/2012/index.html 6. Example of a student music video self analysis  http://www.slideshare.net/IzzieViolett/evaluation-of-music-video-project-media-3408086 7. A semiotic analysis of a Taylor Swift video http://frances2512.blogspot.com/2009/09/semiotic-analysis-of-music-video.html 8. Student created presentation on stereotypes in music videos http://prezi.com/lwbl8ac1-ssj/stereotypes-found-in-music-videos/

Questions for Discussion:

MUSIC VIDEO QUESTIONS

Warm Up Questions

• What does this video mean to you? What did you see in the video that made you come to this conclusion?
• Does thie video bring any questions to mind?
• What does this video say about you? Can you relate to the video?
• Do you see any symbols in this video? What do they symbolize?
• Why do you think that the artist used these symbols?
• What culture do these symbols resonate with? Would they symbolize the same thing in another culture? Do they resonate with you?

Social and Cultural Issues

• What does this video assume about its audience?
• Is the artist for or against anything?
• To what age group does this video appeal?
• Is the video racist or sexist?
• Does this video support any stereotypes?
• What political or social issue does this video bring to mind?
• Does the video use any historical video/film clips? How does it use the clips?

Formal Qualities and Analyses

• What process do you think was used to create some of the images in the video? What software and editing program do you think they used?
• Describe how the color in the video is used to portray certain emotions, feelings or meanings?
• Write a visual description of a particular scene or image in the video.

Interpretation

• What does this video say to you?
• What does it say about the artist?
• Is there anything of which this video reminds you? Is there anything in the video that reminds you of something you have studied in school?

Artist Intent

• Do you see any works of art in this video? Do you believe the artist was influenced by someone else?
• Do you see any product placement in the video? Is this video selling a certain product?
• Do you think your interpretation of this video is what the artist intended? Does it matter?
• Can we always know an artist’s intent? Is an artist’s intent, when available, always relevant to the meaning of the video? To a work of art?
• Can an artist mean to express one thing, but then express more than that, or something different from that?
• Should the artist’s stated intent be the final arbiter when determining the accuracy of an interpretation?
• Do you like this video? Why or why not?
• What are the most effective parts or aspects of this work of art?
• How would you persuade others to appreciate this work of art as much as you do?
• How could you convince someone to appreciate an artwork that they thin is not could? How could you counter this person’s argument?

Project Ideas:

• Create a music video or animation for a song of your choice. Consider what we have discussed in class to make sure you are aware of the symbols you are using and how this affects the finished work.
• Remake a preexisting video. Take a video that already exists and re-imagine the video and/or challenge the symbols used in the video.
• Write a 3 page paper where you clearly examine a music video from start to finish. Discuss the characters, the role they play and what you believer is the message in the video. Include screenshots in your paper.
• Find a video that you find offensive or challenging. Closely examine the reason why this video affects your sensibilities. Remix/reedit the video to solve the problems you have with it.
• Find a video that you are inspired by. Examine the reasons why it inspires you, what elements can you recreate or use in your own work? Create a video based upon your research.
• Create a presentation that compares/contrasts and identifies stereotypes in different music videos. How are women represented? How are men represented? How are LGTBQ people represented? Are there any people of color (non-white people) in the video? How are the people of color represented?
• Critique Strategies →

• T.H.E – Podcasts

A Complete Guide For Making A Music Video

So, you are a musician, right? What if you want to promote the hit songs in your arsenal? Of course, you will have to make a music video.

But do you know where to start? What steps do you need to take to make a top-quality music video?

Do you even know whether it is possible to make a music video without possessing any experience or not? Ok, so you are less experienced and do not know anything about this journey.

Not a problem when you can find a complete guide on making the right kind of music video that will promote your songs. There’s no use going too far into understanding the core of this procedure.

It will be beneficial to work on a few helpful tips to help with the shooting and the ultimate result. You do not need to have a solid idea of where to start with the process. All you need is a camera and some knowledge gained from watching popular music videos.

Let’s get started:

1. Come Up With the Right Game Plan

Even before starting with the shooting of the video, ensure every minuscule detail is in the perfect place. From crew availability and budget to locations, even the weather will play an important role in putting your shoot together.

First of all, you must select the song you are going for and then the storyboard to keep track of the thoughts you have in mind. This will give the right direction to your music video. You do not require any sophisticated tool for this purpose. Just a notepad and a pen will suffice.

Come up with the different scenes and idealize how you want them to appear. Your creativity is of utmost importance here. Do not worry about the complexities or the cost; simply create and ensure it follows the selected song for the video.

2. Select the Right Song

There are a number of important factors you need to consider when selecting a song. Try thinking ahead, or you can even recycle something old but popular. It works to go for a song that has been popular in the past.

Do not go for songs more than three minutes in length, as it will spoil the integrity of your music video. You even have the option of going for a single planned for future release. But merely thinking of singles will not bring you success.

Remember, this is an era of online streaming where almost any track can appear as a single. Also, try starting small. To shoot every minute of a song in the music video will take your crew around two to ten hours.

A lot of time goes into shooting, editing, and finishing. So, the longer you take, the greater will be your chances of abandoning the assignment.

3. Get Your Team Together

So, now that you are done selecting the right song for your music video, it is time to get your team in place. You will have to work on this important step if you want to make your music video a reality at the earliest.

The perfect team for shooting a music video consists of the lighting person; camera operators; actors, directors, and musicians or band members behind the video’s music. Make sure every individual has the potential to work on the same schedule. This way, your video will get a clear and distinct direction.

4. Consider the Budget

This is probably one of the most important things you must work on before deciding on how to make a successful music video. Remember, you do not need to put in a huge amount of money to make a music video.

Consider everything, from small to big and all the things in between. The most important expenditures you need to consider are hiring the crew, renting location, lighting, buying equipment, getting editing tools and costumes. These are some big expenditures.

Speaking of the smaller ones, you need to consider the expense of extra batteries, chargers, flashlights, umbrellas, surge protectors, props, chairs, extension cords, and food. You need to plan for varied eventualities and also have solutions in place.

Always be ready to troubleshoot problems quickly. You must also understand that if there’s something taking place out of the plan, you must remain prepared for it.

5. Choose the Best Video Editing Tool

When it comes to choosing a decent and feature-rich video editing tool, you can always depend on the free online variants. Even an online video editor can provide top-quality editing without breaking the bank.

The majority of these video editing tools come with effects and filters, and the judicious use of these features can give an exclusive appeal to your video.

Nevertheless, the quality of your video will completely depend on the potential of your video editor.

To get quality results, consider going for professional video editors. Of course, your digital device or computer might have the capability of editing a video. But it works to use a special tool for this purpose.

Also, keep in mind that video editing can take up a lot of hard disk space. Therefore, make sure to keep your hard disk clean. Also, get rid of clips you will not be using anymore. The best is to go for a fast and efficient external hard disk for storing your shots.

6. Get Good Quality Equipment

Ok, getting good quality equipment for creating a music video will completely depend on whether you have a good budget or not. If you have the means to arrange for pyrotechnics, studio camera, wardrobe, props, actors, and dancers, then probably getting equipment will not be useful for you.

Nevertheless, if you are a beginner into music video making working on a low budget, then you must get the right equipment. First of all, you must understand the target audience and then work on the equipment you will require for the music video.

It is not necessary to invest in a high-quality camera. A simple camera with just basic features will do but make sure it has the ability to film in 4K resolution. Speaking of lighting equipment, it can be a little painful if you are unable to get the perfect one.

Always work on soft, indoor lighting. But you also need to buy studio lights. Make sure not to go for the most expensive ones. The green screen material is also needed, and it is absolutely cheap.

All in all, be prepared to spend some amount of money on music video equipment if you want to grab success in the long run.

7. Be Creative

Avoid going for the overused music video style where there are bands playing in clubs with lights flashing and the audiences jumping up and down. This is not the most creative concept to start with.

Think a bit differently, rather. But keep in mind that trying for a Hollywood hit on a low budget will make the music video look terrible. Nevertheless, a bit of originality will make the video connect with a large number of individuals, regardless of your budget.

Do not overdo anything. Work on a simple and concise idea. Execute it well, and it will be more effective than a complicated idea executed poorly.

8. Film Your Music Video Professionally

The key here is not spending a huge amount of time in the actual filming of the video. Remember, you are a beginner in this field, so you cannot spend a lot of time and money on this endeavour.

It is a creative and personal procedure, so work on it diligently. Make sure your band can give a clear idea of the song you are using in the video. You will not require microphones for this purpose because it’s a lip-sync performance.

You will need portable speakers available within an affordable range. You do not need to worry about people talking in the background of the video or any kind of outside noise. That’s because all the extra sound will be taken off while editing the video.

Shoot the video in varied angles and create some crazy shots too. Most importantly, film multiple takes while ensuring filming a few from each angle. This will give you some of the most creative options in the post-production stage.

As has already been said, be prepared for something you have not planned for. The filming phase is when you can expect many unexpected things to happen. So, be ready to face the challenges.

9. Get Help from Friends

This point might seem like a no-brainer, but the project may get complicated. In that case, if you do not have a good amount of money, it would work to get the help of friends.

Making a music video is something you cannot do all alone. So, once you are ready with the game plan, you will have a precise idea of the number of people you need for the job. You will also know what kind of people you will need for the varied jobs. So, it is time for you to crew up.

The chances are that the majority of the family members and friends will be happy to help you out. So give them this chance. Create the right shooting schedule and share the same with everyone. Also, be ready to make adjustments accordingly to fit their requirements.

This is important because you are asking them to help you, so you must respect the time they are giving you. Plan to shoot everything within a few hours or so because you will not want friends standing around for your work for several hours.

10. Get a Clear Idea of the Style and the Look of Your Video

Of course, the story of your music video is important, but you must also pay attention to the style and visual aesthetics. Overall, you must work on how you want your music video to look.

If you have this creative vision for your music video right initially, it will help you realize this vision by combining the varied elements. Remember, the editing and the music pace could affect the amount of footage you film.

You are likely to have a brand new idea while filming the video. And this new idea can offer a different direction to your creative vision. So, it works to remain open to such ideas.

11. Use Stock Footage

One thing that can add a bit of spice to your music video is the use of stock footage. Nevertheless, you must be aware of the copyright laws. Avoid using clips and images without the permission of the copyright holder. That’s illegal.

There are even sources of videos and images you can use legally. It is best to go for royalty-free media because you can easily reuse it in varied settings without taking the permission of the copyright holder.

Last but not least, there are many royalty-free, free stock sites you can check before paying huge amounts for stock media.

12. Get the Props Right

Now that you have a clear idea of the story and the visuals of your music video, it is time for you to start considering the accessories you might require during the shooting phase. Plan each and every scene carefully, along with the actions in it.

This will help you develop a complete list of the props you require for the shoot. You can either get the props from prop hiring companies for some money or get it from friends if you do not have the budget to do so.

All the aspects mentioned above matter greatly whether you are shooting a music video indoors, outdoors, or in a professional setting. Most importantly, you must have the planning, shooting, and editing procedures in place so that you do not face any problems during these crucial stages of making a music video.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Rammstein Stadium Tour: 1st Leg Germany VS 2nd Leg Germany

Hardstyle Sample Packs: The Essential Tool For Every DJ’s Toolkit

What Makes A Spotify Superstar? Unveiling Patterns From A Deep Dive On The Top 1000 Artists

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recent Posts

Monstercat Reveals The Mystery Behind Banana Live-Streaming With Bass Producer SIPPY’s “The Banana Song”

Sander Wilder Unveils New Single, ‘Infinite Hourglass’

Ornery Unveils New Single, ‘Sulfur’

Cody Chase Releases “Cut Em Fat,” A New Remix Of Rick Ross’s Hit Track,...

DJ Dris Unveils New Single, ‘Keep Trying’

• help_outline help

iRubric: Music Video Assignment rubric

• Music Video Presentation
• Arts and Design
• Presentation

• Composing Music for Video Games: A Project & Guide for Music Teachers

Introduction

Composing music for video games is a great way for students to learn about music composition and technology. Video game music has come a long way over the years, and the soundtrack can be just as important as the visuals in terms of setting the tone and mood for a game. In many cases, the player controls what happens to the music during the game, which can add an extra layer of complexity to composing video game music. And while there are some clichés in video game music, it can also be a lot of fun to explore this composing style.

As a music teacher, you can help your students compose video game music by providing them with guidance and resources. In this blog post, we’ll discuss several creative projects to teach students to compose music for video games including a retro game theme and a layered ‘fantasy-style’ game theme, as well as lesson objectives, and skills they will learn along the way.

Composing Music for Video Games: Student Outcomes & Lesson Objectives

In this project, music tech teachers will discover a simple step-by-step approach to composing music for video games, including:

• Looking at various video game music styles using well-known game examples
• Discussing the ways a video game composer can approach the creative task at hand even though the individual game player is the one that ends up controlling the music score
• Observing the different styles of music that are used to depict changing scenes or levels in video games and some simple ways to create battle music, action music, happy music, or romantic music
• Experiencing how to use free online software to create a simple “Mario-style” theme
• Practice running through a larger “epic battle music” scoring project which can be done on various devices and platforms (iPads, Macs, PCs, or Chromebooks).

Music Tech Skills Students Will Learn When Composing Music for Video Games

Skills covered include:

• Recording audio
• Composing a Q & A Melody, Bass Line, and Drum Track
• Recording MIDI via the on-screen keyboard or an external keyboard
• Adding volume and panning envelopes
• Sound Palettes vs. Harmonic Palettes
• How to Musically Increase Tension
• Mixing and matching the game soundtrack to a video
• How to find sources of suitable game video, sound effects, and other resources

What You Will Receive Inside this Module of the GarageBand, Soundtrap, and Bandlab Course

I’ve tried to make it as simple as possible to jump into these projects with your music students right away! While this blog serves as a preview, this entire activity is from a series of complete student projects that I share inside my Garageband, Soundtrap, and Bandlab Online Course for Music Teachers inside of the Midnight Music Community which will give you complete access to:

• Software, Gear, and Set-Up Guides
• Teacher Videos (to help you plan your lesson)
• Student Videos (I’ll teach your class for you!)
• Student Worksheets
• A Designated Community Forum
• Share Your Projects, Get Feedback from Other Music Teachers, and Seek Expert Tech Advice if You Run Into Any Issues Along the Way!
• Plus hundreds of other digital lessons, handouts, and digital activities as well as access to all of my other courses.

You’ll also receive content specific to composing music for video games including:

• My Video Game Music Wakelet Collection: enjoy this giant collection of resources for teaching your video game project unit, including articles, music samples, tutorials, and video examples of vertical layering, video game music cliches, and video game clips.
• Music Templates for Students to Experiment With for Their Retro Theme Composition
• Retro Melody Examples
• Gameplay Footage
• Student Walk-Through Videos

Several Examples of Completed Video Game Music Composition Projects from Music Tech Teachers Inside the Midnight Music Community

I’m so thrilled to show you several completed video game projects by members of the Midnight Music Community. These videos are an excellent opportunity to learn about the type of completed projects you can expect from your students after working through these modules!

Retro Video Game Projects

Retro Video Game Theme by Karla Silbaugh:

Retro Video Game Theme by Claudia Sousa:

Fantasy Video Game Project

Fantasy Video Game Theme by Karla Silbaugh:

Karla’s Notes:

“I based my composition on the book Z for Zachariah. It struck me as a good concept for a game.

• Main character is happily living alone in a beautiful isolated location following a nuclear event.
• Main character is visited by another human who has been wandering since the event. Conflict arrises and main character needs to decide to stay or leave and search for another place to live.
• Main character makes the decision to leave beautiful home and wanders the wasteland searching for someplace new to call home (surely there are creatures like enormous cockroaches and flesh eating bacteria that add to the difficulty, and weather is always a factor).

This project stretched my composition skills, but I enjoyed it greatly.”

Want This Complete Project & More?

To get this complete project, including ready-to-play student videos (I’ll teach your class for you!), student worksheets, expert help, and detailed teacher instructions with videos, check out the Garageband, Soundtrap, and Bandlab Course inside the Midnight Music Community .

Watch the video below for a quick overview of the course!

Final Thoughts

I hope you’ve enjoyed previewing this lesson, and I’d love to share this project and so many others with you inside of the Midnight Music Community!

Do you have any questions about the Garageband, Soundtrap, and Bandlab Course for music tech teachers or the Midnight Music Community in general? What music platform do you use with your students?

Leave a comment below! I’d love to hear from you!

Download your copy

Would you like to take a copy of this with you? Click the button below and a copy of this will be sent directly into your inbox.

Looking for More Resources for Music Teachers?

Hello! I’m Katie Argyle – an Australian music technology trainer and consultant with a passion for helping music teachers through my business Midnight Music .

I’m a qualified teacher but no, I don’t currently teach in a school. I help teachers through my online professional development space – the Midnight Music Community – where there are tutorial videos, courses, links and downloadable resources.

I like to focus on easy ways to incorporate technology into what you are already doing in your music curriculum through a range of creative projects. I also run live workshops and have presented at countless conferences and other music education events.

If you want simple, effective ideas for using technology in music education, I would LOVE to help you inside the Midnight Music Community .

Learn more and take a sneak peek inside

One Comment

I am excited to add some of these ideas to my curriculum next year. My students are so interested in video game music and I think delving into the history of video game music will promote productive conversations. I enjoyed that you had students write notes about the story that they based their compositions on. That goes a long way towards developing purposeful compositional skills.

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

You might also like....

Top 10 Note Naming Apps for music teachers, part 1

3 MORE time-saving Canva AI tools for music teachers

Introducing, the midnight music community.

Download Now for FREE...

The ultimate music tech resources guide for 2023-2024.

Claim your copy of our annual guide to free music technology resources, designed especially for music teachers. Discover interactive music websites, software, productivity tools, and assessment resources you can use in your music classroom for free.

3 game-changing Canva AI tools for music teachers

Back to basics – how to plug a microphone into your computer

Quoteable quote: If music be the food of love, play on!

STEAM Resources and Activities for the Music Classroom

Follow me on social media.

PRIVACY POLICY

This is the Privacy Policy for the Midnight Music website located at www.midnightmusic.com (“Site”).

The Site is operated by Midnight Music Pty Ltd ABN 87 619 652 603 (“Midnight Music” or “Company” or “we” or “us”).

Midnight Music understands the importance of protecting your personal information and undertakes to adhere to this privacy policy at all times to ensure your personal information is effectively safeguarded.

Information you provide to us

The Site provides various places for users to provide information. We collect information that users provide by filling out forms on the Site, communicating with us via contact forms, responding to surveys, search queries on our search feature, providing comments or other feedback, providing information when ordering a product or service via the Site, and other circumstances where collecting personal information is reasonable and permitted by the Laws of the State of Victoria, Australia.

We use information you provide to us to deliver the requested product and/or service, to improve our overall performance, and to provide you with offers, promotions, and information.

Information we collect through automatic data collection technology

As you navigate through the Site, we may use automatic data collection technologies including Google Analytics to collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns. This will generally include information about your location, your traffic pattern through our Site, and any communications between your computer and our Site. Among other things, we will collect data about the type of computer you use, your Internet connection, your IP address, your operating system, and your browser type.

The information we collect automatically is used for statistical data and will not include personal information. We use this data to improve our Site and our service offerings. To the extent that you voluntarily provide personal information to us, our systems will associate the automatically collected information with your personal information.

Use of cookies and pixels

Similar to other commercial websites, our Site utilises a standard technology called “cookies” and server logs to collect information about how our site is used. Information gathered through cookies and server logs may include the date and time of visits, the pages viewed, time spent at our site, and the websites visited just before and just after our own, as well as your IP address.

A cookie is a very small text document, which often includes an anonymous unique identifier. When you visit a website, that site’s computer asks your computer for permission to store this file in a part of your hard drive specifically designated for cookies. Each website can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser’s preferences allow it, but (to protect your privacy) your browser only permits a website to access the cookies it has already sent to you, not the cookies sent to you by other sites.

The Company reserves the right to use technological equivalents of cookies, including social media pixels. These pixels allow social media sites to track visitors to outside websites so as to tailor advertising messages users see while visiting that social media website. The Company reserves the right to use these pixels in compliance with the policies of the various social media sites.​

How we manage personal information

Midnight Music undertakes to take all commercially reasonable steps to ensure that all personal information collected by us is accurate, up-to-date, complete and stored securely. When your personal information is no longer required for the purposes which Midnight Music uses personal information, all commercially reasonable steps will be undertaken to securely destroy that information.

How your personal information will be used

We use personal information for purposes of presenting our Site and its contents to you, providing you with information, providing you with offers for products and services, providing you with information about your subscriptions and products, carrying out any contract between you and the Company, administering our business activities, providing customer service, and making available other items and services to our customers and prospective customers. From time-to-time, we may use the information you provide to us to make you offers to purchase products and services provided by third parties in exchange for a commission to be paid to us by such third parties. Should you opt to take part in such promotions, the third parties will receive your information.

Disclosure of your information

Midnight Music considers personal information we collect about you to be confidential and will not disclose such information to third parties except in the following circumstances:

• Where you have consented to your personal information being provided to a third party;
• Where Midnight Music is required by law to disclose your information; and
• Gaining access to your personal information held by Midnight Music

Except in circumstances where access to your personal information may be denied by the Privacy Act or other Law of the State of Victoria, Australia, your personal information will be provided to you upon request.

Visitors’ General Data Protection Regulation rights

If you are within the European Union, you are entitled to certain information and have certain rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These include the following:

• We will retain the any information you choose to provide to us until: (a) you ask us to delete the information; (b) we decide to cease using our existing data providers; or (c) the Company decides that the value in retaining the data is outweighed by the costs of retaining it.
• You have the right to request access to your data that the Company stores and the rights to either rectify or erase your personal data.
• You have the right to seek restrictions on the processing of your data.
• You have the right to object to the processing of your data and the right to the portability of your data.
• To the extent that you provided consent to the Company’s processing of your personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based upon consent that occurred prior to your withdrawal of consent.
• You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority that has jurisdiction over issues related to the General Data Protection Regulation.
• We require only the information that is reasonably required to enter into a contract with you. We will not require you to provide consent for any unnecessary processing as a condition of entering into a contract with us.

Should you have any queries in relation to the above or require further information regarding the Privacy Policy please contact us:

Midnight Music Pty Ltd PO Box 219 Glen Waverley Victoria 3150 AUSTRALIA

Email address: [email protected]

The MakeMusic Blog

Tips and news for musicians, educators, and composers, create video assignments in makemusic cloud.

We are excited to share our newest exciting feature update: the ability to capture video in assignments. Keep reading to learn more about how it works! 

Now, when teachers create assignments, they will be able to select if the assignment should be audio only or include student video. Use the new Video option toggle to turn on video for an assignment and then continue through the assignment creation process as normal. Note: this new feature is not available for any sight-reading assignments at this time.

When students open a video assignment, they will be prompted to enable camera access.

Students will also need to enable camera permissions on Chrome or Safari to allow access to the camera.

Within a video assignment, students have the autonomy to turn the camera on and off. If a student fails to submit a recording that a teacher is requiring, the assignment can be reassigned.

Students can also Hide the video during a recording to minimize distractions as desired.

When reviewing a recording, students can slow the tempo down to more clearly hear how they are playing—the video and audio will slow down simultaneously and stay in sync with one another and the music notation! 

Assignment submissions work the same way for students. They can select their best recording and easily submit it to their teacher. When teachers receive a submission, they have access to view the video and can slow the tempo down to better inspect technique while keeping the audio, video, and notation in sync (and with excellent quality!). Teachers can also download student video recordings the same way they can already download audio submissions. Learn more about video download types here . 

What to do with this new feature 

We are looking forward to exploring all of the creative ways that you use this new feature! To get you started here are a few quick ideas: 

• Add a rubric item for posture or hand position that can be assessed with a video assignment 
• Check for appropriate alternate fingering usage 
• Marching Band: this tool is a great way to individually assess student execution of visuals, horn moves, and choreography 
• Create a fun assignment with a theme to dress up to – may the best costume win!  

music video project

All Formats

Resource types, all resource types.

• Rating Count
• Price (Ascending)
• Price (Descending)
• Most Recent

Music video project

Video Game Music Composition Project

WORD CRIMES: Poster Project and Lesson for the Music Video !

Create Your Own Video Game - Music Composition Project on Google Slides

• Google Slides™
• Internet Activities

Spanish Music Video Project - Video de Musica Española

Music Video Project Complete Ready-to-Go Unit Plan

Making Meaning From Music #1: Song Analysis Video Project AP Language HS English

How To Make A Music Video Project

Music Video Project

Rap Song Music Video Competition Project "Instruction Slideshow"

Rap Song Music Video Competition Project "Bundle"

Adobe Premiere Pro Rap Music Video Project

Grade 4-5 Junior Music Composition Project : Retro 80s Video Game Music

Rap Music Video Competition Project "Activity Worksheets"

World Music Genre Music Video Project

Music Video || Video Project

• Google Drive™ folder

Final Project : Music Video , Movie, Storybook

Video Game Music Lesson/ Project

Remix the Marketing Mix Music Video Project

• Word Document File

Weather Music Video Science Investigations and STEM Projects

• Supporting Information

Video Game Music /Composer Biography Project

ASL Music Video Project - FULL UNIT & STUDENT-LED PROJECT !

End of the Year Music Video Project

9th & 10th Grade Poetry Analysis Music Video Project - Poetry Unit Activity

• Google Apps™
• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

• Skip to right header navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Analyzing a Song – So Simple Every Student Can Do It

December 13, 2022 //  by  Lindsay Ann //   2 Comments

Sharing is caring!

English teachers, teaching your students how to analyze song lyrics needs to be a “go-to” strategy, a step toward deeper analysis of more complex texts .

Whether you’re teaching poetry, persuasive essays, or some other writing unit, analyzing song lyrics will give your students an opportunity to look at the different ways that language can be used to capture emotions and tell stories .

This close reading process will also help improve their vocabulary and grammar skills while they are having fun!

Here are some tips on how to teach students to analyze song lyrics so that they can gain valuable writing knowledge through a familiar medium they love!

Analysis of Song Lyrics

Taylor Swift makes analyzing song lyrics in the classroom easy peasy. Like her or not, you can count on her to write songs that tell a story, are layered in deep meaning, and littered with Easter eggs that are fun to try and collect (even for the non-Swifties). 

Taylor Swift’s “ Anti Hero” is a fun student-friendly song to bring into the classroom to practice analysis skills.

With callbacks to songs on other albums in lines like “I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser,” you can challenge students to analyze the development of a theme across multiple texts (helloooo higher level DOK and those really tricky to meet standards!).

Lyrics like “I’m the problem; it’s me” coupled with the title setup an opportunity to teach the concept of anti-hero (I especially like the idea of teaching about anti-heroes after teaching about the hero’s journey) and challenging students to analyze how Swift herself could be seen as this archetype by analyzing other songs and conducting online research.

“Anti Hero” also has what appear to be two references to pop culture ( 30 Rock and Knives Out ) that had even the swiftest of Swifties stumped online. These references are an accessible way to introduce the idea of allegory. 

Taylor has really teed up the song analysis practice in English classrooms to be endless with so many rabbit holes to go down at every turn! 

Song Meaning “Hallelujah”

Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” has a deep meaning making it a popular choice for teaching song analysis.  The meaning of Hallelujah is about someone who was deeply in love and is mourning the guilt of the loss of that love .

The song can teach students how to analyze lyrics by pointing out that even though it doesn’t say so explicitly, this is a song about a break-up .

They can also learn other aspects of reading literature, like examining tone and form. Analyzing song lyrics enables students to apply what they’ve learned as they read other texts or songs.

After reading a poem or listening to a song’s lyrics, students should be able to answer questions like: 

• Who is speaking? 
• How do you know? 
• What do you think the speaker’s feelings are?
•  What does this tell you about their personality? 
• Do these feelings make sense for the situation?

Good Songs to Analyze

When choosing good songs to analyze remember these three things:

• Choose a song that tells a story
• A song with a deep meaning or theme that challenges students’ inferential thinking skills works best
• Pick songs that students will know and be excited to listen to (that means that while “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is technically a great song for analysis, it might not be the most engaging for your students)

Here are some songs for teaching song analysis that will not only help you teach important analysis skills but also engage and delight your students:

• “ Pray for Me ” by the Weeknd ft. Kendrick Lamar
• “ Thunder ” by Imagine Dragons 
• “ Bohemian Rhapsody ” by Queen (this one is suitable for older students)
• “ Born This Way ” by Lady Gaga
• “ Getting Older ” by Billie Eilish 
• “ Drivers License ” by Olivia Rodrigo 
• “ This is America ” by Childish Gambino/Donald Glover
• “ Matilda ” by Harry Styles
• “ Victoria’s Secret ” by Jax (does have some profanity – I’ve linked the “clean” version)
• “ Vacation ” by The Dirty Heads (does say “shit”)

How to Analyze a Song

Teaching students how to analyze a song is similar to teaching poetry or literary analysis, but using songs disguises the learning as a fun activity making it really engaging and accessible for all learners.

Start by having students listen to their song twice .

• Instruct them to listen through for the first time just for enjoyment and to follow along with the printed lyrics (or digital if you have a way for students to access the lyrics online).
• Then have them listen a second time but this time have them highlight and circle words and phrases that they think are important and interesting. 

Challenge students to consider the following questions during their second time listening and to annotate the lyrics as they go:

• Who’s telling the story? What’s their perspective? How do they feel? What’s making them feel that way?
• What’s the mood of the song? Do the lyrics or the music contribute more to the mood?
• What figurative language do you notice in the lyrics? Why might the songwriter have chosen to include that figurative language?
• What could the songwriter be saying about human nature or society through their lyrics? How could you write a theme statement about these lyrics?

Once you’ve gotten your students started with the analysis process, make sure to involve your students. Ask them what they notice and use their insights to build discussion. Have them write a summary of the song or write a detailed analysis or work on a more creative, visual response.

Song & Poem Analysis Paired Text Lesson Plans

Make close reading, textual analysis and literary analysis of songs (and poems)  less intimidating  with these detailed, CCSS-aligned  close reading song analysis lesson plans for paired texts . Integrated close reading, text-based writing, speaking, listening, and inquiry skills, make these lessons both  engaging and worthwhile.

To help you save prep time, I’ve put together some awesome lessons for you HERE , including:

• Carrie Underwood’s song “Cry Pretty” & Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ song “Growing Up”
• William Ernest Henley’s poem “Invictus” & Imagine Dragons’ song “Whatever it Takes”
• Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” and Tupac’s song “Still I Rise”
• Stephen Dobyns’ poem “Loud Music” and Incubus’ song “Dig”
• “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
• “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day and “Brick by Boring Brick” by Paramore
• “Hotel California” by the Eagles and “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin
• Protest Songs
• “Mad World” by Tears for Fears and “A Million Dreams” sung by Pink / The Greatest Showman

Wrapping Up

When students analyze songs, they think about its overall impact.

What makes this song great, and why do you like it? What is it about this song that makes it stand out?

Thinking through these ideas with easily-accessible texts makes transferring their skills and knowledge to literature (ya know, the kind with the capital L ) easier.

They’ll have practice analyzing craft moves like figurative language and allegory, but they’ll also have practice with those more complex reading strategies like making inferences and connections .

Have a song you think would be perfect to analyze in the classroom? I’d love to hear about it! Drop me a comment below to share! 

Hey, if you loved this post, you’ll want to download a  FREE copy of my guide to streamlined grading .

I know how hard it is to do all the things as an English teacher, so I’m excited to share some of my best strategies for reducing the grading overwhelm. 

About Lindsay Ann

Lindsay has been teaching high school English in the burbs of Chicago for 18 years. She is passionate about helping English teachers find balance in their lives and teaching practice through practical feedback strategies and student-led learning strategies. She also geeks out about literary analysis, inquiry-based learning, and classroom technology integration. When Lindsay is not teaching, she enjoys playing with her two kids, running, and getting lost in a good book.

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Project Based Learning: Unlocking Creativity and Collaboration

Empathy and Understanding: How the TED Talk on the Danger of a Single Story Reshapes Perspectives

Teaching Story Elements to Improve Storytelling

Figurative Language Examples We Can All Learn From

18 Ways to Encourage Growth Mindset Versus Fixed Mindset in High School Classrooms

10 Song Analysis Lessons for Teachers

Must-Have Table Topics Conversation Starters

The Writing Process Explained: From Outline to Final Draft

The Art of Storytelling: Techniques for Writing Engaging Narratives

Writing Topics for Student Writer’s Block

The Art of Argumentation: How to Write a Convincing Argumentative Essay

5 Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension Skills

Reader Interactions

March 28, 2023 at 4:50 am

Jungle by Tash Sultana

[…] this post, I will share with you 20 must-read Classic novels for high school students and some modern texts that pair well with some of these well-loved […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Spotify tests video courses to teach everything from music production to Excel

Spotify has carved out a business for itself in music streaming, podcast entertainment and audiobooks. Now, in its ongoing efforts to get its 600 million+ users to spend more time and money on its platform, Spotify is spinning up a new line of content: e-learning.

Starting with a rollout in the U.K., Spotify is testing the waters for an online education offering of freemium video courses. Produced in partnership with third parties like the BBC and Skillshare, at least two lessons will be free, with the cost of a total course ranging from £20 to £80 on average. The prices will be the same, regardless of whether you are a basic or premium user, at least for now.

Mohit Jitani, the London-based product director for the education business, said in an interview that pricing choices were part of what it’s testing before considering how to roll out more widely. “With this launch, we’re trying to understand the demand first,” he said. “Then we optimize how we can make it more compelling and exciting.”

The content will live in both Spotify’s home and browse tabs (under “Courses”), and it’s accessible on the web as well as via the Spotify mobile app.

The courses are pitched somewhere between YouTube, Master Class and LinkedIn Learning: Videos in the current catalog cover a wide range of subjects, from music production through to learning how to use Excel, as well as lessons on — you guessed it — how to create online learning lessons to turn musicians and others into “education creators.”

Unsurprising for a market estimated to have been worth more than $315 billion in 2023 , there are plenty of online learning sites on the web these days, some of which have been innovators in interactive content and other media formats — you can even find a number of startups aspiring to be the “Spotify for education” if you Google that term — Spotify’s educational push is focused around one-directional, on-demand video.

Some courses appear to have supplementary material, although that will be more in the realm of extra documents rather than tests or other interactions. Jitani declined to comment on whether Spotify would launch any kind of interaction or gamification in the future — or, indeed, if games of any kind are on its roadmap right now.

The first partners for Courses are Skillshare (which will focus on creatives), PLAYvirtuoso (music industry courses), BBC Maestro (Master Class-esque) and Thinkific (for those inspired to build their skills into online learning classes of their own).

Spotify, Jitani said, would be looking to curate which courses it offers, and it will base curation on what people are already listening to and searching for on its platform. There appears to be no limit, though. If you look at the catalogs of these respective providers, you’ll see that the topics cover a pretty wide breadth — and bread .

“We’ll learn a lot about what people are actually interested in [and] we will start getting a lot of segments around that,” Jitani said. “And then we’ll go and find… the best content.”

Third-party publishers own the videos and license them to Spotify, but they will be hosted and purchased on Spotify itself. In terms of revenue share, the creator, publisher and Spotify will all get a share of the sales, with content partners overseeing payments to creators.

Spotify isn’t specifying what kind of cut will be going to whom, nor whether it will potentially offer any kind of discount or other benefit to users who are already premium subscribers on the platform.

Why education? Why the UK?

The move points to Spotify’s strategy to continue diversifying its business, while also aiming to build a path to more consistent profitability and stronger margins. It’s picked the U.K. for this, Jitani said, because it’s a huge market for the company and is already one of the most engaged in the world.

Financially, Spotify continues to see a lot of ups and downs in the current market. It went through three rounds of layoffs last year; and it has been unprofitable more than profitable over the years, most recently posting a net loss of $81 million   in its quarterly earnings in February .

Yes, the dry realms of online learning and professional development might sound like a reach for a company still best known for music streaming, but there are three areas where it makes some sense.

With its podcasting business continuing to grow, Spotify is picking up a lot of data on what people are doing on the platform, and it’s finding a close correlation between some of the most popular podcasts on Spotify and education content.

Around half of Spotify Premium subscribers have listened to education or self-help themed podcasts, Spotify says. Spotify can use the same kind of recommendation surfacing that it uses for music and podcasts to cross-promote. Think of a podcast with a “business guru” now recommending a paid course with that person. Spotify’s making a bet that one will help sell the other.

Alongside this, Spotify has long been working on tools for creators to help them manage and grow their earnings. Offering educational content aimed at running a business, or improving your music production, fits with that.

Third of all, there is the video element. Spotify’s been trying to get deeper into video for the better part of a decade.

That hasn’t translated to being a YouTube or Netflix rival yet. Video was mentioned a grand total of one time in the company’s last earning call, where CEO Daniel Ek vaguely described video podcasting as “growing in a healthy way.” But it launched music videos in select markets earlier this month, and now we have an earnest effort in educational videos. It may find its groove yet.