Title: Teaching Poetry Through Rap | Scholastic
Headings: Teaching Poetry Through Rap
Lesson Plan
Teaching Poetry Through Rap
Students connect the structural similarities of poetry and rap music through rhythm, simile, and metaphor, as well as through thematic similarities, such as social commentary.
Teach This Lesson
Discovering Similarities Between Rap and Poetry
1. Rhythm Without Rhyme
4. Social Commentary
5. Symbolism, Personification, and More

Content: Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load. Or does it explode? Langston Hughes’ “A Dream Deferred” implicitly questions the result of postponing one’s aspirations, recognizing the moral, psychological, and emotional damage that stem from the crush of racism, and the too-distant prospect of racial integration. 5. Symbolism, Personification, and More
The similarities between poetry and rap continue in symbolism, personification, narratives, and more. Their connections create an engaging and meaningful platform for the exploration of poetic devices and important themes. Students’ analyses of familiar rap songs foster deeper appreciation for the poetic structures rappers employ and creates enduring understandings of these techniques, while comparison of common themes in rap and poetry lends itself to a broader understanding of social issues and other themes. Philip Clark teaches 6th grade science at MS 584 in Brooklyn, NY, through Teach for America. He is a graduate of Vassar College and enjoys training for triathlons. He occasionally wishes he had a cat.