A Great Day for Me, A Sad Day for Rap Music
I've always been told how effective music can be as a teaching tool. Unfortunately, as those who know me can attest, I'm less than musically inclined. I listen to it non-stop, but create it? Not so much.
Enter the scientific method. It's kind of a complicated topic to teach to third graders, especially when most are English Language Learners. Words like observation, hypothesis, conclusion are a bit of a stretch for their vocabularies. Somehow the only logical solution was to compose a rap.
It started with a hook that popped into my head: "The method, the method, the scientific method." I'll admit it's got a kinda old school, Grandmaster Flash vibe to it, but it stuck. Before I knew it I was channeling B-Rabbit and laying down my own 16 bars.
Today was the big day. Picture if you will, a dorky Jewish boy in a tie spitting his rhymes asynchronously. After every verse 19 seven and eight year-olds jump in, "The method, the method! The scientific method! The method, the method! The scientific method!"
I couldn't believe how into it they were! I had made enough copies for partners to share, but they all wanted their own so I'm going to make extras. It was definitely a highlight of the year so far, and possibly one of my favorite lessons of all time. That said, as someone who's first CD purchase ever was Warren G's Regulate...G Funk Era I feel almost guilty about what transpired today. I mean I don't think it's worse for the genre than what Soulja Boy's been doing, but if 2Pac is truly dead, he just might be turning in his grave.
Enter the scientific method. It's kind of a complicated topic to teach to third graders, especially when most are English Language Learners. Words like observation, hypothesis, conclusion are a bit of a stretch for their vocabularies. Somehow the only logical solution was to compose a rap.
It started with a hook that popped into my head: "The method, the method, the scientific method." I'll admit it's got a kinda old school, Grandmaster Flash vibe to it, but it stuck. Before I knew it I was channeling B-Rabbit and laying down my own 16 bars.
Today was the big day. Picture if you will, a dorky Jewish boy in a tie spitting his rhymes asynchronously. After every verse 19 seven and eight year-olds jump in, "The method, the method! The scientific method! The method, the method! The scientific method!"
I couldn't believe how into it they were! I had made enough copies for partners to share, but they all wanted their own so I'm going to make extras. It was definitely a highlight of the year so far, and possibly one of my favorite lessons of all time. That said, as someone who's first CD purchase ever was Warren G's Regulate...G Funk Era I feel almost guilty about what transpired today. I mean I don't think it's worse for the genre than what Soulja Boy's been doing, but if 2Pac is truly dead, he just might be turning in his grave.
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