Middle School Poetry and Song

Contributors: Cory Chimka, DC SCORES Katrina Hochstetler, DC SCORES

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 2

DC SCORES: Poetry and Songs Table of Contents Unit 1: Introduction For the Coach .............................................................................................. 3 Lesson 1: In My Life ...................................................................................... 4 Lesson 2: Shield/Goal Setting ..................................................................... 7 Unit 2: Poetic Devices/Elements of Poetry For the Coach .............................................................................................. 10 Lesson 3: Simile/Metaphor .......................................................................... 11 Lesson 4: Amazing Alliteration ................................................................... 16 Lesson 5: Soccer Sounds ............................................................................. 19 Lesson 6: Where I’m From ........................................................................... 24 Lesson 7: Rhythm & Rhyme in Poetry ........................................................28 Lesson 8: Strong Verb Scattegories ........................................................... 32 Lesson 9: I’m Dreaming ............................................................................... 35 Unit 3: Creating Our Own Poems/Songs For the Coach .............................................................................................. 39 Lesson 10: Song Structure & the Love Song ............................................. 40 Lesson 11: Dance Song ............................................................................... 44 Lesson 12: Blues ............................................................................................ 45 Lesson 13: Fight song ................................................................................... 50 Lesson 14: Ode ............................................................................................. 53 Lesson 15: Cautionary ballad .................................................................... 54 Lesson 16: Message ..................................................................................... 62 Appendix: Performance Activities and Resources ................................. 64 Appendix: Challenge Games and Icebreakers ..................................... 79

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 3

DC SCORES: Poetry and Songs Curriculum Introduction Curriculum Goals 1. Students will write various journal entries reflecting on their own experiences and share them with their peers in a supportive environment. 2. By engaging with authentic texts, students will recognize that poems and songs can be a form of artistic expression that conveys a social message. 3. Students will apply poetic devices and basics of song-writing to develop their own poem, song, or multimedia presentation that conveys a social message. America SCORES strongly believes that our students have stories to tell and that the best way for them to do this is to develop their own unique voices. This curriculum will give your students the opportunity to engage in this art form by reading authentic texts, discussing them with their peers, and reflecting on them in their journals. It doesn’t matter if you are not a musician. All you need to do is be open-minded and hear what your students have to say. Section 1: Introduction In the first section of this curriculum, students will use their journals as a space for reflection and poetry writing. Journals are a brainstorming tool rather than a final draft – students don’t need to worry about spelling and grammar in their initial journal entries, but instead focus on the ideas expressed. Section 2: Poetic Devices/Elements of Poetry In this section, students will learn about several poetic devices that recur in song-writing work such as rhyme, alliteration, and comparison techniques. Section 3: Creating Our Own Poems/Songs The final section of this curriculum allows the students to write their own songs in a variety of genres using the poetic tools learned in the previous section. The students will create their own songs as individuals and in small groups. By the end of the section the students will have a variety of songs to choose to prepare for the Poetry Slam! The team will work on revising, editing, and rehearsing the performance of their songs for an audience of their peers at the Poetry Slam!

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 4

Introduction For the Coach Goals 1. Students will (1) build relationships with teammates; (2) engage with teammates to discover their expectations for the season; and (3) explore what is important to each other as teammates. 2. Students will complete personal journal entries reflecting on their experience. Lessons in this section: Lesson 1: Shield/Goal Setting Lesson 2: In My Life Notes to the coach In this section students will begin the process of getting to know their teammates and setting their expectations and goals for the season. The Journaling/Poetry Writing Process  Set a TIME rather than a page-length for writing. Depending on your practice schedule, students should journal for anywhere between 10 and 25 minutes.  Explain to students that they must write for the entire time, there is no such thing as “finishing early.” If a student feels he/she is complete, review their entry and help identify places to edit or expand.  As a member of the SCORES Writing Community, you as a coach should journal as well! This helps model strong writing practices for your team.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 5

Shield/Goal Setting Lesson 1 Objectives:  Students will define the core values of DC SCORES: teamwork, leadership, and commitment.  Students will identify three goals for the season and describe how they will achieve them. Materials:  Journals and Pencils  Construction paper, chart paper, and markers  Shield (copied) Journaling/Reflection The core values of DC SCORES are Teamwork, Leadership, and Commitment (TLC). Ask students to write in their journal about what each of these values mean to them. How do they define these values? Lesson Shield/Goal Setting Discuss with students that we are going to create our goals for the season. Goals are things we want to achieve this season in the classroom and on the field. We want to set three goals within the headings of teamwork, leadership, and commitment. In order to achieve our goals we also have to make a plan. The students should look back at their journal entry and use the definitions of TLC to help them set one goal for each of the three values. Once their goals are set they should list underneath three things they are going to do to achieve that goal. You should do one or two examples with them. In soccer, different shields symbolize and represent different teams. Today the students will create their own individual and team shields. They will serve as a symbol for the season of their commitment to their goals. They will write, draw, and decorate their goals on the shield template. They should also include what makes them unique on their shield. It will serve as a symbol of themselves. Then paste or tape the shield on the back of their journal. Team Goal Setting Now that the students have created their individual goals it is time to create your team shield together. The questions below can help the group decide what the shield should look like: 

How will we show TLC this season? During the school day? In the classroom? On the field?



What kind of team do we want to be?



What do we want our opponents to say about us?

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 6



How will we make sure we stay together as a team? Take care of each other?



What do we want to gain from our poetry sessions? What is our goal?



What skills do we hope to gain in the classroom and on the field?



What is a symbol of us as a group?

Brainstorm a list of ideas together and then place them choose 3-5 to place on a large team shield. Students can write their name around the shield or draw a symbol to contribute to the shield. The shield will be a symbol of unity and goals for the team this season.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 7

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 8

In My Life Lesson 2 Objectives:  Students will identify ways they can help each other achieve their goals.  Students will describe their own life and their dreams. Materials:  Journals and pencils  Poem Templates (copied)  Questions listed in the share section Journaling/Reflection Ask the students to think about something someone has accomplished that they respect or admire. Describe what they accomplished. Then describe how the person accomplished that thing, what obstacles did they have to overcome, what choices did they have to make, and who helped them. Lesson Review your goals from yesterday. Discuss that as we work to reach our individual and team goals we need each other. Building a team begins with learning about each other. Today you will write a poem that describes your life. Hand out the “In My Life” template. Have students think about their own life and complete the poem. Ask students to share parts of the poem with the entire group or in small groups. Ask students to think about what their life and their world would be like if they were in charge. Hand out the “If I Ruled the World” template. Have the students complete the poem. Share Ask students to think about what they have heard from their teammates today and to review the goals set by the team yesterday. Then write the following questions on the board and ask them to share. What skills do you have that might help someone else? How are your goals, dreams, and life similar to someone else on the team?

In My Life

What help would like to receive from your teammates?

In my life there is ________________________________ And always _________________________________ In my life I feel ___________________________________ DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

And I eat ___________________________________

Page 9

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 10

If I Ruled the World In my world there would be ___________________ And never ______________________________ In my world I would always __________________________ And eat _______________________________ And go to _____________________________ And be allowed to _______________________ In my world my team would__________________________ And we would say ___________________________________ And we would never _________________________________ In my world people would think ______________________________ And take action about _________________________________ And never _________________________________ In my world our schools would have _________________________ And feel ______________________________ And look _____________________________ And sound ______________________________ DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 11

Poetic Devices/Elements of Poetry For the Coach Goals 1. Students will develop their teambuilding and cooperative skills. 2. Students will be exposed to works of poetry and music that demonstrate clear examples of delivering a message through this art form and that model several poetic and literary devices. 3. Students will build their understanding of and practice using several poetic literary devices in their writing. Lessons in this Section Lesson 3: Simile/Metaphor Lesson 4: Amazing Alliteration Lesson 5: Soccer Sounds Lesson 6: Where I’m From Lesson 7: Rhythm & Rhyme in Poetry Lesson 8: Strong Verb Scattegories Lesson 9: I’m Dreaming Notes to the Coach In this section, students will start to use their journals in a different way. They will use them to explore and practice a few different poetic devices while they explore their team’s message and what it means to them. All the written work done during this unit will be referred to and possibly used in the final phase of the season, when they work on one group piece that delivers their message using a form of Hip Hop written expression.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 12

Similes and Metaphors Lesson 3 Recommended Time: One Workshop Objectives  Students will examine the use of similes and metaphors as literary devices and will use at least five similes or metaphors in their journal writing. Materials  Copies of the poem “My Hate” and the examples of similes in hip hop lyrics  Comparison Poem Prompts  Journals and pencils  Copies of the Poem Guide (optional) Literary Moment “My Hate” by Marvin Bell, “Apartment Poem” by Gerald Raftery, and examples of similes in lyrics Journaling/Oral Reflection Define similes and metaphors. Similes are a comparison of two unrelated things using like or as. A metaphor is a comparison of two usually unrelated things without using like or as. As you read the poems and lyrics out loud ask the students to see if they can hear the comparison between an emotion and a real object. Ask the students to respond to questions below: - What simile or metaphor did you hear? - What words help you visualize what the artists are saying? -How do similes and metaphors help readers visualize what the author is trying to say? How do they enhance the writing? -Why does the poet continue to use the same simile to describe hate in a unique way? Lesson Tell the students that as poets they are going to try to make comparisons that will surprise the reader and help the reader visualize what they are trying to say. Put the phrase “as blue as ___________” on the board and ask for their immediate thoughts. List their responses beneath the phrase on the board, pointing out the diversity of images and that the color blue can invoke. Move on to the phrases “as big as ______” and “slow like __________,” again listing the children’s ideas on the board. Next have the students work in groups to write short comparison sentences. Encourage wacky and creative comparisons. Some new ideas may include: “The soccer game was as _________ as _________.” “The goalie was like a _______.” DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 13

“The rainbow was as __________ as ________.” Then have each student work independently to create a comparison poem. There are prompts located at the end of this lesson if the students need them. Students may want to focus their poems around something important to them like soccer or school. Share Provide an opportunity for your students to share their journal entries with the group.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 14

Simile and Metaphor Poems My Hate by Marvin Bell My hate is like ripe fruit from an orchard, which is mine. I sink my teeth into it. I nurse on its odd shapes. I have grafted every new variety, walked in my bare feet, rotting and detached, on the fallen ones. Vicious circle. Unfriendly act. I am eating the whole world. In the caves of my ill will I must be stopped. Apartment House by Gerald Raftery A filing-cabinet of human lives Where people swarm like bees in tunneled hives, Each to his own cell in the towered comb, Identical and cramped – we call it home.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 15

Examples of Similes in Hip Hop lyrics "See, I drop the greats like clumsy waiters drop plates." - Mr. Man on Fortified Live, Fortified Live "RRRRROAW RRRROAW like a dungeon dragon, change your little drawers because your pants are saggin'." - Busta Rhymes on Scenario, Low End Theory "Coming from the deep black like the Loch Ness, now bring apocalypse like the Heart of Darkness." - Talib Kweli on We Got the Beat, The Beautiful Struggle "Like Slick Rick the Ruler I'm cooler than a ice brick, got soul like those afro picks, with the black fist, and leave a crowd dripping like John the Baptist," - Black Thought on Mellow My Man, Do You Want More?!??!!! "I'm cooler than a polar bear's toenails... bend corners like I was a curve, I struck a nerve." - Big Boi on Atliens, Atliens "I come fresh like your breath after you brush, wack Mc's like that orange soda get crushed." - Fatlip on Pharcyde, Labcabincalifornia "My rhymes are like shot clocks, interstate cops and blood clots, my point is your flow gets stopped." - Talib Kweli on Hater Players, Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Blackstar From Flocabulary: http://www.flocabulary.com/hiphopmetaphors.html

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 16

Simile and Metaphor Poem Guide My My It It

(feeling) (feeling)

is like is like and and

(verb) (verb)

(verb) (verb)

and it reminds me of the time when and it reminds me of the time when

.

It makes me feel like It makes me feel like I want to I want to

.

Mi

.

es como

.

. .

.

(sentimiento)

y (verbo)

. (verbo)

Y me hace recordar del tiempo cuando

Me hace sentir como

.

Yo quiero

.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 17

Amazing Alliteration Lesson 4 Recommended Time: One Workshop Objective 

Students will be able to define alliteration, a technique that uses repeated consonant sounds in poetry, and identify examples of it in poetry and writing.



Students will be able to write a poem of at least five lines in which each line has at least two words begin with the same consonant sound.

Materials    

Journals and pencils Construction paper cut into large letters and markers Dictionaries and/or thesauri 26 sheets of paper or paper plates, each with one letter of the alphabet (for Let’s Get Physical-optional)

Literary Moment Tongue Twisters (see gigglepoetry.com for more) “Randy” by Rachel Y., America SCORES New England Journaling/Oral Reflection Tongue twisters are a fun way to start a lesson on alliteration. Read the Literary Moment (or some of your favorite tongue twisters, as long as they have many repeated sounds). Then challenge your students to read them as quickly as possible. Ask them to identify the repeated sounds. Once they have identified the sounds, ask them why an author might use repeated sounds (for humor, rhythm, or emphasis). Alliteration also works to slow the reader down, thereby creating more emphasis and strengthening the poem. Lesson Have each student choose a consonant letter (discourage difficult letters like x or h). There are many creative ways to do this: students can choose the first letter of their first names, or you can put the most common letters in a hat and have them draw a letter at random. Explain that today they will be writing a poem about an imaginary person whose name begins with that letter. Have the students brainstorm independently or in small groups all the words they can think of that start with their letter. Encourage them to diversify their lists to include nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Dictionaries can help with this process, but students should only write words with which they are familiar and can use appropriately. Now students are ready to write their “Amazing Alliteration” poems. They should begin by introducing their character, explaining his/her character traits, and putting their DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 18

character into some type of action sequence – while using as many words that begin with their letter as possible!

If students are having trouble getting ideas, you can give them this framework:

Line 1: Who (describe the subject) Line 2: What (what is happening?) Line 3: Where (describe the place) Line 4: When (what else is going on?) Line 5: Why (explain more)

Maggie is mellow and full of mystery. Next May, she’ll marry a man. And they’ll make mischief together. With oodles of money And a merry little monkey They’ll make a melodious melody!

Share Call the letters out in order and have students stand and read their poems aloud. One way to display these poems is to hand out large construction paper cut-outs of their letters to each student. Have them write the name of their character across the top and then copy their poem below. These make great bulletin board displays. The Next Step To extend this lesson have students brainstorm more words that begin with their letter, creating a new list of words to choose from. Then they should write a second stanza to their “Amazing Alliteration” poem. You may also assign students (or allow them to choose) a new letter and write a second stanza with their new letter. Let’s Get Physical: ABC Tag (10 minutes) A high energy game that reinforces literacy skills. 1. Using 26 paper plates (or sheets of paper) write the alphabet out, one large letter on each page, and spread them out randomly (letter side up) throughout the room. 2. Each student gets a chance to run through the letters stepping on or bending down to touch the letters in order of the alphabet as fast as they can. 3. To allow more to participate at a time, two can go at the same time (one can go A-Z, the other at M-Z then A-L). 4. To add variation, ask the children to spell a word, find only the vowels, etc.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 19

Literary Moment: Amazing Alliteration Tongue Twisters Bobby Baxter burst a bubble Bobby’s brother Boris blew. Bobby’s brother started balling Boris cried, boo hoo, boo hoo. Peter Piper picked some peppers Put them in a pewter pot. Added pickle potion to it. Pickled peppers never rot. Spanish Tongue Twister Pancha plancha con Cuatro planchas Con cuantas planchas Pancha plancha? Randy by Rachel Y., age 10, America SCORES New England Randy is respectful, but ridiculous. He lives in Rhode Island and loves red. Randy listens to the radio, records songs and loves rhythm. He reads about racecars. Randy eats rice with ravioli. But his snack is Ruffles with romano cheese. And he loves to run and race. Randy loves riding in the racecar while racing. He thinks rabbits are soft.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 20

Soccer Sounds Lesson 5 Recommended Time: one Workshop Objective  Students will utilize listening skills while focusing on different sounds associated with soccer.  Students will implement these written sounds within poetry for added impact. Materials

   

Journals and pencils Large piece of paper for all kids to draw on Markers and/or crayons Onomatopoeia Word List (page 39)

Literary Moment “Busssssss” by April Halprin Wayland “Listen to the Mystery” by Jamel Johnson Journaling/Oral Reflection “Busssssss” is a fun poem to read aloud. After reading it with the class, ask them to name the different sounds they heard. Ask:  How does the poet use words to make us hear the noises of the bus?  What other noises do you associate with the bus?  The noise of the bus is just one sound we hear in the city. What other noises do you hear every day?  Do you find these noises comforting or annoying (or something else)? Share with them that being quiet and listening can teach a person a lot about what is going on around him/her. If time permits, have students sit silently for a few moments and discuss what they hear or take them on a “listening walk”. Lesson Before this activity, encourage your students to take time and listen to all of the sounds that they hear during soccer practice and soccer games. Introduce the concept of onomatopoeia, the use of words with sounds that suggest their meaning like “buzz,” “clang,” “whoosh,” etc. Explain that these sound-words can add energy, surprise and detail to writing and poetry. Have a brainstorming session where students come up to the board and write the sounds they have heard on the field. Encourage fresh ideas by naming something that happens in soccer and asking what it sounds like. Share the Onomatopoeia Word List so the students can think about other words that suggest sounds. This is a great activity to revisit later in the season. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 21

Next, use the soccer sounds from the board and have students describe what each word is referring to (i.e., “Whoosh! My foot missed the ball!” or “Smack! I headed the ball!”). Work with your students to develop a team poem incorporating as much onomatopoeia as possible.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 22

Literary Moment: Soccer Sounds Bussssssss by April Halprin Wayland Brakesssss hisssssss Wheelsssssssss squeal busssssssssssssssssss Ssssssssssssssto-ops. Step in! Step up! the doors shut the coins clink the driver gives a friendly wink

About the poet: April Halprin Wayland writes poetry, novels, and picture books, all for children. She has traveled around the world teaching poetry to children and adults. She has run a walnut farm and she is also an accomplished fiddler! She lives in Los Angeles, California.

She presses down the fat gas pedal a creepy sound of scraping metal the bus roars an old man snores Brakesssss hisssssss Wheelsssssssss squeal busssssssssssssssssss ssssssssssssssto-ops. Step down! Step off! Bus breathes. Busssssssssssssssss leaves.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 23

Listen to the Mystery by Jamel Johnson Listen to The voice of water when The water splashes to put out a fire Listen to a loud roar of water putting out fire Listen to the mystery that hasn’t been solved yet Listen to the voice of the river crying because it is in the palm of my right hand Listen to the voice of water crying because it is hot and on fire Listen to the voice of a pencil when it is losing its head for you to write on When the point of your pencil breaks It tells you, “Use another pencil, I’m tired.”

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 24

Onomatopoeia Word List Below are some words that suggest sounds. Add more to the list as you think of them. beat blare bump buzz chime chirp chop clack clap click cluck coo creak crisp crunch crush ding dong drip drizzle

drone drop explode fizzle flap gobble gong grind grumble gush hiss howl hush jingle lap moan moo pop purr roar

rumble scratch screech shot shriek shrill shush sizzle slap slide slip slurp sparkle spit splash splatter squeak stumble thump tingle

tinkle tweet twinkle twitch twitter whimper whine whisper whistle whiz wobble yap yelp yowl zing zip zoom

A Few in Spanish achís (sneeze) clic (click) guau guau (barking dog) miau (meow) pío pío (bird)

pataplúm (explosion)

quiquiriquí (rooster crowing)

plas (applause)

tic tac (clock ticking)

púm (explosion) rataplán (drum beating)

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 25

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 26

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 27

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 28

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 29

Rhythm and Rhyme in Poetry Lesson 7 Recommended Time: 1-2 Workshops Objective 

Students will identify how the rhythmic and rhyming aspects of poetry contribute to the overall presentation and meaning of a poem.



Students will also write unique poems of ten lines with five pairs exhibiting end rhyming.

Materials  Journals and pencils  Overhead projector (recommended)  Transparency with the Literary Moment Literary Moment “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” by Maya Angelou. Note: This poem has been published as a beautiful children’s book illustrated by Jean Michel Basquiat. Journaling/Oral Reflection Before the lesson, read “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” by Maya Angelou aloud to yourself once or twice. You’ll notice a subtle rhythm that guides the poem, yet doesn’t make it sound silly or cause it to lose its meaning. Poems that exhibit rhythm and rhyme can be very silly and funny (kids definitely gravitate toward these), but they can also convey deeper, more powerful messages. Read the poem aloud to the class. You may want to display it on an overhead projector as you read. Ask the students what the poet is trying to convey through the poem. Initiate a discussion about scary things and bravery. Ask them to share situations in which they have been frightened but tried not to show it. Ask whether or not students think that hiding their true feelings helps them feel braver in scary situations. Do they think the poet is really not afraid of anything or is she simply trying to sound braver than she really is? Students can do some quick journaling about their thoughts on bravery and fear. Lesson Read the Maya Angelou poem again, and ask the students to take note of rhyming patterns. Read the poem one stanza at a time, noting the rhyming words that appear. If the poem is on a transparency, underline the rhyming words using matching colors to emphasize patterns. Tell students that two lines that rhyme together are called a couplet and that a refrain is a line that repeats throughout the poem to add emphasis. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 30

Choose one stanza (or the whole poem) to read in your most deadpan, nonrhythmic voice, applying equal stress to every single word, even all the little words. Ask the students how that sounded. Was it easier or harder to pay attention? Ask students to volunteer reading a stanza in their most rhythmic, sing-song voice. Try having students clap a beat along with the reader to make a celebration out of the reading. Now the students will write their own poetry that demonstrates strong rhythm and rhyme. They can think about writing the lyrics to a rap or a cheer to be used at soccer games. Encourage them to read their poems aloud to themselves or to a partner. Here is a useful list of sounds and blends to help students with rhyming: BL, BR, CH, DR, FL, FR, GL, GR, KL, KR, PR, SH, SHR, SL, ST, STR, TH, THR, TR The Next Step Extend the lesson by having students select one line they particularly like and adding it as a refrain throughout the poem. They can also add stanzas that vary the rhythm or rhyming pattern. Go back to “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” for good examples of both of these techniques, or take refrains from the list below. You don’t know me... Before I walked in the door... If I could tell you one thing, I would say... Without the (sun, rain, wind)... Share The poems generated from this lesson can be used to teach students about poetry performance. Have the class rehearse their poems before reading them aloud, and you can give a mini-lesson on stance, posture, and using simple gestures to help get the meaning across. If some students wrote a cheer, they can even teach it to a few other kids and recite it together. Encourage eye contact with the audience, especially when reciting the refrain or other lines that are easy to memorize. Be sure to include reminders about appropriate audience behavior as part of your minilesson. If there is one cheer that is particularly popular, the whole team can learn it and use it at the next game! Let’s Get Physical: Rhythmic Name Game (5-10 minutes) This game begins with everyone standing in a circle clapping out a slow beat. Each member will take a turn ad libbing his/her part, beginning with the coach. 1. Say “My name is __________.” 2. Everyone else responds with “Uh huh,” or “Oh yeah,” or “Right on,” or “Go girl,” etc. 3. Say “I come from __________.” 4. Everyone responds similarly. 5. Say “I like to ___________.” 6. Everyone responds similarly. 7. Continue the activity until everyone has had a chance to go. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 31

Literary Moment: Rhythm and Rhyme in Poetry Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou Shadows on the wall Noises down the hall Life doesn’t frighten me at all Bad dogs barking loud Big ghosts in a cloud Life doesn’t frighten me at all. Mean old Mother Goose Lions on the loose They don’t frighten me at all Dragons breathing flame On my counterpane That doesn’t frighten me at all. I go boo Make them shoo I make fun Way they run I won’t cry So they fly I just smile They go wild Life doesn’t frighten me at all.

Tough guys in a fight All alone at night Life doesn’t frighten me at all. Panthers in the park Strangers in the dark No, they don’t frighten me at all. That new classroom where Boys pull all my hair (Kissy little girls With their hair in curls) They don’t frighten me at all. Don’t show me frogs and snakes And listen for my scream, If I’m afraid at all It’s only in my dreams. I’ve got a magic charm That I keep up my sleeve, I can walk the ocean floor And never have to breathe. Life doesn’t frighten me at all Not at all Not at all Life doesn’t frighten me at all.

About the poet: Dr. Maya Angelou is a renaissance woman having worn many hats including: writer, poet, historian, dancer, actress, singer, playwright, director, and civil rights activist. She has written six memoirs, one of which, “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” is considered her masterpiece. She has been nominated for many awards including the Pulitzer Prize for her poetry and a Grammy Award for her spoken word albums.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Page 32

Sample Poem: Rhythm and Rhyme Sounds Like It! by Arden Davidson Tick Tock. Tick Tock. Funny how it rhymes with clock. Rub-a-dub, Rub-a-dub, Rub-a-dub, dub Funny how it rhymes with tub. Plip, plop. Down the drain. Funny how it rhymes with rain.

Splish, splash. Slip, slop.

Funny how it rhymes with mop. Yummy, yummy. Slurp, slurp, slurp. Funny how it rhymes with burp. If words sound just like what they do, What words, ya think, would rhyme with you?

About the poet: Arden Davidson lives in Columbus, Ohio. She writes ads for a living, and has written over 30 books for children, a novel, and hundreds of song lyrics. Ms. Davidson is the owner of two cats named Toby and Angel. Her favorite TV shows include American Idol, Seinfeld and “almost anything ‘reality’.”

Strong Verb Scattergories Lesson 8 Recommended Time: 1 Workshop Objectives  Students will identify synonyms for common verbs.  Students will complete a journal entry in response to a prompt.  Students will replace at least four verbs in their journal entry in order to strengthen the language. Materials  Journals and pencils  Copies of “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg Literary Moment “Chicago” by Carl Sandburg Use this piece as an example of a poem that uses strong verbs to get a clearer, more descriptive meaning across. Journaling/Oral Reflection Have the students read the poem either out loud or silently to themselves and discuss Sandburg’s word choices as literary devices. Ask students to describe a time they took action to make a positive change in their community, family or life. Lesson Word Challenge: Write a list of verbs on the board. Use the following or make up your own: Run See Fall Like Jump Hit Say Drink Walk Shoot Cry Laugh Place the students into small groups. Tell them that their challenge is to think of synonyms (words that mean the same thing) for each of these words that would make them more exciting and original. Explain to students that when they are done they will share them with the group. If two or more students have the same response, no one will get any points. If a group has an original replacement, he/she will get a point for that category. The student with the most unduplicated answers will win the challenge.  Example: Original Word – Run Students 1 and 2 – Sprint…no points Students 3 and 4 – Jog…no points DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

34

Student 5 – Dash…1 point Student 6 – Dart…1 point. Give students two minutes to complete their list of new strong verbs. At the end of two minutes go around the room and ask students to share their responses and record points for originality. Tip: Give a writing-related prize to the winner! Revise Ask student to return to their earlier journaling and review their entries and identify four verbs that they think they can make stronger. Ask them to circle those four verbs and on the next page in their journal write their original verbs on the left, and on the right list at least three possible replacements for each verb.

Original Verbs Run

Kick

Say

Stronger Verbs Sprint Dash Explode Smash Blast Boot Exclaim Shout Cry

When they have completed their list, ask students to choose one replacement verb for each original verb, return to their journal and turn their action into a poem using their new strong verbs. Share Close your session by giving volunteers the opportunity to share their journal entry with the group.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

35

“Chicago” by Carl Sandburg Hog Butcher for the World, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler; Stormy, husky, brawling, City of the Big Shoulders: They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I have seen your painted women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys. And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again. And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the faces of women and children I have seen the marks of wanton hunger. And having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer and say to them: Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning. Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the little soft cities; Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness, Bareheaded, Shoveling, Wrecking, Planning, Building, breaking, rebuilding, Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with white teeth, Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young man laughs, Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has never lost a battle, Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse, and under his ribs the heart of the people, Laughing! Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

36

I’m Dreaming Lesson 9 Recommended Time: One Workshop Objectives  Students will differentiate between dreams and goals and check in with the goals they set for themselves at the beginning of the season.  Students will examine their own dreams and their dreams for their community.  Students will complete a poem consisting of 10 lines using anaphora. Materials  Journals and pencils  Copies of “Dreams” by students from Trotter School Literary Moment “Dreams” by Trotter School students Journaling/Oral Reflection Introduce this song by explaining that the students used a famous poem, “Dreams” by Langston Hughes, as the chorus for their song. In this way, they rooted their own message into the message of a famous poet, and they also show respect and dedication to the work that Hughes accomplished. Use the following questions to guide a discussion with your team.  Do you think the students who wrote this song have realistic goals? Why or why not?  What is the difference between a dream and a goal?  Do you think it is important to have both dreams and goals?  What were the goals that you set at the beginning of the season?  What are some things that these students could do to follow their dreams?  What sort of steps can you take to follow your dreams? Lesson Your students will be writing a poem using anaphora, a poetic technique where the poet uses repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of each line of the poem. In their journal ask students to write, “My dream is …,” at the beginning of every other line 10 times. They should then complete each line creatively and imaginatively. Remind them that dreams can but do not have to be realistic. Dreams capture a person’s hopes. Encourage your students to take a risk with this.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

37

In an effort to get the students thinking broadly about themselves as well as their community, the first five lines of the poem should be personal dreams, and the second five lines should be dreams about their community. Share Provide your team with an opportunity to share their poems and to receive constructive feedback from their peers. Each comment should include a compliment as well as a suggestion.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

38

Dreams (inspired by Langston Hughes) By Joshua B., Tarek S., I’Teasia B., Christiana R., and Nubia B., Trotter School Chorus Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken winged bird That cannot fly Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow Joshua: My dream is to play in the NBA I would always practice every single day I love to play basketball that’s what I do But I need to get good so my dream could come true When I play basketball I try my best But some people say, “Josh, give it a rest” I can’t just go in the NBA First I need to practice and learn how to play Tarek: You know what I wanna be when I grow up I’m gonna pick the colors of a yellow tulip I wanna be a person who designs clothes I also wanna pick the colors of a rose The reason that I wanna be a clothes designer? No job, can ever be finer That’s what I wanna be when I grow up I am gonna be this when I grow up! Chorus Mr. L-R: What Dreams In this life, we all know at a very young age what our purpose and our dreams are. But, sometimes along the way we get tricked into forgetting… Chorus We’re all gifted, but sometimes our dreams get shifted By the ways of the world that we live But I tell you this, you never give in And you will succeed DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

39

I’Teasia: To be a lawyer is my dream And if it doesn’t work out you’ll see steam I’ve got fetish for paper, but it’s all cool And I don’t even mind the extra years in school Justice, is what I’m looking for And once I’ve got the key I’m gonna open up the door I’m gonna make you free And once it’s done everybody will be happy, Hee-hee! Christiana: My dream is to become a lawyer I would have to go to school In order to use the rights tools I also need to learn some things if I want to earn some things I need to learn how to go in court and sort Everything You need to hear the law in order to get far

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

40

Creating Our Own Poems/Songs For the Coach Goals: 1. Using the tools gained in the past lessons about poetic devices, students will begin writing their poems in the structure of a song. Song writers are poets your students are making that same transition. 2. You can use the song template located at the end of lesson 10 to help them structure their songs in every lesson of this section. Lessons in this Section: Lesson 10: Song Structure & the Love Song Lesson 11: Get Up & Move: The Dance Song Lesson 12: Blues Lesson 13: Fight song Lesson 11: Ode Lesson 14: Cautionary ballad Lesson 15: Message Notes to the coach: During this section students will use the poetic devices gained in the last section to create their own songs. Song writers are poets and your students are now creating the link between poetry and song. At the end of each lesson students will have written a different, original song. During some lessons you may want them to work in small groups to extend the lesson and create a song together. By the end of this section your team will have journals full of great songs. After this section you and your team should look back at the best songs and begin deciding, editing, and preparing for your presentation at the Poetry Slam! You team will present at least two group songs and one individual song.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

41

Song Structure & the Love Song Lesson 10 Recommended Time: One Workshop Objectives  Students will express strong emotion in writing.  Students will understand basic song structure.  Students will identify verse and refrain in a song or poem. Materials  Journals and pencils  Copies of “I Miss You” or “Amor Perdido” Literary Moment “I Miss You” was written and recorded by the DC SCORES team at Jefferson Middle School. It was a huge hit at the East Side Poetry Slam in 2008. “Amor Perdido” was written by the Oyster Adams DC SCORES team and performed at the 2009 Poetry Slam! Journal/Oral Reflection Discussion Questions  Describe a person, object or activity that you truly love.  What makes you love this person/object/activity?  How do you feel when you are with this person/object/doing this activity?  What do you feel like when you are prevented from being with this person/thing/doing this activity?  What if someone told you that you could never do this activity/see this person/object ever again? What would that feel like? What would you do or say? Lesson Take a look at the basic song template with the class. Explain that generally a song will go back and forth between a verse that changes and tells the story of the song, and a repeated, catchy refrain that comes between each verse. Ask students to look at the song template as they are listening to “I Miss You.” Ask them to listen for and try to identify the verses and the refrain in the song. At the end of the song discuss which parts were which. By the end, who knew when the verse was coming? Could they actually sing along? (Optional) Explain that sometimes to make a song more interesting towards the end, when the listener is expecting another chorus/refrain, or verse, the songwriter will throw in a new, completely different part, almost to trick the listener’s ears. This short, completely new part of the song is called a bridge. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

42

Ask students to revisit their journaling and choose which part or parts are the best. Which parts most clearly and interestingly encapsulate their love. These parts should be used in the refrain of the song because they’ll be repeated again and a again and will be the parts that are most familiar – the “sing-a-long” parts like in “I Miss You.” Have students use these parts to create their chorus on their song template. Students may structure their verses however they choose using leftover journaling or new ideas. Share Due to the personal nature of love songs, you may find fewer than usual students interested in sharing. Encourage only those who feel comfortable sharing to do so with the group or ask them to share with a partner.

Amor Perdido DC SCORES Oyster Adams Un beso causado por el amor El amor infinito que yo siempre he sentido Los abrazos tan fuertes que me recuerdan de ti Pensamientos que me duelen al pensar de ti Mi corazón hecho en mil pedazos Derrota del amor que perdí CORO x2: Todo ya se fue. ¿Que es el amor? ¿Porque el amor te hace sufrir? No se porque, pero quiero saber. Mi mente quiere olvidarte Pero, el maldito corazón no me deja. Esta enganchado, esta clavado En ese hombre malvado Que me quebró el corazón. CORO x2: Todo ya se fue. ¿Que es el amor? ¿Porque el amor te hace sufrir? No se porque, pero quiero saber. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

Lost Love A kiss caused by love An infinite love that I’ve always felt Hugs so strong that they remind me of you Thoughts that hurt when they’re of you My heart is in a thousand pieces Defeated by the love that I lost CHORUS x2: Everything is now gone. What is love? Why does it make you suffer? I don’t know why, but I want to know. My mind wants to forget you But this damned heart won’t let me It’s hooked, its nailed to This evil man Who broke my heart CHORUS x2: Everything is now gone. What is love? Why does it make you suffer? I don’t know why, but I want to know.

43

I Miss You

DC SCORES Jefferson MS Team

I miss you This is for the people that we think about This is for the people that ya’all talk about This is for the people that we cry about When I first heard of you I didn’t start to think it was true, you and only you I dearly miss you, Carnilla You was nice as a pie when I think I start to cry Just for you can really know I love you I miss you This is for the people that we think about This is for the people that ya’all talk about This is for the people that we cry about Why did you leave me Why did you go Away, away I just don’t know You left me to go to a better place, but it’s going to be hard not seeing your face I can’t think about me, its time to think about you I have to understand that death is true Now your life is in Gods hand because we both have two different plans Plans that make your life at peace God plans are best I can’t follow mine, because up in Heaven you’ll do just fine. Now its time to say goodbye We will look for you up in the sky I love you, Layla I miss you This is for the people that we think about This is for the people that ya’all talk about This is for the people that we cry about They took your life because maybe it was your time and I know its true You’re gone now and now my good days are through Sometimes I think about you when I am in my domain Its not going to be the same not seeing your face I hope you do well in Heaven Love you, daddy I miss you This is for the people that we think about This is for the people that ya’all talk about This is for the people that we cry about I miss you

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

44

Song Sheet Template *note: Each part can be as long or short as you want it to be! Verse 1: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ REFRAIN (this part will repeat after each verse): ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Verse 2: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ REFRAIN (repeat) Bridge: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ **note: The bridge is a way to mix up and expand your song! Some songwriters choose not to include a bridge. In some songs, the bridge is instrumental (it doesn’t have any lyrics). In some songs, a surprise twist is revealed.** REFRAIN (repeat)

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

45

Get Up & Move: The Dance Song Lesson 11 Recommended Time: One Workshop Objectives    

Students will identify songs in the popular dance tradition. Students will design their own dance. Students will write explicit instructions. Students will write their own dance song.

Materials  Journals and pencils  Copies of “The Hokey Pokey” Literary Moment “YMCA” by The Village People is a popular traditional dance song many of your students will be familiar with. Journal/Oral Reflection Discussion Questions  Do you like to dance? Why or why not?  What kind of music do you like to dance to and why?  Do you like to dance alone? In a small group? In a large group?  What are the best places in DC to dance?  Why do you think people have enjoyed dancing since there first was music?  What emotions do you feel when you are dancing. Lesson Brainstorm Dances and dance songs with your team (i.e. The Electric Slide, The Stanky Leg, the Macarena, the Twist, the Cha-Cha Slide, the Humpty-Hump, the Butterfly, Superman) Chart responses. Introduce the Hokey Pokey. Sing the song and do the dance as a team. Ask student volunteers to demonstrate the dances on the brainstorm chart. Ask students if they think they can come up with their own dance. As a group or individually: Start by creating numbered step-by-step instructions of exactly how to do the dance)1. Nod your head up & down 2. Now, move your hips back & forth 3. Bob up and down by bending your knees) Use the song template to make your dance into an instructive song, complete with a catchy chorus that repeats the name of your new dance. Share Of course, the perfect way to end this lesson is for the students to share their song and demonstrate their dance! DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

46

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

47

YMCA The Village People Young man, there's no need to feel down. I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground. I said, young man, 'cause you're in a new town There's no need to be unhappy. Young man, there's a place you can go. I said, young man, when you're short on your dough. You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find Many ways to have a good time.

You can hang out with all the boys ... It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a. It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a. You can get yourself cleaned, you can have a good meal, You can do whatever you feel ... Young man, I was once in your shoes. I said, I was down and out with the blues. I felt no man cared if I were alive. I felt the whole world was so tight ...

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a. It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

That's when someone came up to me, And said, young man, take a walk up the street. There's a place there called the y.m.c.a. They can start you back on your way.

They have everything for you men to enjoy, You can hang out with all the boys ...

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a. It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a. It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

They have everything for you men to enjoy, You can hang out with all the boys ...

You can get yourself cleaned, you can have a good meal, You can do whatever you feel ...

Y-m-c-a ... you'll find it at the y-m-c-a.

Young man, are you listening to me? I said, young man, what do you want to be? I said, young man, you can make real your dreams. But you got to know this one thing! No man does it all by himself. I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf, And just go there, to the y.m.c.a. I'm sure they can help you today. It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a. It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a. They have everything for you men to enjoy,

Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down. Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground. Y-m-c-a ... you'll find it at the y-m-c-a. Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down. Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground. Y-m-c-a ... just go to the y-m-c-a. Young man, young man, are you listening to me? Young man, young man, what do you wanna be?

Hurting So Bad – The 12 Bar Blues Lesson 12 Recommended Time: One to Two Workshops Objectives  Students will write 12 bar song in the blues style using A,B,A,B pattern.  Students will recognize and identify songs in the blues tradition.  Students will understand the origins of the blues in chants of early African American slaves. Materials  Journals and pencils  Copies of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” Literary Moment “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams Journal/Oral Reflection Discussion Questions  What do you think “misery” feels like?  What does it feel like to cry?  When was a time you were really, really sad.  Describe how that felt. Lesson Listen to the song, I’m So Lonesome I could Cry.  Ask students to listen for length of section and rhyme pattern.  Encourage students to clap or, even better, stomp their feet. Discuss rhyme structure of song  See if students can describe the sections as having an A,B, A, B, A, B etc. pattern by themselves or with limited prompting  Write the pattern on chart or board – there should be 12 lines:  A  B  A  B  A  B  A  B  A  B  A  B DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

49

Listen again to the song. This time instruct the students to stand up and use their body to make an “A” with their body when they hear the “A” line, and a “B” with their body when they hear the “B” line. Discuss the content of the song, both lyrically and musically. (If the students aren’t tiring of the song, play it again.) How does the music make you FEEL? What do the words make you feel? What words in, and parts of the song the song are the saddest? Chart the student responses. Explain that the origins of the Blues lay in the field chants of African Slaves in pre Civil War US. Slaves used call and response chants to lament their situation, pass the excruciating hours, and sometimes communicate messages about escape plans! Ask students to describe a sad time in their life, or make up a sad story using the A,B,A,B pattern. Encourage students to borrow sad words from the above brainstorm. Encourage them also to add sad words to the brainstorm with a circulating marker as they come up with others. Share Close your session by giving volunteers the opportunity to share their lyrics or song.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

50

I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry Words and music by Hank Williams Hear that lonesome whippoorwill He sounds too blue to fly The midnight train is whining low I'm so lonesome I could cry I've never seen a night so long When time goes crawling by The moon just went behind a cloud To hide its face and cry Did you ever see a robin weep When leaves began to die? That means he's lost the will to live I'm so lonesome I could cry The silence of a falling star Lights up a purple sky And as I wonder where you are I'm so lonesome I could cry

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

51

12-Bar Blues Template Write your own blues song in the AAB pattern:

(A)

(A—the first line is repeated, with something like “I said” at the beginning)

(B—resolution! This line responds to the idea in “A”, and rhymes with it)

(A)

(A—the first line is repeated, with something like “I said” at the beginning)

(B—resolution! This line responds to the idea in “A”, and rhymes with it) (A)

(A—the first line is repeated, with something like “I said” at the beginning)

(B—resolution! This line responds to the idea in “A”, and rhymes with it) *Here’s an example from Bessie Smith’s Standing in the Rain Blues: If it rains five days that won't give me no blues If it rains five days that won't give me no blues I've got my raincoat and hat, umbrella, boots and shoes DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

52

Team Fight Song! Lesson 13 Recommended Time: One Workshop Objectives  Students will describe what makes their team great or special.  Students will recognize songs in major and minor keys.  Students will create a fight song for their team that can be taught to their classmates and sung at their games. Materials  Journals and pencils  Copies of “Hail to the Redskins”  Chart with the following discussion/reaction prompts:

Can you tell me more? Can you give me another example so I may better understand? This reminds me of the time ______, because _____. I believe this is true because __________. I'm not sure about that. Can you give me another example that proves your point? I agree with _______ because _______. ______'s idea reminds me of the time________. Literary Moment “Hail to the Redskins,” the traditional fight song of the NFL Washington Redskins. You can find text of the song’s lyrics at the end of this lesson. Journal/Oral Reflection Discussion Questions  What makes your team special?  What makes your school special?  Do you have a mascot? What is it? What would your mascot do in a soccer game?  Describe what you and your teammates would do in the ideal soccer game.  How does your team play every game? DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

53

Lesson Ask a volunteer to begin a discussion on what makes the team great by sharing some of their journaling. Encourage team to pick up the discussion by using the talk prompts on the chart to add to the previous comment or to get more information from the previous speaker. See how long the carry the discussion on comfortably and constructively between teacher interjections. Coach should chart conversation points. Listen to “Hail to the Redskins:” Ask the students to describe : How does it sound different from the blues? Students should recognize the contrast between the minor keys of yesterday’s blues lesson & the major keys typical of fight songs. What do you like about the song? What don’t you like about the song? How does it make you feel? (perhaps as opposed to the blues numbers in the previous lesson) Use charted conversation points to write lyrics to a shared fight song. Share Close your session by giving small groups the opportunity to share your new fight song with different various rhythms or twists to it. Decide on one version you want to sing on your next game day.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

54

Redskins Fight Song Hail to the Redskins! Hail Victory! Braves on the warpath Fight for old D.C.! Run or pass and score We want a lot more Beat 'em, swamp 'em, touchdown Let the points soar Fight on, fight on 'Till you have won Sons of Washington! Rah! Rah! Rah! Hail to the Redskins! Hail Victory! Braves on the warpath Fight for old D.C.!

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

55

An Ode to a Special Place Lesson 14 Recommended Time: One to Two Workshops Objectives  Students will use descriptive language to write about a geographic location.  Students will complete a journal entry in response to a prompt.  Students will be able to identify “Ode” as a songwriting genre.  Students will emulate verse-refrain-verse-refrain song structure. Materials  Journals and pencils  Copies of “Welcome to DC” by Mambo Sauce Literary Moment “Welcome to DC” by Mambo Sauce. You can find text of the song’s lyrics at the end of this lesson or download it at: Journal/Oral Reflection Discussion Questions  What is a place that is very special to you or your family? It can be as small as a bench or a building, or as large as a city, country, or ocean.  Close your eyes and imagine that you are in this place. What do you see; what colors are there? What do you hear? What do you smell? Does the place have special foods or flavors? Who is there, and what are they saying? Lesson Ask Students what makes a place special.  A place can be special because of the way it looks.  A place can be special because of the people who are there.  Can a place be so bad that it is special? Probably. Decide on a shared special place – maybe it’s your school, or your soccer field, or your writing classroom – to write a shared poem about.  You could make each of five stanzas focused on a different sense, or organize the poem in any way the class decides.  Write a refrain that recurs between each stanza. It can be as simple as “Harriet Tubman Elementary School, a special place to be!” repeated a couple of times; or, as complicated, but catchy as you like.  Ask one or more students to read the poem aloud.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

56

Ask if one or more students would be willing to sing the poem, or just the refrain, to a tune – made up or familiar. Give the students time to construct their own “ode” about a special place using the journaling that they did earlier in the lesson.. Share Close your session by giving volunteers the opportunity to share their lyrics or song.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

57

“Welcome to DC” by Mambo Sauce ChorusYou know where you're at, The USA Cap You're taking this lightly Stop taking this lightly Now how you gon' act Oh you gon' be right back Well we gon' be right here We gon' be right here You know where you're at, The USA Cap You're taking this lightly Stop taking this lightly Now how you gon' act Oh you gon' be right back Well we gon' be right here We gon' be right here We ain't going Nowhere Welcome to DC (verse 1) Dc, the home of Chuck Brown Oh you don't know the sound? Well let me break it down The G-O the G-O The M-A-M-B-O See though, Went been pumping crank since an embryo, Really though. It's the city where the people hold the power, And you can see 9 dimes every half an hour, Where lunchin and Jo is the Lingo, And brothas rob, so aint nobody Rockin Mink Coats. Take ya back to the madness hats or how, The city renamed cigarettes jacks or how, Even the mayor had a run in with Crack, But we all kept it real and we voted him back. But, we got no stars that Spit on bars, Like BET wasn't birthed in our backyard So our NEG our Essence and our Backyard And Junkyard got us all goin hard. (chorus) DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

58

(verse 2) I'm from the city - The District, I own up to it. But right now I gotta real big bone to pick. When this industry gon let us get some ownership? We gotta take it huh? Well we on it then. This aint a hit and run, No were not an accident. More like a hit and hold Sorta like we tacklin. And we crack so hard cause we be praticin' And this I just the beginning slim, We just scrimmaging, So Lace up ya Nike boots and pass with the Timberlands'. Where them brothers off the boat like they Gilligan, What a condition that we livin in Got us Fightin over land that aint ours like Cowboys and Indians So football, yup Cowboys and Indians And politics, yup Cowboys and idiots. But much love to VA and MD That's why the new DC is the DMV. (Chorus) (verse 3) Truth is this, this here is proof there's room to take it up a few gears, give us a few years Let us test some ears We'll be a brand new best of theirs, Scoring a hundred on ya questionnaires Cause if the question is, “is we the truth?” Then check the Yea Cause if you check the No, Somebody better check the air But check the water cause there's something in it We can't afford to be bush there's only one in the district We aint goin nowhere (2x) We gone be right here We aint goin' nowhere We gon' be right We aint goin nowhere Welcome to DC. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

59

Cautionary Ballad: We’re Headed for SelfDestruction Lesson 15 Recommended Time: One to Two Workshops Objectives  Students will examine what makes choices healthy or unhealthy.  Students will write advice to an imagined teammate making poor or selfdestructive choices.  Students will create a cautionary ballad in the model of “Self-destruction.” Materials  Journals and pencils  Copies of “Self-Destruction” by Stop the Violence Movement Literary Moment “Self Destruction” was recorded by Stop the Violence Movement, which was a super-group consisting of virtually every popular rapper of the early nineties. You can find text of the song’s lyrics at the end of this lesson. Journal/Oral Reflection Discussion Questions  What do you think self-destruction means?  What sort of activities or choices might lead to self-destruction?  How do you make good choices, and avoid self-destruction?  What advice would you give to a teammate who might be headed down the wrong path toward self-destruction? Lesson After listening to the song one or more times, practice reciting the refrain together with handclaps – “self-destruction, we’re headed for self destruction. Self-destruction we’re headed for self-destruction.” Encourage students to stand and clap, sway back and forth or make up movements if they are moved to do so. Challenge each student to write a verse using their journaling, trying to make it fit with the same clapped rhythm of the refrain. Students can use the song template to help guide their writing. Share Close your session by making a circle with your chairs. Clap out the beat and chant the self-destruction refrain. Continue clapping out the beat and go around the circle alternating between each person rapping their verse and chanting the refrain chorally. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

60

“Self-Destruction” by Stop the Violence Movement [Chorus x2:] Self-Destruction, ya headed for Self-Destruction [KRS-One] Well, today's topic, self destruction It really ain't the rap audience that's buggin It's one or two suckas, ignorant brothers Trying to rob and steal from one another You get caught in the mid So to crush the stereotype here's what we did We got ourselves together so that you could unite and fight for what's right Not negative 'cause the way we live is positive We don't kill our relatives [MC Delight (Stetsasonic)] Pop pop pop when it's shot who's to blame? Headlines, front page, and rap's the name MC Delight here to state the bottom line That black-on-black crime was way before our time [Kool Moe Dee] Took a brother's life with a knife as his wife Cried cause he died a trifling death When he left his very last breath Was I slept so watch your step Back in the sixties our brothers and sisters were hanged How could you gang-bang? I never ever ran from the Ku Klux Klan and I shouldn't have to run from a black man cause that's [Chorus] [MC Lyte] Funky Fresh dressed to impress ready to party Money in your pocket, dying to move your body To get inside you paid the whole ten dollars Scotch taped with a razor blade taped to your collar Leave the guns and the crack and the knives alone MC Lyte's on the microphone Bum rushin and crushin, snatchin and taxin I cram to understand why brother's don't be maxin There's only one disco, they'll close one more You ain't guarding the door so what you got a gun for? Do you rob the rich and give to the poor? Yo Daddy-O, school em some more DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

61

[Daddy-O, Wise (Stetsasonic)] Straight from the mouth of Wise and Daddy-o Do a crime end up in jail and gotta go Cause you could do crime and get paid today And tomorrow you're behind bars in the worst way Far from your family, cause you're locked away Now tell me, do you really think crime pays? Scheming on taking what your brother has? You little suckers.. you talkin' all that jazz. [D-Nice] It's time to stand together in a unity Cause if not then we're soon to be Self-destroyed, unemployed The rap race will be lost without a trace Or a clue but what to do Is stop the violence and kick the science Down the road that we call eternity Where knowledge is formed and you'll learn to be Self-sufficient, independent To teach to each is what rap intended But society wants to invade So do not walk this path they laid. It's [Chorus] [Ms. Melodie] I'm Ms. Melodie and I'm a born again rebel The violence in rap must cease and seckle If we want to develop and grow to another level We can't be guinea pigs for the devil The enemy knows, they're no fools Because everyone knows that hip-hop rules So we gotta get a grip and grab what's wrong The opposition is weak and rap is strong [Doug E. Fresh] This is all about, no doubt, to stop violence But first let's have a moment of silence *Fresh beatboxes*... swing Things been stated re-educated, evaluated THoughts of the past have faded The only thing left is the memories of our belated and I hate it, when Someone dies and gets all hurt up For a silly gold chain by a chump; WORD IP It doesn't make you a big man, and To want to go out and dis your brother man, and You don't know that's part of the plan Why? Cause rap music is in full demand. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

62

Understand [Chorus] [Just-Ice] My name is Just-Ice a man not a prankster I was known... as the gangster But believe me that is no fun The time is now to unite everyone You don't have to be soft to be for peace Robbin and killin and muderin is the least You don't have to be chained by the beast But party people it's time I release! [Heavy D] Aiyyo here's the situation: Idio[di]cy Nonsense, violence, not a good policy Therefore we must ignore, fightin and fussin Hev is at the door so there'll be no bum-rushin Let's get together so we'll be fallin apart I heard a brother shot another. It broke my heart I don't understand the difficulty, people Love your brother, treat him as an equal They call us animals mmm mmm I don't agree with them I'll prove them wrong, but right is what your proving them Take heed before I lead to what I'm sayin Or we'll all be on our knees, prayin [Fruitkwan (Stetsasonic)] Yo Heavy D, deep in the heart of the matter The self-destruction is served on a platter Makin a day not failing to aniticipate They got greedy so they fell for the bait That makes them a victim, picked then plucked New jack in jail, but to the vets they're a duck There's no one to rob, cause in jail you're a number They never took the time to wonder about [Chorus] [Chuck D, Flavor Flav (Public Enemy)] Yes we urge to merge we live for the love Of our people the hope that they get along (Yeah, so we did a song) Getting the point to our brothers and sisters Who don't know the time (boyyyee, so we wrote a rhyme) It's dead in your head, you know, I'll drive to build And collect ourselves with intellect, come on To revolve to evolve to self-respect Cause we got to keep ourselves in check Or else it's... [Chorus] DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

63

Message: Writing with a Purpose Lesson 16 Recommended Time: One Workshop Objectives  The students will use the 6WH framework to discuss the lyrics of a song.  The students will create their own message and build a song that shares the message. Materials  Copies of the song lyrics of “Dear Mama” by 2Pac  Journals and pencils Literary Moment “Dear Mama” by 2Pac http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/2pac/dearmama.html Journaling/Oral Reflection Ask students the following questions about “Dear Mama” to introduce the 6WH rule:  Who is the song intended for?  What is the message of this song?  When does the song take place?  Where does the song take place?  Why was the song written?  How does the song make you feel? Explain the 6WH rule; a complete piece of writing should answer all six questions in a creative way. Discuss the importance for a person’s writing to be clear and understandable. Even if someone has an abstract and poetic style of writing, the meaning must be apparent so the message comes across to the reader/listener. Lesson Message Discovery Ask students to brainstorm in their journal a personal message they would like to share with the world. Have them think about what genre from the previous lessons they want to use to create their song. Have them answer in their journals the following 6WH questions about their message. - Who is your message intended for/directed at? - What message are you going to share? - When does your “story” take place? - Where does your “story” take place? - Why are you delivering this message? DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

64

- How do you want your project to make others feel? Ask each student to take their answers and using the song template and format form the genre they choose create a new song. The song should clearly convey their message to the intended audience. Share Give the team members an opportunity to share their answers to the 6WH and the song they created.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

65

"Dear Mama" You are appreciated [Verse One: 2Pac] When I was young me and my mama had beef Seventeen years old kicked out on the streets Though back at the time, I never thought I'd see her face Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place Suspended from school; and scared to go home, I was a fool with the big boys, breakin all the rules I shed tears with my baby sister Over the years we was poorer than the other little kids And even though we had different daddy's, the same drama When things went wrong we'd blame mama I reminice on the stress I caused, it was hell Huggin on my mama from a jail cell And who'd think in elementary? Heeey! I see the penitentiary, one day And runnin from the police, that's right Mama catch me, put a whoopin to my backside And even as a crack fiend, mama You always was a black queen, mama I finally understand for a woman it ain't easy tryin to raise a man You always was committed A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how ya did it There's no way I can pay you back But the plan is to show you that I understand You are appreciated [Chorus: Reggie Green & "Sweet Franklin" w/ 2Pac] Lady... Don't cha know we love ya? Sweet lady Dear mama Place no one above ya, sweet lady You are appreciated Don't cha know we love ya? [second and third chorus, "And dear mama" instead of "Dear mama"] [Verse Two: 2Pac] Now ain't nobody tell us it was fair No love from my daddy cause the coward wasn't there He passed away and I didn't cry, cause my anger wouldn't let me feel for a stranger They say I'm wrong and I'm heartless, but all along

I was lookin for a father he was gone I hung around with the Thugs, and even though they sold drugs They showed a young brother love I moved out and started really hangin I needed money of my own so I started slangin I ain't guilty cause, even though I sell rocks It feels good puttin money in your mailbox I love payin rent when the rent's due I hope ya got the diamond necklace that I sent to you Cause when I was low you was there for me And never left me alone because you cared for me And I could see you comin home after work late You're in the kitchen tryin to fix us a hot plate Ya just workin with the scraps you was given And mama made miracles every Thanksgivin But now the road got rough, you're alone You're tryin to raise two bad kids on your own And there's no way I can pay you back But my plan is to show you that I understand You are appreciated [Chorus] [Verse Three: 2Pac] Pour out some liquor and I reminsce, cause through the drama I can always depend on my mama And when it seems that I'm hopeless You say the words that can get me back in focus When I was sick as a little kid To keep me happy there's no limit to the things you did And all my childhood memories Are full of all the sweet things you did for me And even though I act craaazy I gotta thank the Lord that you made me There are no words that can express how I feel You never kept a secret, always stayed real And I appreciate, how you raised me And all the extra love that you gave me I wish I could take the pain away If you can make it through the night there's a brighter day Everything will be alright if ya hold on It's a struggle everyday, gotta roll on And there's no way I can pay you back But my plan is to show you that I understand You are appreciated [Chorus] Sweet lady And dear mama Dear mama Lady [3X]

Appendix: Performance Activities Resources Extra Poetry Activities Challenge Game Supplement

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

67

Performance Activities All of these exercises can be done in tandem with lessons in the Hip Hop SCORES curriculum. Some can be done with almost any of the lessons, while some are designed to be done with specific lessons. They are all designed to give students a chance to practice their rhyming skills and prepare for the end of the season performance as the season progresses. Ring Around the Rhyme This game is a good warm up or cool down. - Get in a circle, with a ball or soft item to toss - Whoever is holding the ball says first word then that person passes the ball to anyone in the circle - The person receiving the ball has to rhyme with the original word - Continue passing ball around until someone breaks the rhyme - First one to break the rhyme will be eliminated - Continue eliminations until last person in wins Coaches can yell out “change” (at their discretion) to the person holding the ball to start a new word and rhyming sequence. Now I Know My ABC’s Materials: CD player SCORES beat CD Directions: Have students stand in a circle. Choose a beat from the America SCORES beat CD. Play the beat and have students go around the circle one at a time, singing/rapping the alphabet in time to the beat. Give each child an opportunity to rap the alphabet to the beat. You can either keep playing the same beat while the students change the style, or cadence that they used, or change the beat and have them rap the alphabet in time to another beat. This is a great exercise for students to get some practice rapping to a beat. Starting with the alphabet is great since the students will not have to focus on remembering the lyrics and can instead focus on flowing to the beat. As the students get more comfortable with this technique you can have students practice their own original poetry to some of the beats on the CD. Note: It is important for students to memorize their poetry, especially if they will be doing it to a beat.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

68

Counting Bars Teaches rhythm and basic song structure.  Play beat, count bars with students to the snare aloud  Every time the beat repeats itself on the snare is 1 bar  4 count… “1,2,3…1”, “1,2,3… 2”, “1,2,3… 3”, “1,2,3… 4”, etc.  1 Bar = 2 Lines  Ask students to count 16 bars out loud, count with them  Test them afterwards by playing random bar selections...“How many bars was that?” * The typical verse is usually 16 bars Microphone Techniques The most common mistake is holding the microphone too close or too far from your mouth. This results in your singing sounding muffled and distorted, too distant or no vocal sound at all. With a little practice this is easy to rectify and should become a part of your rehearsal routine. To avoid distortion, ensure the microphone is held no closer than 2 to 3 inches from your mouth during normal singing. If you have access to a microphone, have students practice using it. Make sure that the microphone is around 2 or 3 inches from the students’ mouths. If you do not have access to a microphone, have the students practice using something else that they can hold in their hand as a substitute microphone. A good way to practice a good distance between the mouth and the microphone is to have the students hold their four fingers (not counting the thumb) together. Have them put the side of their pointer finger closest to their thumb against their mouth and the outside of their pinky finger against the head of the microphone (or whatever microphone substitute you may be using). When they pull their hand away the distance between their mouth and hand should be about the correct distance for proper microphone technique. Microphone Sharing Have students hold a marker or stapler or something around the size of a microphone and pretend to use it while they share their poetry. The “microphone” should be between 2 and 3 inches away from the poet’s mouth when she or he is reading. This is a good practice technique and can be combined with the Far Off activity to ensure that students are projecting into the “microphone”.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

69

Poetry Slam! Overview What is the Poetry Slam!? Poetry Slam! is a spoken-word performance that features all participating schools performing their original works of poetry from memory. This event allows the teams from each school to share with the wider community the work they have created in their after-school program. The goal of the event is to celebrate SCORES students’ creativity and achievements, build student confidence, increase their self-esteem and grow their passion for learning. Poetry Slam! Goals Your goal should be for every student on your team to participate constructively in the team’s performance and for every student to feel successful at the end of the evening. Careful planning and preparation using this guidebook can help you achieve this goal. Who will be at the Poetry Slam!? Parents, family members and friends of SCORES students, members of the SCORE Corps, principals, America SCORES board members, school district Board members, local news agencies, program sponsors, community leaders and other special guests will be invited to the Poetry Slam! The event is not only an America SCORES event, but is also an opportunity for local communities to celebrate the achievements of our youth as they represent the diversity, creativity, and future success of our cities.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

70

The Art of Spoken Word Performance Some tips and exercises for writing coaches and kids from Claudia Alick Spoken Word is the melding of POETRY, BODY, and VOICE. POETRY is your words. This includes things like content, metaphor, simile, and alliterations. Keep in mind that even with brilliant material, your performance will fall flat if you don’t: -

Make friends with the audience Speak to them directly as individuals Pay attention to all sections of the room Make eye contact Open up Take charge Vary your cadence as you do in conversation Put emotion into your words Engage with your audience by telling a story – keep them tuned in Believe in what you are saying

BODY is the dance: how you enter, move, stand, work the mic, and use your arms, legs, hands, head, etc. Before you get on stage you will feel nervous Remember: Stage fright = adrenaline = energy Try focusing exercises to help channel this energy. Squeeze your muscles and release them. Breathe in and out in a rhythm. Visualize the energy as a warm light that travels through your body giving you power. Do something physical like jumping up and down or giggling. Enter the stage ON Your performance starts before the audience even sees you, when you are backstage preparing to enter. Some people enter slowly and in silence; some enter fast and with energy; choose your entrance. Know how to handle the microphone. Some people patter while they adjust the mic in order to warm up the crowd and gauge the levels, others adjust it in silence. Some folks like to work behind the mic stand so they can use both hands; others like to go handheld so they can move around the stage. Take a moment before you start speaking in order to get the audience’s attention. Use your entire body when you deliver your poem Delivery goes from the tips of your toes to the tips of your fingers. Use arms and hands to emphasize words. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

71

-

Don’t be closed or fearful in your body language. Don’t turn your back to the audience. Work on different levels (tiptoes, squats, etc.)

VOICE is the music: how you use tone, cadence, inflection, phrasing, breath, speed of delivery, power of delivery, and volume. Ask yourself these questions: Can the audience hear me? If the audience cannot hear you, there is no point. Don’t scream. It’s bad for your voice. Projection doesn’t mean yelling. Although volume is paramount, don’t be loud all the time. Vary your volume to emphasize meaning. A softer take in a word or phrase can get the audience’s attention, but DO NOT WHISPER. Don’t swallow your words. Can the audience understand me? If the audience can’t understand what you are saying, there is no point. Don’t mumble. Don’t speed through your words. Use your vowels. Punch your consonants. Rock the diction. You do not have to be speaking all the time in order to keep the audience’s attention. Enunciate! Breathe! Is the audience paying attention to me? If the audience can’t listen there is no point. The performer can do all sorts of things with his/her voice to render beautiful words into language that is difficult or impossible to listen to. Don’t say every line with the same inflection, cadence, volume or tone. This can put your audience into a trance, make them fall asleep, give them a headache, or cause them to tune out.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

72

Suggested Preparation Timeline (4 Weeks to Prepare) 4 Weeks Before the Slam!   

 

Select performance poems. Determine theme if appropriate. Begin scripting (auditions for parts may occur). Begin memorization. Begin voice exercises and other performance warm-ups.

3 Weeks Before the Slam!     

Revise poems if necessary. Scripting continues. Memorization continues. Continue with performance exercises. Send poem titles and text to your Program Director (if requested).

2 Weeks Before the Slam!  

 

Complete final poem revisions. Determine staging and blocking of the performance. Complete memorization of the poems. Rehearsals include a variety of activities in order to keep them interesting.

1 Week Before the Slam!  

 

   

Final dress rehearsal. Address finishing touches of the performance. Work on details such as: entering and exiting the stage. introducing the poems. what to do backstage. using the microphone. being a good audience member.

Memorization is a PROCESS, not a task. All of the suggestions below will help with memorization.  Create roles for every student on the team (on-stage performers, props, onstage movement, background noise, etc.)  If your team is doing a group performance, lines may need to be assigned. It’s best if this happens as part of the “read through” process; read through the poem out loud at least twice.  Make sure that all students have a copy of the poem and can highlight or write their name next to their lines.  Assign an emotion, movement, volume, or rhythm for each line. Ideas for stage blocking may present themselves as part of this process.  Have students walk around the classroom or in the hallway to the rhythm of the poem. Before the piece is memorized, they can do this while holding the written poem or as a call and response with their coach. It’s also a great way to practice pacing once the poem is memorized.  Place students in feedback groups and give guidelines for feedback, i.e., say two favorite things, two things to try and improve, what they did really well, what they could try to add, what they should work on/change.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

73



Have at least two dress rehearsals. Invite parents and other teachers to attend a dress rehearsal to give students a chance to practice in front of a live audience.

Poetry Slam! Guidelines 1. All songs/poems performed must be original student work. Students may perform in groups or individually, but the text of the poems must be entirely original work. For example:  A group of students could perform one student’s song.  Every student could recite a single line of a group song.  All students could sing/rap a song together in unison.  Two groups of students could perform a call & response-style song. 2. Music. It is possible to incorporate some forms of music into the performance. For example:  A student could drum out a beat while other students recite poetry.  Music could be playing at a low volume while groups of students perform their poems.  Students can perform poems using DJ beats from the America SCORES Power of Poetry CD as background. 3. Props and costumes may be used, but they must relate directly to the poetry. Students may use props in their performances and/or dress in costume, as long as their props and costumes reflect the content of the poems they are performing. For example:  Pairs of students could wear colors of the rainbow if the poem they are performing is about a rainbow.  A student could hold an umbrella if his poem is about raindrops.  Every student could hold a shopping bag if their group poem is about the mall. Be sure to address any costumes or props usage as well as questions about stage set-up with your Program Director. 4. All poetry must be memorized. Poetry sounds and feels differently when it is performed with personal ownership. Students are not allowed to bring scripts on stage the night of the Poetry Slam! 5. Stick to the time limit that has been determined by your SCORES Program Director. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

74

Preparing Your Team for Performance Scripting the Poem into a Performance - Allow students time to explore the poems in their teams. They should read the poem aloud to each other and discuss any unfamiliar words, concepts, or subjects. They should not change the poem without the author’s permission. Character: Who is the “speaker” of the poem? What specific characters (narrators, people, animals, things, etc.) appear in the poem? Sometimes inanimate objects, like animals, plants, rocks, and furniture are given human traits. Make a list of all of the characters you can find in your poem. Discuss and demonstrate different ways you might act out the part of each character. Setting: Where does this poem take place? What objects make up the scenery of the poem? What time of day is it? What time of year is it? What is the weather like? Not all poems have a specific setting. If that is the case, make one up! Action: Some poems have a lot of physical action. Other poems contain only thoughts, or “mental action.” What actions (physical and mental) occur in the team’s poem? Sometimes it is best if you and your partners simply recite the poem to the audience. Other times movements can be incorporated to make the performance more interesting. Discuss and demonstrate the movements that could be added to the presentation. Meaning: Does the poem contain a lesson or a moral? Not all poems do, but if yours does, what do you think it is? How could you show that to your audience? Performance Format Selection – Poems can be performed in any combination you choose to fill your stage time. It can be one individual reciting a poem, a small group, the whole team saying one line each of a poem, etc. Some teams will perform three poems; some will perform as many as six. Practice - Make sure that your team’s Poetry Slam! performance is not the first one in front of an audience. The more comfortable they are in front of people, the better they will feel about the performance and the more they will enjoy the process. Organize opportunities for your team to practice in front of groups:  Conduct a dress rehearsal and invite teachers, parents and the principal.  Coordinate a performance in the cafeteria during lunch time. Encourage your team and let them know that the school is supporting them through:  Coordinate an encouragement message for the team during the school announcements.  Post a “good luck” sign in the cafeteria, hallway or in the main office.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

75

Effective Stage Skills Inspired by Poetry Alive! Performance Tips Use Your Confident Stance At the front of the classroom, ask one student to stand straight, without fidgeting, body weight held evenly on both hips, feet planted firmly shoulder-width apart, hands at sides, and head held up straight. Announce that this position is called the “confident stance.” Discuss effective body language. Instruct this student to place his/her hands in their pockets, put all their weight onto one hip, look at their feet, and slouch slightly. Announce that this position is called the “jello stance.” Explain that while performing on stage, they should use the “confident stance” when in front of an audience so that they are received well and express themselves in a professional manner. Face Your Audience Students tend not to be “audience aware” at first and will sometimes turn their backs to the audience either partially or completely. To help students become more aware of their audience, explain that the audience is like another person whom they must include in their stage conversation and activities. Fill Your Space Explain that performers must command their space by using it fully. Have a second and third student stand on either side of the first student at the front of the room. Be sure they are standing shoulder to shoulder and are cramped for space. Ask your class, as a collective director, to place these three students in different and more interesting positions relative to each other on stage. Students should always give each other plenty of space on stage unless they are standing close for a specific reason. Project Your Voice Now instruct one of the three students to give a simple instruction with their “inside voice” like “put your hands on your head” to a student who is sitting in the front row. After she does so, explain to the class that she just used her “inside voice.” Ask this student to give the instruction with their “inside voice” to “put your hands on your head” to a person sitting in the very back row in the same inside voice. After she does so, comment on how the audience will not be able to hear them with an inside voice. Finally, tell this student to give the instruction “put your hands on your head” to an imaginary person outside the classroom door or window. Explain to your students that this is her “show voice” or “outside voice.” Students should use their “outside voices” when they perform in front of an audience so that their great work is received by the audience. Remind them that what they have to say is important and the audience deserves to hear every word of it. Introducing the Poems and Taking a Bow DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

76

Each performance team should introduce the title of its poem and the name of the poet. To introduce their poems, students should stand at the front of the stage facing the audience. Standing shoulder to shoulder in a confident stance, they should speak in unison. After a slight pause, each team member quickly moves into position to start the poem. After finishing their presentation, each performance team should return to their shoulder-to-shoulder confident stance and bow together.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

77

Performance Exercises The purpose of these activities is to give students a fun, yet practical introduction to the basic elements of performance. Introduce these activities in a way that will stimulate the kids’ imagination and have fun! A. Tongue Twisters: Help kids develop articulation skills.  She sells seashells by the seashore.  Round and round the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran.  Betty Botta bought a bit of butter and put it in her batter. “But,” said she, “this batter’s bitter. Perhaps the butter’s bitter.” So Betty Botta bought a bit of better butter and put it in her bitter batter which made her bitter batter a bit better.  Thissian Thistle, the successful thistle sifter, sifts sieves full of three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb. B. Pitch and Phrasing: Help kids develop vocal expressiveness. Have students improvise a conversation by repeating a single nonsense syllable. Have the students first practice the sample conversation then pair them up and have them create their own. The goal is to see if other students can guess the situation. Sample Situation: Student 1 has just found a huge frog in the corner of a garden and wants student 2 to come and look at it. Student 1: “A.” (Come here.) Student 2: “A?” (Why?) Student 1: “A!” (Come here!) Student 2: “A?!” (What do you want?!) Student 1: “A!” (Please, come here!) Student 2: “A!” (Wow! That’s really something!) C. Imagination: Help kids express their wonderful imagination to others. Have students create a number of imaginary situations that involve elementary role-playing. Follow-up with questions to help students clarify the details of each situation and to make the experience more vivid and real. Sample scenarios: 1. Walking a tightrope. How high up are you? Is there a safety net? Is this your first time on a tightrope or are you a seasoned professional? Are you afraid? How narrow is the rope? How easy is it to keep your balance? 2. Walking through tall grass. How tall is the grass? How thick is it? Is it wet or dry? Are there animals in the grass? Are you trying to find someone? Are you trying to escape from someone?

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

78

3. Walking through mud. Is the mud warm or cold? How deep is it? Do you have shoes on? Are you enjoying walking in the mud? Do you want to get out as fast as you can? Have students play imaginary group games (catch, Frisbee, soccer, baseball) to help teach communication with other members of the group. Good questions to ask include: Does everyone know who has the ball? Is everyone playing with the same size ball? When the ball is thrown or hit, does everyone know what direction and speed the ball is going? D. Concentration: Help students focus their energy during a performance.  Pair students together and explain that they must move as if they were mirroring the other’s actions. The ultimate goal is to make it impossible for an outsider to pick out a ‘follower’ and a ‘leader’.  Give one student a simple arithmetic problem to solve in his/her head (or have them make a paper airplane) while the rest of the class tries to distract the person without using physical force. E. Observation: Help students see and remember specific details about people and situations.  Pair students up and give them 1 minute to observe each other. Then have them face away from each other and answer several questions about one another.  Ask your students to try to duplicate your posture as closely as possible as you move your body into various positions. Start with simple moves and gradually make each pose more complicated, forcing your students to look for the details. F. Improvisation: Help students develop concentration and self-confidence, exercise the imagination, and formulate the skills needed for responding to and interacting with each other. Situations: Have students improvise brief scenes such as getting lost in the woods, losing or winning a soccer game, taking care of unruly children, finding a lost dog. Conflict: Have students improvise scenes based on a central conflict. Choose out of the ordinary situations to help develop imagination and enhance problem-solving skills.  A sneaky pirate and a nice but absent-minded fairy godmother each want the other to sit in a chair that turns bad people good and good people bad. Although both know the powers of the chair, they pretend to the other that they don’t.  Two professional braggart explorers who have found their way into the jungle want to go home. However, neither knows the way and doesn’t want to admit to the other that they are lost. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

79

Annotated Resource List Websites http://www.templeofhiphop.org/ This is the website for an organization started by KRS-One. KRS-One is a Hip Hop pioneer, who grew up in the Bronx New York. The Temple of Hip Hop is a cultural organization focusing on the elements of Hip Hop culture and the power and potential that Hip Hop has. On the “I Am Hip Hop” section of the site, many of the “Free Styles” are very useful for inspiration for rhymes and the “Refinitions” are pretty good resources for descriptions of the elements of Hip Hop. http://www.daveyd.com/ Davey D was present in the South Bronx when Hip Hop culture started. He is now a radio DJ in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also a well recognized authority on the history of Hip Hop. http://www.cantstopwontstop.com/ This is the website for Hip Hop journalist, author, and scholar Jeff Chang. Jeff is the author of the book Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: a History of the Hip-Hop Generation. The book is an incredibly well researched, documented and written look at the genesis of Hip Hop culture and its continued influence. Jeff has a great blog on his website where he discusses many things germane to Hip Hop, politics and popular culture in general. http://www.h2ed.net/ This is the website for the Hip Hop 2 Educate network. The mission of H2Ed is to serve as a resource for educators and those committed to helping children succeed in school by using the power of hip-hop culture as a learning tool. This is achieved by compiling and maintaining a comprehensive list of educational resources, products and services available for educators. http://www.hiphopcaucus.org/h2c/ The Hip Hop Caucus is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to using the energy and power of Hip Hop to create political and social change. This would be a great organization to connect with if your team does the “Magic of the Written Word” module. http://www.hiphopcongress.com/v4/ The Hip Hop Congress is a collection of artists and activists who are also using Hip Hop to create change. One useful section on the Hip Hop Congress website is the “Current Issues” section. Here you can find links to articles about political issues that are directly affecting young, urban people in this country.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

80

http://www.thedjproject.com/index.htm The DJ Project is a youth development program in the San Francisco area that uses music, Hip Hop culture and entrepreneurship to help young people develop through a familiar context. This is a good site to see examples of youth who are working through Hip Hop. http://www.pressurepointfilms.com/ This is the website for a movie called “The Hip Hop Project”. It is a documentary film which tells the story of a group of New York City teenagers who tell their life stories through Hip Hop. http://www.domingoyu.com/ This site has a lot going on. There are blog entries and connections to a lot of interesting articles mainly focusing on Hip Hop and education. If you go to the “education” tab at the top of the page and click on the curriculum link you will find many articles, links and resource lists that you may find helpful. Books Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop by Jeff Chang A great book that gives looks extensively at the genesis of Hip Hop culture in the South Bronx, as well as devoting a lot of time to the power/potential that Hip Hop had/has in creating social and political change. Hip Hop America by Nelson George A firsthand account of hip hop's growth as a culture and business up until the '90s from a journalist who was there. Hip-Hop Poetry and the Classics: For the Classroom Several ready-made lesson plans teaching poetry concepts by comparing and contrasting classic authors such as Shakespeare with hip-hop artists such as Tupac and Talib Kweli. Who Shot Ya’ Three Decades of HipHop Photography by Ernie Paniccioli, Kevin Powell Culled from a vast archive of photographs by Ernie Paniccioli, the approximately 150 images in Who Shot Ya? represent the visual diary of a generation, essentially following this socio-political art form from the streets of New York City to the billion-dollar global industry it has become. While some of these iconic renderings have graced the pages of magazines and fanzines through the years, most are published here for the first time. Yes Yes Y'All: The Experience Music Project Oral History of Hip-Hop's First Decade by Jim Fricke This book contains stories and pictures from hip hop’s early days, by those who actually lived it. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

81

Challenge Games America SCORES Middle School Curriculum Supplement America SCORES is a youth development program that focuses on developing the whole child. The Challenge Games teach and develop valuable life skills that will enable America SCORES kids to be successful on the soccer field, in the classroom, and throughout life. Skills such as teamwork, leadership, and commitment, along with the promotion of self-esteem, conflict resolution, safety, nutrition, and living a healthy, active life are presented through teambuilding activities. These exercises get kids moving, focused, and comfortable with you as their coach, and with their teammates. Make Challenge Games a priority during your time with your team. The Challenge Games are divided according to focus in order to help you choose a variety of themes throughout your practices. Teamwork, Leadership, and Commitment 1. Getting to Know You Games .......................................80 2. Teamwork Games .........................................................84 3. Problem-Solving Games ...............................................90 4. Communication Games...............................................92 5. Trust Games ....................................................................96 Conflict Resolution 1. Prevention Games .........................................................98 2. Interventions ...................................................................102 Health 1. Nutrition ...........................................................................103 2. Physical Activity .............................................................107 3. Safety ..............................................................................113 Below are some suggestions for incorporating Challenge Games. Academic sessions:  Begin your session with a Challenge Game that complements your practice topic that day.  Break up different writing activities with a Challenge Game to allow students to release energy then refocus.  Run Challenge Games during bus rides, while waiting for a bus pick-up, or other downtime.  Utilize snack time and water breaks to teach about nutrition or hydration.  Several health lessons are interactive and can be taught with soccer exercises.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

82

Teamwork, Leadership, and Commitment Getting to Know You Games Name Juggle: Learn names; work on memory, passing skills, and teamwork.  The players stand in a circle; one person has a soccer ball at his/her feet.  Each player introduces him or herself.  Call out someone’s name (e.g., “Here, Eva!”) and pass the ball to that person.  Eva traps the ball, calls out another person’s name, and passes the ball to that player.  Once everyone has gotten the ball, make sure the players remember who they passed to and received from.  Now introduce several balls (one after another) and see if your team can remember the pattern of passing and receiving (and saying each other’s names) without losing control of the balls.  If your team is ready for the challenge, try playing the game while juggling the ball in the air, rather than passing it on the ground. Say My Name: Get to know your teammates.  You will need a large blanket that is not transparent and two adults to hold it up.  Have all players tell one another their names. Tell the team that they’ll be tested on the names, so they should pay close attention.  Split the team in half, and set up a blanket in between the two teams so that they cannot see each other.  Have each team quietly send one person within two feet of the blanket. Let the kids know that the person they send up will have to yell out the name of the person the other team sends up. NO ONE ELSE can call out the names, or the team loses that round.  The two participants are facing each other, but cannot see each other because the blanket is blocking their views.  When you drop the blanket, the first player who says his/her opponent’s name correctly wins that round.  The next round starts when the blanket goes up and a new person from each team quietly moves to face the blanket. Coach’s Tips: If the blanket isn’t high enough, the kids can crawl up and face each other kneeling instead of standing. Make sure that the groups can’t see the other side.  Everyone on the team should go once before the game is repeated. 

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

83

Team Poem: Build self-esteem among individual players and the team.  Divide the team into pairs, each pair making up two lines that rhyme about their America SCORES team.  Then come together and have each pair share its lines. Ask the team to rearrange the lines (and pairs) so that the poem flows. Soon you will have a team poem with 16 lines.  Have students choose other topics to create new poems. Get Organized: Start working together as a team.  Divide the group into two teams.  Call out a particular characteristic that varies from player to player (see below).  The team must line up in sequential order quickly.  Here are some great characteristics to use: – Birthday: Players line up according to who was born first in the year. – Height: Players line up from shortest to tallest. – Hair length: Players line up from the one with the shortest hair to the one with the longest. – Shoe size: Players line up from smallest shoes to largest.  

Try having the players form some of these lines without talking. At the end, you can have one of the players judge the line to see if it has been formed correctly. If the basis for the line is something other than appearance, have the team call out the order to see if it is right.

Cross the Line: Get to know your teammates in an active and fun way.  With a rope or imaginary line, divide the space you are using in half.  Read a list of statements. Team members should show their opinions by choosing sides. For example, “people who like cherries go to the left side; people who like bananas go to the right side.” Other examples include hip-hop vs. rap music; running vs. biking; breakfast vs. dinner; goalkeepers vs. forwards.  This can be a great activity to initiate conversations about weighty topics like racism, inequality, immigration, or crime. Be sensitive when forming statements on these topics, but don’t be afraid to allow students to engage in the conversation.  After a few minutes of this, ask the team to coordinate itself and split into groups based on opinions (e.g., favorite sport, favorite soccer positions, favorite color, favorite music groups, grade level in school, etc.).  Ask the group how they split into groups, what forms of communication worked best, and how they worked together to find the correct group.



Show Your Stuff: Help your team learn about each other. Like musical chairs, there is one fewer chair than the number of people in the circle.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

84

  

Start the game by being the first to stand in the middle and make a general statement about you that is true (e.g., “I have a brother,” or “I like poetry.”). Everyone who is sitting down and has a brother must get up and find another chair (other than the one next to him/her). The person in the middle also rushes to find a seat. Whoever is left standing must think of another fact about him/herself, what s/he likes or dislikes, a place s/he’s been or wants to go, etc.

Human Scavenger Hunt: Reinforce communication and get to know your teammates.  Stand in the middle of the room or field. Break your team into two or three smaller groups, and send each group an equal distance away from you.  Read one item from the list at a time (see list below).  The first team to send a person/group that fits the description earns a point. For example, say, “Send in two people who have the same middle name.” Within each group, members talk, find out if any two have the same middle name, and then quickly send those people up to you.  You may also give bonus points for different items. For instance, if a group has three people with the same middle name, they may earn a point for this round even if they were not the first to get to you. Or, you can award points to the person in the middle who best represents the statement, even if they were not the fastest.  The group with the most points at the end of the game wins. Human Scavenger Hunt List 1. The person in your group who was born the farthest away from here. 2. A group of people whose ages add up to 30. 3. A group of people whose shoe sizes add up to 18. 4. The person in your group who lives the closest to here. 5. A group of people who have attended school for a total of 16 years. 6. Two people with the same birthday month (same birthday gets a bonus point). 7. A group of people who can spell a word by putting together the first letters of their first names. 8. A group of three people who all have different colored eyes. 9. Two people in the group who both speak the same second language (or first language, if not English). 10. The person in the group who has played soccer the longest. Two Truths and a Lie: Practice communication among teammates.  Have each player on your team think of three interesting facts about him/herself (one of them should be false, but believable).  Players take turns reading their statements aloud.  Have the group guess which of their statements is the lie. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

85

Advanced: Make it a competition! Divide the group into two teams. Have each person write three things on a card that no one else knows about him/her.  Read Team 1’s card to Team 2 and have Team 2 guess which member of Team 1 wrote the card. Teams get a point for each correct guess.

 

30 Second Speak-Out: Reinforce listening skills.  Have students pair off and share information about themselves with their partner for 30 seconds.  Ask them to then tell each other what they remember hearing the other person say.  Repeat the activity and cut the time in half to 15 seconds each.  Ask them again to report what they remember. The difference will be noteworthy! Variation:  Create two circles, one inside the other, with team members facing each other.  After sharing information about themselves for 30 seconds and then repeating the information back to each other, rotate the circle (inside circle moves one person to the left, outside circle moves three people to the right).  This ensures that people share with random members of the team, not just their friends. Personal Meetings: Get to know your teammates and reinforce listening skills.  Have students walk silently making eye contact with each other until you signal to stop (i.e., play music and have them stop when the music stops, use a drum or clapping, etc.).  Have everyone freeze at the stop and pair up with the person that they were making eye contact.  Explain that for 30 seconds, one person will talk about the topic you give while the other listens; and then they will switch at your signal.  After one minute, start the music again and students begin to walk around the room, finding a new partner when the music stops. Play multiple rounds so students get to speak with various teammates.  Topics: – Your family – Your hobbies and music style – Your city – Something that made you happy in the last week – Something that mad you angry or sad in the last week – What age would like to be and why? – A family tradition DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

86

–

Where do you hope to be five years from now?

Dot Activity: Examine the formation of peer groups.  This activity assumes you have 13 students – adjust as necessary.  You need 5 blue dots, 5 red dots, 1 green dot, and 2 mixed dots (e.g., ½ blue, ½ yellow). It’s best if the dots are stickers – if not, use scotch tape on the back.  Ask students to close their eyes while you place a colored dot on the forehead of every student at random.  Tell students to open their eyes, and have them form groups without talking to each other.  After everyone has found a group, debrief together, using the following questions: – How did you decide? – How did it feel to be in a small group? – What does it feel like when you don’t feel part of the majority? – How did it feel to be in the larger group? – In real life, do we always fit in one group or another? Teambuilding Games Movie Game: Get students to think quickly and communicate.  Have all students prepare movie titles  Collect movie titles and lines. Place them in a bowl or hat.  Pair students in groups of 3 or 4 students.  Have students pick from the hat or bowl and then act out the movie title. The teams that guess the most correct answer wins. You can pass a bowl of candy and let whoever gets the right answer pick a candy. Sweet Exchange:  Give each student five pieces of candy.  Students are to try to win as many pieces of candy from their peers by challenging them one on one, doing one of the three things: Thumb wrestling- Each student locks their four fingers together (first finger through pinky) with thumbs up. Students recite: "1, 2, 3, 4 I declare a thumb war". Then begin thumb wrestling. Rock, paper, scissors Coin Toss- students must call (heads/tails) while coin is in the air.  Student must accept any challenge.  There are no two out of threes for any challenge. You may want to set a length of time for playing or stop the game before anyone loses all their candy. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

87

Have students introduce themselves before competing. Have students give each other a high five before moving to the next competition. Once the game is finished, talk to students about how it feels to compete, to win and to lose.  

Alphabet Getting to Know You: Get to know your teammates. (www.thesource4ym.com/GAMES/) 

As people enter the room, give everyone a pre-typed sheet of paper with each letter of the alphabet (x-optional) on the vertical left side. Example: A____________ B____________ C____________ D____________ Everyone attempts to find out something about others that starts with one of the letters. Examples: Jamal broke his arm in 6th grade. Alana plays basketball. Nissa’s favorite candy is Snickers. Evan’s dad is a dentist. Put the person’s name and info on a line. You can not use the same person for more than four times. Set a 5-7 minute time limit and see who has the most. Have several (small group, have all) people share interesting discoveries about each other.

Giants, Wizards, and Elves: Focus on teamwork and communication. (www.group-games.com) This game involves two teams who will act as one of 3 characters: giants, wizards, or elves. When a player acts out a character, he or she does the specific hand motions and also makes the noise associated with the character.  



Giants- Stand on your tippy toes, raise your arms like a giant, and make a menacing growling noise: “Rarrr!” Wizards- Crouch slightly, as wizards are a bit shorter. Wave your fingers as though you’re casting a magical spell, and make a magical noise: “Shaazaam!” Elves- Crouch down very low, cup your hands around your ears, and make a high pitched elf noise: “Eeeee!”

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

88

Make sure everyone knows the motions and sounds. Feel free to practice until everyone knows how to become each character. Split everyone into two teams and divide them into separate sides of the room. For each round, both teams huddle and choose to become a giant, wizard, or elf. When ready, both teams then line up and stand facing each other, about five or six feet apart. At the start of each round, the facilitator says “Three, two, one, go!!” Create a line representing a safe ground. This ground is where the students can go to escape At this point, each team acts out the character they chose (giant, wizard, or elf). As soon as they do this, the winner tries to grab the loser — as many people over to their side as they can. The loser tries to retreat back to their own side to be safe for that round. If captured, a person now belongs to the other team. The following determines who beats who: Giants beat elves, because giants are able to “squash” elves. Elves beat wizards because they outsmart them. Elves chew at their legs. Wizards beat giants because they are able to zap them with a magic spell. If both teams show the same character, no one wins. Rounds keep repeating until one team wins (the other team is completely captured). Blow Pop Necklace: Focus on listening skills (www.thesource4ym.com/GAMES/) Take string or yarn, cut it at arms' width and tie them to the individual "Blow Pops to make a necklace where each student and staff has three blow pops on their necklace.  As students and staff arrive, place the Blow Pop necklaces on their necks.  Inform them that they can not use the word "I" until a designated time. If they use the word "I" and someone catches them, they can have one of their Blow Pop necklaces. This can be quite funny because when someone catches someone else, they usually blow it by saying, "I caught you!" or, "I get one of your necklaces!" 

At the end of this time, give away a prize (besides Blow Pops) for the person with the most necklaces. You can also use "Ring Pops" instead of "Blow Pops."

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

89

Telephone Charades: Practice interpersonal communication and teamwork skills (www.group-games.com)      

Divide students into two teams. Have one team leave the room. The team that is in the room chooses an action that is specific, silly, and obscure to act out (e.g. “washing dishing”, “going skydiving’, making a sandwich etc.). Once the team has decided on an action, bring in the team from outside. Instruct them form a single file line facing the back of each other head. The facilitator reveals the action to the first person in the team, who taps the second person on the shoulder and acts out the topic using charades rules (no talking allowed no noises). The second person then taps the third person and acts out his or her understanding of what was acted out. This continues until it reaches the last person in line, who must guess what the action is.

This game is funny because the action mutates and changes based upon each person’s interpretation of what is going on, often leading to confusion and silly motions. Everybody’s It! Develop awareness and memorization skills Before the game demonstrate safe tagging such as light touch on the shoulders. Unsafe tags are hard contact that might cause the person being tagged to fall and hurt themselves. The object of the game is to tag as many people as possible without getting tagged yourself  If you get tagged, you must remember who tagged you and drop down to one knee and freeze.  If you are down on one knee because you have been tagged, your job is to watch the person who tagged you. Once that person gets tagged and drops to one knee, you can get back up and start tagging again.  If there is a simultaneous tagging between two people, a quick game of rock, papers, scissors is played to determine who goes down on one knee(no one is allowed to tag players engaging in rock, paper, scissors) Variation:  Make the play are smaller and have students speed walk.  Have students skip, hop or act like their favorite animal while tagging. 

Name Tag Trade: Get to know teammates and memorization skills. (www.teampedia.net)  Pair students up. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

90





Once they have a partner they will trade name tags. Before they give someone else their name tag they will share three facts about themselves. For example: My name is Sabrina. I have a dog. I like strawberry ice cream and I from Canada. Once they share that information they trade tags and “become” the other person. They find a new partner and introduce themselves as the person who name tag they have. For example: Whoever now has Sabrina’s tag introduces themselves as Sabrina and repeats the same three facts.

You will always provide three facts about who you are, regardless of whether you remember the correct facts. For example: The person that ends the game with Joe’s name tag may have three inaccurate facts. This game can continue for as long as the facilitator would like (usually between 5 and 10 minutes, depending on the group size). The hope is that they go around to at least three people. At the end of the game, they will scrabble to find the person whose name tag they are holding. Challenge Lines: Get your team thinking and moving fast.    

Divide the group into two teams. Each team stands in a line with one ball per group. The goal of the game is to pass the ball from the front to the back of the line as quickly as possible without letting the ball touch the ground. The trick: players are not allowed to use their hands! Give each team one minute to figure out how to pass the ball and begin the race.

Back-to-Back: Focus on teamwork.  Get your kids in pairs and have them sit on the ground back-to-back. The object of the game is to press together to stand up.  The first pair to stand up wins! Variation:  Get in groups of four, sitting down and facing each other.  Have players reach to hold hands with the teammate who is sitting across the circle.  The whole group tries to stand up at the same time! In Shape: Get the kids working together.  Divide your players into three teams and have them compete against each other in making shapes.  Call out the name of a shape. Each team must create that shape (everyone needs to be involved).  The fastest group wins. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

91



Advanced Variation: Have the kids dribble a ball. When you call out the name of the shape, they must find the other members of their group, dribble together, stop their balls and form the shape.

Arm Wrestling for M&Ms: Use problem solving and teamwork to accomplish a goal.  Ask students to find a partner and position themselves to arm wrestle.  The goal of the game is to get as many M&M’s as possible.  Rules: You get an M&M for every time the back of your partners hand hits the table. There is no talking during the game.  Allow participants to arm wrestle for about two minutes and then stop the game to hand out M&M’s and to debrief.  During the debrief check how many M&M’s each person earned; ask why someone didn’t receive any (not as strong) and why a person earned a lot more then their partner (very strong).  Other people may say they felt bad and let the other person win. Then move the discussion to see if the participants can realize that if they had worked with their partner they could have both earned many M&M’s (The key is to not actually resist your partner. When partners try to ‘win’ based on strength, they only get a couple candies. When they work together and not resist, they win many candies.).  This game is about working together and if we look at the ways we can work together to achieve a goal instead of against each other we can gain more.  Debrief questions: – What would have happened if you and your partner would have worked together? – Describe a time when a problem at school or in the neighborhood could have been solved differently if people had worked together. Turn the Circle Inside Out: Focus on teamwork and communication.  The team should form a circle. All players should join hands and face the middle of the circle.  Everyone closes his/her eyes and tries to turn the circle inside out so that everyone is facing the opposite direction (outside of the circle). This has to be done without letting go of each others’ hands. Hint: The solution is that two players hold up their hands and everyone else passes through underneath. Human Knot: Get the kids working as a team.  Everyone should stand in a circle, shoulder-to-shoulder. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

92

   

Have players stick out their left hands and grab another hand in the circle. Then have them reach their right hands out and grab a different person's hand. Now ask them to untangle the knot without breaking the chain. If the chain is broken, have them start over.

Advanced Variation:  Make the team rely on non-verbal forms of communication.  Have them try to untangle the knot without talking.  If the knot breaks, or if you hear voices, have the team start over. Problem Solving Games The Lava River: Teach teamwork and communication. The team is being chased and must get across a river of hot lava! Use a very large space (a gym or field), and mark the banks of the wide river with cones.  Present the kids with paper plates (or disc cones). Explain that when they step on the plates, they will not sink into the lava. Use about 1/3 as many plates (or cones) as there are players.  The team must figure out how to get everyone from one side of the river bank to the other.  Only one person can be on a plate at a time, but the plates may be picked up and moved.  Tip: Only part of the team will be able to cross the river at a time. Team members will need to work back across the river to help others cross.  

Cross the River: Communicate to solve a team problem.  Using soccer discs or pieces of paper create a path on the floor across the room. Explain to the group that their goal is to get every member of the team across to the other side of the room without talking.  Once a disc/paper has been stepped on, there must always be a foot touching it, otherwise it will be removed. No more than two people can be stepping on the same disc/paper at the same time.  For the first round, do not give students any time to plan ahead, just ask them to begin the activity. Monitor the activity, removing discs/paper if they are stepped on then left empty.  If the group does not succeed, let them regroup and talk about a strategy and then begin the activity again. Hint: the easiest way to succeed is to move single file, with everyone moving one space at a time and sharing with the person on either side.  Debriefing Questions: What was challenging? How did you communicate? Was it easier once you came up with a plan? What happened if someone tried to move forward without the rest of the team?

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

93

Magic Shoes: Emphasize teamwork, listening, and risk-taking skills.  Set up boundary lines about four feet apart from each other. In between the boundaries is an imaginary pit.  Have the team stand behind one boundary line, facing the other line.  The entire team must get from one boundary to the other.  The only way to cross the pit is by using the “magic shoes” (any pair of shoes).  All players must end up on the other side. Rules 1. 2. 3. 4.

Everyone may wear the magic shoes one time, going one way. The shoes may not be tossed back to the other side. Once you have worn the shoes you may not wear them again. Both shoes must be worn by the same person.

What Goes Up: Work on team problem solving.  Gather the team into a circle. Gather 15 soccer balls and explain the rules of the game: 1. Every five seconds, the coach will yell “UP,” and toss one ball into the air and someone must catch it. The goal is to work together to get all 15 balls into play. 2. Each time you yell “UP,” any other player holding a ball must toss it into the air. 3. No player can catch the same ball s/he throws (i.e., s/he can’t toss it to him/herself). This is the most important rule! 4. If any ball hits the ground, the game resets with the first ball.  



Each time a ball hits the ground, allow the team 30 seconds to plan a strategy, and then begin the game again. The game continues until the team successfully gets all 15 balls into the group. Coach’s Tip: In order to succeed, the team must create some sort of pattern for throwing/catching (e.g., in a line, around in a circle, calling out names, etc.).

Stack It Up: Work together to solve a problem.  Before class, get note cards or slips of paper – one for each team member. Divide the note cards into three groups, and write the following messages on each card of a group. Stack chairs on top of each other Move chairs to the corner Line chairs up in rows DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

94

   



Using a classroom, or another space with enough chairs for all students, ask everyone to stand. Hand each student a note card. Without talking, or showing their piece of paper to one another, students should try to accomplish their listed task. As the activity progresses, some students may notice that others have their same task and join together, some may compete for chairs, and others may hoard their own stash. If they are really perceptive, some may recognize that everyone can accomplish all tasks at once (but this is a rare realization)! Following the activity, ask students to share what their task was. Ask them what was challenging about the activity. Encourage students to recognize that while they all had different tasks, they could have accomplished all three if they had worked together instead of competed with one another. How does this relate to their school or their community?

Communication Games Speaking Object: Teach listening skills.  Choose an object, such as a soccer ball, to be the “speaking object.”  No one may speak unless s/he is holding the object.  Students may raise their hands to request the object.  Create a team discussion using this method of communication.  Ask the kids why this is an effective way to resolve conflicts. Discussion Web: Teach individuals to shares their thoughts and listen to others.  Ask your team to get in a circle.  Present the team with a conversation topic.  Give a ball of string/yarn to one person and ask him/her to contribute to the conversation.  Pass the ball of string to each new participant so that it unravels as conversation continues.  A record of the discussion is being created with the web of string.  Discuss the roles that everyone played in the discussion.  At the end of the discussion, everyone should be holding a piece of the string.  Each member should share what s/he learned from the discussion.  After sharing, cut a four to six inch piece of the string for each person to tie around his/her finger to help him/her remember what was learned.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

95

Twenty Questions: Practice communicating.  Have a child pick someone or something to be (e.g., a famous person) and the rest of the team asks yes or no questions until someone guesses the person who or what the child has chosen.  If the team is unable to guess the person after twenty questions, move on to the next team member. Electricity: Emphasize teamwork and non-verbal communication skills.  Divide the group in half, and have the two teams face each other.  Have a coach stand at one beginning of the line and the other at the end.  Have the teams close their eyes and hold hands with their teammates.  Tell the first player from each team to open his/her eyes.  Tell the team that you are going to flip a coin and the first player on each team will see it. If it is heads, the first player will squeeze the hand of the person next to him/her. That person will squeeze the hand of the next person and the squeezing will go all the way down the line.  When the last person in the line feels the squeeze, the team members can open their eyes and grab the jersey that the other coach is holding. The first team to grab the jersey gets a point.  The team that gets a point will rotate its line forward so that a new person is at the head of the line.  If the coin lands on tails, the first player should not squeeze. If s/he does squeeze and the last player grabs the jersey, that team gets a negative point. They rotate backwards and move farther away from the head of the line.  A team wins when the last player gets to the head of the line. You can shorten the game by setting the goal as the first team to get five points or the first team to get three points. Speed Walking Pictionary: Explore verbal and nonverbal communication.  Break the group into teams of three and have each team designate a “Drawer,” a “Speed Walker,” and a “Describer.”  Round 1: Explain that there is one large picture that only the Describer will be allowed to look at. – The Describer’s job is to explain the picture in as much detail to the Speed Walker who may not look at the picture or ask any questions. – Give the Describer one minute. Then the Speed Walker quickly walks to the Drawer and explains what he/she heard while the Drawer sketches. The Speed Walker is not allowed to gesture, only describe, and the Drawer is not allowed to ask questions. After one minute, ask the group to freeze.  Round 2: Allow students to switch roles, and then start the activity again with a new picture. This time, everyone is allowed to ask questions of one another. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

96

 Once the activity is done, bring the group together to reflect. Display the before and after pictures, and look to see which are the closest match. Ah So Ko: Have fun with nonverbal communication.  First, teach your team the motions:  "Ah" – one hand across your forehead pointed at a player beside you  "So" – one hand across your chest pointed at a player beside you  "Ko” - both hands together pointing directly at another player  To play the game, everyone stands in a circle, shoulder length apart. The player who starts says "Ah" and points at the player next to him/her. The person who is pointed to immediately says "So" and does the corresponding motion pointing at a player. That person says "Ko" and does the motion pointing at another player. That player begins again with “Ah.”  The game continues until someone breaks the rhythm.  Players who hesitate, speak but don't point, point but don't speak, speak too quickly, fail to point at the correct person, etc. must step out of the circle. The champion will be the last person in the circle. Team Telephone: Teach communication skills.  Ask Your Team: What does it mean to communicate? What are some of the ways people communicate? In what ways do we communicate on the field as a team?  Answer: Talking, singing, writing, acting, and even cooking or painting can be ways people tell one another what they think and how they feel. A team is more successful when teammates communicate. While playing, it’s good to let the person who has the ball know you’re open for a pass or that you’re there to help defend.  Have one team member whisper a sentence in the next player’s ear.  Pass the sentence around and have the last person say the sentence out loud.  See how/if it changes. Stress the importance of speaking clearly, loudly and with confidence so that those around understand you.  Body language (gestures) can be as important as words. Try team telephone with gestures like thumbs up, or the “ok” sign. Barriers to Communication: Teach effective communication skills and the importance of making eye contact.  Divide the team into two groups, Group A and Group B.  Send Group A away so that they can’t hear what you are saying to Group B.  Tell Group B that Group A is going to come to them with a problem that they are having and that they are going to want some help with this problem.  Tell Group B that they can try and help Group A, but that they can’t make DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

97



    

eye contact with anyone from Group A. Tell Group A to imagine that their math teacher gave them a detention for fighting in the halls when they weren’t the ones who were fighting. They don’t know what to do, so they should ask someone in Group B for help. Have Group A line up and face the members of Group B. Both teams should stand shoulder to shoulder. Have Group A start telling Group B about their problem. After about a minute, Group A will get frustrated and you can stop the game. Ask Group A if they thought that Group B did a good job listening. Ask them why or why not. Repeat the game so that Group B has the problem, and tell Group A to do any of the following: – Keep repeating, “Uh-huh.” – Interrupt them to tell them about their own problem. – Keep trying to change the subject.

Rock Paper Scissors Race

TEAM “A”

TEAM “B”

a) Set up cones in a “U” shape (if no cones, designate a U-shaped track around the room that the game will be played on). b) Divide into two teams, each team at either end of the “U”. c) On “GO,” the first person from each team runs along the track. When they meet, they stop and play Rock-Paper-Scissors. d) The winner advances forward while the loser returns to the back of his/her line. e) Then the next person in line on the loser’s team runs along the track to meet the winner. When they meet up, they play Rock-Paper-Scissors.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

98

f) When a player has won enough Rock-Paper-Scissors games to get all the way to the other team, he/she waits there for the rest of his/her team. g) The first team to advance to the opponent’s side wins the game. Duct Tape Skiing: The objective is to be the first team to reach the finish line. Set Up / Preparation  Here is a great team building game that uses simple props, is easy to

   

transport (in your pocket) and is fun and challenging. You need at least 12 people (two groups of 6) to play this game. First divide into teams of two or more and have them tear off strips of duct tape (2 per team) about 1.5 feet long Team members must place their feet on the strips like skis, then teams race each other to the finish line. (It may work better to ask everyone to take off their shoes.) To add more of a challenge, create larger groups of 5 or 6 per team. Have them tear off longer strips of duct tape and repeat the race. Debrief: How did it feel to be dependant on other people to move? What worked the best? What can this teach us about being on a team?

Trust Games Will You Be There For Me If I Fall?: Build trust among teammates.  Split up your team into groups of about 6, making sure each group is made up of similarly-sized kids.  Discuss the importance of teamwork, counting on your teammates, and trusting them. You can bring up the importance of trusting your team to pass to you instead of everyone crowding the soccer ball like a swarm of bees.  Next, ask for a BRAVE and TRUSTING volunteer (preferably a small one).  The volunteer should cross his/her arms, stand stiffly, and fall backwards into the arms of his/her remaining five teammates. Reassure the volunteer that you and the teammates will catch him/her.  Remind the teammates how important it is for them to be trustworthy, and tell the teammates to catch the volunteer at about a 45 degree angle (to ensure his/her safety).  Make sure only one group goes at a time so you can supervise (one group per adult).

Variation: Circle Fall

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

99

  

Create a small circle of six to 8 kids, surrounding one volunteer. Have them stand shoulder to shoulder. The volunteer crosses his/her hands over his/her chest, and stand stiff as a board with his/her feet together. S/he will lean backwards and be gently pushed around the circle. Change volunteers after 30 seconds.

Coach’s Tips: The group catching the “fall” in either variation needs to be very tight around the volunteer to ensure safety.  If the volunteer closes his/her eyes, it can help him/her let go of any fears. 

Tour Guides: Teach players to communicate and trust their teammates.  Divide the group into pairs and line them up five yards apart.  In front of each line, place three gates about every five yards. Each gate is made of two cones placed one foot apart.  One partner is blindfolded with a ball between his/her feet.  When the race starts, the sighted partner is the tour guide and talks the blindfolded partner through the gates as he/she dribbles the ball. The tour guide cannot touch the ball or the blindfolded partner.  When the pair has navigated the three gates, the partners change roles, navigating the three gates in the reverse direction, and returning the ball to their line.  When the first pair returns to the line, the second pair takes their turn.  Lines compete to be the first to return with the ball to the line after navigating the gates in both directions. Advanced Variation: Speed things up, and have the teams compete to see who finishes first. Change the skill, requiring the kids dribble only with their non-dominant foot.  Stagger the gates left and right for older ages to make it more difficult.  

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

100

Conflict Resolution Over the course of the season, it is inevitable that you and your players will have to deal with some kind of conflict. As the coach, it is your job to model effective and positive conflict resolution skills. Show your team that you are a good listener, a respectful communicator, and, when necessary, a fair judge. The Challenge Games in this section are broken up into two sections: Prevention Games and Interventions. The Prevention Games are proactive ways to avoid conflicts. They will help you establish an environment of respect and open communication. The Interventions are great tools for dealing with a conflict in the moment or for relieving building stress levels before they erupt! Prevention Games To You, But From Who?: Building self-esteem and getting to know one another (from the book “104 Activities that Build”).  Give each person an envelope, pen, or pencil, and several small slips of paper.  Ask all the players to put their names on the envelopes and pass them to the person sitting next to them.  Upon receiving the neighbor’s envelope, each player should write down an attribute that s/he admires about that person on a slip of paper.  The player adds his/her name and then places the paper in the envelope.  Continue passing the envelopes around until everyone has written down a comment for everyone else.  Once all the envelopes are full, collect them and give each group member another teammate’s envelope.  One at a time, a member will select one comment inside the envelope and share what the paper says out loud to that person, without reading the name of the person who wrote it.  The person about whom the comment was written will then try to guess who wrote the comment. If s/he guesses correctly, s/he receives a point.  Go around the circle, reading one comment from each envelope before starting over with the first person.  Lead a group discussion: How do you feel after hearing all those positive things about yourself? Do you often hear positive things from others? How does this affect you? Why is it important to hear positive things from others? Muchos Mistakes: Show that everyone makes mistakes.  Ask Your Team: What is a mistake? Who makes mistakes? What are some examples of mistakes?  Make a mental list of mistakes your players are likely to have made.  Ask your team to turn around, sitting still, so that their backs are facing the center of the circle. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

101

Call out different mistakes (e.g., “Everyone who has shot for the goal and missed!”).  Anyone who has made that mistake should turn around and face the center of the circle.  Every player should be facing into the circle after one or two rounds.  Repeat the exercise.  Reinforce that making mistakes is something we all have in common. We should be patient with ourselves and those around us whenever mistakes happen. This includes referees too! Interesting Inside: Emphasize the positive attributes of their friends.  Ask Your Team: Why do you decide to be friends with someone? What are some important things to think about when you choose a friend? What aren't?  Some answers may include: being nice, liking to do the same things, living nearby, and being in the same class. Explain that it can also be good to stick with people who respect you as a person and don’t try to make you do things you don’t want to do. Discuss why how you look, what you wear, how “popular” you are, and how much money you have are not good reasons for choosing a friend.  Ask each team member to say something cool about themselves that has nothing to do with his/her appearance.  After the first player goes, the second player will do the same thing, but will also restate what the first player said (e.g., “I’m Tamika, and I’m a great runner. This is Jerome, and he’s good at making cookies.”).  See how many attributes each person can remember.  If a player gets stuck, let the team help.  This will help your team’s listening skills and promote team bonding. 

Can I Get In?: Understanding the challenges of being an outsider.  Ask your team to hold hands and form a circle.  One volunteer is on the outside of the circle. S/he attempts to enter the circle any way s/he can (without hurting anyone) while the circle tries to prevent it from happening.  The activity usually ends when the “outsider” either gives up or gets in.  End the activity by leading a discussion: – How did it feel being on the outside of the circle? On the inside? – What strategies did the outsider use to try and get into the circle? – Did any of the insiders feel bad for the outsider? How, if at all, did they act on those feelings? – What did they tell themselves that convinced them to keep the outsider out? – Did the people in the circle talk to each other? About what? – What are some of the more powerful groups in society? Which groups are on the outside?

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

102

  

In society the circle might represent access to power, jobs, money, and so on. Considering this, how are the outsider’s strategies like the strategies used by people in less powerful positions to get opportunities? What other choices did the insiders have in the activity for including the outsider? What choices do people in powerful positions in society have for including those with less power?

Opinion Continuum: Stress the importance of respecting different opinions.  Introduce the game as a way to understand that each member of the team is different. For example: – Some of you are from Cape Verde, and some of you are from Puerto Rico. – Some of you really like chocolate ice cream, while others prefer vanilla. – Some of you have brothers and sisters, and some of you don’t. 

  

 

Remind them that when they disagree with their teammates about something, it will be important not to make fun of, or judge their teammates because of what they believe. Also stress that the personal things they learn about their team members through this game shouldn’t be shared with people who aren’t on the team. Respect is an important part of being a team. Divide the space in half with one cone representing “strongly agree” and one representing “strongly disagree.” Line the team up in front of you in the middle of the space and read a statement. If a player strongly agrees with the statement, s/he moves to that cone. If s/he agrees with the statement, but not that strongly, s/he takes a step or two towards the “strongly agree” cone. If s/he strongly disagrees with the statement, s/he moves all the way to the “strongly disagree” cone; if s/he feels neutral about the statement, s/he stays in the middle of the room. Start with mild statements, like “Pizza is the best food ever,” or “Math is my favorite school subject.” Continue with more provocative statements such as “Uniforms should be mandatory in school,” or “If a woman is good enough, she should be allowed to play for any professional sports team.” Be in tune with what topics are important to your students and use this activity to spark discussion. Below are some ideas: – In the next 20 years, a person of color should become the President of the United States. – If you live in the United States, you should know how to speak English. – In order to do well in life, you have to do well in school. – I sometimes feel like I am treated differently because of my race (ethnicity, gender, etc.).

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

103

Headbands: Stress the negative impacts of stereotyping and teasing.  Introduce this game by saying it is normal for schools to have different groups of students. Use examples like: – Some students like to play instruments, while others like to play sports. – Some students follow directions, while others often cause trouble.      



Seat five volunteers somewhere so they can’t hear the rest of the group. Have the rest of the team name the different groups of kids that are present in their schools, using the names that they use, like class clowns, nerds, teacher’s pets, jocks, smart kids, etc. Decide on five groups and write the names down on five cards. (One card will say “class clown” and another will say “smart kid,” and so on.) Don’t let the volunteers see the cards, and remind the rest of the team not to tell them either. The volunteers come back and sit in a circle in the middle of the group. Tape a card to each volunteer’s forehead, or attach it to a hat or headband. Tell the volunteers that the principal has asked them to help her come up with an idea about how to stop the vandalism that has been happening in the school, and that the team will discuss possible solutions to this problem. During the discussion, the players should try to treat the volunteers as if they (the volunteers) were members of the group that is on their card. The players should not specifically say what is on the card, but they should act the way they would if they were interacting with a person from that group.

After the discussion, ask the volunteers: – How they felt when they were in the group. – If they thought others were reacting to what was on their card. – If they thought they had done anything differently because of the way that they were treated. 

Finally, the volunteers can then take off their cards and see “who” they were.

Advanced: If you are doing this game with older students, go a little deeper during the discussion. Ask them:  If they have ideas about the groups in their community, in their city or in society in general.  If they think the same kinds of labeling and stereotyping happen outside of school.  To identify potential problems that arise because of labeling.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

104

Interventions Stand in Their Shoes: Teach ways to resolve conflict.  When two kids are in conflict, ask them to switch roles and continue their discussion as if they were the other person.  Divide the team into pairs. Assign each pair an issue and the people within the pair to take opposing sides of the issue.  Have each pair begin a conversation. After one or two minutes, ask them to switch shoes (literally) and present the situation from the other person’s perspective. Strength Bombardment: Build team confidence.  When a team is having a particularly hard time getting along or accomplishing its goals, it might be a good time for a shot of positive team chemistry.  Tell the team that one way to take good care of themselves and their teammates is to pay attention to when people say positive things to them.  Ask them to think about the last time someone said something positive to them.  Ask them how it made them feel.  Have the team break up into smaller groups of four or five.  Tell them that they will have a minute to tell each of the people in their group what they like about them.  Remind them that the qualities all need to be positive and that they should be internal qualities, like honesty and friendliness, as opposed to external ones, like speed or attractiveness.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

105

Health As an America SCORES coach, you have a unique opportunity to directly impact the lives of youth. This impact reaches far beyond soccer and literacy skills, and expands to instilling healthy, active lifestyles in children. Health has become an important issue as alarming statistics continue to be released about the low physical activity levels and poor nutrition habits among children. We want you to be a healthy role model. Kids learn by watching their peers, family members, and others in the community. They look up to you as a coach, so be sure to model healthy behaviors like drinking lots of water, eating fruits and vegetables, and limiting your high-fat and high-sugar foods. You can also model active lifestyles by sharing how you incorporate physical activity into your day, or by participating in your team’s warm-up activities. These games are divided into three sections: Nutrition Games, Physical Activity Games and Safety Games. Nutrition Games The New Food Pyramid: How food relates to your soccer game.  Show the new pyramid.  Ask Your Team: What do you think the stripes stand for?  Answer: You should eat a variety of foods, some from every colored stripe every day. – Orange (far left): Grains (bread, cereal, tortillas) – Green (second from left): Vegetables – Red (third from left): Fruits – Yellow (skinny stripe third from right) Sweets and fatty or oily foods – Blue (second from right): Milk or dairy products – Purple (far right): Meats and Beans     

Ask Your Team: Why are some stripes wider than others? Answer: You should eat more from the food groups with the wider stripes. Ask your kids to point them out and give examples. Ask Your Team: Why is there a person climbing the stairs? Answer: S/he is there to remind you to be active every day by climbing stairs, walking your dog, biking or playing soccer! Ask Your Team: Who wants to be a better soccer player? Tell them a secret to soccer success is FOOD! – Healthy food fuels the body, while sweets and fats make you sluggish and tired. – Eating healthy food helps take care of your organs and muscles, especially the heart. – Grains and proteins give the body long lasting energy to be active

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

106

students and successful athletes. 

For more information and to see the pyramid in color, go to www.mypyramid.gov.

Fuel for Competition 1: Teach the importance of hydration and proper eating, especially for athletes.  Talk to your team about the amount of energy they need to be successful athletes and students. Use the example of Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympic athlete in history. While in training, Phelps eats 12,000 calories per day – six times what a normal adult male eats!  Ask Your Team: So how does he stay so fit? Answer: He eats the right kinds of food – protein to keep him strong, carbohydrates to give him energy. He also gets an incredible amount of exercise, so all the food he eats goes toward fueling his body.  Ask Your Team: What are the best ways to get energy? Answer: Highenergy foods like fruits and vegetables, proteins (e.g., meats, fish, eggs, nuts, beans), and carbohydrates (e.g., potatoes, pasta, whole wheat bread, and brown rice) will allow the body to function at its best. Other examples include: bananas, black-eyed peas, mangos, peaches, pears, plums, oranges, corn, cereal, oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, non-fat/low-fat milk, yogurt, pretzels, and sweet potatoes.  Ask Your Team: When is the best time to eat before playing in a soccer game? Answer: two to three hours before (with a little snack closer to the event). If a player eats too close to a practice or a game, the body will be working on digestion, making physical activity more difficult. This competition inside the body could cause sluggishness and a stomachache.  Ask Your Team: Should student-athletes skip breakfast? Answer: No! They need fuel to keep them going all day long, both physically and mentally.



Coach’s Tip: Be a role model! Share some of your own personal nutrition/fitness goals and relate them to how you can be a better coach.

Fuel for Competition 2: Teach the importance of hydration and proper eating, especially for athletes.  Ask the students to identify their favorite athlete and the sports in which he/she competes.  Ask the students to share their picks, and then have them put together a pre-competition meal for the athlete.  To end the activity, ask a few kids to share their meals with the team. After the student has read his/her athlete’s meal, have the team vote on whether or not the meal is appropriate for pre-competition. Ask the kids which of these meals they would eat. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

107

 

The meal should be high in carbohydrates, should include protein, should include a beverage, and should be low in fat. Remind the team that AFTER exercise it is ALSO important to replenish the body with healthy foods and water, just like refilling a tank of gas in a race car.

Professional Athlete Nutrition: Emphasize the importance of healthy eating for athletes.  Work with your Program Director to set up an opportunity for your players to interview an athlete from a professional team, or from a local college or university.  Ask them to find out what the athlete typically eats in a day, what his/her favorite foods are, what s/he eats before competition, foods s/he avoids, etc.  Are the athletes eating well-balanced meals and getting the appropriate nutrition to ensure success? Can your players recommend ways for them to improve their eating habits?  Share that healthy foods don’t clog the vessels that allow blood to flow through the body, that nutrients from food help the heart grow stronger, and that exercise allows the heart to pump more efficiently. The next few lessons teach the importance of water and hydration. Use this “Healthy Drink Pyramid” as a guide: Soda

So da

Sports od Drinks

a

Fruit Juice Fruit Smoothies

Vegetable Juice

Non-fat or Low-fat Milk

Water

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

108

Why Am I So Thirsty?: Reinforce the importance of hydration.  During soccer practice and throughout the day, the body loses water through sweating and going to the bathroom – that’s what makes us so thirsty!  Talk to your students about the Healthy Drink Pyramid. Explain that they should drink the most of the beverages at the bottom of the pyramid, and the least of the drinks on the top – especially when they are trying to fuel their bodies for soccer! Coach’s Tips: Soda is NOT a healthy choice because it is high in sugar and lacks nutrients.  Soda can slow a person down and make him/her feel sluggish.  Consider making “no soda on the soccer field” a team rule. 

Drink More Water: Reinforce the importance of water and hydration.  During a water break, ask Your Team: Why is water important, especially for an athlete? Answer: It keeps your body cool by allowing it to sweat. It is also important to replace water lost from sweating. Without enough water, the body won’t cool down or work correctly, and that is dangerous.  Ask Your Team: How many glasses of water should you drink a day? Answer: 8 glasses, more if exercising.  Use the Healthy Drink Pyramid as a guide. Kids should drink water and non/low-fat milk most often, and sports drinks only when participating in prolonged activity, like during soccer tournaments.

The Drink Master: Play an active tag game to learn about the effects of drinking soda.  In a 25x25 yard grid, line up the team at one end. Select one child as the “Drink Master” and send him/her to the opposite end.  The rest of the players are designated as water or soda. “Soda” students are paired off, and the pairs’ inner legs should be attached with a t-shirt or a pair of shin guards. They must participate with this handicap.  On “GO,” all the players race to the other side trying not to be tagged by the Drink Master. When children are tagged or go out of bounds, they become a “blob” and must remain stationary for the rest of the game. They can help the Drink Master by reaching out (without moving their feet) to tag others.  Continue the game with rounds of children running back and forth from one end to the other. Before each round, line up the remaining free students and send them across as a group.  The game ends when only one child is left untagged. S/he becomes the Drink Master for the next game. DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

109





Group Discussion: After the game, show the team the Healthy Drink Pyramid and ask your team: Who had more trouble crossing to the other side in the game? Why? Answer: Soda did because it is high in sugar and lacks nutrients. Soda can slow a person down and make him/her feel sluggish. Drinking water keeps people hydrated so they can keep moving all day long. Coach’s Tip: Make the game into a soccer exercise. Have students dribble a ball instead of running, and the Drink Master can knock the balls out of bounds instead of tagging.

Physical Activity Games Be Flexible: Use stretching time for team discussions.  AFTER a warm-up activity, lead your team in stretching. Repeat this at every practice!  Go around the circle and have each player demonstrate a stretch for the group.  Each player should name the stretch after him/herself (“The Natasha Neck Bend”).  Ask the group to do the stretch together as the leader shouts out his/her stretch, e.g., “I’m Natasha, and this is the Natasha Neck-Bend.”  Suggest more stretches if the players miss important muscle groups.  While stretching, engage your team by testing their knowledge. Ask Your Team: Why do we stretch? Answer: It makes us stronger and helps prevent sore muscles and injuries.  Ask Your Team: What areas (or body parts) are important to stretch? Answer: Neck, chest, shoulders, arms, wrists (including triceps and biceps), back/hips, groin, and legs (including hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves). Advanced Variation: For Middle School teams, list the actual muscle names: pectorals, deltoids, triceps, biceps, wrist flexors, back muscles, hip flexors, hip adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps, etc. Exercise Extra: Teach the importance of exercise.  Have your team shout out as many sports and exercises they think of as fast as they can.  Ask Your Team: What are OTHER ways to exercise besides sports? – Walking to school or to the store – Taking the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator when you can – Playing outside with your friends – Watching less TV and doing sit ups or pushups during commercials DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

110

– – – 

Choosing NOT to use the remote control; get up to change the channel instead Cleaning up around the house or at your neighborhood park Stand when on the telephone rather than sitting

Finish by asking why it is good to exercise. – Exercising at least three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes each time can help your heart stay healthy. – Exercising is a great way to get out pent-up energy after a long day at school. – Exercise is fun and helps you build strong bones and muscles. – Regular exercise decreases the risk of illness. – Exercise makes you feel good!

Show Me Why: Reinforce the effects of physical fitness.  Divide the students into small groups.  Write the reasons that physical fitness is important on index cards (each reason on its own card). Feel free to add your own reasons. Example reasons could include: – It helps you to play well and avoid injury. – It gives you more energy to do school work, daily activities and play. – It reduces stress levels. – It makes the heart pump more efficiently (more blood/oxygen is distributed with fewer heart beats). – It reduces the risk of heart disease. – It helps lower blood pressure and resting heart rates. – It strengthens the bones and muscles. – It helps maintain a healthy body weight.    

Use the cards to play charades. The students must act out the reasons listed on the index cards (e.g., show that their muscles and bones are stronger). This can be played with or without allowing talking. If you allow talking, choose certain words that kids aren’t allowed to say. The other groups must guess the reason that is being performed. Next, use that reason as discussion point. To wrap up, ask the students if they can think of any more reasons that physical fitness is important.

Am I Fit?: Emphasize the definition of physical fitness and its importance.  On index cards, create people with different levels of fitness (make the names fun too!).

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

111

   

Index cards should say something like “I can run a mile without getting out of breath,” “I find it hard to stay awake in class,” “I have a lots of energy whenever I exercise,” or “I spend all day every day watching TV.” Students pick an index card and then must decide whether or not the person is physically fit. Ask the team if they agree with the student’s diagnosis. Explain what it means to be physically fit: – Physical fitness is the ability of the body to adapt or to respond to the demands and stress of physical effort. – Physical fitness is a feeling that goes beyond the physical dimensions because it produces a confidence that makes you more energetic and joyful towards life. – Physical fitness is the ability to stay awake during class and also to work hard during practice and games.

Healthy Hearts: Reinforce how to keep the heart healthy and strong.  Have each student raise one hand in the air, opening and closing it like a beating heart for a full minute.  Explain that, like a hand, the heart is a muscle. The more it is exercised, the stronger it becomes.  Lead the team through an imaginary day, with the hand beating as a heart slowly at rest times, and faster during active times (like soccer practice, or running after the school bus).  After one minute, everyone should lower their arms to their sides and feel the blood run back into their hands.  Ask Your Team: Are your hands tired? Explain how hard their hearts work all day long – with no break!  Tell them that it is important to keep your heart healthy and strong, as it never stops working. On average the heart pumps 2,000 gallons of blood each day!  Ask Your Team: How can you make your heart stronger? Answers: – Regular exercise and activity – Less sedentary time like watching TV or playing video games – Not smoking – Eating fewer high-fat foods like fries, hotdogs, hamburgers, pizza, potato chips – Eating healthy food and a well-balanced diet 

Share that healthy foods don’t clog the vessels that allow blood to flow through the body, that nutrients from food help the heart and body grow stronger, and that exercise allows the heart to pump more efficiently.

What’s Your Heart Rate 1: Teach what affects the heart rate.  Explain that the heart rate is how fast a heart is beating at a moment in DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

112

      

   





time. To measure your heart rate, you need to find a pulse point. Demonstrate how to find the pulse points under the wrist and on the side of the neck. Have the students place two fingers lightly on a pulse point and count how many beats they feel. Keep time for 10 seconds. Multiply the number of beats they felt by six to get their heart rate for one minute. Ask Your Team: Can anyone guess what a normal resting heart rate is? Answer: for children between the ages of 5 and 15 it is 70-100 beats per minute. For adults, it is 60-100 beats per minute. Ask Your Team: What do you think makes your heart rate go slower or faster? Faster: exercise Slower: sleep caffeine relaxation fear being physically fit What’s Your Heart Rate 2: Teach what affects the heart rate. This exercise helps us to compare our resting heart rate with our heart rate after exercise. After recording their resting heart rates, have the students exercise for a few minutes – run in place, run up and down stairs, do jumping jacks, etc. Ask the kids to take their heart rates again, and Ask Your Team: What happened to your heart rate? Answer: The heart rate gets higher with exercise because the body needs more oxygen while exercising. Oxygen is carried in our blood and is distributed to our muscles and heart, enabling us to exercise. Because more oxygen is needed, the heart pumps faster, which increases our heart rate. Group Discussion: Ask Your Team this challenge question: Will a strong heart beat faster or slower when at rest? Answer: The heart rate slows down as it becomes stronger and more efficient because it is able to pump more blood through the body in fewer beats. Have your players get in groups and work together to design a hearthealthy snack or meal.

Circuit Training: Incorporate movement into an otherwise sedentary time. Set up stations in the classroom, each featuring a different activity. Activities could include: jumping rope, dancing, hopscotch, yoga, pushups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, and jogging in place.  Split up the group so there are 2-4 students at each station.  Time the students so that they do each activity for 30 seconds to two minutes, depending on the number of activities included. Rotate and continue until students have done each activity at least once.  Ask the group which was their favorite station and why. 

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

113

 

Explain to them that they can set up a circuit course for themselves at home. All it takes is a little creativity! Point out that the students can do any of these “circuit training activities” while watching TV, during commercial breaks, or while playing video games.

Be a TV Ad Critic: Raise awareness about television ads and how advertising affects their choices.  Ask the students to name some of their favorite TV shows. Ask if they remember any commercials that were played while the show was aired. Do they remember seeing any advertisements for healthful foods? If not, ask why they think they don’t see ads for those foods.  Talk to the students about the things companies do to sell their products. Do the students see popular characters or celebrities in advertisements? Do some foods come with free toys or other prizes?  Group Discussion: Brainstorm about other ways companies sell or advertise their products. Some examples include: in-school promotions, putting their products in movies, restaurants, disguised games or comic strips in magazines, brand names on clothing. Ask the students if this type of advertising works. Do the students think it’s fair?

Be a TV Ad Critic 2: Raise awareness about television ads and how advertising affects their choices.  Ask Your Team: How do you think tobacco companies target teens in their ads or marketing? Hint: Think about billboards near schools and playgrounds, advertising in popular places like corner stores and sports arenas, offering promotional items like “frequent buyer” programs, T-shirts and baseball caps, cartoon characters in ads, etc.  Have students collect cigarette ads from magazines, and examine them.  Group Discussion: Have them think about how the advertisers try to trick kids into believing that smoking is OK. Observe what the models look like (young, healthy, athletic, glamorous, etc.). Cigarette companies claim that they do not target young people, that they don’t use models under 25 years of age, and that the models are not in athletic poses. Ask Your Team: Do you think this is true?  Have the students make a creative collage using the ads.  Once student-athletes are aware of the advertising, they will be less likely to be affected by it.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

114

Kick (Cigarette) Butts 1: Learn about the negative effects of smoking.  Ask your students to do physical activities for about 90 seconds (i.e., jumping jacks, walk up and down a flight of stairs, jog, dance, dribble a ball, or do anything fun/creative).  Next, give one drinking straw to each player and repeat the same physical activity, but this time they can only breathe through the straw.  Ask Your Team: Which was easier? What did breathing through a straw feel like? Could you play a soccer game while only breathing through a straw?  Answer: Stress that smoking decreases lung capacity, making it harder to breathe – like breathing through a straw. Smokers can't compete with non-smoking peers because smoking weakens performance.  Lead a group discussion, brainstorming all the negative effects of smoking: – Smoking decreases lung capacity, increases heartbeat, and decreases circulation. – Smoking leads to more injuries, and it takes longer for them to heal. – Smokers get sick more often, and it takes longer for them to get better. – Smoking makes people’s asthma worse, even if they are only inhaling second-hand smoke. – It's hard to quit smoking because tobacco contains nicotine, a very addictive drug. – Every cigarette takes an average of seven minutes off a person's life. – Smoking causes bad breath, wrinkles, yellow teeth, and fertility problems. – Cigarettes are expensive. Coach’s Tip:  Asthmatic kids should not participate in breathing through a straw. Include asthmatic kids in the lesson by asking them to share what it is like to have decreased lung capacity, and highlight how smoking (including second-hand smoke) worsens asthma. Smoking is Expensive: Show how much smoking costs – your wallet and your life!  As a class, calculate how much money is spent monthly by someone who smokes a pack of cigarettes every week (the average cost of a pack is $2.50).  Calculate how much money that is over a year (hint: multiply 52 weeks x $2.50), or a lifetime of 50 years (multiply $2.50 x 52 weeks x 50 years).  Ask them what else they could use that money for. Have fun with this!  Next, calculate how much time smoking takes off a person’s life: one DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

115

cigarette = 7 minutes off a person’s life; one pack has 20 cigarettes.  Ask them what else they could do with that time. Again, have fun with this!  Share the chart below that repeats the same calculations for people who smoke more than a pack a week.  Conclude the activity by discussing ways that your students can avoid smoking. Money Spent on Smoking: 1 pack per week 2 packs per week 7 packs per week (1/day)

Time Lost from Smoking:

Month

Year

50 Years

$10

$130

$6,500

$20

$260

$13,000

$70

$910

$45,500

Month 9 hrs., 20 min. 18 hours, 40 min. 2 days,17 hrs., 20 min.

Year 5 days, 1 hr., 20 min. 10 days, 2 hrs., 40 min. 35 days, 9 hrs., 20 min.

50 Years 252 days, 18 hrs., 40 min. 1 yr., 140 days, 13 hrs., 20 min. 6 years, 173 days, 10 hrs., 40 min.

Safety Games Safety First: Develop safety rules.  Divide students into small groups.  Have them brainstorm safety rules (about playing outside, preventing injuries, riding the bus, etc.) and create a list.  Ask each group to take a rule they feel is very important and create a poster demonstrating someone who didn’t follow the rule or who is thinking about breaking it.  Have each group present its rule and poster to the other groups.  Find an area to display the posters within the school. Detective: Teach the kids to be aware of their surroundings.  Ask the kids to study the room or area they are in. They will want to paint a picture in their heads, noticing the color of the walls, windows, rug, trees, benches, cars, etc.  After a few minutes, ask everyone to shut his/her eyes on “GO.”  When their eyes are closed ask your players questions to see what they remember or ask them to point to where things are in the room.  Ask Your Team: What body parts help people to be aware? How could being aware help you to be safe? What Changed?: Reinforce the importance of remembering details for safety.  Ask for four volunteers. Have them stand in a line in front of the rest of the group in a frozen pose.  Have the group study the poses of the frozen players very carefully for one DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

116

 

minute. The players’ then cover their eyes with their hands while one of the frozen volunteers changes something about his/her pose (eyes closed, change footing, etc.). After s/he moves, s/he should freeze again. Once all the volunteers are frozen again, have the kids open their eyes and figure out the changes.

DC SCORES Middle School Poetry and Song

117