Grade Level: 3rd through 6th grade
Objective: Students will write, sing and record alternative (hopefully clever and satirical) lyrics to a well known song.
Time: 55 minutes

Preparation:
Select and arrange one song per class (See Alternate Approaches below)
Write lyrics on the board for students to see.

Set: Begin by playing Weird Al Yankovicís “Eat It.” (5 minutes)

Class Discussion (3 minutes):
What makes Weird Alís version so funny? What is satire?

Activity (35 minutes):
On the left side of a blackboard/whiteboard have written the lyrics to a song..
As a group and line by line have students suggest alternative lyrics.
Write the best of these suggestions on the lines on the right.
Students record the song with new lyrics.

Alternate approaches to recording:

1. Play the songs on guitar (strumming chords) while students sing alternative lyrics
2. Record performance with a tape recorder.
   

1. Play the songs on karaoke while students sing alternative lyrics
2. Record performance with a tape recorder.
   

1. Have song previously created using MIDI or other synthesizer software.
2. Record this version to tape or CD.
3. Play taped or CD version while students' singing is recorded digitally into a computer
4. Use the computer to mix students' voices to the music. (The advantage of this last method is that the singing doesn't have to be recorded all in one take.)

Closure: Playback rough mix if there’s time.

Product: A CD or tape to be included in the anthology.