Kendrick Lamar: Symbolism & Figurative Language One-Pager

Assignment · Grades 8–10 · Slides, handout · $3

My kids were already talking about Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show, so I turned it into a symbolism lesson. It's set up for grades 8-10 and fits a figurative language unit, a Black History Month lesson, or any day you want to connect music to literary analysis.

The slides open with I Will / We Will goals and a quick review of metaphor, simile, symbolism, and repetition, using lyric examples. After you watch the performance, a class discussion slide breaks down three symbols: the color red, the marching formation, and the line 'We gon' be alright.'

Then students build the one-pager solo, in duos, trios, or squads. They pick 4 symbols, back each one with a lyric, name the central theme with one quote, answer an SCR, and draw a visual of their symbol.

What's included

• Google Slides lesson with goals, figurative language review, and discussion slide
• One-pager handout (editable Google Doc)
• Symbolism section: 4 symbols, 4 supporting lyrics
• Theme section with one direct quote
• SCR prompt on how Kendrick uses symbolism to say something about social issues
• Visual representation section

How teachers use it

• One to two class periods, depending on how long students spend on the visual
• Group or solo work
• Lead-in to symbolism in a novel or poetry unit

Topics: scr, short, constructed, response, text, evidence, journal, writing, prompts, bell, ringer, literature, reading, ela, intervention, rti, mtss, sped, slides, powerpoint, presentation, middle, school, high, grade