OVERVIEW

Aims for Pupils:

• Compose their own rap song.
• Improve and refine their work in groups and individually.
• Perform and record their songs on a multitrack tape recorder.
• Appraise their own and each other’s work.

Learning Objectives:
• To develop awareness of rhythm by creating and performing
word patterns.
• To develop an understanding of the role of the individual in the
context of group work.
• To create group compositions with an emphasis on texture,
rhythm, and structure.
• To develop an awareness of Rap as a genre and the culture of
Hip-Hop.
• To increase self-esteem by allowing self-expression of pupils,
and encouraging individual participation.
• To develop an awareness of the recording process.
• To rehearse and perform with an awareness of the audience.

Assessment:
• Ongoing formative assessment for effort, teamwork, and
rhythmic understanding (see sheet for guidance)
• Summative assessment for performance.

ICT skills:
• To use the Internet/CD ROM’s to research the history of Rap
and the multitrack recorder.
• To develop a basic understanding of the multitrack recorder
through discussion (and possible individual use).
• To use a software sequencer (such as Cubase) to loop a drum
sample and record own ideas (extension activity).

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 RESOURCES
Audio CD Resources:
• Lost Ones by Lauryn Hill (The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Ruff House,
4898432)
• Get Out Of My Life Woman by Allen Toussaint (New Orleans Funk,
Soul Jazz Records, SJRCD47)

Web resources:
• Rap History Homepage,
http://busboy.sped.ukans.edu/~music/rap/rap.html
• History of Rap by Kurtis Blow,
http://rhino.com/features/liners/72851lin.html
• The UK Hip Hop Database and History, http://britishhiphop.co.uk/
• Rap Dictionary, http://www.rapdict.org

Midi files:
• http://www.nowopen.com/drums/dmidi.htm
• http://www.vtg.org/cimonline/ComposingEx.html
• http://www.synthzone.com/midifile.htm

Audio files:
• http://www.phatdrumloops.com/old_site/welcome.html
• http://www.break-beats.co.uk/
• http://www.loops.net/

ICT:
• Multitrack tape recorder, microphones, headphones, stands.
• Software (or hardware) sequencer such as Cubase or Logic.

National Curriculum (Key Stage 3)

Performing skills: Listening:
• 1a, 1b, 1c • 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d
Composing skills: Breadth of study:
• 2a, 2b • 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e
Appraising skills:
• 3a, 3b, 3c

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 Lesson Plans

™ Lesson 1
Preparation – Create a drum loop by sampling 1st bar of Get
Out Of My Life Woman by Allen Toussaint (or similar loop @84
bpm – see Audio Files) and copy to audio tape.

Introduce topic by checking for prior knowledge – pupils’

favourite Rap artists or songs. Play Lost Ones by Lauryn Hill and
discuss basic elements (Drums, Vocals, Song Structure, Backing
vocals). Explain the idea of a sampled drum loop and play beginning
of Get Out Of My Life Woman. Discuss the idea of musical collage
– is this original music? Play tape of drum loop and give pupils ‘Let’s
talk about Rap’ handout sheet. Arrange pupils into friendship
groups (max. 4) and give time for composition of first ideas. Finish
by discussing potential problems, answering questions, and
clarifying assessment methods and criteria.

Homework: Write 1 verse of original rap (at least 8 lines in length).

Key Words: Hook, Break, Loop, Sample, Rap, Hip-hop, Chorus,

Verse.

Assessment: Effort, Team Work, Rhythmic Understanding,

Comments on Homework.

National Curriculum: 1a, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 5e.

SMSC: Discussion of Copyright issues/original music, The role of

Women in Rap music, Racism in Rap, Negative influence of Gangsta
Rap.

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™ Lesson 2
Preparation – Collect and mark homework before Lesson 2.
Choose a good homework example and copy onto a transparent
sheet. Have an overhead projector available.

Discuss the difference between the beat (or pulse) and

rhythms by playing the drum loop tape and asking pupils to clap the
beat. Get pupils to mark dots above the strong words or syllables
on the overhead transparency. Discuss how placing the dots (strong
beats) over different words gives the phrase a different rhythmic
feel (see Example 1). Clarify that the beat is regular and rhythms
are irregular – get pupils to say and/or clap the suggested phrases
together. Give individual time for applying dots to own words and
group time for rehearsal – play drum loop quietly in the background
to help consolidate the tempo. Ask pupils to create a hook, or
chorus together.

Key Words: Beat, Rhythm, Pulse, Regular, Irregular, Tempo, Hook.

Assessment: Effort, Team Work, Rhythmic Understanding.

National Curriculum: 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a,
5b, 5c, 5e.

™ Lesson 3
Preparation – If facilities and resources are available, make
copies of the drum loop tape (one for each group) and arrange
separate practise rooms for each group.

Restate timescale for pupils and remind of assessment

criteria. Pupils should use this lesson as a final opportunity for
rehearsal and refinement of their raps. Each pupil should perform
their own verse and the group should use a hook (chorus). Discuss
ways in which groups can make a creative arrangement of their
raps by considering texture (use of backing vocals; echoing;
repeating; swapping parts; unison sections). Ask groups to perform
to each other at end of lesson – choose groups to start recording
next lesson.

Key Words: Rehearsal, Refinement, Arrangement, Texture.

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 Homework: Pupils not recording next lesson: Give pupils web site
addresses (see Web Resources) and ask them to research the
History of Rap. (* Pupils who are recording next lesson may use
homework time for rehearsal and receive this task as next lesson’s
homework instead)

Assessment: Effort, Team Work, Rhythmic Understanding,

Performance, Comments on Homework.

National Curriculum: 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a,
5b, 5c, 5e.

SMSC: Homework relates to the roots of rap music (Black Culture).

™ Lessons 4 & 5
Preparation – Record the drum loop onto one track of the
multitrack recorder. Have all hardware ready for recording.

Discuss the basic elements of multitrack recording

(magnetic tape, microphones, overdubbing, monitoring). Pupils may
like to watch the recording process in the first lesson (emphasise
the need for silence!) Groups will record their raps and may use
drop-in recording and/or overdubbing to correct mistakes. More
able pupils may try recording their song into a software sequencer.
Pupils who recorded first may also try looping a drum sample on a
sequencer (It may be useful to record the more able students first
to allow for this extension activity).

Key Words: Multitrack recorder, Microphone, Monitoring, Magnetic

Tape, Drop-in, Overdubbing, Looping.

Homework: (* Lesson 4 see last lesson’s homework) Lesson 5 – Ask

pupils to research information about multitrack recording
(Internet, CD ROM’s, library).

Assessment: Effort, Team Work, Rhythmic Understanding,

Performance.

National Curriculum: 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a,
5b, 5c, 5d, 5e.

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™ Lesson 6
Preparation – Mixdown or compile all rap songs ready for
listening. Make copies of ‘Appraisal’ handout sheet.

Check for understanding following last lesson’s homework –

consolidate key point and words. Discuss any problems/successes
during the project and explain the need for appraisal. Play each
rap, allowing time for questioning and feedback. Give pupils
‘Appraisal’ handout sheet and explain questions. Ask for individual
answers and reflection.

Key Words: Appraisal, Rhythm, Chords.

Assessment: Effort.

National Curriculum: 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5e.

™ Differentiation
Less Able – Pupils should be encouraged to be creative both
individually and as part of a team. All pupils will be able to create
and perform a short verse which will contribute towards the end
product.
More Able – Pupils may create arrangements using a
sequencer or multitrack recorder, which combine melodic or
harmonic ideas. Pupils may use their own instruments to enhance
the end result.

™ Extension topics/cross-curricular links

• Women in Rap (Salt n’ Pepa, Lauryn Hill, TLC)

• The negative message of Gangsta Rap
• Rap and Hip-hop in black culture
• Racism and white Rap artists (Vanilla Ice, Eminem)
• Scat singing
• Kinaesthetics – Beatboxing and Break dancing
• DJing and scratching

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 Example 1

Place dots over the strong beats or syllables (2 per line)

Version A
• •
Me and my mates we always have a good time,

• •
You’ll find us chillin’ at break and also lunchtime.

Version B
• •
Me and my mates we always have a good time,

• •
You’ll find us chillin’ at break and also lunchtime.

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 Let’s Talk About….

What is Rap? Rap is talking in rhyme to the rhythm of a beat.

What is Hip-hop? Hip-hop is a culture of rap, DJing, break dancing,

and graffiti. Hip hop music can feature loops (or breaks) containing
drums and other instruments. It can also have melodies and harmonies
in the vocal track and in the backing track.

Listen to: Lost Ones by Lauryn Hill (The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill)

Using a drum loop (break) sampled from a 1960’s funk record, create
your own rap. Try and create interest in your rap by using:

• A hook or repeated line for the CHORUS

• Swap between voices and echo the lead voice
• Use unusual rhymes and rhythms - this is not a limerick!
• Have fun with your voice and words - be creative.

Your rap should last at least 30-40 seconds and involve all members
of your group. Use the space below and the back of this sheet to write
your lyrics.

MJE 2002
Comment on your own Rap – did it turn out as expected?

How did you contribute towards the end result?

If you were to start again, what would you change?

Re-arrange these words in order of importance. How important they were

in the outcome of your Rap (1=Most important, 5=Least important):

RHYTHM 1)
CONFIDENCE TO PERFORM 2)
TEAMWORK 3)
CHORDS 4)
IMAGINATION 5)

What does a multi-track (or 4-track) recorder do?

What did you learn about the recording process?

MJE 2002
 Rap Project Assessment
Name Effort Team Work Rhythmic Performance Assessment Criteria
1 (high) to 3 (low) Understanding 1 (high) to 3 (low)
Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4

Effort
1. Excellent effort in class and group
work.
2. Moderate effort in own work.
3. Little effort demonstrated.

Team Work
1. Works very well with others,
listening to and supporting group
suggestions and contributing own
ideas.
2. Works moderately well with
others, sometimes putting own
ideas forward for discussion.
3. Has difficulty working with
others. Does not engage in group
discussions, preferring to work
alone.

Rhythmic Understanding
1. Has an excellent grasp of the
meter, uses syncopation, 4-bar
phrases, or shows proficiency
using complex rhythmic patterns.
2. Is aware of the meter and is
generally successful in creating
word patterns that fit with the beat.
3. Shows little awareness of the
meter. Word patterns are
disjointed, or do not fit with the
beat.

Performance
1. Shows confidence performing own
composition with few mistakes.
Demonstrates an awareness of the
audience and genre.
2. Able to perform own composition
with some fluency. Shows an
awareness of own role in group.
3. Little confidence in performing
own composition. Makes frequent
mistakes or gives an incomplete
performance.