Asia Education Foundation

Hip-Hopping Away

cover image: Arts Unit: Hip-Hopping Away

Students explore the ways in which music and performance convey emotions and ideas that may vary in different cultures. They will see how their own preference for certain types of music conveys aspects of their own identity. They will then move from selecting music that reflects their personal taste to aspects of less familiar music. Students will look at ways in which music and performance are influenced by cultural traditions and by global trends. Based on all these experiences, they will then create a performance of their own.

 


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Activities 3-5

Activity 3: Construction phase

Working in small groups, have students create, record and present their own performance piece. This could involve composing the music and writing lyrics, and designing costumes, sets props and instruments. Encourage the audience (the rest of the class) to make comments on and ask questions about their choices made for inclusion in the performance.

The wider school community could be invited as audience.

Activity 4: Metacognition

Encourage students to reflect on the journey that they have taken in their thinking. Highlight the types of thinking that they have employed and ask them to reflect on the key moments in the lessons when their thinking changed. Refer to the ways in which individual groups worked together and highlight the range of strategies (types of thinking) they employed.

  • What surprised students about other group' choices and why?
  • What aspects of identity and culture did groups have to consider when responding to performances and the 'personality' that each piece manifested?
  • What was difficult/challenging about interpreting performances of different styles and from different cultures?

Activity 5: Bridging

Have students complete a Think, Pair, Share exercise3 about the following questions.

  • What have you learnt about intentions and interpretations?
  • Where else in your life would this sort of thinking be important?
  • To what extent is it possible to be empathetic towards music, dance and performance from another culture without having to change your own preferences?

 

  1. Think-Pair-Share is a cooperative learning strategy which allows students to think about a question/idea/issue/notion and to share their thoughts with a partner before discussion in a small group. The strategy allows students to share their thoughts in a non-threatening situation and involves all members of a group. Students learn to share with a range of class members rather than remaining within their peer group. The opinions of all members of the class are valued. The focus is on short-term, purposeful talk.
    How do I do it?
    Explain the purpose of the strategy to the class and the idea/issue/problem that is to be discussed. A revision of listening skills is also useful (eye contact, non-verbal encouragement such as nodding, no put-downs, no interrupting). The process may include the following steps:
    1. Identify the point of discussion.
    2. Allow think time as students think individually.
    3. Ask students to face a partner and share their ideas in turn.
    4. The pair contributes to a larger group or the whole class and ideas are recorded.
    Use the shared list of ideas for upcoming work or to create a new idea.
    From www.ltag.education.tas.gov.au/effectteach/Thinking/thinkpairshare.htm
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