Curated OER
Music And Violence: What Message is Music Promoting To Our Youth
Students analyze several pieces of music and videos to examine how popular musicians and their music affect us as individuals and as a society. The perception of society's ideals, hypocrisy in government, and injustice are explored.
Curated OER
VH1 AIDS: A Pop Culture History Lesson 2
High schoolers examine messages in popular music, and observe the musical elements of the Rhythm and Blues and Rap genres.
Curated OER
Syncopation and Rhythm in Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and Rap Music
Middle schoolers recognize and clap the syncopated rhythmic beat of a rap song and identify recurring rhythmic pattern in the excerpt of "Dance of the Adolescents" from Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.
Curated OER
VH1 Driven: Kanye West, Lesson 3
Learners compose a beat in the style of Kanye West. They listen to and analyze the song, "Through the Wire" by Kanye West, compose a beat, and complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
VH1 Driven: Kanye West
Learners watch a video excerpt about the life of Kanye West. They draw connections between his life and their own and compose a rap song in the style of West, using his song, "Through the Wire" as an example.
Yale University
Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: The Evolution of Rap
Here you can find a detailed overview of the evolution of rap music in the United States, followed by several lesson plans.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 31: Syncopation and Rhythm
Music students rarely see the value or have any interest in music other than their favorite popular artist or group. By showing connections and similarities between current music and 'classical' music, the teacher begins to break down...
PBS
Pbs: Who Made America?: Innovators: Russell Simmons
Hip-hop's master impresario brought marginalized voices to a mass audience -- and cross-marketed a youth cultural movement in music, comedy, fashion, poetry, and social action.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Understanding Poetry of Maya Angelou Through Rap Lyric
By examining the lives and lyrics of popular, positive black female rappers such as Queen Latifah and Lauryn Hill, students can trace a direct line back to the inspirational writer and poet, Maya Angelou. Rap lyrics will help explicate...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 33: 8 Rap
Rap music and hip-hop were the pop music of the nineties. Learners of all ages liked to mimic the rappers they listened to on CD's, tapes, and the radio. This lesson builds on students' interest in rap music as well as their enjoyment of...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 52: Scops, Rappers and You
This lesson will help students to better understand and appreciate the epic poem Beowulf by comparing it to a modern rap song. All learners, and at-risk students in particular, learn better when they are able to find relevance and...
Black Past
Black Past: Queen Latifah
This encyclopedia entry extols Queen Latifah as the most influential female rap singer. You can read about her evolution as a rap singer and actress.
New Zealand Ministry of Education
Nz Ministry of Education: Playing Around With Poetry
Middle schoolers listen to and read various texts using figurative language including a ballad, poetry (Haiku, Cinquain, Limmerick) and rap music. They discuss language, meaning and ideas in a range of texts, relating their understanding...
Black Past
Black Past: Rap/hip Hop
This encyclopedia entry gives a brief history of rap and hip hop and the influences of the music on modern culture.
Other
Alien Travel Guide: Musical Styles
A descriptive site on the many styles of music. There is information on everything from chamber music to rap.
Black Past
Black Past: Public Enemy
In this encyclopedia entry, you read about the rap group, Public Enemy, their songs, and the evolution of their message. There is a link to a website for more information.
Other
Will Smith, Fresh Prince
Contains a biography of rapper/actor Will Smith (aka The Fresh Prince), among the first Grammy-winning rap artists.
Other
Davey D's Hip Hop Corner: History of Hip Hop
This site offers an extensive history of hip hop and rap, for those who want to know where it all came from!