Title – Relating Modern Music to Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

By – Clark Smith

Primary Subject – Language Arts

Grade Level – 10th

Materials Needed:

1) A copy of a “Creed” album “Weathered”.

2) A copy of the lyrics of “One Last Breath” (track 5) to distribute to the students.

1) After finishing the novel

Things Fall Apart

by Chinua Achebe, ask the students about their feelings of Okonkwo’s suicide.

2) Introduce the song. Have students read over the lyrics and underline any interesting passages.

3) Play the song (track 5 on the album CD) and have students pay attention to the mood, tone, and imagery of death.

4) After the song is over, either lead the class in a discussion or have them write a half-page response on how the narrator sounds similar to or different from Okonkwo. For written responses, allow student volunteers to share their responses (this could also lead to discussion).

5) If time, have the students use their imaginations and have them write a song. Have students pretend they are Okonkwo and they want to unleash their bottled feelings through a song with at least two verses and a chorus. Remind students to avoid explicit lyrics. Have students share songs.

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Clark Smith

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