Deconstructing The New John Lewis Christmas Advert

It is that time of year!!

We've been waiting all year in anticipation for the new John Lewis Christmas Advert and I love this year's effort.

I know not everyone is a fan. Personally, I think it is more about people possibly not liking Elton John but the message of the advert is brilliant. If you're not a fan, you can always use the adverts I have previously blogged about here:

Here is this year's advert:

As always, I would start with the text, What text I hear you cry? The song! One of my favourite songs, I just love it!

YOUR SONG

• Why do you think the song has this title? 
• Who is this song going to be about?

It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside

I'm not one of those who can easily hide

I don't have much money, but boy if I did

I'd buy a big house where we both could live

If I was a sculptor, but, but then again, no

Or a woman who makes potions on a traveling show

I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do

My gift is my song, and this one's for you

• What is funny at the start? His feelings.
• Why would it be funny? Maybe he's never felt like this before. 
• What might be the feeling inside? When you feel excited or slightly nervous, you get butterflies in your stomach.
• What do you think is causing this? His love towards someone.
• What can't he easily hide? His feelings
• How might he show his feelings? Discuss how love affects us on the inside, outside and through our actions. 
• Does Elton consider himself poor or rich financially? In between, he says I don't have much, but has enough to survive.
• If he was rich, what would he buy? A big house
• If you were rich, what would you buy? 
• Do you think this song was written early or late in Elton's career? Why? Early, he is now very successful and lives in a huge mansion.
• Why might he be a sculptor? So he can show his love by creating a masterpiece.
• Why does he then decide against it? He might think he would be rubbish or it isn't a career that he would enjoy.
• Why would he want to make potions? Maybe make a potion to make the person he is singing about feel the same way, or change the way he looks/acts if he doesn't feel happy with himself. 
• What is his gift? This song
• Does he feel it is valuable? No, he says it isn't much but its all he can do.
• Do you think it is valuable? Open for discussion. If this song is successful it will become financially valuable but having someone value you enough to write a song or poem is special.

And you can tell everybody this is your song

It may be quite simple, but now that it's done

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words

How wonderful life is, now you're in the world

• What does he hope this song will do? Fill the person with joy and confidence to share it with everyone.
• What do you think is quite simple? The lyrics and message of the song.  The vocabulary and imagery created in this song isn't very complex or too deep. He is fairly blunt in his message about his feelings.
• Why does he repeat the phrase - I hope you don't mind? He recognises the person may feel embarrassed, especially if the feelings aren't recipricated. But he wants to assure the person that it is fine.
• Why would he put it down in words? He might not feel confident enough to tell them in person so writing gives him the opportunity to share his feelings.
• Who else might use words to share their feelings? Authors, poets 
• What does he want the person to realise? That they may Elton's life wonderful by simply being in it. 
• Who makes your life wonderful? 
• When was the last time you told them? 

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss

Well, a few of the verses, well, they've got me quite cross

But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song

It's for people like you that keep it turned on

• Where was this song written? On the roof of a house.
• Is the house old or new? Old
• Why? He kicks off the moss, moss grows over time. Interestingly, the writer of the lyrics, Bernie Taupin, allegedly wrote the song’s lyrics after breakfast one morning on the roof of 20 Denmark Street, London, where John worked for a music publishing firm as an office boy.
• What does cross mean? Angry
• Why would writing make him cross? Writing his hard, especially when you are trying to share your feelings, it can be hard to find the right words. With a song, it can be more challenging especially with rhyme and rhythm. It can also be interpreted that the person they are writing about might not know how they feel or feel the same way.
• When do you think he wrote this song? Spring/Summer
• Why? The sun is out.
• What figure of speech has he used in third line? Personification - the sun has been kind.
• How might the sun be kind? It might stay out longer, keep him warm.
• Can people keep the sun turned on? No
• What does he mean by that line? The sun produces a hormone in our body called Serotonine. This helps reduce depression and anxiety and can heal wounds. Obviously, too much can be harmful, but the sun makes us feel happier. He is telling the person that they bring the same benefits as the sun. 

So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do

You see, I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue

Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean

It's yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

• Give me a word to describe the singer? Forgetful, ditzy. 
• Do you think the writer of the song is a confident person? No, he decides to express his feelings through words and as demonstrated in this verse, he struggles to get his feelings across.
• Why might he not remember the colour of the person's eyes? He was just lost in them. It doesn't matter the colour, they are just beautiful. 
• Why might someone's eyes be deemed sweet? They are considered the windows to your soul.

And you can tell everybody this is your song

It may be quite simple, but now that it's done

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words

How wonderful life is, now you're in the world

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words

How wonderful life is, now you're in the world

• Why has the song finished on this line? It is a lovely line that epitomises the meaning of love. The people we love make our lives better.
• Why do you think this is one of Elton's most popular songs? 
• Who did this song remind you of when you listened to it? 

It is important to discuss how love can take many forms and we love people in different ways. The last line can apply to so many different people in our lives.

• Can you make a list of people who make your life wonderful by being part of it? 
• Who do you think Elton is singing about when the song was originally written? Open for discussion. The song was composed and performed by Elton John but the lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin. Elton John hadn’t come out as gay yet, but Bernie Taupin knew, which is part of the reason why the lyrics avoid using gendered pronouns.

• Why do you think this song was chosen for the advert?
• Who do you think Elton is singing about in this advert? His mother or the piano.
• List the ways in which he could be singing about his mother and how it could be about his piano.

Considering the advert as a whole:

• What is the message of this advert? Giving someone a gift can help them find a passion.
• What does John Lewis sell?
• Why have they chosen to focus on a piano for their advert? It isn't about the specific gift, it is about what the gift can do for someone.
• Why have they chosen Elton John? He is one of the most successful entertainers ever and so it proves the point more when it relates to someone so successful.
• How does this advert relate to Christmas?

If you do explore other adverts from the previous years. Compare which children like more and ask them to justify their reasons. 

I will be posting some more ideas for this advert over the next couple of days. But these will be exclusive to the supporters of my Facebook page. You can sign up by clicking the picture below:

Reading Comprehension through Disney Villain Songs

A couple of months ago, we released this eBook:

The feedback from the eBook has been fantastic! You can get a taste of what is included in the eBook by clicking here.

Building on this, I have now written and released another ebook, this time looking at Disney Villain Songs. 

Click the picture to download a copy.

This eBook is exclusive to the supporters of my Facebook page. This video explains all about the Facebook supporter page. 

Here is a taste of what is included in the Disney Villain Comprehension eBook:

Tangled - Mother Knows Best

You want to go outside? Why, Rapunzel...!
Look at you, as fragile as a flower
Still a little sapling, just a sprout
You know why we stay up in this tower
Rapunzel: I know but...
That's right, to keep you safe and sound, dear

What does Gothel compare Rapunzel to? A flower
What is a sapling? A young tree
What is a sprout? It can either be the shoot of a plant or describe a young plant growing.
Which word shows Gothel thinks Rapunzel is too young? Still
Why does Gothel compare Rapunzel to a flower? It links to the reason Gothel wants to keep Rapunzel in the first place, the magic flower.
How do you know Gothel has spoken about this before? Gothel starts the line with “You know why we stay.”
Can you think of a word to describe Gothel? Controlling, selfish, self-centered, manipulating.
What evidence from the text makes you think this? Open for discussion. She doesn’t let Rapunzel speak.
Why do you think they live in a tower? It keeps Rapunzel hidden away from the real world but also keeps her trapped.

The Little Mermaid - Poor Unfortunate Souls

The only way to get what you want is to become a human yourself
Can you do that?
My dear, sweet child, that's what I do
It's what I live for
To help unfortunate merfolk like yourself
Poor souls with no one else to turn to

What is it that Ariel wants? To be human.
Why does Ariel want to be human? She’s always been intrigued by humans on land, collecting items and she loves Prince Eric.
Why does Ursula address Ariel as a dear, sweet child? She is trying to lure Ariel into thinking she is trying to help.
Do you think Ursula does live to help others? No, she is saying this to mask her cunning, deceiving agenda.
What does the word unfortunate mean? It means to have or be marked by bad fortune; unlucky.
What does the word merfolk mean? Both mermen and mermaids.

How does the last line help Ursula trick Ariel? She is tricking Ariel into believing Ursula is her only hope, her only answer.

Lion King - Be Prepared

I never thought hyenas essential
They're crude and unspeakably plain
But maybe they've a glimmer of potential
If allied to my vision and brain

What does the word essential mean? It means absolutely necessary; extremely important.
Why are hyenas essential to Scar? With no backing from the military (the pride) for his coup, for the pride supports brother Mufasa, the wayward royal has had to seek military support from the traditional enemies of the kingdom in order to support his ambitions.
Why would scar have never thought hyenas would be essential? As he states in the next line they are crude and plain.
Does Scar see hyenas as an equal partner? He denigrates the hyenas. He clearly views them as dispensable tools, rather than deadly partners.
Why does he only see a glimmer of potential? He isn’t overly confident in the hyena's ability, but they’re his only hope. The word glimmer shows a slight, little chance.
What does the word allied mean? it means to join and work together.
Why does Scar use this word? It is a word closely linked to war and that is what Scar envisages, a war for the throne.
Can you think of a word that Scar might use to describe himself? Open for discussion, clever as he only thinks he’ll win if the hyenas use his brain. 

Click the picture to sign up and download a copy

Here is what supporters have received over the past couple of weeks:

Continuing our Journey with the #StopDirtyPalmOil campaign

A few weeks ago, I blogged about a project my Year 4 class had started, inspired by the recent Greenpeace advert - There's a Rang-Tan in my Bedroom. To read that blog post, which includes original questions linked to the advert, please click the picture:

The response we received from the video the class created where they wrote in role as a helpless Orangutan, seeing their home destroyed was so positive and empowering.  Again you can read more about this by clicking the picture above. If you haven't yet seen the video, here it is:

From the reaction to the video, my class were inspired to go further and investigate the issue more. We discovered this from Greenpeace, which identifies companies with links to Dirty Palm Oil:

According to Greenpeace, these companies made a promise to be clean of dirty palm oil by 2020. My pupils decided to write to these companies to provide a polite reminder and ensure they are on target to keep their promise. 

After drafting their letters, I gave quality oral feedback through our iPads, this is something I cover on all my CPD sessions and will also be demonstrating on my subscription page on facebook.

The pupils were then given the opportunity to transform their writing into a video using Adobe Spark Video. This is another example of the READWRITEPERFORM approach in action. These videos were then tweeted and emailed to all the companies identified in the above image. Here is an example from our pupils:

Please let my class know what you think by leaving a comment on this video on facebook.

So far, we've received a lot of replies from the companies. I can't wait to share them with my class as they'll see how their writing is making a difference:

We will keep you updated with this project as we continue to learn about it in class. 

Please support my class with their #StopDirtyPalmOil campaign

In Year 4, we have been inspired by the latest Greenpeace Advert - There's a Rang-Tan in My Bedroom. The advert tells the story of Rang-Tan, a young Indonesian orangutan that has been forced out of her home by humans. It is a beautifully animated video with a very powerful message:

We decided to look at the text used in the advert in more detail:

There's a Rang-tan in my bedroom and I don't know what to do.
She plays with all my teddies and keeps borrowing my shoe.
She destroys all of my house plants and she keeps on shouting 'oo'.
She throws away my chocolate and she howls at my shampoo.
There's a Rang-tan in my bedroom and I don't want her to stay,
So I told the naughty Rang-tan that she had to go away.
Oh, Rang-tan in my bedroom, just before you go,
Why were you in my bedroom? I really want to know.

There's a human in my forest and I don't know what to do.
He destroyed all of our trees for your food and your shampoo.
There's a human in my forest and I don't know what to do.
He took away my mother and I'm scared he'll take me, too.
There are humans in my forest and I don't know what to do.
They're burning it for palm oil so I thought I’d stay with you.

Oh Rang-tan in my bedroom now I do know what to do.
I’ll fight to save your home and I’ll stop you feeling blue.
I’ll share your story far and wide so others can fight too.
Oh Rang-tan in my bedroom I swear it on the stars:
the future's not yet written but I’ll make sure it's ours.

Some questions we explored:

• What is a Rang-Tan? 
• Why do you think there is an Orangutan in her bedroom?
• Why does the young girl not know what to do?
• What does the word 'destroy' mean?
• Why does the Rang-Tan howl?
• Why doesn't the girl want the Orangutan to stay? 
• What word does the girl use to describe the Rang-Tan?
• Do you think the Rang-tan is naughty? Why?
• On a scale of 1-5 how desperate is the girl to know why the Rang-tan is in her room?
• Where does a the Rang-Tan live?
• Why are humans there? 
• Why are humans destroying the forest?
• Why does the Rang-tan keep repeating the line "There's a human in my forest..."?
• What do you think happened to the mother?
• What is the main reason for burning the forest?
• What is palm oil used for?
• What clues in the video let us know what palm oil is used for?
• How does the girl feel about the Rang-tan at the end? 
• Why do you think her opinion has changed?
• How will she fight? Why will she fight?
• How can she share the story far and wide?
• What would you do if you were the girl?
• Do you think this advert is effective? Why?
• How can we help?

The advert certainly empowered the class to explore the issue further. We discussed how terrifying it must be for the orangutans when the diggers and trucks come and demolish their rainforest home. We decided to write stories as Orangutans going through this experience. We considered how to create the most effective story by using different elements:

• A short, effective hook opening sentence.
• Describing the weather to create the mood. 
• Describing how we felt through our actions.
• Using multi-sensory descriptions to help the reader visualise the horrific scene. 
• Changing the length of our sentences for effect.
• How to not use words like diggers/trucks but instead describe them as monsters and beasts. 

Although it was their first draft, I was really impressed with the writing the students produce. The children knew that the work they produce would be shared online for the world to see, which added an authentic purpose:

During afternoon assembly, a group of pupils stayed out of the assembly and recorded some of their writing on the green screen to create this awareness advert:

We would love your support by sharing this video and commenting on it. We are hoping this will help raise awareness of this issue but also inspire year 4 to continue to write and share more about this issue. So far we have received messages from Greenpeace and WWF:

So please show your support and encourage our learning by sharing and commenting on their work. Watch out for more work which will appear on their class blog over the next few weeks!

If you want to support the Greenpeace campaign to #StopDirtyPalmOil,  sign the petition here.

Exploring the New Nike Advert

I've just seen the new Nike advert and was blown away. It has such a powerful message.

The advert has been in the news and faced a backlash because of the narrator - Colin Kaepernick. The NFL star was the first athlete to kneel during pre-game anthems to protest against social and racial inequality in the US. I was, however, impressed with the advert as I believe it has a very powerful message. See what you think:

Here is the text from the ad:

If people say your dreams are crazy

If they laugh at what you think you can do

Good

Stay that way

Because what non-believers fail to understand is that calling a dream crazy is not an insult

It's a compliment

Don't try to be the fastest runner in your school

Or the fastest in the world

Be the fastest ever

Don't picture yourself wearing OBJ's jersey

Picture OBJ wearing yours

Don't settle for homecoming queen or linebacker

Do both

Lose 120 pounds and become an Ironman after beating a brain tumor

Don't believe you have to be like anybody to be somebody

If you're born a refugee, don't let that stop you from playing soccer

For the national team

At age 16

Don't become the best basketball player on the planet

Be bigger than basketball

Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything

When they talk about the greatest team in the history of the sport, make sure it's your team

If you have only one hand, don't just watch football

Play it

At the highest level

And if you're a girl from Compton, don't just become a tennis player

Become the greatest athlete ever

Yeah, that's more like it

So don't ask if your dreams are crazy

Ask if they're crazy enough.

Some questions to consider:

• What does the narrator mean by dreams? He is not talking about the dreams we have at night when we are asleep, it is more about our aspirations, ambitions and what you want to achieve in life.
• What are your dreams?
• Why would people think your dreams are crazy? Some people are dreamers others are realists, this clip from Modern Family is a nice way of exploring this - https://youtu.be/P1tcZDiOUSc. So realists are the people who may think that your dreams are unachievable. 
• Why would people laugh at your dreams? There are also people who are jealous and envious of others and if they don't believe in themselves, they don't want others to have that success.
• Why does the narrator think people laughing at your dreams is good? He is trying to turn a negative into a positive, use people who don't believe in you as motivation to prove them wrong.
• Why would some people think that it is an insult? It isn't very nice to tell people they can't do things they dream of.  
• Why would some people think it is a compliment? Often, the people who put you down are the ones who are jealous of your skills and talents. 
• Why shouldn't you just settle to be the best runner in your school, instead be the best runner ever? You should always aim for the highest achievement possible, not just the next step. It is a message to always be pushing yourself further. To move forward, challenge yourself and never be satisfied with mediocracy. 
• What sport does OBJ play? He is an American Football player - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odell_Beckham_Jr.
• What is a homecoming queen?
• What is a linebacker?
• Why does he make this comparison? In the past, they are seen as opposites, but the message here is to break gender stereotypes, more on this here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09202jz 
• What is an Ironman?
• Why do you think this gentleman's story has been included even though he isn't a professional athlete? His story is very inspiring, to beat a brain tumor is one thing but to then lose that amount of weight and take part in one of the hardest races is incredibly inspirational. 
• Why don't we need to be like anybody to be somebody? A lot of people like to compare themselves to others, even with things like social media, we compare and want to be like others and conform. This can sometimes have a negative effect as it can make us feel incompetent, worthless and in some cases depressed. The message here is to focus on yourself and value that, rather than comparing and worrying about being like others. 
• What is a refugee? a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.
• Why does he use the phrase, 'if you're born a refugee' - To emphasise that people don't become refugees out of choice, most have to do it to stay alive.
• Why has this story been included in the advert? The chances of becoming a professional footballer is around 0.012% which is extremely low. However, for a refugee, it would have been even more of a challenge. Again, the story is very inspiring and shows dreams, no matter how 'crazy', can still come true. 
• Why include his age? To play for your national team at such a young age is an incredible achievement. 
• Who is the basketball player mentioned? Lebron James
• What is inspiring about this story? Lebron James is considered one, if not the best, basketball players in the world. At the top of his game, he wanted to go further and use his status to help others and so opened a school to help others, especially children living in poverty. Read more about it here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/basketball/45018003
• Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. Why is this such a powerful statement? allow for a personal response
• Can you think of people who did this in history? Nelson Mandela for example and others listed here - https://www.biographyonline.net/people/famous/courageous.html. 

It is up to you whether you make the connection to Colin Kaepernick's story here. I think it would be an interesting discussion to have and for pupils to see both sides of this issue. 

• Who is the tennis player mentioned? Serena Williams, here it would be good to share the story from the book - Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls:

• Why does he finish talking about whether your dreams being crazy enough? It brings the advert full circle. Every story shared would have been described by someone as crazy, unachievable. It is an effective way to finish with a rhetorical question to make the viewer ponder. If all these people have achieved their crazy dreams, what is stopping you?
• What is the message of this advert? 
•  Do you like this advert? Why?
• How effective is this advert? 
• Why has Nike created this advert without mentioning a single product? 
• Do you think this advert will work? Why? At the point of writing this blog post, Nike has already seen a 31% increase in revenue.

I hope you find these ideas useful, I think it would make for a very interesting assembly or PSHCE lesson. Please do let me know how it goes if you give these ideas a go!

Make sure you follow on Mr P on:

Reading Comprehension Through Disney Princess Songs

If you are a follower of this blog, you will know that I am a massive fan of using music in the classroom. I have often blogged examples of songs I have used to develop reading comprehension. Click the following image to see all the previous songs I have blogged:

To further improve reading comprehension the latest songs I have chosen to work on gives the opportunity for pupils to make valuable links and compare similar texts. All the questions have been put into a downloadable pack you can buy for JUST £1.99. 

Here is a taste of what is included in the pack:

The Little Mermaid - Part of Your World

Maybe he's right. Maybe there is something the matter with me
I just don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be bad...

Look at this stuff

Isn't it neat?

Wouldn't you think my collection’s complete?

Wouldn't you think I'm the girl

The girl who has everything?

• Who is Ariel talking about when she says ‘Maybe he’s right’? Her Dad
• Why do you think King Triton thinks Humans are bad? Humans pollute the oceans and also hunt the wildlife. 
• What wonderful things do you think Ariel is talking about? Open for discussion.
• What tells us Ariel is young? She uses the phrase ‘isn’t it neat’ and also references herself as a girl. 
• What does she have a collection of? Human artefacts
• How has she managed to get these objects? Shipwrecks
• How do we know she has a lot of human artefacts? She says her collection is complete
• Does she feel happy about the collection? A little, she wants more.
• Why would you think she has everything? She has a good life, she is a princess which is what a lot of people desire

Frozen - Let it Go!

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight


Not a footprint to be seen


A kingdom of isolation


And it looks like I'm the queen


The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside


Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I've tried


• What does the lyric ‘not a footprint to be seen’ tell us? She’s alone
• A kingdom of isolation is an example of what? A metaphor.
• On a scale of 1-5 how big is this feeling of isolation? 5 due to the word Kingdom, not a room, house or street.
• Why has the word Isolation been chosen? Play on the word ice
• The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside is an example of? A simile
• What verb is used to describe the wind? Howling
• How does she feel about the storm inside from this word choice? Why? She feels scared, wolves howl and they are often depicted as fearful predators. 
• Who is Elsa talking about when she sings ‘heaven knows I’ve tried’? Her parents, who pass away at the start of the film.

Moana - How Far I'll Go

I've been staring at the edge of the water


'Long as I can remember, never really knowing why


I wish I could be the perfect daughter


But I come back to the water, no matter how hard I try


• What tense is used in the first line? Present perfect
• Why has she chosen the word staring over looking? Staring gives the impression of concentration as shes really thinking hard.
• What could the water be a metaphor for? The ocean water is a metaphor for the unknown, the Other, for thinking outside the box, for being a pioneer.
• Where is the edge of the water? The shore
• How do you know she’s been staring for a long time? As long as she can remember
• If she doesn’t know why she’s staring at the water, why does she do it? She’s curious, there’s something inside that longs to explore. 
• How does she feel about this longing for the ocean? Guilty
• How do you know? She wishes she could be the perfect daughter
• What does it mean to be the perfect daughter? Being the only child of the village chief, she is poised to be the next leader of her people, but at 16 years of age, she can’t help but long to explore the world and imagine different paths for herself. *Link her to Let It Go and the lyric ‘that perfect girl is gone.’

The pack also includes a 'making links' section for children to explore similarities and differences between the songs and themes. 

Reading Comprehension through World Cup Songs

So the World Cup is here! I'm sure many of your pupils are excited and can't wait to see their footballing idols in action.

A great resources to link to the World Cup, which helps raise standards in English but also embeds key digital literacy skills is the Read Write Perform Sports Manager Pack:

Buy the pack before England are knocked out and get my 15 iPad Lessons for the World Cup eBook for FREE!

There are also other ways in which you can use the World Cup to engage pupils in English. Music seems to go hand in hand with football, from chants in the stadiums to songs in the charts. This great article discussing the power of the football song - http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180614-world-cup-2018-the-extraordinary-power-of-the-football-song

Why not use some of the most popular songs from past World Cups and Euros as texts for comprehension? 

I have previously blogged loads of different songs you can use in class and you can read them all here:

Songs for Reading Comprehension

Here are a couple of World Cup related songs you may want to use in class.

World in Motion - New Order

Here are the lyrics and some suggested questions:

Express yourself
Create the space
You know you can win
Don't give up the chase

Beat the man
Take him on
You never give up
It's one on one

• What does it mean to express yourself? To express yourself is to show your skills or thoughts or feelings through some sort of art form. 
• Can football be considered an art form? Why/Why not?
• What does it mean to express yourself on a football pitch? To show how good you are, be skillful and strong. 
• What does it mean to create the space? It means to make room to pass or shoot for goal.
• Could this phrase link to anything outside of football? It could link to the idea of freedom and having space to be yourself.
• What type of verb is used in the third line? Modal verb showing certainty - can
• Why does the singer use this? To give the person listening belief they can achieve their goal.
• What is significant about the last line of the first verse? It means never give up, even if you are losing. 
• What does the word 'beat' mean? How is the singer using it here? To run past the opponent.
• What does 'take him on' mean in football? To use skill or speed to get past the opposition.
• What is similar about the third lines in both verses? They are both strong certain statements to never give up.
• In football, what does it mean by 'one on one'? It means it is one player against another player. This is usually a striker bearing down on goal and only has the keeper to beat. 
• Now ask the children to consider that this song has nothing to do with football and read back the lyrics. What sort of message is the singer trying to express? Use your skills to be the person you want, you can achieve your dreams if you never give up. The idea of 'the man' can just symbolise the obstacle you need to overcome to achieve your dreams. Keep working hard and never give up and sometimes the hardest person to beat if your own belief in yourself.

Express yourself
It's one on one
Express yourself
It's one on one
Express yourself
You can't be wrong
When somethings good
Its never gone

Loves got the world in motion
And I know what we can do
Loves got the world in motion
And I can't believe its true

• Why does the singer repeat the line 'Express yourself, its one on one'? To emphasise that the biggest obstacle for most people achieving their dreams is their own self belief.
• Why does the singer think you can't be wrong if you do express yourself? If you show the best of your ability, whether you win or lose, you know you've done your absolute best. The next lyrics also show that if its something you enjoy doing too, you'll always remember it fondly. 
• What does the line 'Loves got the World in Motion' mean? This is open to interpretation. For me, in footballing terms, people love the game and so that love for football brings people together. The idea of World in Motion is everyone is moving together, celebrating, singing, coming together and uniting through the beautiful game. This lyric can also be taken beyond football in that the idea of love is what brings the world together, love and compassionate towards each other is what makes the world go round.

Now is the time
Let everyone see
You never give up
that's how it should be
Don't get caught
Make your own play
Express yourself
Don't give it away

• When is the time? Now
• Why is now the time? Children may say because it is the World Cup, however linking beyond football, you could discuss how to achieve your dreams in anything it starts today. 
• Why should you let everyone see? Let everyone see you express yourself, show your talent but also allowing people to support and help you in your journey. 
• What does the singer mean by 'don't get caught'? In footballing terms, it means don't get tackled. 
• What does it mean by 'make your own play'? Be creative, make your own decisions. 
• Again, once you have discussed these lyrics in terms of football, go back through and consider a bigger meaning in terms of achieving your goals in life. Starting now will only allow you to begin on your journey. Let other help and support you so you don't give up on your dream, don't get caught out by other's opinion and self doubt and make your own decisions.

Express yourself
It's one on one
Express yourself
It's one on one
Express yourself
You can't be wrong
When somethings good
It's never wrong

Loves got the world in motion
And I know what we can do
Loves got the world in motion
And I can't believe its true

Loves got the world in motion
And I know what we can do
Loves got the world in motion
And I can't believe its true

You've got to hold and give
But do it at the right time
You can be slow or fast
But you must get to the line
They'll always hit you and hurt you
Defend and attack
there's only one way to beat them
Get round the back
Catch me if you can
'cause' I'm the England man
And what you're looking at
Is the master plan
We ain't no hooligans
This ain't a football song
Three lions on my chest
I know we can't go wrong

• Again with the rap, consider how the lyrics link to football and ask the children to explain what they mean: hold and give - dribble and pass. Get to the line - finish line etc. But then also consider the bigger message in terms of achieving your dreams.
• Why does he say you can be slow or fast? People go on different journeys and take different paths but as long as they get to their desired destination, it is ok.
• Who are they in 5th line? In football, it will be the opposition, but in life, it will be people who put you down out of jealousy to stop you from achieving your goals. 
• What does the word hooligan mean? Why may he have mentioned it? At the time of the song, football in England had a problem with violence at football. This was a way of showing how the beautiful game should bring us together.
• Even though, this is clearly a football song, why does the rapper use the line 'This ain't a football song?' It links to the themes we have discussed about the attitude to achieving your goals even if they aren't football related. ]
• What does it mean by 'Three Lions on my chest'? Three lions is the crest of the England football team, so by wearing the England football kit it gives him the belief to express himself. 

We're playing for England {In-ger-land}
We're playing the song
We're singing for England {In-ger-land}
Arrivederci its one one one

We're playing for England {In-ger-land}
We're playing the song
We're singing for England {In-ger-land}
Arrivederci its one one one

We're playing for England {In-ger-land}
We're playing the song
We're singing for England {In-ger-land}
Arrivederci its one one one

We're playing for England {In-ger-land}
We're playing the song
We're singing for England {In-ger-land}
Arrivederci its one one one

• Looking at the lyrics, which word seems unfamiliar? Arrivederci
• What do you think this word means? Until we meet again
• Do you know where it is from? Italy
• Why has the singer included it? The song was written for the 1990 World Cup which was hosted in Italy.

Three Lions - Lightning Seeds

Here are the lyrics and some suggested questions:

I think it's bad news for the English game)
(we're not creative enough)
(we're not positive enough)


It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming
Footballs coming home (we'll go on getting bad results)
It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming
Footballs coming home
It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming
Footballs coming home
It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming
Footballs coming home

• Who says the first line and those in brackets? They are made by pundits who are people, usually ex-players, who give their opinion about the game.
• Why is this included in the song? To show how pessimistic they are about England.
• Why do they sing about football coming home? Football was first codified in England in 1863. The official slogan for Euro 96, the first European Championship to be held in England, was “football comes home.” England won the only previous championship that they’d hosted, the 1966 World Cup. Combined with the ability of players like Paul Gascoigne and Alan Shearer and a strong performance in the 1990 World Cup, there was genuine optimism among many fans that England would win. Not only would football be coming home, but so would the trophy.

Everyone seems to know the score, 
they've seen it all before
They just know, they're so sure
That England's gonna, 
throw it away, 
gonna blow it away
But I know they can play
'cos I remember

• Take the first line, what do they mean by the score? The score is the results of the match, but here it is used to sum up how 'badly' England will play. 
• Why might they all feel pessimistic about England? The song states they've seen it all before. By 1996, England had failed to win the last 14 major championships and had failed to even qualify for the 1994 World Cup. They were perennial underachievers, assembling good sides but consistently failing to reach their potential, and frequently losing on penalties. For every optimist like the singers, someone else (like the pundits are the start) would think they didn’t stand a chance. This makes the song much more endearing. It isn’t blindly patriotic, it doesn’t paint a picture of an England side entitled to win, but instead of plucky underdogs capable of triumphing against expectations.
• What line shows the singers still believe in the team? But I know they can play. 
• Why use the word 'but'? It is a contrasting conjunction, they are changing their view from everyone else. 

Three lions on a shirt
Jules Remet still gleaming
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming

• What are 'Three Lions on a shirt'? This links to the England badge as seen here. 
• What is Jules Remet? The Jules Rimet trophy was the original World Cup, named after the FIFA President who established the tournament. England won it in 1966. When Brazil won the World Cup for the third time in 1970, they were awarded the Jules Rimet permanently and a new trophy was commissioned.
• Why do they describe the trophy as still gleaming? The word gleaming means it shines brightly, so this shows how proud we are to win have won the trophy but also how the memory of the win is still clear to everyone, making us want to repeat it. 
• When was this song written? If England won the World Cup in 1966, and the song says 30 years of hurt, it would be 1996.
• What are they dreaming of? Winning again.

So many jokes, so many sneers
But all those 'oh so near's
Wear you down, 
through the years
But I still see that tackle by Moore
And when Lineker scored, 
Bobby belting the ball
And Nobby dancing

• What do you think the word sneer means? Are there any clues in the lyrics to help? A sneer means a mocking gesture or comment.
• What might be the jokes and sneers? People mocking how bad England are in tournaments.
• What are 'oh so near's'? The occasions where England nearly won it again. Here you can talk about incidents in previous tournaments where England have been dealt some bad luck - Hand of God, or 1990 semi-final. 
• How do these sneers make the singers feel? They feel down and sceptical. They start to believe it themselves.
• How do you know? They say 'wear you down' which means to persistently diminish their hope and belief in the team. 
• Who is Moore? Bobby Moore was the Captain of England in 1966, the lyric links to the memorable tackle he did against Brazil in 1970, which you can watch below:

• What position did Lineker play? How do you know? He was a striker, hopefully, the children will infer this from the fact he scored. 
• Who is Bobby? What might he have been remembered for? Bobby Charlton was a member of the World Cup winning team and once known for his long-range ferocious shots. 
• Why has the singer chosen the verb belting? It is alliterative, but belting was a form of punishment and was something done with a lot of force, so almost exaggerates how hard he would hit it. 
• Who was Nobby? Nobby Styles was another member of the 1966 winning team and celebrated the win with a dance, you can see below:

• Why does the singer make reference to these old players? To try and inspire the current team by reminding them of the heroes and legends before them. We all grow up with people we idolise and many find determination in wanting to be like them.
• Who are your heroes? Do they have to be footballers? How do they inspire you?

Three lions on a shirt
Jules Remet still gleaming
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming

(England have done it, in the last minute of extra time)
(what a save, what now)
(good old England, England that couldn't play football)
(England have got it in the bag)

I know that was then, but it could be again

It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming
Footballs coming home
It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming
Footballs coming home
(England have done it)
It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming
Footballs coming home
It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming
Footballs coming home 
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Remet still gleaming
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Remet still gleaming
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Remet still gleaming
Thirty years of hurt
Never stopped me dreaming


You may want to discuss how successful this song was during the Euro 96 tournament and how well England did in the tournament, it was the closest we had come reaching the semi-finals.

• In what ways did you think the song helped with this?

As an evaluation task, you can ask the children to compare and contrast the two songs and discuss which they preferred and why. 

You may then want to look at other World Cup songs and deconstruct them in the same way, here are a couple of suggestions:

I decided to take the idea from the Three Lions video, to recreate some iconic moments from the World Cup in school this week. The pupils loved it! Please give their video a watch and comment as they did such a brilliant job:

Why not ask your pupils to create and write their own England song?

This video, which is not appropriate to show your children, shows how simple it is to create a chart-topping pop song. This was shared by Adam Chase (@_geekyteacher) at the Animate2Educate conference last week with a summary of what he found:

A few years back we did a similar project but just wrote our own England songs to the melodies of popular songs at the time. This is an idea featured in my 15 iPad lessons for the World Cup eBook, here are some of their examples:

This project was featured in the local news - read it here.

More Emotional Literacy Through Music

If you have followed my blog for a while, you will know I am a massive fan of using music in the classroom, especially for reading comprehension. You can read about other songs I have blogged here.

Here is another example:

Here is a lyric video to the song:

“Praying” is a song by Kesha believed to be directed at her long legal battle with producer Dr. Luke. It is believed the producer sexually and emotionally abused the singer over a number of years. While I wouldn't share this sensitive information with the class, the song has a powerful message about being positive when bad things have happened. Kesha described this song as:

This song is about me finding peace in the fact that I can’t control everything — because trying to control everyone was killing me. It’s about learning to let go and realize that the universe is in control of my fate, not me. 

“Praying” was written about that moment when the sun starts peeking through the darkest storm clouds, creating the most beautiful rainbow. Once you realise that you will in fact be OK, you want to spread love and healing. If you feel like someone has wronged you, get rid of that hate, because it will just create more negativity.

 There are definite links through this song and bullying and how to have a positive mindset if you have been picked on and bullied.

Here are the lyrics with some suggested questions:

Listen to the song all the way through and ask the children for what they think this song is about?
Who is the singer singing about? What makes you think this?

Well, you almost had me fooled
Told me that I was nothing without you
Oh, but after everything you've done
I can thank you for how strong I have become

• Who is the singer singing to? An ex-boyfriend, partner or 'friend'
• Why was she almost fooled? She almost believed everything the person was saying that made her doubt herself
• What makes you think the person she is singing about isn't a nice person? They seem controlling by telling the singer she is nothing with them.
• Do you think the experience with this person is something the singer regrets? Yes in some ways as she was clearly hurt but she has now learned from the mistake and it has made her a better person.
• If the person she is singing about has bullied her, why is she thanking them? She believes in forgiveness and knows this experience has made her a stronger person
• Do you think this is the right attitude to have?
• Do you think you would think the same way? Allow for personal response

’Cause you brought the flames and you put me through hell

I had to learn how to fight for myself

And we both know all the truth I could tell

I'll just say this is I wish you farewell

• What word is mispelt in the first line? What should it be? Because
• Did the person she is speaking about actually bring flames? No
• What do the flames symbolise? Flames can be dangerous and harmful, they can also leave scars
• What does she mean by 'put me through hell'? Whoever it was treated them terribly and made them feel worthless. Hell is considered a place of constant punishment and torment.
• How did the singer feel during this time? How do you know? Lonely, she had to fight for herself.
• Has the singer revealed everything that has happened? No
• Why not? She doesn't want to reflect and remind herself of all the damage that has been caused. She wants to move on.
• What does the word farewell mean? Farewell is more of a term of endearment.
• Why would she use this word? She realises that two wrongs don't make a right and is showing empathy towards the person that has hurt her. She knows there are reasons why this person has acted in this way and hopes they can sort these problems out.
• Why does she 'wish them farewell'? The singer uses it more as a way of saying goodbye and she wants to move on with her life. 

I hope you're somewhere prayin’, prayin'

I hope your soul is changin', changin'

I hope you find your peace

Falling on your knees, prayin'

• Does the singer think the person will be praying? No, she uses the word hope.
• Why is she hoping the person is praying? People usually pray for a number of reasons but a more popular one is to ask for forgiveness. She is hoping they're praying to repent their sins.
• What does she hope this will do? Change their soul and make them a better person so they never do this again.
• Why does she hope they find their peace? She wants them to learn and never repeat this bullying to anyone else.

I'm proud of who I am

No more monsters, I can breathe again

And you said that I was done

Well, you were wrong and now the best is yet to come

'Cause I can make it on my own

And I don't need you, I found a strength I’ve never known

I’ll bring thunder, I'll bring rain, oh-oh

When I’m finished, they won't even know your name

• Do you think the singer has always been proud of who they are? Maybe not, maybe the person she is singing about made her doubt herself, feeling lonely and upset.
• What word does she use to describe the person she is singing about? A monster
• What impression do we get from this description? A monster is a scary creature, it makes us think the singer was frightened and feeling powerless with them.
• Now she has moved on, how does she feel? She feels free, she says she can breathe again.
• How else did the person make the singer feel? Like she was worthless and finished by saying she was done.
• How does the singer feel now? With freedom comes courage, strength and belief. She feels like a big weight has been lifted and it has given her a new lease of life. 
• What has she learnt? Despite previously feeling alone because of the bullying, now she has realised that she doesn't need anyone else, she can make it on her own. 
• What strength has she found? A strength to be proud of herself, believe in her own ability and not rely on other people's opinons and thoughts. 
• What does she mean by bringing thunder and rain? Thunder and rain usually symbolise sadness. So she is saying that there will still be moments when she is sad and vulnerable, but accepts this also makes her stronger by accepting the fact she isn't perfect.
• What does she mean by the last line? Once she has finished achieving her dreams, this experience will be so insignificant, people won't even remember it. 

You brought the flames and you put me through hell

I had to learn how to fight for myself

And we both know all the truth I could tell

I'll just say this is I wish you farewell

I hope you're somewhere prayin’, prayin'

I hope your soul is changin', changin'

I hope you find your peace

Falling on your knees, prayin'

Oh, sometimes I pray for you at night

Someday, maybe you'll see the light

Oh, some say, in life, you're gonna get what you give

But some things only God can forgive

• Is the singer completely over the bullying? No she still thinks about it at night.
• Do you think she believes the bully will 'see the light'? She isn't sure as she uses the words someday and maybe.
• What does she mean by 'see the light'? Seeing the light means realising what they have done and realising the damage it has caused and ask for forgiveness.

• Can you think of some words to describe the singer when she was being bullied?
• Can you think of some words to describe the singer now?
• What can we learn from her approach to bullies?
• Do you think you would be the same?
• If you see bullying happening, what should you do? 
• How long do you think it has taken the singer to get to this point of feeling strong again?

I know the issue raised in this song could be sensitive for some, I know it would lead to some very deep and interesting conversations about bullying, empathy and understanding. 

I hope you found these ideas useful.

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