This comprehensive high school lesson plan, from the Kennedy Center's ArtsEdge program, helps student make connections between poetry (Giovanni, Saul Williams) Rap lyrics (Blackalicious) and Shakespeare. The parallels are excellent and this is a great example of how teachers can use rap as a mirror for poetry. For more lesson plans, check out Flocabulary's Teacher Resources. You can also hear this idea in action with Flocabulary's literature raps.
We're always lucky when, in the midst of a confusing and paradoxical cultural movement, a voice emerges to calm our anxieties and educate us. No cultural movement is as complicated (possibly self destructive, at times extraordinarily uplifting) as hip-hop. And one voice that has emerged to guide us through the ridiculousness is Jay Smooth. Jay Smooth is a part-time radio host in NYC, and also the founder of the smartest video blog on hip-hop out there: Illdoctrine.com. Jay doesn't compete with most hip-hop sites. He isn't delivering news, album reviews or gossip. He's delivering commentary: The Thomas Friedman of rap.…
For anybody who missed it, early this year presidential candidate Barack Obama weighed in on the educational power and potential of hip-hop music in an interview with Jeff Johnson on BET's "What's In It For Us?" Here is an excerpt: Jeff Johnson: "The reality is that hip-hop can engage the very young people that you have to deal with about education and incarceration. Would there be a place [in your White House] to explore how hip-hop can be effectively used?" Barack Obama: "Absolutely, I don't think there is any doubt that it can be. I've talked to artists about how,…
As way of promoting the release of four new hip-hop learning tools, Flocabulary is giving away a free copy of our Beats CD with every order through October 10th. The CD, which features 20 hip-hop instrumentals, is a great way to get students writing their own Flocab-style raps. Check out the latest from Flocabulary and get your free copy.
