Teachers Name: Allison Griffiths Grade: 6th; Unit 2 (tolerance and respect for dignity and identity)

Date: 11/12/13 Title: Who We Are: Rap Session (for the beginning of the year)

Plan: what learners will Be able to do (behavioral objective): At the end of the lesson, students in the 6th grade general music class will be able to effectively communicate their own definitions of self with a success rate of 85%. Understand (cognitive objective): As a result of this lesson, students will have empathy for their classmates and will have increased self-knowledge in regard to their place/role within the class/world. Encounter (experiential objective): As a result of this lesson, students will create and share an original rap that expresses who they are. Perceive Differently (critical objective): By the end of the lesson, students will realize that our identities are all interconnected and that we are not nearly as different as we may seem.

Partner: (Honor THEIR world by beginning with an experience students bring to the classroom. Include time for collaboration through sharing and dialogue.) 1.) Building upon our prior hip-hop, rap, and slam poetry unit, have students create an original rap outside of class that expresses who they are. (If students are unsure of what to include, provide the following examples: family, heritage, personal preferences, pet peeves, favorite type of music). 2.) While students are working on their raps at home, allow time in class for the creation of Identity Cards that are (individual) visual representations of each students rap. The cards should be large enough and have enough room for later additions. Once all are created, collect them and make photocopies of each (shrink on the machine first) and make enough of EACH miniature for every student in the class to potentially have one (i.e. 25 students x 25 types of identity cards). 3.) Hold an in-class Rap Session in which each student shares his/her rap (teacher should be prepared to present an original rap as well). 4.) The Rap Session should be structured as follows: students should sit in a large circle; before each student shares s/he will put the miniatures of his/her identity card (that the teacher will have cut and redistributed to each student) in the center of the circle; while the rapper is performing, the other students should be listening for things that they identify with; anytime a student relates to something in someone elses rap, s/he will pick up one of the mini-identity cards in the center of the circle. 5.) Allow plenty of time for sharing.

Focusing Question: in what ways will students (complete the sentence)

Present: (Sequence of the lesson steps. Take the learning from THEIR world to the world of the classroom. Present the information and allow time To what extent are we (within the micro-society of for students to practice. Engage critical thinking, the classroom) interconnected by our perceptions of problem posing and problem solving.) self/other identities and relationships? 6.) Once sharing has concluded and students have collected their mini-identity cards, have each student post the miniatures onto their own (larger) identity card. 7.) Hang the larger cards around the room. 8.) After the cards have been hung, allow students time to walk around the room and examine each of the cards, making note of which ones are similar/different from their own. 9.) Bring the class back together after allowing time for exploration to discuss what they observed. Pose questions (to guide the discussion) that emphasize positive comparison and contrast and that uplift connection over separation. 10.) During the discussion, have volunteers record the class observations on the Smartboard for later reference. 11.) Looking at the collective observations, pose the following question to students: if we were world leaders and diplomats set with the task of writing a treatise on Human Rights, what kinds of things would we include? Personalize: (Make the learning personal to the Assessment: student. Provide opportunities for creativity Formative: Informal assessment; monitor and for students to be musicians. Encourage students progress throughout the creativity and innovation.) discussion, creation, and performance processes. 12.) Split the class into smaller groups (4-5) Summative: Final performances will serve and have each group answer the question as the final grade for the project, based above by creating their own rapped treatise upon a rubric that takes elements of rap, on Human Rights. Monitor and guide musical content, creativity, and students progress throughout, making note participation into account. Each student of each individuals involvement in the should be graded on their work within the creation process. Reinforce active listening group as well. I.e. there will be two grades and respectful communication throughout that come out of this project: one for the the process. entire group, and one for each individuals contribution to the success of the scene. Perform: (Communicate and share the new Materials: learning through performance, demonstration or exhibition.) Smartboard 13.) After allowing ample time for students to Photocopies of each students identity create and polish their Human Rights Rap, cards (the miniatures) have each group present their rap for the A rap of your own to present class.

14.) Allow time after the performances for discussion, questions, and commentary. Process: After the lesson, take time to reflect. Monitor children during the sharing process, creative process, and final presentations to maintain a calm and safe learning environment. Take time to review elements of rap if the students need this reinforcement. Encourage (and demand) respectful and open discussion among the whole class and the individual groups. If it becomes an issue, stop the class to discuss listening and communication strategies that will help move the process along . Remind students that no one view or opinion is right and emphasize the importance of embracing the differences and similarities in our unique identities. This lesson was adapted from the Suggested Learning Activity presented by the United Nations peace education curriculum. The original source for the activity is: Learning activity #2 is adapted from a project designed by four Canadian teachers and outlined in Smith, David C. and Terrance R. Carson, Educating for a Peaceful Future, Toronto: Kagan and Woo Limited, 1998, page 239.