Video we watched in class to introduce the contest:
Directions: Your group will create a rap about major events of the year 2015. Read the contest rules before you begin. Then, use the links below to get some ideas to write about. Before you send your lyrics, you must share them on a google doc with me. You should include your names and lyrics. This is due by the end of class on Thursday, January 5th, 2016.
2. Students should choose at least four important New York Times stories from one of the news categories listed below:
It’s fine to focus on a smaller topic found within a section in The Times. For example, you can write a rap based the 2016 presidential race rather than the whole range of national or political news this year. Or, you might focus on 2016 movies or football rather than covering other news from the Arts or Sports sections. But you should also feel free to include as many, and as wide a range of, news stories from a particular section as you like.
3. The rap should be original and must follow Times commenting standards, which means no profanity or vulgar language.
4. Submissions must be from students who are 13 to 19, but can come from anywhere in the world. You are welcome to post your last name if you like, and teachers can also have students add a class code. (For example, “EthanCHS112.”)
5. Submissions are allowed from partners and teams as well as from individuals. (You can submit all of your names in the body of the post, even if only one of you is represented by the username you register under.)
6. One submission per student, please. If you’re submitting as part of a team, you should not also submit as an individual.
7. If you need instructions for how to post to a comment, here they are.)
8. The top five raps, as judged by The Times and Flocabulary staff using this rubric, will be featured on both The Learning Network and Flocabulary.com. Because of privacy rules that apply to students under 18, we are asking for only your lyrics, not videos or audio.
9. Want inspiration? Here are the winners from 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011. Can you top them?
64. Click here for CNN student news throughout 2015. Here is the link for other videos throughout the year. Go to "SHOW ARCHIVE" and you can see links for videos and their transcripts throughout the year.
How to Start Writing Your Rap:
List the first news story.
Rewrite the line so that the most important part to remember is at the end of it. This will help you and your audience remember it better.
List words that rhyme with the final word or words. Students can also list slant rhymes, or words that almost rhyme.
Students should write a rhyme for the line from step 2 that gives more information about the news story. It is important to make sure that the tone of the rhyme matches the weight of the story. For example, a humorous tone would likely be inappropriate if students are talking about a tragedy like the Ebola crisis. If they are having trouble coming up with a rhyme, they can try retooling the first line.
Students should repeat this process to give more information about the news story.
Go back to the samples if you need to see how other students played with words.
Rubric which will be used to assess your work. It is based on the NY Times contest rubric.