Completed:Creativity, Composition, and Critiques of a Hip Hop Opera!
"I teach general music to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Our school is located in the inner city, and our population is classified as high need. All of our energetic students are on the free lunch program and are enthusiastic participants in our strong music program! Though our school is lucky to have...
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"I teach general music to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Our school is located in the inner city, and our population is classified as high need. All of our energetic students are on the free lunch program and are enthusiastic participants in our strong music program! Though our school is lucky to have wonderful afterschool music opportunities for our students, we currently lack helpful technological equipment to enhance and broaden our students’ classroom experiences with music.
My students are currently composing their very own Hip Hop Opera. We began the unit by introducing the 5 elements of plot to aid their writing. We then identified job titles for each student in the production of the “Hip H’Opera” and held a “Job Fair” where students could apply for production positions. Students have been enthusiastically writing lyrics and dialogue for each of the scenes of the production, as well as composing rhythms for the raps using the myriad beats, rhythms and sonorities of their own urban experiences. Our goal for this unit is to perform and digitally record our finished production.
Throughout the unit, we will watch scenes from “Carmen”, the opera written by Bizet, and “The Making of Carmen, The Hip H’Opera”, the movie produced by MTV after the story of the epic opera. Students will draw parallels between the stories, learn about the creative process used in developing and performing a Hip H’Opera, and critique videos of themselves performing their own composition. An LCD projector would make this unit possible and help me to provide my students with not only a more complete understanding of the creative process but a visual context for learning as well.
Your help will provide an unforgettable experience for my students as they experiment with creating a new composition. Learning about the creative process in a hands-on way will give my students the tools they need to apply their knowledge not only to creating music in the future but in everything that they will do. Critiquing their performances will teach them how to analyze their work in a positive way and how to make adjustments to attain success. With your help, my students will be given skills they will use in all of their classrooms and in their lives outside of school for years to come.
My students need an LCD projector so they can critique their own performance of their newly composed Hip Hop Opera.
See Mrs. F.'s class participating in this project!
(Enlarge photos)
Feb 16, 2010
Dear Tom, Gabrielle, Greg, Bethany, Steve & Marianne D. , Bob & Pam, Linda, Lynne, Annie, laura, Marcella, Andy, Marie and Gregg,
My students have successfully completed their Hip H'Opera project and are now using the wonderful projector that you all made possible for important music learning. Your generosity has enabled my students to not only learn critical skills for critiquing their own performances, but also has allowed them to explore the rehearsal process. These skills are directly transferrable to their performance in other classes such as Math and Reading. I am personally excited to see these amazing students apply their new skills to achieving success in their other classes.
A projector may seem like a small classroom tool, but it has meant so much more than that for our class. In our class it was a learning necessity, exposing children to the process of self evaluation and critical thinking.
Thank you all for your amazing gift to these deserving students.
With gratitude, Mrs. F.
Mrs. F. sent this note after the project was fully funded:
Nov 10, 2009
Dear Tom, Gabrielle, Greg, Bethany, Steve & Marianne D. , Bob & Pam, Linda, Lynne, Annie, laura, Marcella, Andy, Marie and Gregg,
It is with deep gratitude and a happy heart that I thank each of you for your stellar commitment to my Hip H'Opera project! Your generosity made this project, and many others in the future, a reality.
Just today we started filming the first scene of our Hip H'Opera and my students are all looking forward to viewing and critiquing their performances in the next few weeks. I wish you all could see the joy and pride on the faces of my students when they perform their very own composition. Today's class ended with several of my students begging to continue rehearsal after school!
It warms my heart to see these students feel such a great amount of success. I can only hope that you each know that you have played a big part in their current and future success. Thank you for your generosity.
Reviewed the project essay and sent follow-up questions if needed.
Jennifer K. (volunteer)
on Oct 15, 2009
Verified the cost of the requested technology and posted this project.
John C. (associate)
on Oct 16, 2009
"I gave to this project because my friend Michelle told me about it and I like to support the arts"
Marie
from Pennsylvania
gave
on Oct 16, 2009
"I gave to this project because I think this is wonderful opportunity for your students. Good Work!"
Steve & Marianne D.
from Pennsylvania
gave
on Oct 16, 2009
"I gave to this project because I'm a strong believer in this music teacher!"
Andy
from Massachusetts
gave
on Oct 16, 2009
"Thank you all for your amazing support!! I can't wait to share pictures and the finished product with you all!"
The teacher Mrs. F.
on Oct 16, 2009
"I gave to this project because it's a great idea and the kids will gain a lot through it. I believe in the power of music education to make positive changes in people's lives."
Marcella
from New York
gave
on Oct 17, 2009
"I helped because I'm a strong believer in Music education."
Greg
from Pennsylvania
gave
on Oct 19, 2009
"I gave to this project because I teach with Mrs. F and have seen how awesome this project is coming along! She has opened my eyes to many ways of using a LCD projector in the classroom. I know that she will motivate her students and enhance their learning by incorporating this projection technology into this Hip Hop Opera Unit (and everything else she teaches)!"
Bethany
from Philadelphia, PA
gave
on Oct 21, 2009
laura
gave
on Oct 22, 2009
"Thank you all for your unbelievable support! We are getting closer with each generous contribution!"
The teacher Mrs. F.
on Oct 22, 2009
"I helped because I'm a strong believer in Music education."
Tom
from Florida
gave
on Nov 4, 2009
"I gave to this project because music education is vital and these students have an incredible teacher!"
Annie
from Pennsylvania
gave
on Nov 7, 2009
"Wow!!! Thank you all for your amazing support of this project. We have almost reached our goal! I can't wait to share pictures and the final project with you all."
The teacher Mrs. F.
on Nov 7, 2009
Gabrielle
from Brooklyn, NY
gave
on Nov 9, 2009
"I helped because I'm a strong believer in Music education."
Lynne
from New Jersey
gave
on Nov 9, 2009
"Almost there!!! We only have a little left to go and the project will be able to go forward! Thank you all for making this possible!"
The teacher Mrs. F.
on Nov 9, 2009
Bob & Pam
gave
on Nov 9, 2009
Gregg
gave
on Nov 9, 2009
Linda
gave
on Nov 9, 2009
Project fully funded!
Happy news
on Nov 9, 2009
"Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! Our project is a reality thanks to all of you!"
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Jennifer K. (volunteer)
on Oct 15, 2009
Bethany
from Philadelphia, PA
gave
on Oct 21, 2009
