Ed Sheeran Exploration

Overview

This 60-minute lesson invites Year 7 students to explore contemporary music through the lens of Ed Sheeran’s work. It integrates listening, music theory, and creative writing, aligning with the National Curriculum for Music (England) for Key Stage 3 (Year 7). The lesson aims to deepen students' understanding of song structure, lyrical content, and musical style, closing with a creative songwriting task that encourages personal expression and application of learned concepts.

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National Curriculum Links

Key Stage 3 Music (Year 7) – Programme of Study:

• Performing:
  “Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.”

• Composing and Creating:
  “Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music.”

• Listening and Appraising:
  “Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory.”
  “Develop an understanding of the history of music.”

• Musical Knowledge:
  Understanding of musical elements such as rhythm, melody, harmony, and structure.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify key musical elements in Ed Sheeran’s songs, including chord progressions, rhythm, and structure.
2. Analyse lyrical themes and vocabulary typical of Ed Sheeran’s style.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of simple music theory applied to popular music (e.g., basic chords—C, G, Am, F).
4. Create and perform original lyrics inspired by Ed Sheeran’s lyrical style and themes.
5. Develop skills in listening, critical thinking, collaboration, and creative expression.

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Resources Needed

• Audio playback equipment
• Selected Ed Sheeran songs (e.g., “Shape of You”, “Photograph”)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed lyric sheets or projector for lyrics
• Paper and pens for creative writing
• Keyboard or guitar (optional for demonstration)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Starter Activity (10 minutes)

• Engagement: Play a 2-minute extract from Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You.”
• Ask students to share their first impressions: What instruments do they hear? How does the rhythm feel? What mood or story do they detect?
• Brief discussion linking to the learning objectives.

National Curriculum Focus: Developing aural skills and critical listening.

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2. Listening and Analysis (15 minutes)

• Activity: Full listening of “Photograph,” with printed/projected lyrics.
• Guide students to follow the lyrics, highlighting key themes (love, memory, emotion).
• Music theory focus: Introduce the chord progression used (e.g., C, G, Am, F) and discuss simple chord cycles common in pop music.
• Using the whiteboard, sketch out the song’s structure (Intro – Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus – Bridge – Chorus).

National Curriculum Focus: Understanding structure, harmony, and lyrical content in familiar contexts.

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3. Music Theory Mini-Workshop (10 minutes)

• Demonstrate basic guitar or keyboard chords from the song (C, G, Am, F).
• Explain how these chords create mood and harmony.
• Students clap or tap out rhythm patterns from the song to internalise pulse and metre.
• Introduce the concept of a repetitive hook and chorus in popular music.

National Curriculum Focus: Exploring musical elements and understanding how they combine to form song structure.

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4. Creative Task: Writing Lyrics (20 minutes)

• Explain how Ed Sheeran’s lyrics often tell stories, express emotions, or describe personal experiences.
• Students brainstorm themes and emotions they want to explore (e.g., friendship, nature, dreams).
• Using the rhyme scheme and lyrical style discussed, students write their own short verse and chorus inspired by Ed Sheeran’s structure.
• Optional: Students pair up to share and perform their lyrics if time allows.

National Curriculum Focus: Composition, creative expression, working collaboratively.

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5. Plenary and Reflective Discussion (5 minutes)

• Invite a few volunteers to share their lyrics or performance snippets.
• Recap key learning points: song structure, chord progressions, lyrical themes.
• Ask students what they found most interesting or challenging.

National Curriculum Focus: Reflecting on and evaluating their work and others’.

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Assessment & Differentiation

• Formative Assessment:
  Observation during discussion and listening. Monitor engagement and understanding during music theory mini-workshop.

• Summative Assessment:
  Evaluate students’ written lyrics for structure, theme awareness, and creativity.

• Differentiation:
  Provide chord charts or lyric templates for lower ability students. Encourage more confident students to add melody ideas or perform their lyrics.

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Extension Ideas

• Introduce simple melodic notation to align lyrics with a tune.
• Analyse Ed Sheeran’s use of looping technology and discuss its impact on live performance.
• Encourage students to compose a short melody or accompaniment for their lyrics using classroom instruments.

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Headline Skills Developed

• Listening and critical appraisal
• Music theory understanding (chords, structure, rhythm)
• Creative songwriting and lyric writing
• Collaboration and performance
• Communication of emotions through music

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This lesson plan marries contemporary popular music with foundational musical skills, giving students an engaging and relevant pathway into music composition and analysis that fits perfectly with the National Curriculum requirements for Year 7.