Rhymes and Raps

Rhymes and Raps

Religion: any and all

Purpose: to teach and reinforce familiarity with specific course content

Cognitive Skills: knowledge

Learning Styles: verbal, active

Intelligences: linguistic, musical, bodily-kinesthetic (if instruments or movements accompany songs)

Use: as homework or in class

For: individuals, pairs, small groups to make up songs; individuals at home or whole class to sing songs

Estimated time: 5 minutes to sing, time will vary for creating songs

Materials needed: paper, pen, possibly musical instruments (as desired)

The Activity:

Students who are musically inclined can be tasked with writing a song or rap as a memory tool designed to recall and reinforce terms related to a specific aspect of one or another religion

examples: Jewish holidays, Hindu deities, Christian sacraments, Buddhist 8-fold path, five pillars of Islam, etc...

The songs should use simple, familiar tunes (e.g. row, row, row your boat)
Verses of a song can trace historical progression (e.g., events in the life of Jesus or Buddha, key events in the history of Judaism or development of the Christian church)
Students who create the songs can teach them to classmates in class where they will sing it a few times. To help other students recall the songs, the words should be written and the tune indicated.
Students can sing the songs anytime, anyplace by themselves as a mnemonic device in preparation for an exam or quiz.

Alternative possibilities: any topic that is term heavy can use a a song, rhyme or rap to reinforce familiarity with terms. History can be broken down into periods for incorporation into a song as a memory aid.