Instructional Units for the Engaging Classroom ILA BRIDGES GRADES 6–8 The Message Using Hip-Hop Pedagogy as a Literacy Building Tool for Grade 8 Courtne Thomas and Mirvetk Tonuzi DESCRIPTION This unit, The Message: Using Hip-Hop as a Literacy • Understanding the fundamental source of hip-hop’s Building Tool, was designed for students with varying existence abilities in grade 8. The cycles of lessons will be orga- nized as follows to build students’ understanding of (Note: The teacher-leaders of this unit were careful to hip-hop and its relationship to social justice issues: select song lyrics that do not contain mature language • The origin and history of hip-hop but rather examine mature subject matter, exploring • Merging cultural ideas, talents, and circumstances social justice issues such as poverty, community vio- that influence the music style lence, and lack of quality education.) BACKGROUND Hip-hop is a phenomenon that has changed the land- any casual observer (Duncan-Andrade & Morrell, scape of popular culture in the past 30 years. It has 2005). had a notable influence on fashion, art, language, Propelling this view, Gee (1989) added the idea that and the politics of mainstream Western society. In culturally responsive teaching, combined with the use the last decade alone, there has been increased em- of culturally relevant multimedia, provides a bridge phasis and elevated interest in critical hip-hop peda- between the subculture of the student and subcul- gogy. Bolstering this view, Hill (2009) stated, “There ture of school (as cited in Leonard & Hill, 2008, p. 24). has been a growing body of scholarship that exam- Similarly, Aikenhead (2001) contended that teachers ines the intersection of hip-hop culture and class- can use cultural brokering to help students move flu- room pedagogy” (p. 3). The reality that hip-hop is idly between the students’ culture and mainstream a growing presence in the classroom is obvious to culture (as cited in Leonard & Hill, 2008, p. 24). DOI:10.1598/bridges.7004 | © 2015 International Literacy Association THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF HIP-HOP EDUCATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE Central to hip-hop is a storytelling narrative about the Ferguson, Missouri. The messages couched in these political, social, and economic challenges faced by peo- songs further illuminate the potential for teachable ple living in poor communities. In the 1990s, during moments in the classroom. And, while investigating what is historically termed the “Golden Age,” American topics such as the construction of identity and its use rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur (also known by his stage as a tool for social change, hip-hop pedagogy relates names 2Pac and briefly as Makaveli) released “Brenda’s more to the realities of these students’ world. Got a Baby,” a track about child abuse and teenage Student participants in this unit will explore and pregnancy. In the same period, rapper Peter Phillips examine some of these themes, along with poverty, (better known by his stage name Pete Rock), in collabo- gun violence, resilience, and overcoming obstacles. ration with C.L. Smooth, debuted the chart-topping hit This examination will be accomplished as students “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.).” This song was engage in close reading activities, whole-group and inspired by the artists’ mutual friend Troy Dixon, who small-group discussion, independent reading, and re- died tragically after an accidental fall. Most recently, flection writing. In this way, hip-hop is used as a liter- drawing added attention to the issue of police brutal- acy building instrument while revealing the realities ity, hip-hop artist J. Cole released a track dedicated to faced by people living in urban areas and furthering teenager Michael Brown, who was killed by police in awareness of their struggles. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK In developing the conceptual framework, the teacher- 2008; Snyder & Snyder, 2008), reflection, analysis, and leaders believe there is an interpretive lens most fit- action (Minkler, 2004). For the purposes of this unit, ting to organize and view the gathered data. This CHHP will be used to explore how hip-hop education framework is Critical Hip-Hop Pedagogy (CHHP; can be used as a vehicle for the improvement of stu- Akom, 2009; Morrell & Duncan-Andrade, 2002). CHHP dent learning. is participatory, youth driven, and cooperative, where Thus, the aim of this unit is to provide students students’ contributions are treated equitably (Akom, across race, class, gender, and ability markers with a stu- 2009).The theory aims to address deep-rooted ideolo- dent-centered hip-hop–inspired educational program gies as well as social inequalities by using hip-hop as that meets their diverse learning needs and improves a tool for social justice in teacher education and stu- academic performance in language arts. Ginwright dent engagement (Morrell & Duncan-Andrade, 2002). (2004) explained it this way: To be effective with mem- In order for CHHP to be successful, there must be a bers of the hip-hop generation, curriculum must relate balance between critical thinking (Lambert & Cuper, more to the realities of these students’ world. 2 May 2015 | The Message DOI:10.1598/bridges.7015 | © 2015 International Literacy Association UNIT OVERVIEW Common Core State Standards Teaching and and Learning Week Grouping Central Ideas Objectives Learning Activities Goals Achieved Texts Used 1 Individuals, Origin and • Students will understand • Preassessment survey, SL.8.6 • “The Message” Whole history of essential concepts about the five used as baseline L.8.3 preassessment survey Group hip-hop art forms of hip-hop. • K-W-L Chart and W.8.4 • K-W-L Chart • Students will use their introduction to art • Word study on the art understanding of the five hip- forms of hip-hop, to forms of hip-hop hop art forms to reflect on the lay groundwork for ○ Deejaying influence of art in connection to future lessons ○ Emceeing hip-hop culture. ○ Breakdancing • Students will understand and ○ Graffiti assess their individual prior ○ Beatboxing knowledge about hip-hop. • Texts: • Students will understand the Sexton, A. (1995), Rap geographic importance of the on Rap: Straight-Up place where hip-hop originated. Talk on Hip-Hop Culture Chang, J., & DJ Kool Herc (2005), Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip- Hop Generation 2 Individuals, Origin and • Students will use their • ”The Message” RL.8.2 • “The Message” Whole history of understanding of the history and PowerPoint, to RL.8.4 PowerPoint Group, hip-hop origin of hip-hop and apply this provide students with SL.8.1 presentation Small knowledge during small-group historical context of SL.8.1.c • Brown Sugar (2002) Group discussion and the journal quick- hip-hop culture and W.8.4 film clip write activity. its origin • Texts: • Students will understand the • Brown Sugar film clip Sexton, A. (1995), Rap historical background of hip-hop viewing (10 minutes), on Rap: Straight-Up and its origin in the South Bronx. to provide students Talk on Hip-Hop • Students will use their with additional Culture understanding of the historical background Chang, J., & DJ Kool context of hip-hop during small- information about Herc (2005), Can’t group discussion. geographic region Stop Won’t Stop: A and further set the History of the Hip- tone for the unit Hop Generation • Student journals 3 Whole Merging • Students will use their • Teacher reviews art RL.8.2 • Interactive whiteboard/ Group, cultural ideas, understanding of the five forms and shows SL.8.1 SMART Board Small talents, and art forms of hip-hop and images for each SL.8.2 • Digital images of five Group circumstances discuss their picture choices • Students research L.8.6 hip-hop art forms that influence collaboratively during research. pictures in W.8.4 • Picture Walk worksheet the music style • Students will use their cooperative groups WHST.6-8,8 understanding of the hip-hop art and share with the forms and apply this knowledge whole class when recording responses on the Picture Walk worksheet. 4 Individuals, Understanding • Students will use their • Day 1 RL.8.1 • Interactive whiteboard/ Whole fundamental understanding of what the Close Reading RL.8.4 SMART Board Group, source of hip- text says explicitly to respond Activity: Introduction W.8.2.a, b • Hard copies of rap Small hop’s existence to journal entry text-based of text “The Breaks” W.8.2.d, e song lyrics for entire Group inquiries. by Kurtis Blow; W.8.4 class students annotate using Text Coding Guide • Day 2 Close Reading Activity continued; students complete text-based questions (continued) 3 May 2015 | The Message DOI:10.1598/bridges.7015 | © 2015 International Literacy Association UNIT OVERVIEW (CONT.) Common Core State Standards Teaching and and Learning Week Grouping Central Ideas Objectives Learning Activities Goals Achieved Texts Used 5 Individuals, Understanding • Students will use their • Day 3 RL.8.1 • “The Message” Whole fundamental understanding of what the text Final day for Close RL.8.4 Postassessment Survey Group source of hip- says explicitly to translate the Reading Activity; W.8.2.a, b • Interactive whiteboard/ hop’s existence text into their own words. students synthesize W.8.2.d, e SMART Board • Students will use their text into their own W.8.4 • Hard copies of rap understanding of what the text words and complete song lyrics says explicitly as well as what has the last of the text- been reviewed to respond to the based questions final text-based question. TEXTS Reading Aloud culture and politics into a pivotal work in American Chang, J., & DJ Kool Herc. (2005). Can’t stop won’t stop: studies. A history of the hip-hop generation. New York, NY: Sexton, A. (1995). Rap on rap: Straight-up talk on hip- Picador-Macmillan.