Most learners can remember song lyrics for years — but forget lesson content in weeks.
So… what if we turned curriculum knowledge into songs?

The Challenge

Singing along to songs from my teenage years in the recently car got me thinking – How come I can remember very little of what I diligently revised to pass my GCSEs but I somehow learned the words to numerous songs that I only heard a couple of times while revising without actually trying? Maybe the issue isn’t memory, but method. This week’s Coffee Break AI Challenge explores that and how AI can help teachers turn curriculum content into songs — making recall faster, stickier, and more fun.

Why songs work for memory

• Rhythm + repetition + melody = stronger neural encoding
• Dual coding (words + sound) increases retention
• Works especially well for SEN, EAL and auditory learners
• Ideal for retrieval practice and low-stakes review
  (You may want to add one research citation here — I can supply if needed)

There’s robust evidence that learning set to melody and rhythm aids memory: for instance, children aged 9–11 showed better recall when content was learned using musical mnemonics than when they rehearsed spoken words. frontiersin.org Neuroscience shows that singing and musical speech processing share brain networks, strengthening encoding of words and sequences. PMC However, the benefit only holds when the song is specifically designed for the content (not just any music in the background) — repetition, familiarity and low extraneous load are key. scholars.indianastate.edu”

So why not give it a go.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1 – Gather the content

Copy/paste a topic: e.g. “Causes of WW1” / “Food chains” / “The water cycle”.

I chose online safety and used the information from the BBCBitesize site as my source.

Step 2 – Prompt ChatGPT to create the lyrics

You are a specialist teacher creating a memory-boosting learning song for pupils aged 9–11.
Turn the following information into a short, rhyming, catchy song that helps pupils remember the key facts.
Make it accurate, age-appropriate, and no more than 4 verses.
Content to include: [paste topic info here]

Here’s what ChatGPT came up with – Sort of (see below)

Click Smart – Stay Shap

Verse 1

The internet’s a place to chat, to learn, to play and share,
But think before you click or post – be smart and stay aware.
Keep your name and address private, guard your password too,
Your photos are your business – don’t let strangers peek at you!

Chorus

Click smart, stay sharp, know who’s on your screen,
Only chat or game with friends you’ve met and really seen.
If something feels unsafe, just stop and walk away,
Tell a trusted grown-up – that’s the safest way to play!

Verse 2

Not everyone you meet online is really who they seem,
So don’t reply or chat with those who aren’t on your real-life team.
What you post can last forever, even when it’s gone from view,
So be kind, be safe and thoughtful – your future’s up to you!

Chorus

Verse 3

If someone’s being mean online, or sends a scary note,
You can block them and report them – but don’t face it on your own.
Tell a grown-up that you trust, they’ll help you make it right,
Feeling safe is so important – you don’t have to fight that fight.

Bridge

If someone breaks into your account, that’s hacking – not okay,
They might pretend to be you – that’s identity theft at play.
Pop-ups, slowdown, odd messages? That could be the clue,
Tell a trusted adult quickly – they’ll know what to do!
Warn your friends so they stay safe, and lock your info tight,
Together we can beat the hackers – keep our logins safe and out of sight.

Verse 4

So check your settings, keep things locked down, update and stay secure,
Take a screen break now and then – your brain will thank you, sure!
The web is fun and full of stuff, but balance is the key,
Stay safe, stay kind, stay cyber-smart – be the best that you can be.

Chorus

With a bit of help from the human in the loop

Ok so It didn’t do an awful job of creating the lyrics but it wasn’t exactly Ed Sheeran’s next hit either. AI songs do tend to contain the odd contrived phrases or cheesy rhymes. So I have to admit the above lyrics were slightly improved by me – the human in the loop (HITL) I’d urge you to do the same and exercise your songwriting flair to improve the rhymes and also your skill as an educator to refine the message. After all you don’t want your learners to really efficiently learn the wrong information.

Once you have lyrics you are happy with it’s time to move over to Suno.

Step 3 – Paste lyrics into Suno

If you are working with younger children under styles enter “Pop / kids / upbeat” or select from the styles if you want something more age appropriate.
Hit ‘Create’ and sip your coffee for 30 seconds while the magic happens.

You will see a few versions of your song. Some will only last a minute or so. These are previews of what the more advanced model generates. If you look for the longer songs they will be the full versions. I warn you before you press play that the prompt – ‘pop/kids/upbeat’ produces deeply cheesy tunes. While these will work well with younger children playing them to your Y5s or 6s will lose you a lot of street credibility. For older learners I would definitely be a bit more specific with your genre choices.

Once you have generated a suitably cool tune you can download the MP3 or create a share link This is mine – https://suno.com/s/kuDwDGRqVSEXwwqh

Step 4 – Use in class as:

• an entry routine
• a retrieval warm-up
• a homework memory aid
• SEN/EAL support material
• a year-end revision playlist

Ethical and practical considerations

• No student data used
• Safe for classroom use
• Teacher maintains control of the content
• Copyright: songs generated are yours to use in class, but not to resell commercially
• AI is a drafting tool, not a replacement for teaching – keeping the human in the loop

Looking for practical support and guidance for using AI in your classroom?

If your school or Trust wants to explore AI to support learning, feedback or workload we’d love to hear from you — We run short, evidence-based CPD sessions that help staff use AI safely and confidently. Our AI training for schools and academy trusts focusses on the most important component of AI – the value of the Human In the Loop.

Enjoyed this challenge? – Check out the others in the series