Objective:
Students will explore earworms, examining their causes, triggers, and individual reactions. Through this lesson, students will connect with the psychological power of music, developing critical reading, discussion, and reflection skills.
1. Warm-Up Activity
Objective:
Activate prior knowledge and introduce the concept in a relatable way.
- Prompt: Start the class by asking, “Has anyone had a song stuck in their head recently?” Encourage students to share specific examples and describe their feelings—whether they found the experience amusing, frustrating, or dis
- Class Discussion: Follow up with: “Why do you think certain sounds, songs, or beats get stuck in our heads more than others?”
- Goal: Encourage students to see earworms as a common phenomenon and spark curiosity about the science behind them.
2. Reading & Comprehension
Have students read the New York Times article on earworms, paying particular attention to the scientific explanations of why earworms occur, including recent exposure, environmental cues, and song characteristics. The New York Times
- Guiding Question: As students read, prompt them to think about which factors seem most relevant to their own experiences with earworms.
3. Discussion Questions
After reading, engage students with the following questions:
- Personal Reflection: Have you experienced an earworm recently? Describe it. How did it make you feel?
- Identification of Patterns: What kinds of sounds become earworms for you? Did the article mention any songs that have been stuck in your head before?
- Reflection on Findings: What did you find most intriguing about the article’s explanation of earworms? Are there any questions about this phenomenon you would like to explore further?
- Effective Strategies: The article mentions that chewing gum may help remove earworms. What do you do to get rid of them, and do your methods work?
- Understanding Music’s Power: What do earworms suggest about the power of music, and what role does music play in your life?
4. Small Group Activity: Earworm Case Studies
Instructions:
Divide students into small groups. Each group will choose one aspect of earworms (e.g., recent exposure, song characteristics) and discuss why it might make a song stick in our minds.
Task:
After discussing, each group will present their chosen factor and explain why they think it’s effective in creating earworms.
5. Reflection Journal
Prompt:
Have students write a reflection on what they learned about earworms and whether they now view this phenomenon differently. Encourage them to consider the impact of music on their thoughts and emotions.
6. Why Do Songs Stick? Exploring Key Triggers of Earworms
- Recent exposure: Songs we’ve heard recently are more likely to become earworms
- Environmental cues: Specific words, sounds, or situations can trigger a song to play in our minds
- Song characteristics: Certain tracks have a higher tendency to become earworms, though the specific qualities are not detailed in the article.
The New York Times
Students, read the entire article and then tell us:
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Have you ever had an earworm — a song, beat, jingle or melody that you found stayed in your head for hours or days? If so, describe a recent example. Did you find the experience annoying and crazy-making, as the Times reader whose question prompted the article found?
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What kinds of sounds are earworms for you? Have you ever had one of the songs mentioned in the article, like “Shake It Off,” “Who Let the Dogs Out” or “Never Gonna Give You Up,” lodge itself in your head uninvited?
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What did you find most intriguing about the article and its explanation of earworms? What questions do you still have about the phenomenon that you’d like Ms. Moyer to address?
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Ms. Moyer writes that chewing gum can help to clear songs from your brain. What do you do to get rid of earworms? Are any of your methods effective?
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What do earworms reveal about the power of music? What role or presence does music have in your daily life?
