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Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Make comparisons between lyrics and a poem.  
• Describe the meaning of the lyrics. 
• Listen to and discuss the song, “Guantanamera.”
• Compare the revolutionary activities of José Martí and Pete Seeger.
• Write an informative text about José Martí and Pete Seeger.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

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Websites

Teacher Background

Teachers should familiarize themselves with Pete Seeger and José Martí using the following sources: , , and .

Student Prerequisites 

Students should generally be familiar with the concepts of poetry, lyrics, music, and connotations. 

Accessibility Notes

Modify handouts, text, as needed. Provide assistive technologies for listening to the song or provide a live performance to get a general feel of the rhythm.

Engage

1. Play a recording of the song . Ask the students, have you heard this song before? What languages do you hear? (Spanish and English). Share the  and have students analyze them. 

2. Lead a discussion about the meaning of the song. Ask students, what is the meaning or purpose of the song? What did you hear in English and Spanish? What connotations are hidden in the words? What do they represent? How are these words indicative of, or linked to, revolutionary activity? 

3. Play  again.

4. Give the students a copy of and review the definitions.

Build 

1. Play the song again. Explain that the song was made famous by Pete Seeger and that the words come from a poem by José Martí. Note that these two men lived in different times in two different countries, but that their lives had many similarities. Explain to the students that this song brings together several traditions. Seeger writes that in 1961, a young Cuban was working at a children’s summer camp in the Catskill Mountains when he read some simple verses by José Martí. He found that the verses could be fitted to an old popular song from Havana that was used to sing any verse one wished. He combined Martí’s patriotic verses with a chorus addressed to a country girl. This combination ennobled the old street melody. Later that summer, while Seeger was singing for the children, they taught him the song they had learned from their Cuban counselor. Now the song is an international favorite. 

2. Divide students into small groups. Ask students to examine the lyrics and discuss why the combination of Martí’s verses with the chorus is either effective or ineffective. 

3. Give students a copy of the handout. Have students read, listen, and discuss the biography to check for understanding. Distribute the and the and have students complete it independently, in pairs, or small groups.  

4. Give students a copy of the . Have students read and discuss the biography to check for understanding. Distribute the and have students complete it independently, in pairs, or small groups. 

Apply

1. Have students compare José Martí and Pete Seeger using the . 

2. Have students present their comparisons to the class or in small groups. Encourage students to use visuals or a presentation software to present. 

Reflect

1. Assess students’ knowledge of the artists and song “Guantanamera” by responding to one or more of the writing prompts: Discuss how the song “Guantanamera” brings together multiple cultural and stylistic elements. How can men from such different backgrounds create such a powerful and popular song? In your opinion, what are some of the most effective elements of the song (melody, a combination of lyrics)? Describe a present-day song written by two people from different backgrounds? 

Extend

1. Extend a study of the poetry and other writings of José Martí. Create a visual arts or media arts representation of José Martí’s work. 

2. Take a deeper look at the McCarthy era. What was the McCarthy era? What is McCarthyism? How did it affect the arts? How did it affect musicians? What works of art were created to reflect this era?

3. Examine Pete Seeger’s song collection. Dig into the context of his song collection and create a comprehensive presentation comparing his works. 

4. Modify the lyrics of “Guantanamera” to include your own culture and linguistic styles. Present your revised song to the class.