“Thriller” Mini Lesson

Created by Kanelia Cannon

Middle Level English Language Arts

©Kanelia Cannon 1
Duration: 1-2 days
Objectives:

 Make inferences from the text and cite textual evidence to support inferences.
 Analyze the development of theme through the analysis of plot, setting, characters, and
conflict.
 Compare and contrast the lyrics and video adaption of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”.
Standards:

 RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
 RL.8.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide
an objective summary of the text.
 RL.8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
 RL.8.7 Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays
faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director
or actors.
Materials:

 “Thriller” by Michael Jackson music video (can be found online)

 “Thriller” lyrics (included)
 Anticipation Guide (included)
 Conflict Chart (included)
 Theme Development Worksheets (not included)
 Video Analysis ( not included)

Procedure:
1. Have students complete the anticipation guide silently (5 minutes). Share and discuss
the students’ responses by creating an interactive anticipation guide. Place the words
“yes” and “no” on either side of the classroom. Have students physically move to the
response they selected. Call upon students to explain why they selected their response.
2. Have students read the song lyrics. As they read, students should summarize the
meaning of each stanza and chorus in the margins. Also, have students identify the
following figurative language and imagery and discuss their meaning:
a. You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes (personification)

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 b. But all the while you hear the creature creepin' up behind (alliteration)
c. And the dead start to walk in their masquerade (imagery)
d. They will possess you unless you change the number on your dial
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together
All through the night I'll save you from the terrors on the screen
al (extended metaphor)
e. And grizzly ghouls from every tomb (alliteration)
3. Have students view the music video. Students will complete the following activities
afterwards.
a. Identifying Conflict
(Theme Development and Video Analysis are not included in the free version.)

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Name: Date:
Anticipation Guide
Statement Yes No
It is normal to walk alone at night.
Monsters like werewolves and zombies
exist.
You should be able to trust who you are
dating.
We should believe everything we see.

What do you think of when you hear the word thriller?

Name: Date:
Anticipation Guide
Statement Yes No
It is normal to walk alone at night.
Monsters like werewolves and zombies
exist.
You should be able to trust who you are
dating.
We should believe everything we see.

What do you think of when you hear the word thriller?

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 “Thriller”
Michael Jackson
Produced by Michael Jackson & Quincy Jones
Album Thriller

[Verse 1: Michael Jackson] _____________________________________

It's close to midnight
_____________________________________
Something evil's lurking from the dark
Under the moonlight _____________________________________
You see a sight that almost stops your heart
_____________________________________
You try to scream
But terror takes the sound before you make _____________________________________
it
_____________________________________
You start to freeze
As horror looks you right between your eyes _____________________________________
You're paralyzed
_____________________________________
[Chorus 1: Michael Jackson] _____________________________________
‘Cause this is thriller
_____________________________________
Thriller night
And no one’s gonna save you _____________________________________
From the beast about to strike
_____________________________________
You know it’s thriller
Thriller night _____________________________________
You’re fighting for your life
_____________________________________
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight, yeah _____________________________________
_____________________________________
[Verse 2: Michael Jackson] _____________________________________
You hear the door slam
_____________________________________
And realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand _____________________________________
And wonder if you'll ever see the sun
_____________________________________
You close your eyes
And hope that this is just imagination _____________________________________
Girl but all the while
_____________________________________
You hear a creature creeping up behind
You're out of time _____________________________________
_____________________________________

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 [Chorus 2: Michael Jackson] _____________________________________
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
_____________________________________
There ain't no second chance against the
thing with forty eyes, girl _____________________________________
Thriller, thriller night
_____________________________________
You're fighting for your life inside of killer,
thriller tonight _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
[Bridge: Vincent Price] _____________________________________
Night creatures call
_____________________________________
And the dead start to walk in their
masquerade _____________________________________
There's no escaping the jaws of the alien this
_____________________________________
time
They're open wide _____________________________________
This is the end of your life
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
[Verse 3: Michael Jackson] _____________________________________
They're out to get you, there's demons
_____________________________________
closing in on every side
They will possess you, unless you change that _____________________________________
number on your dial
_____________________________________
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close
together, yeah _____________________________________
All through the night
_____________________________________
I'll save you from the terror on the screen, I'll
make you see _____________________________________
_____________________________________

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 [Chorus 3: Michael Jackson] _____________________________________
That this is thriller, thriller night
_____________________________________
'Cause I can thrill you more than any ghoul
would ever dare try _____________________________________
Thriller, thriller night
_____________________________________
So let me hold you tight
And share a killer, thriller, chiller _____________________________________
Thriller here tonight
_____________________________________
'Cause this is thriller, thriller night
Girl I can thrill you more than any ghoul _____________________________________
would ever dare try
_____________________________________
Thriller, thriller night
_____________________________________
So let me hold you tight
And share a killer, thriller _____________________________________
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
_____________________________________
[Outro: Vincent Price & Michael Jackson] _____________________________________
Darkness falls across the land
_____________________________________
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood _____________________________________
To terrorize y'all's neighborhood
_____________________________________
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down _____________________________________
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
_____________________________________
And rot inside a corpse's shell
I'm gonna thrill you tonight _____________________________________
(Thriller, thriller)
_____________________________________
I'm gonna thrill you tonight
_____________________________________
(Thriller night, thriller)
I'm gonna thrill you tonight _____________________________________
Ooh, babe, I'm gonna thrill you tonight
_____________________________________
Thriller night, babe
The foulest stench is in the air _____________________________________
The funk of forty thousand years
_____________________________________
And grizzly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom _____________________________________
And though you fight to stay alive
_____________________________________
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist _____________________________________
The evil of the thriller! _____________________________________
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
_____________________________________
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

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 Identifying Conflict
Conflict is the problem or struggle the main character encounters throughout the plot. Internal
conflict (man vs. self) is when the character struggles with his or her own emotions or thoughts.
External conflict (man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. nature) is the character struggles with
factors outside of his or her control.
Directions: Identify the conflicts that the two main characters face throughout the video. Write
the internal conflicts inside their bodies. Write the external conflicts outside or around their
bodies

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