This template focuses on writing a historical ballad. The project is designed to be cross-curricular, with students both researching a historical person and then writing a song about them.
For as long as there have been humans writing songs, we’ve been using them to remember people and share stories. In order to help, we’ve created a research guide and a song template.
Handouts
To facilitate this project, we have two handouts. Up first is the research page. These questions can help form the basis of the song.
Song Template:
Use this template to get the basic structure of the song.
Example Songs:
Remember to always listen to example songs ahead of time and be prepared to talk about political and historical context. This is especially true for projects like this.
“Harriet Tubman” - Jane Sapp, Pete Seeger, Si Kahn - Traditional song Adaptation - honoring Harriet Tubman
“Sister Rosa” – The Neville Brothers - honoring Rosa Parks
“Amelia” - Joni Mitchell - Honoring Amelia Earhart
“La Adelita” - Los Mejores Mariachis - Traditional Corrido
”The Ballad of John Henry” - performed by Billy Strings - retelling the legend of John Henry)
Use this songwriting template to help students turn historical research into song.
