OVERVIEW: Middle school students often have difficulty expressing their ideas in traditional composition writing. Many of these students are interested in rap music and I will introduce rap to them as not merely music but rather a vehicle for expression and communication. Students will have an opportunity to listen to a popular rap song and examine it for its communicative quality. Students will also have an opportunity to write their own rap or rhyme to express themselves. Students who are not comfortable writing in the rapping or rhyming format will be permitted to write a poem or a composition to express themselves. In addition, students will learn the meaning of new vocabulary words that they commonly hear in rap music. OBJECTIVES: 1. Students will understand the history of rap or rhyming stories. 2. Students will review vocabulary words. (cop, guarantee, humble, flagrant, supreme, lyrical, yacht) 3. Students will listen to a popular rap song. 4. Students will discuss issues communicated in the rap song. 5. Students will write a rap, rhyme or composition about their future occupation and future success in life. 6. Students will share their rap, rhyme or composition with the class. 7. Students will draw an illustration of their written piece. PROCEDURES: 1. Students will discuss the history of rap or rhyming stories by asking and answering questions. I will inform the students of the African connection to rap and rhyme and the legitimate communication form which has been passed to African-Americans from Africa over three hundred years ago. 2. Students will read and discuss "The History of Rap". 3. Students will read the lyrics and listen to the rap song "Mo' Money Mo' Problems by Puffy Combs. 4. Students will answer discussion questions. 5. Students will create a rap, rhyme or poem titled "My Future". 6. Students will share their rap, rhyme or composition with the class. 7. Students will illustrate their written piece using kraft paper and colored markers. ATTACHMENTS: THE HISTORY OF RAP MUSIC Rap music developed from rhythm and blues music and rhythm and blues music developed from jazz. A discussion of rap therefore must start with a discussion of jazz. Where did jazz music develop from? Jazz developed from folk sources. The slaves brought music here from Africa and as they torn from their own ancestral culture, they developed slave music as a new form of communication in song and story. Black music in America retained much of Africa in it distinctive rhythmic elements. This is true of rap music, which was first commercially marketed in the early 1980s. Rap music in the African-American community was however evident in the culture of the black slave. Early musical forms dating from the slavery years include work songs, children's songs, and dances. They rhythmic quality of these songs in similar to rap songs in our culture today. The beat box, which is used in today's rap music, is a result of slave culture. The poor economic conditions of slaves led them to "get by" with whatever they could for instruments. The combination of these two facts undoubtedly accounts for the expressionistic nature of African-American music from the 1600s to today. The African-American music forms, such as rap, are not limited to being enjoyed by African-American people. The commercial success of rap groups from the early 1980s to today speak to the fact that youth from all cultures enjoy rap music. MO' MONEY MO' PROBLEMS ACTIVITY SHEET 1. Why do you think Puffy Combs says "get your bat and lay it down"? 2. Where do you expect to be ten years from now? 3. Who do you thing B.I.G. is talking about when he says, "tapped my phone in the basement"? 4. Do you think the more money people make the more problems they will have? Why or why not. MATERIALS: CD or tape player Mo' Money Mo' Problems tape or CD the artists are: Puffy Combs, Mase, Notorious BIG. lyrics kraft paper markers NOTE TO EDUCATORS: This lesson can work equally well with any type of music and a variety of selections. My students are interested in rap music and they enjoyed this lesson. It was enjoyable to teach because the students were so excited and I was able to see some very creative communication occurring. Submitted by: Tracy Bedford 6th grade English and Science teacher Burgess Elementary School Wichita Falls, Texas