Hip-Hop Poetry and The Classics (Paperback)

by Alan Lawrence Sitomer (Author), Michael Cirelli (Author)
Key Phrases: poetic theme, context clues, figurative interpretation, Language Arts Standards Covered, Standards Addressed, Classic Interpretation Guide (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Hip-Hop's literary and artistic merits are evident when compared to classic poetry and it's easy to link the great poets of the past to the contemporary Hip Hop poets of today: compare Robert Frost to Public Enemy, Shakespeare to Eminem, and Shelley to the Notorious B.I.G. This interactive workbook-style format is fun for teachers and students, as it illuminates the art of the written word with in-depth analysis of poetic literary devices, writing activities, and other innovative methods.

About the Author
Alan Sitomer is a novelist, playwright, screenwriter, greeting card author and inner-city high school teacher in LA, where he won California Literacy's Teacher of the Year award. His novel, The Hoopster, will be published by Hyperion in Spring 2005.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Milk Mug (November 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972188223
• ISBN-13: 978-0972188227
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,598 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Teaching Tool..., February 9, 2007

By	The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

It is so hard to educate some children, mainly because of the outside influences of music, television, and video games. There needs to be a way to connect with them in the classroom similar to those things, and now there is. HIP-HOP POETRY AND THE CLASSICS by Alan Sitomer and Michael Cirelli is the perfect teaching tool for English teachers and educators, a resource for teaching poetry. In this well-thought-out book and teaching guide, Alan Sitomer and Michael Cirelli have produced a product which connects the classic curriculum, which may not hold a student's attention, to hip-hop poetry through standards-based language arts instruction.

HIP-HIP POETRY AND THE CLASSICS analyzes the core literary elements of poetry with examples of each term in a chapter-to-chapter format which includes the actual definition of the term, a classic poem utilizing the device, an interpretation guide for teachers, and a student worksheet. It is then followed with a hip-hop example, its interpretation, and a student worksheet and writing exercise. Not only does this set-up allow the student to understand elements such as imagery, metaphors, onomatopoeia, and symbolism, but it clearly shows the correlation between present day and the classics. The book also includes additional resources, learning objectives, and the language arts standards covered for each.

To actually reach and keep the attention of a student is the goal of many educators world-wide and with tools like HIP-HOP POETRY AND THE CLASSICS in place, they will be armed to do so. It allows them to connect to students on their level. The execution of this book is not only flawless, but an innovative and brilliant concept. I'm sure any student interested in hip hop will have no problems at all incorporating what they love about it into a better understanding and appreciation of literature and poetry. I highly recommend this book for students and teachers alike for use in contemporary, multicultural classrooms, in reading and writing programs, and even in home settings.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent classroom resource, May 12, 2007

By	Kevin J. Tober "kscribe" (Fort Lauderdale, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book was introduced to me in an English Department meeting held by our county. It was introduced with such enthusiasm, I just had to check it out for myself. The book is WONDERFUL. Lesson plans are included in the book including poetry writing activities and analysis of poetry sorted by literary devices (such as symbolism, imagery, metaphor, etc..)
My students LOVE the selections of poetry in the book -- the "hip hop" selections allow them to see that contemporary song lyrics are indeed poetry and the classic selections allow them to see how "classic" poetry is similar to popular music lyrics today by using the same techniques utilized by the classic poets. I would rate this book an A+ and definitely recommend it for high school English teachers.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good language art tool, December 2, 2008

By	edna "edna" (western wa) - See all my reviews

In an alternative school setting this book reaches kids who identify with hip hop, rap, and other forms of modern art forms, but who have no experience with classic literature. It bridges the gap.