Historical Rap #8

Historical RAP

Famous Person Rap/Biography

NEW PROJECT: Historical RAP
Pick a partner to work with.

Think about a famous historical character.  Do some research on the character. Fill out the biography handout. 

Create a rap song for that character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIl1OIGzuDg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0aX8Jy1tME

Alexander Hamilton Rap

[BURR]
How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a
Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a
Forgotten spot in the Caribbean by providence
Impoverished, in squalor
Grow up to be a hero and a scholar?

[LAURENS]
The ten-dollar founding father without a father
Got a lot farther by working a lot harder
By being a lot smarter
By being a self-starter
By fourteen, they placed him in charge of a
Trading charter

[JEFFERSON]
And every day while slaves were being slaughtered and carted
Away across the waves, he struggled and kept his guard up
Inside, he was longing for something to be a part of
The brother was ready to beg, steal, borrow, or barter

[MADISON]
Then a hurricane came, and devastation reigned
Our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain
Put a pencil to his temple, connected it to his brain
And he wrote his first refrain, a testament to his pain

[BURR]
Well, the word got around, they said, “This kid is insane, man”
Took up a collection just to send him to the mainland
“Get your education, don’t forget from whence you came, and
The world is gonna know your name. What’s your name, man?”

[HAMILTON]
Alexander Hamilton
My name is Alexander Hamilton
And there’s a million things I haven’t done
But just you wait, just you wait...

[ELIZA]
When he was ten his father split, full of it, debt-ridden
Two years later, see Alex and his mother bed-ridden
Half-dead sittin' in their own sick, the scent thick

[COMPANY]
And Alex got better but his mother went quick

[WASHINGTON]
Moved in with a cousin, the cousin committed suicide
Left him with nothin’ but ruined pride, something new inside
A voice saying

[WASHINGTON] “You gotta fend for yourself.”

[COMPANY] “Alex, you gotta fend for yourself.”

[WASHINGTON]
He started retreatin’ and readin’ every treatise on the shelf

[BURR] There would have been nothin’ left to do For someone less astute He woulda been dead or destitute Without a cent of restitution Started workin’, clerkin’ for his late mother’s landlord Tradin’ sugar cane and rum and all the things he can’t afford Scammin’ for every book he can get his hands on Plannin’ for the future see him now as he stands on The bow of a ship headed for a new land In New York you can be a new man

[COMPANY] Scammin’ Plannin’ Oooh...

[COMPANY] In New York you can Be a new man— In New York you can Be a new man—

[HAMILTON] Just you wait! Just you wait!

[COMPANY]
In New York you can be a new man—

[WOMEN] In New York—

[MEN] New York—

[HAMILTON]
Just you wait!

[COMPANY] Alexander Hamilton We are waiting in the wings for you You could never back down You never learned to take your time! Oh, Alexander Hamilton When America sings for you Will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the game? The world will never be the same, oh [BURR] The ship is in the harbor now See if you can spot him Another immigrant Comin’ up from the bottom His enemies destroyed his rep America forgot him

[COMPANY] Alexander Hamilton Waiting in the wings for you You never learned to take your time! Oh, Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton… America sings for you Will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the game? The world will never be the same, oh [MEN] Just you wait [COMPANY] Just you wait

[MULLIGAN/MADISON & LAFAYETTE/JEFFERSON]
We fought with him

[LAURENS/PHILIP]
Me? I died for him

[WASHINGTON]
Me? I trusted him

[ELIZA & ANGELICA & PEGGY/MARIA]
Me? I loved him

[BURR]
And me? I’m the damn fool that shot him

[COMPANY]
There’s a million things I haven’t done
But just you wait!

[BURR]
What’s your name, man?

[COMPANY]

Alexander Hamilton!

Assignment #7 Ekphrastic Poetry

Ekphrastic Poetry

AGENDA:

EQ: What is ekphrastic poetry

Ekphrasis is writing about any art form, but in its modern usage, ekphrasis generally refers to poetry that reflects on visual art, and most often painting. In my classroom, I often choose one or two artists for an in-depth study. Once my students are experts about the artists, they each choose a meaningful piece of work to inspire a poem. 

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2016/04/ekphrasis-poetry-about-art
http://americanart.si.edu/education/pdf/Ekphrastic_Poetry_Lesson.pdf

http://www.english.emory.edu/classes/paintings&poems/classicscene.html

The Red Wheelbarrow

William Carlos Williams, 1883 - 1963

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

ACTIVITY:

Students select a postcard or artwork

Putting Music on Your Video

1. When you finish putting words and pictures in your video, you re ready to add music.

2. Get headphones and find background music for your video on youtube.

3. Copy the url of the music you want from youtube.

4. Go to offmp3.com and follow instructions.  Paste the url and click to download the converted youtube music.

5 Go back to your video. Click ADD Music.  Find your music in DOWNLOADS and add it to your video.

6. A green line of music should appear on your video.

7. Don't forget to add a credits slide that gives credit to you for the poem and credit the music as well.

8. When you are ready to save your video, let Ms. Gamzon know.

Assignment #6: Photos As Writing Prompt

Assignment #6

AGENDA:

Let's use photography prompts for writing a short story.

Find a photograph you like and write a story using character, setting, plot, conflict, and theme!

Websites that have interesting photography prompts.

Go to http://writingfix.com/classroom_tools/picture_prompts.htm

https://writeshop.com/creative-writing-photo-prompts-imagination/


EXTRA CREDIT:
https://www.writingforward.com/writing-prompts/creative-writing-prompts/25-creative-writing-prompts