Major Key Change 

Songwriting, Freestyling, and  
Creative Cultural Studies 
 
 
 
Grades 6-12 (content adjusted accordingly)

Emily Veramessa
 Course Description

What does it consist of?

● Studying existing art and analyzing its components, processes, and
interpersonal/cultural functions, as well as applying those studies to look critically at
existing art to attempt to interpret the creator's intentions (and whether or not they
were effectively executed).

● Creating new art: both intentionally, aiming to attain new individual, factual, or cultural
understandings through songwriting and poetry as well as in an open, spontaneous
manner through lyrical improvisation in order to explore the relationship between
language syntax and musical rhythms (how has it impacted previous and existing
music/musical practices?) while simultaneously developing and strengthening one’s
fluency in both.

● Imagining new artistic practices and their societal, cultural, and psychological functions,
as well as envisioning and exploring what they might look like or consist of tangibly.

Essential Questions (concepts students will explore and grapple with

throughout the course):
● How does culture shape/impact art creation? In what ways does art depict or reinforce
culture?

● How to musicians use language to convey meanings in their music?

● How do people use language to convey meaning in everyday discussions?

In what ways might these be the similar of different? What does that tell us about the
role and use of language in human life?
 Course Rationale Statement
Being critical consumers of media-- specifically, the language that comprises it-- grows
increasingly important in a democracy’s functioning. As the globalization and consumerization
of technology solidies itself as an aspect of society, culture, and inevitably the marketplace, the
ways people engage with music- one of the most globally-expansive media art forms- become
more relevant.

A primary focus of this course is to study existing art and analyze its components,
processes, and interpersonal/cultural functions, as well as to apply those studies to look
critically at existing art to attempt to interpret the creator's intentions (and whether or not they
were effectively executed). It might seem as though youth could attain exposure/skills like this
and exposure either through school music programs as they currently exist or by interacting
with popular culture. However, Jenkins, Purushotma, Weigel, Clinton, and Robison (2009) note
three concerns that suggest this is a matter concerning music education:
“The Participation Gap — the unequal access to the opportunities, experiences, skills, and
knowledge that will prepare youth for full participation in the world of tomorrow.
The Transparency Problem — The challenges young people face in learning to see
clearly the ways that media shape perceptions of the world.
The Ethics Challenge — The breakdown of traditional forms of professional training and
socialization that might prepare young people for their increasingly public roles as media
makers and community participants” (Jenkins et. al, 2009).

Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, the originator of the educational concept of Culturally

Relevant Pedagogy, suggests that there are three primary qualities of a classroom that is
culturally responsive: 1) student experiences/histories (respected, home/outside experiences
not isolated), 2) cultural integrity, and 3) social and political consciousness (Ladson-Billings,
1995). The content of this course will draw from the cultural values and practices of the larger
community demographic, appealing to the majority of students who aren’t currently enrolled in
music classes. Due to this convergence (Tobias, 2013) or integration of varying perspectives and
practices, course curriculum will reflect the social, cultural, and political issues relevant to the
students as well as the wider community in which they live.

According to Nielsen, a global measurement and data analytics company, “eight of the
top ten most popular artists came from the hip-hop/R&B genre,” and the growth of the
hip-hop/R&B genre was "powered by a 72% increase in on-demand audio streaming" (The
Nielsen Company, 2018). As music technology becomes more accessible, we can more
accurately gage the kinds of music the public consumes as well as the ways in which they do so.
Integrating this into curriculum acknowledges the values and experiences of the larger
community, and aims to strengthen them. This is accomplished in this course through both
studying and critically analyzing existing art through a linguistic lens and by developing
experience-based understandings about creativity, collaboration, and self-expression using
poetry, songwriting, and lyrical improvisation (freestyling).

Nathan Brault, hip-hop artist and educator, suggests that after emceeing, DJing, graffiti,
and B-Boying/Girling, there is a 5th, thematic element to hip-hop: “Study of transformation and
the pursuit of self-expression” (Brault, 2015). Kant explains the concept of identity as complex
and fluid (1991), and discusses enlightenment as one of the key components of identity
development: “Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity.” He
defines immaturity as “the inability to use one’s own understanding without the guidance of
another,” highlighting the necessity of fostered independence through open learning processes.

Kant further expands on immaturity as “self-incurred if its cause is not lack of

understanding, but lack of resolution and courage to use it without the assistance of another”
(Kant, 1991). A discrepancy exists, then, in education with standardized testing serving as a core
k-12 academic focus; Daniel Pink explains in his book Drive: The Truth Behind What Motivates
Us (2009) that external motivators inherently cultivate a narrow approach to problem-solving,
limiting creative potential and depleting intrinsic motivation. Along with studying and analyzing
existing art, a key function of this course is to provide a safe environment for students to create
new art: both intentionally, aiming to attain new individual, factual, or cultural understandings
through songwriting and poetry as well as in an open, spontaneous manner through lyrical
improvisation in order to explore the relationship between language syntax and musical
rhythms (how has that impacted previous and existing music and musical practices?) while
simultaneously developing and strengthening one’s fluency in both.

This course also has a forward-focused component in which students imagine new
artistic practices and their societal, cultural, and psychological functions, and envision/explore
what they might tangibly look like or consist of in the hopes of long-term activism and change.
 Student Impact and Learning Standards
Student Impact:
● Nathan Brault, hip-hop artist and educator, suggests that after emceeing, DJing, graffiti,
and B-Boying/Girling, there is a 5th, thematic element to hip-hop: “Study of
transformation and the pursuit of self-expression” (Brault, 2015). Kant (1991) describes
the concept of identity as complex and fluid, and explains enlightenment as one of the
key components of identity development: “Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his
self-incurred immaturity.” He defines immaturity as “the inability to use one’s own
understanding without the guidance of another,” highlighting the necessity of fostered
independence through open learning processes.

● Kant further expands on immaturity as “self-incurred if its cause is not lack of

understanding, but lack of resolution and courage to use it without the assistance of
another” (Kant, 1991). A discrepancy exists, then, in education with standardized testing
serving as a core k-12 academic focus; Daniel Pink explains in his book Drive: The Truth
Behind What Motivates Us (2009) that external motivators inherently cultivate a narrow
approach to problem-solving, limiting creative potential and depleting intrinsic
motivation.

● Along with studying and analyzing existing art, a key function of this course is to provide
a safe environment for students to create new art: both intentionally, aiming to attain
new individual, factual, or cultural understandings through songwriting and poetry as
well as in an open, spontaneous manner through lyrical improvisation in order to
explore the relationship between language syntax and musical rhythms (how has that
impacted previous and existing music and musical practices?) while simultaneously
developing and strengthening one’s fluency in both.

Standards and Learning Goals:

Creating 
Anchor Standard #1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.

● Combine concepts collaboratively to generate innovative ideas for creating art.

● Formulate an artistic investigation of personally relevant content for creating art.

“I Can” Statements:

● I can combine my creative ideas and perspectives with other people’s to

create a new integrated work of art.
 ● I can use language and music as tools to explore cultures and
perspectives other than my own.
● I can use language and music as a means to expand my knowledge, skill,
and understanding of a topic.

Anchor Standard #2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

● Demonstrate openness in trying new ideas, materials, methods, and approaches in

making works of art and design.

“I Can” Statements:

● I can use different kinds of language syntax to express an idea.

● I can vary my vocabulary and vernacular phrasing to authentically
represent ideas from different cultures and periods in history.
● I can use musical rhythms to inform my use of language and vise versa.

Anchor Standard #3: Refine and complete artistic work.

● Reflect on whether personal artwork conveys the intended meaning and revise
accordingly.

“I Can” Statements:

● I can look critically at the purpose behind my artistic creation and

evaluate whether I conveyed my intended message.
● I can modify my creative choices as needed to convey my intended
message in a work of art.
● I can reflect on my artistic work, brainstorm ways to improve it, and
apply those revisions.

Presenting
Anchor Standard #4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.

● Analyze similarities and differences associated with preserving and presenting

two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and digital artwork.

“I Can” Statements:

● I can demonstrate cultural and contextual sensitivity when I adapt or

cover someone else’s art.
 ● I can make decisions about what musical aspects I want to
keep/emphasize when I adapt or cover an existing work.

Anchor Standard #6: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.

● Assess, explain, and provide evidence of how museums or other venues reflect history
and values of a community.

“I Can” Statements:

Responding 
Anchor Standard #7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.

● Identify and interpret works of art or design that reveal how people live around the
world and what they value

● Analyze ways that visual components and cultural associations suggested by images
influence ideas, emotions, and actions.

“I Can” Statements:

Anchor Standard #8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

● Interpret art by distinguishing between relevant and non-relevant contextual

information and analyzing subject matter, characteristics of form and structure, and use
of media to identify ideas and mood conveyed.

“I Can” Statements:

Anchor Standard #9: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

 ● Develop and apply relevant criteria to evaluate a work of art.

“I Can” Statements:

Connecting 
Anchor Standard #10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.

● Generate a collection of ideas reflecting current interests and concerns that could be
investigated in artmaking

“I Can” Statements:

Anchor Standard #11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical
context to deepen understanding.

● Analyze how art reflects changing times, traditions, resources, and cultural uses.

“I Can” Statements:

●
 Community Impact
The content of this course will draw from the cultural values and practices of the larger
community demographic, appealing to the majority of students who aren’t currently enrolled in
music classes. Due to this convergence (Tobias, 2013) or integration of varying perspectives and
practices, course curriculum will reflect the social, cultural, and political issues relevant to the
students as well as the wider community in which they live.

● A primary focus of this course is to study existing art and analyze its components,
processes, and interpersonal/cultural functions, as well as to apply those studies to look
critically at existing art to attempt to interpret the creator's intentions (and whether or
not they were effectively executed).

● It might seem as though youth could attain exposure/skills like this and exposure either
through school music programs as they currently exist or by interacting with popular
culture. However, Jenkins, Purushotma, Weigel, Clinton, and Robison (2009) note three
concerns that suggest this is a matter concerning music education:
“​The Participation Gap​ — the unequal access to the opportunities, experiences, skills,
and knowledge that will prepare youth for full participation in the world of tomorrow.
The Transparency Problem — ​ The challenges young people face in learning to see
clearly the ways that media shape perceptions of the world.
The Ethics Challenge​ — The breakdown of traditional forms of professional training and
socialization that might prepare young people for their increasingly public roles as media
makers and community participants” (​ Jenkins et. al, 2009).

● This course also has a forward-focused component in which students imagine new
artistic practices and their societal, cultural, and psychological functions, and
envision/explore what they might tangibly look like or consist of in the hopes of
long-term activism and change.
 Project Outline
UbD Planning Template (based on Figure D.1, p. 44):

Project Name: What it is About 

Stage 1 Desired Results

Standards: Goals:
Identify standards that Think of goals (long and short term). You might do well to refer to the standards and
will guide your goal use these to flesh out generative goals. Be focused.
crafting. Just copy-paste
them here

Generative (Essential) Questions:​ Broad questions that learner will word toward finding multiple and unique
answers. These questions encourage learners to dive deep.

Stage 2 - Evidence 

Be as specific as possible to articulate what a quality piece of evidence will look like that will demonstrate that
learners grew related to each of the goals.

Stage 3 – Learning Plan 

Discuss the specific process by which learners will make progress toward the goals. Specifically address the ways
you, as a teacher, will support, challenge, and wind for the learners. What “workshops,” “lessons,” or “experiences”
will you guide learners in to help them develop tools needed to grow? How will you support individual learning and
growth?

You may choose to sketch this out in a number of ways, including:

- A series of days (maybe this is a 10 day project) with the day noted along with the
- A vignette that tells what students and teacher are doing at the beginning, middle , and end of the project.
These would be narratively dense.
 Budget

Budget. ​Imagine you have a $2500 seed grant to launch this course.
Assume your school already has a class set/lab of either Macs or Chromebooks (you
decide, Chromebooks are becoming more common and are much cheaper).
Given this, what things will you need to make this course run?
These may be technologies, texts, music, instruments, etc.

Proposed Budget 

Item Name   Use   Cost  Quantity Overall Cost

(linked to provider)  (How will this be used by students/teacher?)  (per unit) 

Acoustic Students can use these to create and perform $65 5

Guitar songs.
(Amazon,
comes with
case, strap,
pick, and
strings)

Ukuleles 8

Drum kit 1

Bongos

Microphones 4

Bass Guitars 2

Amp 1
 Total Cost

Grant Funding: 
Explain any grant you may apply for (including identifying the grant/s and why you think
this class or a project in the class would qualify for the grant) here.
 References
Allsup, R. E. (2016). Remixing the classroom: Toward an open philosophy of
music education. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press

Brault, Nathan. [TEDx Talks]. (2015, Oct 1). Hip Hop’s Place in Education.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR288TOwzXs

Hein, E. (2014, April). Participatory music vs. presentational music (weblog post).
Retrieved from
http://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2014/participatory-music-vs-presentational-music/

Jenkins, H., Purushotma, R., Weigel, M., Clinton, K., & Robison, A. J. (2009).
Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st
century. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Kant, Immanuel. (1991).An Answer to the Question: “What is Enlightenment?”

Translated by H. B. Nisbet. London: Penguin Books.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy.

American Educational Research Journal​ , 32(3), 465–491.

The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. (2018, Jan 3). Insights: ​2017 U.S. Music
Year-End Report.​ Retrieved from
http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports/2018/2017-music-us-year-end-report.html
?wgu=12765_54264_15265634282312_fcd1e70257&wgexpiry=1534339428&afflt=ntrt1
5340001&afflt_uid=_dW8Wc_Yr_k.vB3Qqdx6nCaa75o2rSZPRrUBj77ydji4&afflt_uid_2=
AFFLT_ID_2

Pink, Daniel H. (2009). Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.
New York, New York: Riverhead Books, LLC

Tobias, E. S. (2013). Toward Convergence Adapting Music Education to

Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture. ​Music Educators Journal,​ 99(4), 29-36.