Grab your students' attention and interest through the medium of their favorite music--RAP!
A successful high school English teacher presents a cassette tape (or CD) of CLASSIC RAP. As performed on National Public Radio, demonstrated at teachers' conventions, and advertised in various publications, including the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Council Chronicle, these eight songs are now available on one album for ONLY $19.95 (shipping included).
The songs are based upon Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Red Badge of Courage, Lord of the Flies, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Billy Budd, and The Light in the Forest.
Each song is in two formats: 1)VOICE AND MUSIC, 2)MUSIC ONLY ACCOMPANIMENT TRACK. The voice and music format can be listened to as an audio recording. The accompaniment track is even more exciting since you or your students or your students and you can prepare performances for the classroom. Also background rapping and back-up singing can be creatively arranged. RAP SHEETS (lyrics) are included.
Each of these songs has been performed in the classroom with tremendous success! Students focus and listen intently. If presented before one of these literary works is studied, a song will function as an exciting PREVIEW. If played or performed in the midst of the study, the students will ANTICIPATE the denouement/resolution and be MOTIVATED to finish reading the play or novel. Why? Because the lyric usually advances only as far as the CLIMAX or TURNING POINT of the story. If played or performed at the end of the study, a discussion of the THEMATICALLY oriented refrains will PROMOTE understanding and retention, while serving as a REVIEW of the PLOT LINE.
Here is a sample lyric from David Veglahn’s "Freedom" based on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:
The King sold Jim out to a farm.
Could Huck keep Jim from white man's harm?
FREEDOM...FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST SOME.
Here is a sample lyric from David Veglahn’s "To Kill a Mockingbird Rap":
They each told the jury a story that's sad
How Tom Robinson was the one at fault,
Accused him of rape and brutal assault.
Because he was black and she was white,
The jury was blinded against the right.
PEOPLE'S FEAR OF FAIRNESS SCARES ME BADLY
WHAT THEY DONE TO TOM ROBINSON AND MIGHT DO TO
BOO RADLEY