Alice Bag in the Music Room: unas ideas para integrar el punk en la music class
Alice Bag is pioneer punk rocker from Los Angeles and she is bilingual. Her music in English and Spanish exemplify artistic freedom, music as activism and fearlessness. In my opinion, all students should be taught about punk and Alice, especially during music time!
About Alice
● Alice Bag is a punk rock pioneer who first performed in 1977 as the lead vocalist of her band The Bags which she co-founded.
● Her iconic autobiography, Violence Girl was published in 2011 in English and its Spanish translation in 2025.
● She was born in East Los Angeles and is the daughter of Mexican immigrants.
● Since 2016 she has released three solo albums featuring songs she wrote in English and Spanish.
● Alice Bag’s songs tackle heavy subjects including racism, sexism, ageism, and domestic violence.
● She is an outspoken activist that supports women’s and marginalized people’s empowerment in music.
Below are my suggestions for teaching your students about Alice Bag. Please intro all these activities by showing a picture of Alice and sharing a few facts such as the ones listed above. Be sure to stop to ask students to define terms including "punk rocker" and "activist." These activities are written in sequential order but can still be done individually.
Grades K-2:
1. Objective: Students will be able to identify and respond to changes in tempo and recognize form in musical performances using movement.
a. Teacher will demonstrate using scarf to move along to music that is fast then slow and stopping when there is a pause using the studio recording “77” (1:30-2:15) and will ask students to keep the beat they feel by patting on their laps.
b. Teacher will review behavior expectations, mainly to move safely and stay in their “bubble”
c. Teacher will distribute scarves, providing a choice between two colors
d. Students will move along to the recording and respond to the changes in form and beat using the scarves
e. Teacher will ask students to share any moves they came up with during the first (faster) part of the song and or during the slower later part.
2. Objective: Students will be able to identify the components of a punk band and distinguish between percussion, strings, and voice (solo and unison)
a. Class will watch Alice Bag performing “77” live with The Linda Lindas
b. Teacher will ask students to identify instruments in the performance
c. Teacher will display a picture of one instrument at a time (could be as they are identified) and ask what students know about that instrument, if they have ever played it and if they know someone who also plays it. If they not all are identified, simply introduce them next.
d. If instrument is unavailable, open a virtual instrument version and allow each student to tap it a couple of times, asking them to repeat the name of the instrument.
Click on the image to open the playable virtual instrument (works best on a tablet or smartphone)
For voice, ask students how they were singing.
Was it someone by themselves or a duo, trio or the whole group?
3. Objective: Students will be able to identify instrument families
a. Ask class to recall the four instruments in the punk band from the previous activity
b. Once all the instruments are in display, ask for a volunteer to group them together based on what they have in common.
c. The groups identified should be strings, percussion and voice which you’ll label using a slide or a dry-erase marker. Ask class if they can identify any other instruments that fall into those categories.
d. Introduce the category of wind instruments and ask for examples
e. Use cut outs of instruments with magnets if possible, asking volunteers to come up and place them in the correct categories.
click on the image to purchase these printable images for $2
Grades 3-5:
1. Objective: Students will be able to express themselves through movement using punk music dancing styles
a. Briefly introduce punk music using images from “Punk for kids” by Loog Guitars
b. Share the “Pit Dancing Styles” by Chicx Rockerx South East LA video clip (19:12-19:57) and allow students to stand up and try the moves
c. Explain that you will play a punk song by Alice Bag (and show her picture), and that they can try out these moves SAFELY if they like or just enjoy the music and think about something they want to change about the world.
d. Play video or recording of “77” by Alice Bag and allow students to dance it out (or not).
e. When the song is over, allow students to react with each other for a few seconds, then play a sound to invite them to talk about it /share their experience as a class.
à What moves did you try? How did you feel moving to this music?
à How would you describe this music to someone that has never heard it?
à This song is about how women are treated unfairly compared to men. Is there something you think you would want to protest with a punk song?
2. Objective: Students will be able to identify and demonstrate tempo changes using body percussion and or movement (including “air playing”) to punk music.
a. Play the first 31 seconds of “No Means No” by Alice Bag and asking students what they like or enjoy most about punk music based on what they just heard or the previous activity.
b. “Let’s listen for one specific element of music: tempo!” Provide a brief overview of steady beat and three tempo levels (adagio, andante, allegro), asking the class to echo you as you say each word and clap its syllables at that tempo (i.e. “aaahhhdaaaahhhgiiiiooooooh”)
c. Ask students to listen for at least two of these tempos and show you with movement (claps, pats, air guitar, dancing, up to you but be safe) which one they are hearing / feeling. Play a clip of “Survive” by The Bags (begin at 1:12)
d. When song ends, ask students to identify the two tempo levels in the recording.
e. Reflection questions: “Why do you think the band chose to slow the tempo down in the middle of the song?” This song is called “Survive” – what does this word mean to you?
3. Objective: Students will be able to collaborate on the creation of a punk song incorporating their knowledge of various elements of music including form, texture, tempo, dynamics and rhythm.
a. Teacher will explain that it is now our turn to make a quick punk song. With a partner or small group, you will agree on a topic (something you think is unfair), come up with lyrics and put them on a poster (either written or illustrated). Alice Bag speaks Spanish and some of her songs are in Spanish, so students are encouraged to use the language they are most comfortable expressing themselves in.
b. Students will self select groups of 2-5 (this is flexible, they may want to collaborate as a class) to collaborate on a punk song with a topic of their choosing. They do not have to share the song with the class but they have to have something to show you when the time is up. Teacher will remind them that there are no rules, you can make a beat or melody if you like or just focus on what you want the song to be about.
c. Teacher will go around to the groups and ask what their topic is and why they chose it. Students may elect to allow the teacher to put their poster up on display.
Grades 6-12:
1. Objective: Students will be able to analyze the various elements of a punk song including instrumentation, tempo, vocal timbre, and form with an emphasis on lyrics.
a. Teacher will ask students if they can think of any songs that could count as a protest song. If students provide examples, the teacher will write those on the board/projector and ask students to identify what that song is protesting.
b. Teacher will briefly introduce Alice Bag using some of the quick facts and her picture. Teacher will display the lyrics of “77” and preface playing the recording by naming the injustice the song is protesting (income inequality between males and females).
c. Once students listen to the recording, the teacher will ask for initial reactions.
d. Teacher will ask students to identify what other aspects of the song help communicate its message, prompting categories if needed. Emphasize the punk aesthetic of “not following the rules” both musically and in terms of perceiving the world around us.
e. If there is at least one student-supplied example of a protest song, set up a compare/contrast discussion. If there isn’t one, ask students to pair/small group share which elements they would incorporate into their own protest song and what topic(s) they might cover.
2. Objective: Students will be able to collaborate on the creation of a punk song incorporating their knowledge of various elements of music including form, texture, tempo, dynamics and rhythm.
a. Teacher will explain that it is now our turn to make a quick punk song. With a partner or small group, they will agree on a topic (something you think is unfair), come up with lyrics and put them on a poster (either written or illustrated). Alice Bag speaks Spanish and some of her songs are in Spanish, so students are encouraged to use the language they are most comfortable expressing themselves in.
b. Students will self-select groups of 2-5 (this is flexible, they may want to collaborate as a class) to collaborate on a punk song with a topic of their choosing. They do not have to share the song with the class but they have to have something to show the teacher when the time is up. Teacher will remind them that there are no rules, you can make a beat or melody if you like or just focus on what you want the song to be about.
c. Teacher will go around to the groups and ask what their topic is and why they chose it. Students may elect to allow the teacher to put their poster up on display.
3. Objective: Students will be able to create music in the spirit of punk while reflecting their own musical tendencies.
a. Teacher will play 30 seconds or so of Alice Bag performing with Trio La Victoria for Dolores Huerta at Cal State LA, and ask students if they think this is “punk.” The idea is that since punk has no limits, any type of music (and musician) can be punk.
b. Teacher will then ask students to reconsider the topics they would want to cover and think about how they would express themselves while being true to their own musical identity. Students will be given two-three minutes to write down ideas (genres, topics, instruments, etc.) using this free handout in English and Spanish.
c. Teacher will then facilitate a discussion about how to record the class’ ideas. How do you do this if there are no instruments available for example? What can you do with an electronic device and various apps? Intended topics to be covered include voice/video recorder apps / on phones, Chrome Music Lab, Soundtrap, using loops/samples from sites like Splice, Bandlab, and AI music creation (like Suno).
Additional Resources
● Chicana Punk and the Chicano Movement - TeachRock
Labels: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th grade, bilingual, culturally responsive, exploration, Kindergarten, lesson plans, music class, online tools
posted by Ms. Cosquilla @ January 18, 2026
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