Hip Hop Unit: “If You Don’t Know, Now You Know…”

Procedure

Start my hip hop unit with the "Drop the Needle" quiz/lesson. This is not a pass or fail test but a way to get the students engaged into the unit using their prior knowledge of popular music. You can view the charts in the Powerpoint that I am attaching.

(1) Students are given a chart (on next slide) and told not to fill it out yet. Students are told that this is not a pass or fail test but more of an assessment of their listening skills and musical knowledge.

(2) Students are asked what a sample is, in everyday life. Various responses pop up and then student are asked what is a sample in music. Hopefully someone will give a response but many times, I refine the definition a student gives.

(3) Students are then told that they will hear 2-10 seconds of a song (5-6 in total) and will have to write down the rapper/singer, the title of the song and if it is an original or a sample. It is ok if they do not know a song or answer. They need to write down as much as they know. If they don’t know a song, that’s fine.If I am in class using a smartboard, I can usually switch the display mode so they cannot see what I am playing. The answers will not be revealed until you review the answers.

(4) Once we play through the selections, I review them and students will feel slightly duped since everything will be a sample. Some kids have a keen ear but many students do not have a broad enough music range to know other tunes or genres.

(5) Once we review the selections, we start discussing what a sample is and what a record is, which brings us into Lesson #2 of my unit.

Standards Code

Re7.1.5a. Demonstrate and explain how selected music (from teacher or student-provided
options) connects to and is influenced by specific interests, and experiences, purposes, or contexts.
Re7.2.7b. Identify and compare the context of music from a variety of genres, cultures, and historical periods.
Re7.1.8a. Select and compare how a set of contrasting musical works (from teacher or student-provided options) connect to and are influenced by specific interests, experiences, purposes, or contexts.
Cn10.1.7b. Relate music to personal accomplishments and experiences.
Cn11.1.8b. Identify ways in which music is used to inform or change the beliefs, values, or
behaviors of an individual or of a society.

Suggested Assessment

"Drop The Needle" Chart that I created so it becomes a self assessment tool with each student. Students will write down their initial response and then on the back of the chart, there will be a space for students to write down the correct answer so they can compare their answers. That form is in the Hip Hop Unit I shared.

There is also a "Name the Rapper" worksheet so we can discuss some old school rappers that went from rapping into other entertainment fields such as acting.

At the end of the unit, there is a project where students are asked to "interview" or research a rapper that will be shared out in class. Hopefully this will lead to using Soundtrap/Garageband/any other DAW platform to start creating music with.

Enduring Understanding

Individuals' selection of musical works is influenced by their interests, experiences,
understandings, and purposes.

Essential Question

How do individuals choose music to experience?

Notes/Resources/Accommodations

Hip Hop Unit - Carmen Elias

Additional Instructional Ideas

The hip hop unit shows the next few lessons I use in the unit.