Many people don 't completely appreciate just what a mother is and does until they become parents themselves.
Over the years many songs have been written to celebrate and praise mothers for the major roles they have and continue to play in our lives.
Here are five songs that focus on the different roles mothers play in our lives. All of them include a variety of listening, reading, writing, and discussion activities. Some songs even include a few grammar activities. Enjoy them on your own or with your class.
1. The Mom Song:
Several years ago, Anita Renfroe, a suburban mother from Atlanta Georgia wrote down all the things she catches herself saying to her children every day.
She arranged them into a long list and set them to the music of Rossini's William Tell Overture. Finally, she performed the song at her church on Mother's Day
TASK:
Before you listen:
1. Do you think mothers from different cultures are the same or different? Why? Discuss what
all mothers have in common and what some of the differences might be? .
2. Discuss the role and behaviour of mothers across several generations. For instance, if you
are a mother, in what way are you different than your own mother. How is she different than herr mother? Try to list ways and examples as you can.
3. If you are a young person, would you raise your children in the same way your mother raised
you, or would you do things differently? If so, what specific things would you do differently and
why?
Writing:
1. Write a composition on the similarities or differences between mothers in two different
cultures
2. Write a composition on the differences between mothers of two generations: between you and your mother or between your mother and her mother's generation. Support your points with specific examples.
3. Write a composition on the differences between the way your mother raised you and the way you plan to raise any future children you might have. Be specific about what you would do differently. Gives reasons and examples to show exactly what you mean.
#3 : Mama by B.J. Thomas
When I was growing up, this song by Bl,J. Thomas was very popular, particularly around Mother's Day. The slide show on the video represent what the 1950s and 1960s looked like in North America so well that they could be about my own childhood.
I have included several activities for this song: a listening gap fill, a vocabulary exercise, a grammar activity and discussion questions. Enjoy.
#4: A Song for Mama by Boyz to Men
This is a very sentimental song about the importance of mothers. Do any of you feel this way?
#
5: Good Mother by Jan Arden
The video from this song is different than the others. Listen and watch. Then answer the following questions with a friend, member of your own family or a group.
A Few Thinking or Discussion Questions:
Over the years many songs have been written to celebrate and praise mothers for the major roles they have and continue to play in our lives.
Here are five songs that focus on the different roles mothers play in our lives. All of them include a variety of listening, reading, writing, and discussion activities. Some songs even include a few grammar activities. Enjoy them on your own or with your class.
1. The Mom Song:
Several years ago, Anita Renfroe, a suburban mother from Atlanta Georgia wrote down all the things she catches herself saying to her children every day.
She arranged them into a long list and set them to the music of Rossini's William Tell Overture. Finally, she performed the song at her church on Mother's Day
TASK:
Before you listen:
- Make a list of all the things your mother told you to do and not to do when you were a child. For example:" " Don't eat with your mouth full."
- If you are also a mother, make a list of all the things you have told your children to do and not to do.
- Listen to the song as you need to.
- As you listen, think about which of these expressions or words sound familiar. Which ones match the ones on your list.
- Write down the words or expressions your own mother used.
- Listen again with the words on the screen. Do this several times.
1. Do you think mothers from different cultures are the same or different? Why? Discuss what
all mothers have in common and what some of the differences might be? .
2. Discuss the role and behaviour of mothers across several generations. For instance, if you
are a mother, in what way are you different than your own mother. How is she different than herr mother? Try to list ways and examples as you can.
3. If you are a young person, would you raise your children in the same way your mother raised
you, or would you do things differently? If so, what specific things would you do differently and
why?
Writing:
1. Write a composition on the similarities or differences between mothers in two different
cultures
2. Write a composition on the differences between mothers of two generations: between you and your mother or between your mother and her mother's generation. Support your points with specific examples.
3. Write a composition on the differences between the way your mother raised you and the way you plan to raise any future children you might have. Be specific about what you would do differently. Gives reasons and examples to show exactly what you mean.
#2: The Best Day by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is a famous country singer who became a major success at the age of 15. At the age of 16, she wrote this song as a love letter to her mother, Andrea Swift, who usually traveled with her while she was on tour.
The song itself is from the point of view of a child and adolescent, and focuses on the small things that mothers do that we often take for granted.
Swift, says that she wrote the song as a "secret " Christmas gift for her mother.
She adds that when she began playing the song on Christmas day, " my mother had no idea it was me singing for the first half of the song. But, she just broke down crying when she realized I had done the whole thing to surprise her. It was a really cool moment."
Swift can no longer play this song when is on tour because her mother always breaks down in tears backstage every time she plays it.
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Taylor Swift is a famous country singer who became a major success at the age of 15. At the age of 16, she wrote this song as a love letter to her mother, Andrea Swift, who usually traveled with her while she was on tour.
The song itself is from the point of view of a child and adolescent, and focuses on the small things that mothers do that we often take for granted.
Swift, says that she wrote the song as a "secret " Christmas gift for her mother.
She adds that when she began playing the song on Christmas day, " my mother had no idea it was me singing for the first half of the song. But, she just broke down crying when she realized I had done the whole thing to surprise her. It was a really cool moment."
Swift can no longer play this song when is on tour because her mother always breaks down in tears backstage every time she plays it.
When I was growing up, this song by Bl,J. Thomas was very popular, particularly around Mother's Day. The slide show on the video represent what the 1950s and 1960s looked like in North America so well that they could be about my own childhood.
I have included several activities for this song: a listening gap fill, a vocabulary exercise, a grammar activity and discussion questions. Enjoy.
#4: A Song for Mama by Boyz to Men
This is a very sentimental song about the importance of mothers. Do any of you feel this way?
#
5: Good Mother by Jan Arden
The video from this song is different than the others. Listen and watch. Then answer the following questions with a friend, member of your own family or a group.
- How does this video along with the song make you feel? Why?
- Why do you think Jan Arden chose to use this particular video to illustrate this song?
- What message is she trying to communicate?
- Does it work? Explain.
- What message is Arden communicating in her song?
A Few Thinking or Discussion Questions:
- What do each of the songs have in common? Give examples.
- What are some of the differences between the songs? Give examples?
- Which of the songs best represents what a mother is for you? Explain.
- .Which of the songs did you like best? Why?
- Which of the songs did you like least? Why?
- If you could write a song for or about your mother what would it say?
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