Mindi R. Englart
This is one of the most ancient forms of poetry. It expresses the sadness of death. The form has more to do with the content than with any specific structure. There is a good deal of rap content that has to do with death. For example, a number of elegy-type songs have been written about the deaths of Biggie and Tupac Shakur, who were murdered.
Here is an elegy by Dylan Thomas called “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”:
“Do not go gentle into that good night,/Old age should burn and rave at close of day;/Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Have students write an elegy.
Day 5:
Poetry Reading: Have snacks (of course) and have students read their favorite poem(s) that they wrote during the week. If they are shy about reading their own work, they can read a poet that exemplifies one of the forms we studied.
Day 10:
Talk to students about what the word canon means in the context of the literary world. Ask them what literature has been required reading for them in school. Then, have each student create their own canon of rap and poetry (this does not have to be rap music only). They should list at least 10 works and write a sentence or two describing why the work should be considered a “classic.” Any type of lyric that can be considered poetic can be included. Here you can involve students who have musical tastes other than rap. Then have people share their lists and collaborate to create your own class canon.
Week Five: Hip Hop Party-Getting into the Groove
Days 1-4:
Using rap and poetry to focus on language awareness and skills. It is important to become adept at using language (words, punctuation, rhyme, rhythm, etc.) in order to be good at writing poetry. These are your tools to build your message.
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1. Listen to a variety of historical raps and rap-like songs. Give the students a copy of the words to read along while they listen to the music. Some examples:
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- “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang
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- “Rapture” by Blondie
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- “The Message” by Furious Five
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- “Planet Rock” by Afrika Bombaataa
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- “Going back to Cali” by LL Cool J
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- “Cantaloop” (Flip Fantasia) by US3
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Have students write in their journals about what seems to make rap rap (content, form, beat, performer, etc.).
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2. Class picks a word. Then run a contest to see who can think of the most ways to say the same thing (using words and phrases) in 15 minutes (perhaps work in teams).
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3. Analyzing rap as poetry
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Play a variety of songs that students have brought in. After each one, have students write in their journals for a few minutes to answer the following questions:
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a. What is this song about?
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b. What were the key words that convey the content?
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c. What is the importance of the beat?
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d. Did I like this song? Why or why not?
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e. Is this poetry? Why or why not? Be specific using terms and forms discussed in previous weeks.
Day 5:
Play the Language Game: Language is the raw material of the poet. Help students develop awareness of the habitual ways in which they use language, in order to allow them more choice. Have the students go around and each contribute a rule. (Here are the rules my freshmen class came up with: Must use proper punctuation. Cannot say “gonna,” “wanna,” “ain’t,” “um,” “like,” or “dude,”. Cannot use profanity or double negatives. They also suggested no whining and no making fun of others. The group then picks a topic, such as “school”. The first person makes up and says two sentences aloud, being careful to follow all the rules. Then the next person adds two sentences to the story, and so on. Keep score of mistakes on the blackboard and (if you like) have a prize for the person with the fewest mistakes.