MYE 2015 Situational Writing Model

2PR: Figurative Language in songs

Bein’ Green

performed by Kermit the Frog, written by Joe Raposo

It’s not that easy being green

Having to spend each day the colour of the leaves

When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow, or gold

Or something much more colourful like that

It’s not that easy being green

It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things

And people tend to pass you over

‘Cause you’re not standing out

Like flashy sparkles in the water

Or stars in the sky

But green’s the colour of spring

And green can be cool and friendly-like

And green can be big like an ocean

Or important like a mountain

Or tall like a tree

When green is all there is to be

It could make you wonder why

But why wonder why wonder

I am green, and it’ll do fine

It’s beautiful, and I think it’s what I want to be

Think about these questions which can help you analyse a song: 
What is this song about? 

What is the message of the song?

Where are the similes and metaphors and what are they comparing? 

How do these similes and metaphors help to tell the message of the song? 

Being Green

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIOiwg2iHio

Similes and metaphors in songs, in movies, and on TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB0HrNdqJKQ

Task:

1. Create a Google Document titled: "Figurative Language in Song"

2. Choose an appropriate song and answer the questions above to help you analyse the song.

3. Search for lyrics and paste it in the Google document.

4. Identify metaphors and similes used.

5. Explain what they mean in the context of the song.


Sample task

Figurative Language in Songs

Bein’ Green

performed by Kermit the Frog, written by Joe Raposo

It’s not that easy being green

Having to spend each day the colour of the leaves

When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow, or gold

Or something much more colourful like that

It’s not that easy being green

It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things

And people tend to pass you over

‘Cause you’re not standing out

Like flashy sparkles in the water

Or stars in the sky

But green’s the colour of spring

And green can be cool and friendly-like

And green can be big like an ocean

Or important like a mountain

Or tall like a tree

When green is all there is to be

It could make you wonder why

But why wonder why wonder

I am green, and it’ll do fine

It’s beautiful, and I think it’s what I want to be

Being Green

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4ZxxHbJGbY

Figurative Language in movies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMSLgxj2dxk

SAM Formal Letter assignment

Singapore Art Museum Brochures: 

Learning Gallery: The Hidden Dimension & HDB Life

Medium At Large Gallery: Shaggy & The Charity Lady

For the formal letter format, refer to All About English pg. 260. (2Express)

pg. 262 (2NA)

‘The Art of Learning – Appreciating Art and Language in a Contemporary Context’

LEARNING JOURNEY

English Assignment for Sec 2 Express

You are advised to write between 225 to 400 words for this section.

You have just attended a learning journey to the Learning Gallery of the Singapore Art Museum and it has allowed you to see Art in a whole new light. You found the Art exhibits relevant and relatable to your everyday life and would like for future batches of Secondary Two students to continue going on this fulfilling trip.

Write a letter to your Art teacher highlighting:

• Two exhibits in the Learning Gallery that would interest students  

• Another exhibit in your school that interested you enough to visit other art galleries

• Why you think students will learn and enjoy the experience of examining the exhibits.

Write your letter in clear, accurate English and in a formal tone, providing reasons for highlighting these art exhibits to your Art teacher, adding any detail which may be of interest.

 English Assignment for Secondary 2 Normal (Academic)

You are advised to write between 180 and 250 words for this section.

You have just attended a learning journey to the Learning Gallery of the Singapore Art Museum and it has allowed you to see Art in a whole new light. You found the Art exhibits relevant and relatable to your everyday life and want future batches of Secondary Two students to continue going on this fulfilling trip.

You must include the following details

·         When and why you attended the learning journey

·         What kinds of exhibits you saw at the Art Museum

·         Which exhibit you learnt most from and why

·         How you benefited from the experience

·         Why you think other students will enjoy the process of appreciating art

Write your letter in clear, accurate English and in a formal tone, to convince your Art teacher to continue allowing future Secondary Two students to go for this Learning Journey.

You may add any other details that might be of interest.

Descriptive words to critique art

Line	Tone	Texture	Shape	Movement	Scale	Contrast	Colour
Flowing	Subtle	Rough	Organic	Swirling	Large	Dramatic	Bold
Delicate	Contrasting	Fine	Curvaceous	Flowing	Small	Subtle	Vibrant
Simple	Muted	Smooth	Angular	Dramatic	Intimate	Strong	Subtle
Bold	Dramatic	Coarse	Elongated		Miniature		Pale
Thick	Unvarying	Uneven	Blurred		Monumental		Earthy
Thin	Uniform	Patterned	Obscured				Naturalistic

Words to describe the mood of the subject of painting

Calm	Cheerful	Depressed	Aggressive	Energetic	Boring
Content	Happy	Gloomy	Chilling	Exciting	Dull
Content	Joyful	Miserable	Dark	Stimulating	Lifeless
Peaceful	Romantic	Sombre	Distressing	Thought-provoking	Insipid
Tranquil	Passionate	Tearful	Violent	Inspiring	Tame

Art terminologies

·         Saturation- refers to the brightness of colour

·         Geometric – refers to the shapes such as circles, triangles, squares, etc.

·         Organic – free flowing or rounded

·         Symmetry – meaning it is equal on both sides

·         Asymmetrical – unequal proportioned elements

·         Flat tones – no tonal effect in the colour

·         Negative space – the space around the actual form of art

·         Depth – the illusion of space

·         Broken colour – dabs or small amounts of colour

·         Focal point – the spot that stands out in the artwork

·         Distorted – a shape that is changed and no longer looks proportioned

Descriptive verbs for writing

accomplish acquire adopt advance affect affirm alleviate amplify applaud appreciate ascend associate attain believe bestow brighten build build up call carry out cause challenge change choose claim collect combine comfort command communicate compel compete complete compliment compose conceive confirm connect consider construct contact contemplate continue counsel create cultivate decide defend delight deliver demonstrate determine develop devise direct discover discuss distribute do draft dream drive educate elect embrace encourage endow engage engineer enhance enlighten enlist

enliven entertain enthuse envision evaluate examine excite expand explore express extend facilitate finish forgive form foster further gain gather generate give grant heal help hold host identify illuminate imagine implement improve influence inspire integrate involve joyful keep know labour launch lead light live love make manifest master mature measure mediate mend model mould motivate move negotiate nurture promote provide promise pursue realize rebuild receive reclaim reconcile reduce re-evaluate refine reflect reform regard

relate relax relieve rely remember renew repair resonate respect restore retreat return revise ripen sacrifice open optimistic organize participate pass perform persuade picture play ponder positive possess practice praise prepare present press on produce progress safeguard satisfy save scrutinize sell establish serve settle shape share speak stand study summon support surrender sustain take tap team think touch trade translate travel trust turn understand uphold use utilize validate value venture verbalize volunteer weigh yield