This final activity will focus on the Key Idea Component:

“An interest in expanding the range of materials listened to, viewed and read, and in experimenting with ways of expressing increasingly subtle and complex ideas to create effective and innovative texts” (ACARA, 2019).

This connects to the Year 9 English Content Descriptor:

ACELY1740:

” Listen to spoken texts constructed for different purposes, for example to entertain and to persuade, and analyse how language features of these texts position listeners to respond in particular ways” (ACARA, 2019).

Now students have an in depth knowledge about the basis of Australian Poetry, its vocabulary, application, meaning and messages, it is time for them to expand the range of materials they listen to, view and read, and experiment with ways of expressing increasingly subtle and complex ideas to create effective and innovative texts.

This activity will focus on moving beyond traditional Australian bush poetry and poetry from the past, and focus on where poetry is situated in the present and where it will be going in the future.

Ask students if they know of any forms of poetry they might listen to on a daily basis. Play a game of Pass the Pen, where students take a whiteboard marker and write different forms of poetry on the board.

Some students may say the obvious poems already discussed through the unit, and “I only do poetry in English class because I have to”. Whereas other students may recognise that poetry surrounds them within greeting cards, music, rap, slogans, advertising, debates, and many other forms.

Most students are aware of the ever popular Memes that are created and shared on the internet. In fact, many internet native teenagers communicate online purely through the use of memes and gifs.

As a fun warm up activity, allow students to create a short meme that rhymes (Must be kept school appropriate, and be monitored by the teacher).

They can create their own memes through the following link:

https://imgflip.com/memegenerator/33942061/Ecard

Ask students to download and email their memes to you so you can project them onto the whiteboard for everyone to enjoy.

History of Rap Music:

Hundreds of years before rap music became popular, West African musicians were telling stories rhythmically accompanied by only a drum beat, and folk artists from the Caribbean were telling stories through rhyme. These early poets led the way to what we know today as rap music.

Essentially, rapping consists of chanting or speaking rhyming lyrics to a beat. The rhymes that are created by rappers are often considered to be some of the most sophisticated forms of poetry that exist, and are often used to convey socio-political messages (Plastic Little Raps, 2019).

Australian rapper, Adam Briggs is a proud Yorta Yorta man who began his solo career in 2009 then teamed up with Ngarrindjeri performer Trials in 2016 to form A. B. Original, a hip-hop duo that tackles Indigenous politics head on, helping to make Briggs one of the most influential and respected Aboriginal voices in the country (Smith, 2018).

As a class watch the following YouTube clip about A.B. Briggs’ controversial song “January 26”. Make notes on what connections you can see to the message conveyed in this song and the poem and article we studied in Activity Two, and what messages they deliver about Australian and Aboriginal identity and politics.

Australia has a long and volatile history, and not all of it is pretty. Poetry, in all its forms, gives artists a voice to raise awareness, state their opinions and spread the word about our country to the world. Both the good and the bad.

As a class, discuss what symbols, emotions, terms, images, icons and messages they heard and saw within the news report about A.B. Briggs’ song.

(Do not look up and play the full uncensored version of the song in class as it contains swearing and language that is not appropriate for school. This news article has been censored and plays enough of the song for students to understand the message).

Another form of poetry that is becoming more popular is Slam Poetry.

The rules of Slam poetry include the fact that any race, gender, age, sexuality, education, class or disability can compete without discrimination. Poems can be about anything the poet desires, but are usually about the creation of the performer.

Poems are to be kept under 3 minutes in length or points are deducted; the performer may not use props or accompanying music; however, they can use their mouth or body parts to make additional sounds, and they may perform solo or in a group (Banales, 2013).

Watch the following YouTube clip of the youngest winner of the Australian Slam Poetry Competition, 12 year old Solli Raphael:

Students need to think about the intonation, speed and emphasis that Solli used in his slam. Make notes about what you think was effective, and why. Instruct students to discuss what they thought and felt.

Students are now to create their own version of slam poetry.

Some suggestions on how to start can be found at:

The Poetry Generator

The Poetry Generator

Herein, find a rag-tag, eclectic, profane, and/or banal list of ideas, phrases, and topics to inspire the generation of poetry.

1. My job sucks/rules because . . . (inspired by “Office Space,” “Clerks,” and the warrant officer position in “Alien”)
2. Sometimes, I wish I could remember . . . (inspired by Leonard Shelby and the Nolan brothers)
3. Sometimes, I wish I could forget . . . (also inspired by Leonard Shelby and the Nolan brothers)
4. What does religion mean to me? (inspired by religions)
5. Tell Me Something New About Love
6. On the last day before the end of the world, I will . . . (inspired by “Last Night” by Don McKellar)
7. You have been given a direct order to . . . (inspired by Anis Mojgani)
8. My Fondest Memory
9. What I hate the most is . . . (inspired by cookies full of hate)
10. At my first poetry slam, I . . . (inspired by many of the poets who participated in CYHMN? 2014)
11. The First Day of School (inspired by Ice Cube)
12. After the Zombies (inspired by zombie video games, zombie movies, zombie toothbrushes, zombie rap stars, etc.)
13. If the whole world was listening, I would say . . .
14. Life is like a . . . (inspired by something Mama always used to say)
15. The best music is . . .
16. My Favourite Vacation (inspired by “National Lampoon’s Vacation” – “Holiday roa-oa-oa-ooooaaa-ooaa-oa-oa-oad”)
17. When We Were Young/Remember When (inspired by The Killers and Skid Row)
18. I write poetry because . . .
19. The Problem with Teenagers Today (inspired by adults)
20. The Problem with Adults Today (inspired by teenagers)
21. The Problem with People Today (inspired by adults and teenagers)
22. As I walk school hallways, I think about . . . (inspired by LBHS)
23. I am the face of a generation that . . . (inspired by Allen Ginsberg and Dove commercials)
24. If I was Prime Minister for a day, I would . . . (inspired by Stephen Harper)
25. People made fun of me because . . . (topic suggested by Ashley Eyles)
26. I am grateful for . . . (topic suggested by Ashley Eyles)

Each student is to present their 3 minute slam poetry presentation and receive peer feedback.

Summarise Learning:

Students should have now developed an interest in expanding the range of materials listened to, viewed and read, and in experimenting with ways of expressing increasingly subtle and complex ideas to create effective and innovative texts, through their Australian poetry unit. Exploring Aboriginal poetry, bush poetry, rap music and slam poetry as well as engaging with a variety of texts and applications, students will now have an in-depth knowledge of Literacy as Language in Use.

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, (2019). Australian Curriculum: English Syllabus F-10. Retrieved 6th August 2019 from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/english/

Banales, M. (2013) “Slam Poetry”, Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 14^th August, 2019 from https://www.britannica.com/art/slam-poetry

Plastic Little Raps, (2019). The History of Rap Music. Retrieved 15^th August 2019 from https://www.plasticlittleraps.com/history-of-rap-music.html Smith, T. (2018). “The Ten Best Australian Rappers”, Culture Trip. Retrieved 15^th August, 2019 from https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/australia/articles/the-10-best-australian-rappers/