“This activity was spur of the moment learning!” says third-grade teacher Beth Bourdon at the C.T. Plunkett Elementary School in Adams, Massachusetts.
When she asked her students how they could make learning textbook nutrition concepts more interesting, everyone decided that creating a rap was the answer. It turned out to be a memorable activity that not only tied into nutrition and science, but language arts and music too!
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Discuss key nutrition and/or physical activity to include in a rap
- Work together as a class to incorporate key nutrition concepts into a rap
- Invent a rhythm for the rap
- Incorporate the use of percussion instruments into the rap
- Perform the rap for their peers and adults
Materials and Advance Prep
- Identify the nutrition/physical activity textbook information or other materials being used for creating the rap
- Chalk and chalkboard for recorder at the board
- Paper and pencil for seat recorder
- Optional: Obtain percussion instruments from the music department
1. Open by introducing and discussing the concepts of rhythm and beat and what a rap is. Tell students that as a class you are going to write a nutrition rap.
2. Appoint a recorder to go to the board. Appoint a “seat” recorder to write down the lines being recorded so you have them in case you need/want to work on the rap during another session, etc.
3. Talk about the nutrition concepts and brainstorm what to say about these concepts in the rap. The recorder should write down everything that students call out during a brainstorm.
4. After the brainstorm, read lines and information students came up with and start adjusting the rap until it has a rhythm, rhyme, and messages that communicate nutrition and/or physical activity concepts that need to be presented.
5. Optional –Have students add percussion instrument into their rap.
6. Perform for other classes or parents.
Food Pyramid Rap
Hey everybody clap to the beat
We’re gonna tell you bout good food to eat
Eat lots of fruit and vegetables too
Don’t let those fats, sweets and oils get you
Milk, cheese and yogurt from the cow that goes Moo”
Will give you strong bones and good hair too
Clap, clap, clap to the beat
You’ve got to have beans, nuts and meat
Stomp, stomp, stomp those feet
Bread and cereal you must eat
Snap, snap, make those fingers meet
Slurp that spaghetti down to your feet
Mrs. Bourdon’s Third-grade Class, 2004
