ARTS EDUCATION TEACHER HANDBOOK

MUSIC :: ELEMENTARY LESSON PLAN

ELEMENTARY LESSON PLAN

 

Submitted by Lori Evans Cumberland County Schools

Lesson Title:
Write Your Own Rap

Grade Level or Course:
Third grade music

Time Allotment:
3 or 4 -45-minute sessions

Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina Arts Education Standard Course
of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K-12:

COMPETENCY GOAL 1: The learner will sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

  • 1.03 Sing simple songs with increased rhythmic accuracy.
  • 1.04 Sing with proper vocal technique including head tones, clear diction, and correct posture.
  • 1.08 Sing a variety of music representing diverse genres, styles, and cultures.
  • 1.09 Show respect for the singing efforts of others.

(Note: While rap is not usually considered a method of singing, it is a method of vocalization that our students can understand. I define the term "sing" in the above objectives as a method of vocalizing. This unit is also helpful in teaching the students the difference between melody and no melody.)

COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will compose and arrange music within specified guidelines.

  • 4.02 Compose short pieces for voices or instruments using the pentatonic scale and varied rhythmic values.
  • 4.03 Arrange simple pieces for voices or instruments.
  • 4.05 Show respect for the composing and arranging efforts of others.

Lesson Objective(s):

The students, in teams of 3-5 will create original rap compositions within specified guidelines and perform their piece for the class. During the first class meeting, students will help create a rubric for self/group evaluation that will include elements of performance and composition.

Materials/Equipment Needed:

P/A system, rap tracks (rhythmic recordings that can be used for accompaniment purposes), notebook paper, rubric (class/teacher created), Supermarket Shuffle from The Music Connection by Silver-Burdett/Ginn - grade 3 (or similar appropriate rap)

 

Lesson Procedure:

Lesson 1 (45 minutes)

  • Explain to the students that they are undertaking a project that will give them the opportunity to create and perform their own rap song. To do this they will use what they have learned about form, rhyming words, verse, and refrain. As a class they will create a rubric that will provide a way to evaluate their performances.
  • Create the rubric that focuses on the elements students think should be included in a good song.
  • Put students into teams and have them generate a list of 5 topics (themes) that they might write about.
  • The team then chooses one topic.
  • Next, create a list of rhyming words that support the selected topic.
  • Teacher should now demonstrate quickly how to write a 2 section (AB) rap that uses 4 phrases in each section and at least 4 rhyming words.

    Example: A________B________


      _________ _________


      _________ _________


      _________ _________


  • Students may now begin their own composition if time allows.

 

Lessons 2 and 3 (45 minutes each)

  • Review from the previous week and emphasize that the rubric will be used for evaluation.
  • Explain that each group will perform their rap. There are other jobs that students can have if they don't want to be the "rapper". One or two percussion instruments, dancers, etc. to accompany the performance will add variety. As long as they helped write the rap, and fell that they are part of the group, they are successful.)
  • Make arrangements for how the students will rehearse with the rap tracks. (Just put on repeat and the teams can all work at the same time.)
  • Students now use the rest of the period and/or next week to finish and rehearse.

Lesson 4 (45 minutes)

  • Allow for last minute run-throughs.
  • Review the rubric.
  • Groups will perform and class will implement the rubric and use positive comments about their peers - work.

Assessment:

The students will assess their work using the rubric created by the teacher and class.

Special Considerations:

This unit should be taught after the students have had experience with both singing and rap. They should have at least a basic understanding of how rap lyrics are conceived (using rhyme scheme.) It is also advisable that they understand phrasing, verse, refrain, AB and ABA form. Students will experience success quite easily since they are not responsible for writing rhythms. The emphasis is on creating and performing a short vocal piece. This is a great opportunity to have the classroom teacher offer input for the rap themes. Students can be encouraged to expand on a subject being taught in their homeroom.

 

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