High School Choir: Because I Knew You

Tyler Harr
1. Time Needed: 45 Minutes
2. Materials Needed: For Good from Wicked (SATB) http://www.jwpepper.com/ForGood/3301740.item#.V_kzh5MrJn4, paper, pencils, envelopes, Projector, speakers
3. Learning Objective(s): Students will connect with lyrics of the song and find someone in
their life that models a friendship like Glinda and Elphaba.
4. Assessment(s): Students will connect to the lyrics of the song and the message of the
musical by writing a letter to someone in their own life.
5. Personal Objective(s): Do not talk to much, let the students discuss and discover on their
own.
6. Procedures:
a. Greet the Class and Vocal Warm-ups
b. Emotions Behind the Lyrics:
i. Tell the students to get out music to For Good. This will be a point in the
unit where students have already learned the notes and rhythms, and
looking at the text now. So we have spent a lot of time working on the
notes and rhythms, now we get to focus on the words and emotions behind
the song.
ii. Who knows where the song comes in the show. It comes at the end of
the musical; the last time they will see each other, before Elphaba dies,
etc. Let students watch a performance of this song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fR4JotwwWo
iii. Ask students what kind of emotions they saw within the video. Regret,
sadness, jealousy, etc.
c. Learning the Lyrics
i. Sing through the song with the words now, helping with note issues as
they arise.
ii. Circle spots where you like the words, or where they might be confusing.
iii. Discuss spots that students pointed out as being important and why.
d. Someone Who Changed You For Good

i. Have students look at the lyrics and pick out a line that they like and that
summarizes the mood of the song. Think about someone in your own life,
a friend, family member, classmate, who has helped them learn something
important themselves. Non-romantic love, and friendship is something
everyone experiences and often times goes unnoticed and
underappreciated.
ii. The only people who have to look at these are me, and them. They have
the opportunity to give the letter to someone if they want to.
iii. At least one page, handwritten, includes at least one quote from the piece.
Be creative, use drawings, whatever you want to include in your letter.
iv. How are your friendships different/and similar to Glinda and Elphaba?
7. Closure: If you get your letter done, feel free to turn it in today, or make sure you finish
by tomorrow and we will rehearse this number some more.