How to Write Raps Using Flocabulary
District 5 of Lexington and Richland Counties
July 12, 2017
Caitlin Walker
You’ll leave this room knowing…
Flocabulary is a web-based learning program for all grades and subjects that uses educational hip-hop to engage students and increase achievement.
What is Flocabulary?
Why Rap?
Why Rap?
Why Rap?
WORD COUNT:
Hip Hop averages 2 to 3 times the number of words per song compared with other popular genres.
Why Rap?
VOCAB USAGE:
Hip Hop employs a greater diversity of vocabulary than any other genre.
Subjects Review
Social Studies
Language Arts
Grades K to 12
Grades K to 12
Vocabulary
Grades K to 8
Math
Grades K to 8
Science
Grades K to 12
Teach interdisciplinary Tier-2 words with Flocabulary’s award-winning Word Up program.
Whether reinforcing core concepts or introducing something new you’ll find a range of topics.
Make science come alive in your classroom with our engaging videos and activities for Earth science, life science, physics and chemistry.
Engage students
across the social studies curriculum.
U.S. History, Ancient World History, Modern World History, Civics and Geography.
From nouns and verbs to research skills and argumentative essays.
Flocabulary's language arts units reinforce key concepts for all grades.
Subjects Review (extra)
Week in Rap
Social & Emotional
Grades K to 12
Grades K to 12
Financial Literacy
Grades 6 to 12
Grades K to 8
Make social and emotional learning a cornerstone of your classroom community.
Cover everything from source evaluation and writing a bibliography to public speaking and test-taking strategies.
A collection of 12 hip-hop videos and accompanying classroom activities supports lessons on college loans, credits cards and other topics.
Learning
Research & Study
Skills
&
Week in Rap Jr.
Review and discuss current events with a new video every Friday.
It’s perfect for writing, discussion and critical thinking.
How do I find resources and use Flocabulary?
Finding Subject Content
Search
Browse by subject
Favorites
Find standards-aligned content
Seasonal resources
Engage - Master - Create
Each Flocabulary unit follows the same instructional sequence, moving students up Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Step 1: Engage
It all starts with the video! Use the Pause and Play prompts during your second viewing as discussion or writing prompts.
Step 2: Master
Students complete a series of exercises including Read and Respond and a short formative assessment. For further practice with reading comprehension and vocabulary, check out Lyric Notes and Fill in the Blanks.
Step 3: Create
Encourage higher order thinking and invite your students to create! Lyric Lab empowers your students to write and perform their own raps, demonstrating mastery of what they’ve learned either solo or in groups.
How can my students use Flocabulary to write raps?
As a class we researched South Carolina, then together I helped them write individual poems about what they learned.
Step 1: Practice Research and Writing
Student Example
I separated my students into groups that I thought would work well together. I also chose which state they would research.
Step 2: Separate student into groups
I used Epic! for my students to research this year. I created booklists for them to choose from.
Step 3: Independent Research
Students listen to beats chosen by teacher. Together they discuss which one they like. I used Padlet for them to collaborate.
Step 4: Choose a beat.
Step 4: Choose a beat.
Each group chooses their own writer.
Step 4: Choose a writer for the group
Show examples from Flocabulary.
Step 5: Write the introduction.
Step 5: Write the introduction.
First, it must be fun to listen to, because it's the part that listeners are going to hear the most.
The second thing most hooks should do is advance the main idea of the song.
Step 6: Write the hook.
I only give them a few rules:
Step 7: Write the first verse.
The students give each other comments and compliments to get better. We work on keeping it positive and constructive.
Step 7: And give feedback
Follow the same rules as verse 1. I also let them choose if they want the hook in between. The hook must go after verse 3.
Step 8: Write verses 2 and 3.
I don’t give many directions for this. It does not have to rhyme but it does have to end the rap.
Step 9: Conclusion
Students practice their raps over and over again.
Have students perform for various people.
Step 10: Practice, Practice, Practice
Step 10: And Perform
I like to use Audacity. It is free and easy to dowload.
Step 11: Record
Any questions?
Email me at:
caitlin.walker.cw@gmail.com
Follow the q-r code to the padlet. Choose a beat and try to write a hook about your experience at UTC so far.
Remember it only has to be 4 lines but they need to rhyme.
Now you can try it for yourself.