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The Swiftie's Guide to Literature

Completed by 7 learners

Ages 12-17

Self-Paced Class

Study the poems, mythology, novels, and short stories that Taylor Swift has alluded to in her songs! Gain greater understanding of her lyrics by learning about the symbolism, themes, and characters thread throughout her albums.

Mary Probst

Average rating:

4.8

Number of reviews:

(84 reviews)

5 pre-recorded lessons

5 weeks of teacher support

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1 year of access to the content

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About Learning Overview Schedule Teacher Reviews

What's included

5 pre-recorded lessons

5 weeks

of teacher support

1 year access

to the content

Class Experience

US Grade 8 - 11

Taylor Swift's lyrics are rich with allusions to classic literature. She references famous works from Edgar Allen Poe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Emily Dickinson, J.M. Barrie, and many more.

Some of these allusions are easy to catch. "You were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles. And my daddy said stay away from Juliet."

But some allusions can only be unlocked once you understand the source material. That's what we'll be doing during the five lessons in this course. After the first lesson, which will introduce the learner to allusions in general and then some of the more basic allusions in her work, each lesson will focus on a specific piece of literature that Taylor Swift references in one of more of her songs.

Each lesson will consist of an introductory video, an opportunity to read the referenced literature, and then a guided activity that helps learners discover meaning in the literature, and then deeper meaning in the song lyrics.

Learning Goals

Learners will be able to cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Learners will be able to determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

Learners will be able to analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work

Syllabus

Curriculum

Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum

Standards

Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

5 Lessons

over 5 Weeks

Lesson 1:

An Introduction to Allusion

 What are allusions? We'll look at examples from a variety of songs including "Love Story," "Peter," "Getaway Car," and "Evermore" to better understand what allusions are and how artists like Taylor Swift use them to enhance the meaning of their songs.

Lesson 2:

The Road Not Taken

 This famous Robert Frost poem is used in "The Outside" and "'tis the damn season" to show Taylor's feelings about her unusual path in life. We'll study the poem to understand what she's really trying to say.

Lesson 3:

The Myth of Cassandra

 Doomed to see the future, but never be believed, Cassandra has an entire song named after her, but what does that mean? We'll read several versions of the myth to add deeper meaning to the song.

1 assignment

Lesson 4:

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

 "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge that is referenced in The Albatross. Understanding this poem will unlock meaning in the song.

1 assignment

Other Details

Parental Guidance

If learners will be reading "The Great Gatsby" in full, here is a detailed parent's guide: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-great-gatsby Some song lyrics include swear words. They will be included in printouts of the lyrics, but not otherwise referenced. One included video contains the word a**hat in reference to Jay Gatsby.

External Resources

Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

Sources

"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe Greek Mythology - Cassandra "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Meet the teacher

Mary Probst

Joined June, 2020

4.8

84reviews

Profile

Teacher expertise and credentials

Bachelor's Degree in Education from Brigham Young University

I graduated from Brigham Young University in 2015 with a degree in English education and have been teaching English/Language Arts ever since.

I am especially passionate about analyzing literature and promoting reading. I've also been a Taylor Swift fan since her debut days.