Student Work Archives

January 19, 2016
Flocabulary Team

Writing Rhymes for Test Prep: A Spotlight on ESL Teacher Leah Simpson

When working with an ESL population, one of teacher Leah Simpson’s goals is to help students prepare for the WIDA test, an English language proficiency exam used by a number of states across the country, including her home state of Tennessee. The Warren County High School Teacher, based in McMinnville, TN, uses our Word Up Blue and The Week in Rap to help students practice Tier 2 vocabulary and bring nonfiction text into her classroom.

As part of their test preparation, students also need practice with academic vocabulary across subjects. How did Leah decide to boost subject-specific vocab with her class this year? With rhyme-writing, of course! Each of Leah’s five class periods picked a subject—math, science, social students, ELA or social/instructional language—and worked over the course of a month to compose a rap as a group. Students performed their raps for their families at Warren County High School’s ESL Family Night this fall to much celebration. Here’s what Leah told us about the experience:

Read on!

December 22, 2015
Flocabulary Team

Students Pen Poems and Host Thoughtful Thanksgivings for Shout-Outs!

Each week, we recognize stellar student work submitted to the The Week in Rap and The Week in Rap Junior Shout-Out Contests. For their Week in Rap Shout-Out, students in Mrs. Karen Chin’s 7th Grade Social Studies class at Jane Addams Jr. High in Schaumburg, IL flexed their poetic muscles to produce a plethora of poems dedicated to inanimate objects. Meanwhile, in Houma, Louisiana, Mrs. Parfait’s 4th grade Physical Education class at Acadian Elementary School claimed Week in Rap Jr. Shout-Out fame with a thoughtful entry on their Thanksgiving guests of choice. Read on to explore these excellent entries!

Read on!

November 23, 2015
Flocabulary Team

Students at W.P. McLean School Design a Better Test for a Week in Rap Shout-Out!

Every week, we celebrate student creativity through the The Week in Rap Shout-Out Contest. For last week’s Shout-Out, students in Melissa Torres’ 8th social studies class at W.P. McLean School in Fort Worth, Texas stood out with their critical thinking about improving college admissions exams. Read on to learn what they proposed!

Read on!

January 29, 2015
Flocabulary Team

Student Oxymorons

Every week, our Week in Rap Shout-Out Contest gives students an opportunity to win a shout out for their school in the next Week in Rap. For this week’s contest, we challenged you to create original oxymorons. Oxymorons seem to contradict themselves, and this contradiction can be a powerful literary device. Phrases that seem nonsensical at first can force the reader to dig deeper to understand their meaning.

Read on!

January 22, 2015
Flocabulary Team

Real-life Superheroes

Every week, our Week in Rap Shout-Out Contest gives students an opportunity to win a shout out for their school in the next Week in Rap. For this week’s contest, we asked you to tell us about someone you consider a superhero. An average citizen who went above and beyond (like Wesley Autrey), a celebrity who inspires you, or even a teacher or coach who changed your life for the better. Who would you call super?

Read on!