Beatboxing, rap, and spoken word - Hwb

Beatboxing, rap,and spoken wordCreating contemporary music and lyrics inspired by culture and heritage.

Learning Resource Pack

03 Introduction

04 Using collections and heritageto inspire contemporary artwork

06 About contemporary beatbox,rap and spoken word

08 Planning your project

14 Methods— Method1:Creating rap lyrics

— Method 2:Beatboxing techniques

— Method 3:Creating spoken word and poetry

18 Case studies— Case study 1:Welsh language with key stage 2—Ysgol Pentraeth,National SlateMuseum,Mr Phormula,and BariGwilliam

— Case study 2:Beatboxing and rap, English languagewith key stage 3— Lewis SchoolPengam, Big Pit and Beat Technique

— Case study 3:Bilingual with key stage 3—Tredegar ParkSchool, Tredegar House(National Trust), and RufusMufasa

25 Extending the learning andfacilitating curriculum learning

26 Next steps

26 Digital resources

27 About the authors

Arts & Education Network; South East WalesBeatboxing, rap, and spoken word

Contents

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© Arts and Education Network: South East Wales

IntroductionIntroduction

This creative lyric and music project hasbeen tried and tested with schools by theauthors Rufus Mufasa, Beat Technique andMr Phormula. The project is designed to bepupil-centred, fun, engaging, relevant andin-line with the Welsh Government DigitalCompetence Framework, while exploringpupil’s individual creativity through theExpressive Arts Curriculum framework, andfacilitating the curriculum’s Four Purposes.The projects have been designed specificallyto enable a focus on the creative process,as well as the creative output.

Beatboxing, rap, and spoken wordwilldevelop pupils’ skills and confidencein music, performance, digitalmusicproduction, and poetry while engagingthemwith the reading of objects andexploration of both historic andcontemporary heritage for learning.The course, and this accompanyingresource have been developed tosupport learning together in partnershipwith artists, cultural organisationsand schools.

The projects in this resource can besimplified, adapted or further developedto suit your needs. There are plenty ofopportunities for filmmaking, recordingand performing, all of which help todevelop wider creative attributesincluding resilience, presentation skills,communication skills, and collaborationthat are so important to equip learnersto thrive in our ever-changing world.

The resource includes curriculum guidance,ideas to adapt and vary the project, as wellas methods of facilitating cross-curricularlinks including literacy and/or numeracy.



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Artists often find inspiration from objects,stories and places when creating newwork, whether they are working with music,visual arts, poetry, literature, dance andperformance, drama, digital, or a mix ofthese disciplines.

The studio of an artist often resembles acabinet of curiosity, echoing early privatecollections known as cabinets that usuallycontained collections of natural curios andobjects of artistic endeavour. As cabinetsand collections grew, so the large publicmuseums full of objects of wonder emerged.

Today, museumsand galleries in theUK have an objective of supporting andenabling study or research of arts andsciences disciplines, as well as tracking thehistory of human progress through heritagecollections. Museumcollections are oftenestablished with learning and education asa core purpose, to explore the past but alsoto inspire the future. The new curriculum forWales presents an opportunity to embracethe potential for creative, cross-curricularlearning usingmuseums, galleries, heritagesites and collections of objects as a startingpoint to inspire creative learning, andmeaningfully engage pupils in their culturefrom a young age.

Objects help us to make sense of theworld. They provide opportunities to makeconnections and learn about differentcultures,personal identity, history,science, society, art and themaking process.All objects, or heritage sites, were indeedonce new. They weremade using naturalprocesses by an artist, craftspersonormaker, or for more recent objects, producedin a factory or by digitalmeans. Objects goon to have their own lives in connection tohumans, and so we can learn a lot abouthumanhistory, culture, technology, science,the environment and creativity from objects,making a great starting point for inspiringthe expressive arts.

Bringing historic collections and sitestogether with contemporary arts will almostcertainly make for a fun and unexpectedlycreative project with pupils. Creating a long-term, contemporary arts based experiencewill help bring objects and heritage sitesto life, and really engage pupils withcollections. This in turn facilitates deeperandmoremeaningful learning.

Using collections and heritage toinspire contemporary artwork

Pupils exploring collections at theNational Roman Legion Museum

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What kind of places could you visit?Amgueddfa Cymru – National MuseumWales (www.museum.wales)Other national museums, collectionsand galleries (eg Tate, MuseumofScienceand Industry, National Archives),visitwww.nationalmuseums.org.uk afull list of national museumsin the UK.Local museums, libraries, galleriesHistoric houses and parksNational parksCADW sitesLocal built environment orareas of interestCollections onlineHandling collections that can beborrowed by a schoolUniversity and college collectionsLocal historic sites such asmonuments, natural landscapes,bronze age sites, public art exhibitsPeople’s CollectionWales(www.peoplescollection.wales)Kids in Museums(www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk)Literature Wales(www.literaturewales.org)Urdd Gobaith Cymru (www.urdd.cymru)Regional Music Education Services

The possibilities are endless.

Engaging with an arts orcultural organisationA project developed within the frameworkspresented in this resource can enablea whole term’s work if well planned,incorporating a visit or experience withobjects, heritage sites or collections toinspire the creative process. Forginga partnership with an arts, heritage orcultural organisation can also present theopportunity to take work created by pupilsback into the organisation, to be performedor made available on digital platforms.This approach enables even widercommunity engagement with a project,ensuring this more contemporary artpractice is represented within theorganisation’s public programme.


Using collections and heritage toinspire contemporary artwork

https://museum.wales

https://www.nationalmuseums.org.uk

https://www.peoplescollection.wales

https://www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk

https://www.literaturewales.org

https://www.urdd.cymru


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About contemporary beatbox,rap and spoken wordBeatboxBeatboxing is a form of vocal percussionwhere the artist imitates electronic drumsounds – creating a beat box.

Modern beatboxing has its roots in streetcorner hip hop popular in theBronx, Chicagoand Los Angeles (USA). Evidence exists,however, that forms of whatwe recogniseasbeatboxing or vocal percussivemusic spanmillennia and cultures across the globe.(Source: ourpastimes.com/history-of-beatboxing)

Some notable beatboxers that are goodexamples to use in a school setting:Alem (France)Alexihno (France)Beardyman (UK)Beatbox Fozzy (Wales)Beatbox Hann (Wales)Beat Technique (Wales)Bellatrix (UK)Bigman (South Korea)Codfish (Australia)D Low (UK)Grace Savage (UK)Inertia (USA)Kaila Mullady (USA)Mr Phormula (Wales)Napom (USA)Piratheeban (Singapore)Reeps One (UK)The Singh Thing (UK)

Here’s an exampleof Frenchbeatboxer,Alem, that could be shared withpupils:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsDTZilEP3c&t=85s

Rap and hip hopHip hopmusic, also called rap music,is a genre of popular music developed byinner-city African Americans and LatinoAmericans, in theBronx boroughof NewYorkCity in the 1970s. It consists of a stylisedrhythmicmusic that commonly accompaniesrapping: a rhythmic and rhyming speechthat is chanted. (Source:Wikipedia)

Notable hip hop and rap artists that aregood examples to use in a school setting:Akala (UK)Baba Brinkman (Canada)Lauren Hill (USA)Little Simz (UK)Lizzo (UK)Logic (USA)Lowkey (UK)Testament (UK)Token (UK)

Spoken word poetryThough some spoken word poetrymay alsobe published on the page, the genre has itsroots in oral traditions and performance.Spoken word can encompass or containelements of rap, hip hop, storytelling,theatre, and jazz, rock, blues, and folkmusic. Characterisedby rhyme, repetition,improvisation,andword play, spokenwordpoems frequently refer to issues of socialjustice, politics,race, and community.Related to slampoetry, spokenwordmaydraw onmusic, sound, dance, or other kindsof performance to connect with audiences.

Notable spoken word artists:Benjamin Zephaniah (UK)Candy Royalle (Australia)Clare e potter (Wales)Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz (USA)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsDTZilEP3c&t=85s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsDTZilEP3c&t=85s

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Deanna Roger (UK)Elizabeth Torres (Columbia/Denmark)George the Poet (UK)Hanan Issa (Wales)Joelle Taylor (UK)Kate Tempest (UK)Kevin Coval (USA, but educatedat University of Wales)Mab Jones (Wales)Mahogany L Brown (USEMurdoch Burnett (Canada)Rosanne Watt (Scotland)Samuel King (UK)Sarah Jane (USA)William Letford (UK)Zena Edwards (UK)

Why make a rap, beatbox sampleor spoken word poem?Rap, beatboxing and spokenword poetryare creative art-formsthat are popular,engaging and relevant to young people.These art-forms have a significant onlinepresence, particularly on socialmedia, withpoetry in particular becoming hugely popularwith young people on Twitter, createdby ageneration who are adept at communicatingthrough the written word.

Projects that explore rap, beatboxing andspokenword will be fun andengaging, whilealso naturally facilitating the expressivearts curriculum aswell as having a strongliteracy element that can be drawn from aproject. Using a historic site or collectionas inspiration, will enable pupils to reallyexplore their own responses to an object orsite, thus developing their own connectionwith a historic story, but through thecontemporary art-form. Such a projectwillalso facilitate the humanities subjects,and creatively enable the Four Purposesof the newWelsh Curriculum.

The project frameworks set out in thisresource, could certainly form the basis fora whole term of learning with a specifiedgroup of pupils. If plannedwell, andmaking

use of local cultural resources, a quality,best practice project can be designed,providing an opportunity to invite parentsor the wider school community to take partin a performance or presentation of the artproduced to celebrate the achievementand creativity of the pupils.

Following the authentic creative process thatthis framework achieves, provides a real-lifeexperience of what’s involved in creativepractice, and all the skills that are involved.

This framework has been designed tosupport the facilitation of the newCurriculum for Wales, Expressive ArtsArea of Learning and Experience.

This includes:Developing new knowledge onWelsh, British and internationalcontemporary artists.Using local cultural resources forresearch and inspiration.Reading andwriting withfluency.Following instructions (verbal andwritten) andapplying thesepractically.Developing knowledge of arts and cultureinWales, theUK and internationally.Developing vocabulary and newtechnical terminology.Meaningmaking.Exploring cultural identity.Creative idea generation.Responding to new ideas, positivelyand critically.Communication, presentation andteamworking skills.Using a range of digital tools, both skills-based and for communication purposes.Making connections.Developing skills in critical analysis,refinement and improvement.

And of course to facilitate the enjoyment andsatisfaction gained from creative expression.



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Planning your project

Before you startThe central objective of this project is tostudy, describe and document objects at themuseum that are of interest to the groups.This will create the foundation for theframework of the rap, beatbox or spokenword performance.

You will needTablets, smartphonesor cameras(for pictures and filming)Paper/pensClipboardsObjects or detailed pictures of objects

Spend some time planningUse this table to plan your project.

Session

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Initial exploration:Explore the art-form and selected contemporary artists and creatorsusing the internet and class discussion. Share some examples anddiscuss these in the classroom. What suggestions do the pupils have?What kind of rap, beatboxing or spoken word do they like?

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Explore a theme:Introduce or select together with pupils the wider project theme.This theme will inform your work over the term. Example themes include:the Romans, industry, local history, world conflict, sustainability,the body, contemporary art, street art.

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Session

3

Researching the site:A session on the history and heritage of the site or museum you will visit.Think about the stories, the landscape, smells, tastes and so on thatmight be expected at the site. Include some time to explore ideas aroundresponding to objects.

Pupils might also undertake their own research.

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Planning ahead:Pupils plan how they are going to record their visit, and collectmaterial from which to create their raps, beatbox, or spoken word.Thismight include photography, film, drawing, note taking,makingnotebooks, sound recordings and so on. Consider whether pupilsshould work in teams and/or adopt specific roles.


Planning your project(cont.)


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Session

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The visit – object exploration and analysis:Museums and galleries often facilitate guided tours for school groups.Book tours in advance, but for this project, make sure the pupils havetime to explore the objects that especially interest them.

Upon arrival at the museum, split pupils into groups and encourage themto create mindmaps, word banks and pictures (digitally or hand drawn)describing in detail the objects that they choose to examine which areof interest.

The aim of this exercise is to document and analyse objects in detail inorder to further examine and develop a creative framework in school.

For example:a.Describe how it looks: colour, hot or cold, hard or soft, big orsmall, the shape, decoration, rough or smooth, lumpy, and so on.

b. Describe thematerials: manmade, natural,metal, plastic,moulded, sculpted, wood, textile, and so on.

c. How does the object smell and/or sound?

d.What are the object’s surroundings today and in the past?

e.What does the label tell us about the object?Are there some facts to collect?

f. How does the object or wider site make us feel?What emotions do we experience?


11Arts & Education Network; South East WalesBeatboxing, rap, and spoken word



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Session

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Beatbox/rap activities – in school or at the venue:Ask groups to present their findings and observations to the class,describing in detail the objects that they have examined. Upon completion,ask each group to further develop the object exploration, by creating acharacter that will be associated with the object using the following exercise.

Exercise: Object character building anddevelopment activity

Developing a character from an object can be a great way to bringan object’s identity to life. The task here is to create a characterfrom the object that they are examining.

For example, the object is a Mining DrillWho is the person using this mining drill?Where is this person from?Are they a happy, miserable, funny or frustrated person?How old is that person? Maybe it’s a child?Did this person have a nickname and why?Are they part of a big family? Who are their family and friends?Has this person been to school?What are they wearing?

Now create word banks of key words describing the person andthe object. There is no correct way of doing this, it’s entirely up tothe group to create a fictional character based around the object.

Now ask the pupils to draw the character.


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Session

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Creative writing:The next task is to transfer keywords into a story and rap.See the following Methods sections for how this task is undertaken.

Ask each group to form a short rap based on their fictional character andthe word banks they have created. The raps can be simple or complicated,the only task here is to further enhance the object’s identity.

For example:MyName is Dafydd, I have a skillI work in the mine with a noisy drill!(Ysgol Pentraeth).

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Performance:Once the groups have completed their raps, they aretasked with creating a simple beatbox beat to use as a backing track(seeMethod 1e below for tips on how to approach this). Each groupelects one or two members to perform the backing track while therest perform the rap.

Each group then performs the final rap and beatbox to the rest of theclass (film recording using a phone or tablet is optional).




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Methods 1

Creating rap lyricsTake inspiration from themuseum visitand any recordings, notes or mindmapsthat were made. A process for creativedevelopment is set out below:

a. Create a sceneWhen writing raps in first person andportraying stories through lyrics it isimportant that the scene is set earlyto grab the attention of the audience.

Make deliberate vocabulary choices tocreate the right mood in order to drawthe audience into the story. Use this tableof words to get you started.

Setting Mood Examplevocabulary

city happy Bright coloursblared from of thepaint on the wall

historichouse

inspired A dragon fly zipsacross my path,a virtual path inmy vision

hilltop determined The rain drove,into our faces,and we drove on

coalmine

hopeful Small whitecloudlets couldbe seen hoveringwhen we looked upfrom the darkness,we felt we couldtouch them…

jungle sad The baboon’s criespierced our hearts

See the case studies later in this documentfor examples of work produced by pupils.

b. Write the lyricsGather as much information as possible onyour character and scenario before startingto write lyrics. Usemindmaps to get thecreative ideas flowing. This could be donein groups or as a whole class exercise.

Example mind map respondingto Big Pit (sensory exploration)

GwrthrychauLlanberis

Teimladau

Oer

Ffens brigau

Tal

Plwg a adnauDrill carregDwl a oer Drwm

Rough

Swnllyd

CryfDafydd drill yn

dod o dre

Dafydddrill-byw yn

rhif 4

Dewr

Drill

Tan

Drill deg oed

100/cant?

Canolig/22/63?

3’5

Bocs bwyd metal

Dafydd drill yn dod odre,ond goro gweithio ynllanber,gwthio ei bwysau ogwmpas y lle edrych mlaen

am banned o de!

Dafydd drill

Example mind map in response to theNational Slate Museum (character exploration)

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c. Rhyming word banksBuilding rhyming word banks keeps thecreative process flowing. In groups, takewords from the mind maps and createindividual rhyming pools – that is groups ofwords that rhyme with the selected one.Aim to generate sets of rhyming words, thewords don’t need to have similar spellingsorendings – in rap, a lot comes down to how aword is pronounced during the performance.

For example, piece rhymes with fleece butcould be used alongside feet, seek, sheet,speak because of the E sound.

This is a creative idea generating activity.Write everything that you come up witheven if you don’t think it could ever be used.

To aid this process, thewebsitewww.rhymezone.com is helpful.

d. Construct the sentenceNow use the mind maps and rhymingword banks to start writing sentences byconstructing them backwards. To achievethis, take a rhyming word and think ofa sentence that is relevant and wouldproceed it.

Sensory example:Echos through the void as I finish my taskCramped and claustrophobic in this dark,damp, shaftTrapped like a rat as I feel the colddraftClunking sound of the water, back an’forth in my flask

Character building example:MyName is Dafydd, I have a skillI work in the mine with a noisy drill!

e. Create a beatboxOnce the groups have completed their raps,the next step is to create a simple beatboxbeat to use as a backing track.

To try out themethod, start off by electingone or two members of the group to performthe classic Queen song – WeWill Rock Youas a beat or rhythm.

To achieve this, the beatboxers use theletters B (Kick) and K (Snare) in the sameorder, so for We Will Rock You:B, B, K; B, B, K; B, B, K; (andso on)

To use a different tempo or beatbox patternthen edit, add or subtract words from yourrap in order to maintain the chosen flow.

UseMethod 2 to explore beatboxingtechniques.

Rhyming word bank


Methods 1(cont.)


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Beatboxing techniquesWatch this introduction tutorial to basicbeatbox sounds created by Beat Technique.Use the methods in the film alongsidethis description to start experimentingwith beatboxing.

Kick drum1. Say theword Boots.

2.Now build up the pressure behind the lipsand release it to say Boots. This will givethe power needed for a kick drum sound.

3. Take away the ootspart of the wordand you will be left with a short punchkick sound.

Hi-hat1. Create aHi-hat sound by saying Tuh.Whisper this sound rather than speakingit at a normal volume.

Rim shot snare1. Say theword Cats.

2. Concentrate on the start of the wordas it’s said (the C). Create a click soundin the back of the mouth/throat whenthe C is pronounced.

3. To create the sound of a snaredrum, increase the pressure onthe C/click sound.

Spoken word poetryThe following approach provides a processfor reflective creative thinking in responseto a heritage site or museum collection.

It takes a holistic approach to creativewriting, enabling the writing to be morefluid, but exploring the words associatedwith meaning in more depth. It is usefulfor exploring language structure and forintroducing concepts such as similesand metaphors.

a. Choose an objectIn groups chose an object to explore,thinking about it practically, emotionally,and abstractly; asking questions andlistening imaginatively. Ask the pupils tomake mind maps to collect their wordsand ideas.

b. Question timeContinue to use the chosen object, butthis time use the questions below to beginexploring new ways of making meaning.Have some fun here, themore fun you have,the more the creative ideaswill flow.

Questions about the object:What do you see?Can you describe the colours?How would you describe thematerials used?What else could it be?Whomade the object?Who used the object?What does the object look likein your life?How does the object feel/sound?Does the object remind you of anyone?What else could the objects mean?

Methods 2 Methods 3

https://artsed.wales/en/beatboxing-techniques/

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Questions about people and placesconnected to the object:Whomight have used the objectin the past?Are these people alive now?Who do those people remind you of?Are there any similarities betweenthe historic people you’re thinking of,and people who are alive now?Who lived here?Who worked here?What did they like about their lives?How did they have fun

c. Discussion groupsNow hold a discussion with the pupils todraw out and explore some of the moreinteresting or challenging topics thathave emerged. This could be done insmall groups or as a whole class. Beginby exploring the concept of linkingthe past to contemporary life.

Here are some ideas to startdiscussions off with pupils:What are we learning about the past?What stories are we hearing?Is anyone being treated unfairlyor unjustly?Does someone in the story havea lot of power?Who holds the power?Who is being exploited?Is there conflict?Is anyone doing anything about this?Is there anywhere in the world thatthis still happens?Who is this person like today?Is there anything in the news thatis similar to this story?What is similar about the stories?Who do you think is part of the storythat we don’t know about?Has anything changed?

Continue to make mind maps in responseto the discussions. This could be donein groups or as a whole class.

d. Start to form sentencesWhile the discussions are still fresh inpeople’s minds, challenge them to use theirindividual mindmaps to form short, concise,descriptive sentences that use the wordsto describe the stories or objects.

e. Write and perform a spoken word poemWork individually, in groups or even asa whole class, to pull your sentencestogether into a poem.

Discuss and test out how you mightperform it, thinking about the following:What voice you might use – will youtake on a character, emphasisecertainwords, introduce emotion?Think about volume and cadence,will some bits be loud and somebits be quieter?How will you use your body language,facial expressions and hand gesturesto perform the poem?Will it be performed on your ownor as a group?

List of questions by pupils at Tredegar House



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Welsh language with key stage 2 –Ysgol Pentraeth, National Slate Museum,Mr Phormula, and Bari Gwilliam

The aim of this project was to bring objectsto life at the National Slate Museum, anduse these as a basis for learning, throughmusic/beatbox and rap. The project tookplace over three full days of activity.

The first session took place at the museum.The class explored the location and createdword banks andmind maps describing theitems in detail.

Objects that stood out included: miningdrills, thick rope that had been used tosuspend workers on sides of the mountain,helmets and jackets worn by workers, andslate dust that was hazardous to workers,amongst many other artefacts.

Once the groups had explored and analysedthe objects we took the ideas back to schoolwhere weworked in groups and shared theobjectswith the rest of the class. Throughexploring the objects we collaborativelyworked on a big mind map highlightingdescriptive words and ideas that bestdescribed the objects we were analysing.Through this process a fictional characterwas created: Dafydd Drill.

The pupils decided that Dafydd Drillwasa rather unpleasant individual due to himhaving to carry his gigantic drill around thequarry every day! He also lived in dre (town),but travelled to Llanber (Llanberis) everyday which madehim even more grumpy.By making this short character story aboutDafydd Drill the class created a rhythmicalrap based on this character:

Dafydd Drill yn dod o dre,Ond goro gweithio yn Llanber,Taflu ei bwysau o gwmpas y lleEdrych mlaen gael panad o de!

Session 2 aimed to develop the objects intogroups. There was a recap of themuseumvisit and pupils explored their pictures,each group choosing an object and creatinga mind map or word bank to describe theselected object and it’s use. The groups thenfollowed the same rap writing process as inthe previous session to develop a characterof their choice, and subsequently a rap.

Objects selected included:Jack Siaced (Jacket Jack –A worker’s jacket)Huw and Hannah y Helmet(Worker’s protective helmet)Llwch y Mynydd (Mountain dust)Olwynmawr (Big wheel)

Each group performed their short rapbased on the above characters, thisobjective was all about fun, expression,confidence building and characterdevelopment.By using the above ideaswe were able to create a collection ofraps focusing on different objects andthus developing the object’s identity.

Case studies 1

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The groups then had the opportunityto create and sample sounds usingMr Phormula and Bari Gwilliam’sequipment.

The third session was aimed at performingand recording our object raps. Each grouprecapped the general overview of the project.The final taskwas tomix beatboxing, then toperform and record the rap.

Each group elected a number of members tobe beatboxers. The beatboxers of the grouprecreated Queen’s simple “We will rock you”drum pattern to form the backing for therappers. This beat is simple to re-create andonly requires two letters – “B” and “C”, theindividuals simply recreate the beat –“B / B / C, B / B / C, B / B / C”.

The groups then separated and practisedtheir raps and had the opportunity to adddance or movement which further enhancedthe performances. The performances wererecorded on tablets.

This project has involved:Object exploration and analysisLocal history explorationBeatbox and rap activitiesObject character building anddevelopmentCreative writingPerformance, and danceDigital competency.

For more ideas on how to further enhanceperformances using tablets please see thesection belowon ‘Extending the learning’.


Case studies 1(cont.)


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Beatboxing and rap, English languagewith key stage 3 – Lewis School Pengam,Big Pit, Butts Beat Technique and Steve

A year eight group visited Six Bells GuardianMonument, Abertillery. This monumentcommemorates the 1960 Six Bells Miningdisaster. The group was accompaniedby beatboxer Beat Technique, and theirteaching staff from the Expressive Artsdepartment.

The pupils participated in a guided tourled by a volunteer and had an opportunityto explore the mining object collection inthe community museum at the site.

The group then moved on to NationalMuseum of Wales, Big Pit, Blaenavon,where they participated in an undergroundtour of an interpretive mining experience.During this tour, the pupils were asked toreally think about everything that they wereexperiencing. They were asked to considertheir sensory experience of the tour:sight, sound, taste, smell, feel, and theemotions that they were feeling.

Pupils were also tasked to ask the museumguides plenty of questions in regards todifferent roles in the coal industry, workingconditions, and the experience of beingunderground.

Back at school each of the classes weregiven a short introduction to beatboxingand a rap lyric writing session. Working withbeatboxer Beat Technique, the pupils learnthow to produce basic beatbox sounds andalso how to sequence them to make beatboxroutines. They also explored how raps mightflow and how different tempos and beatswill affect this.

An example of work produced:Echos through the void as I finish my taskCramped and claustrophobic in this dark,damp, shaftTrapped like a rat as I feel the cold draftClunking sound of the water, back an’ forthin my flaskYear 8 pupil, Lewis School Pengam

Case studies 2

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Case studies 3

Bilingual with key stage 2 – Tredegar ParkPrimary School, Tredegar House (NationalTrust), Nicola Williams and Rufus Mufasa

Over a three day project, a year six groupcreated spoken word poetry in response totheir visit to Tredegar House in Newport.They worked with spoken word artist RufusMufasa, their teacher, and theNewportFusion NetworkCoordinator.

Day 1: Developing confidence in creativeplay with language and a basicunderstanding of reading objectsIn advance of their visit to Tredegar House,Rufus Mufasa led a whole day sessionin Tredegar Park School to introduceherpractice. This covered her background, herprofessional journey and her experience ofbeing a woman artist in the hip hop scene.

Rufus introduced the concept of storytellingthrough poetry and rap. The sessionincluded a lot of games to free up the useof spoken language, including current youthculture language, nicknames, interests,hobbies, pets, and so on, to develop thepupils’ confidence in telling stories aboutthemselves. It was important to highlightthat each pupil was a teller of stories,and each one was unique, with a uniqueinterpretation of the world.

In the afternoon session, the group exploredmemory. The artist presented extractsfrom a book, inspiring the children to thinkabout their own experiences of childhood.The artist also talked about her ownchildhood memories.

The group then went on to look at a selectionof objectsbrought inby Rufus, includingoldcameras, vinyl records, flags, a tin phonebox, decoratedwooden eggs, oldmedals,a kettle with a whistle, tins of loose tea,lemons, and giant wooden cutlery.

Pupils responding to objects in the classroomPhoto: NazSyed

The pupils worked in groups to create mindmaps and then to use the words they’dgathered to start to construct sentences.These were then developed into quick,simple poems, raps and stories.

Finally, the pupils then agreed a list ofquestions they would be asking themselvesduring the visit to Tredegar House on Day 2.



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Day 2: Visit to Tredegar HouseThe aim of the visit was to collect creativeideas and make notes in response to thehouse and it’s collections, to take backto class.

The group were given a tour of the site bythe HouseManager. This included a specialtrail around the property that introduced theChartist Movement in relation to TredegarHouse and its history. All pupils carried anotebook and their list of questions, andmade notes during the tour.

The artist collected her own notes, and afterthe first room, she read these out to thepupils. Her notes recorded words, thoughts,feelings and ideas, includingways to linkthe historic objects the group had seen tothe world today. She stressed that therewas no right or wrong thing to write down.

Here is an extract from her notes:Don’t be fooled by wealthIt is still loaded with complicationTake Harry &Megan for example

Hand carved CaesarsMeet little MouseyFloorboards the length of the houseTall trees, taken from their homes,thousands of miles awayRoots ripped up from the kisses of the sun

The group talked a lot about life in the timethat the house was built, referencing theChartists, the people who lived and workedthere, their sources of wealth, and thebackgrounds of the portrait painters andcrafts people who built or decorated thehouse. There were also discussions aroundethics and power.

After the tour of the house, the pupils didsome drawings of how they imagined thepeople who worked in the house might havelooked. Then therewas an object handingsession. Pupilsworked in groups, usingmindmaps to record words they associatedwith the objects.

Pupil participating in object handlingsession at Tredegar HousePhoto: NazSyed

The artist asked what the objectsreminded them of within their own homes?This introduced their own visual knowledgeinto themeaningmaking from the object.

(cont.)Case studies 3

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‘They look like giant lampshades’ (Pupil responseto a 19th century hoop underskirt).

‘Games console’ (Pupil response to a 19th centurypinball game).

Photo: Pupil’s word bank

The pupils then shared their creative wordbanks, and began writing their own poems.




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Day 3: Writing poemsBack at school on the final day, the pupilsfocused on developing their word banksinto full poems which compared historywith contemporary life, and began to workon performing their creative work.

The first task was evaluating theexperiences of the site visit. Manycommented that they liked finding outabout the people who’d lived in the house,especially the servants, whose storieswere poorly represented.

‘It’s like we are giving them a voice and theyare being seen properlynow.’Pupil comment

Rufus asked the class to think about why itwas important to reflect on and learn fromthe past. They then discussed the pupils’reflections from the visit, making links tocurrent affairs.

Working together with Rufus, the groupthen transferred these comments into apiece of collaborative creative writing:We’re bringing back the pastUnlocking doors into the unknownPeeling back the house’s secretsStepping into other time zonesWe’re bringing the past backWomen wearing huge lampshadesCrocodiles crawl around the posh roomsNext to the Louis Vuitton suitcaseWe’re bringing the past backOld games come back out to playGold frames hang from the walls on chainsWay too heavy for nailsExtract from collaborative pupil poem.


This case study was supported byNational Trust and Newport Fusion.

Pupils performing spoken word poems to theirfamilies at Tredegar House

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Extending the learning andfacilitating curriculum learningWays to extend the learning:Create soundscapes of your character/scenario/emotion by recording thevoices or sounds present in theenvironment, for example, wind,bangs, thuds,whistles,machinery, orbackground noise. These recordingscan be used as samples within aperformance or recording.Develop the rap or poem to beperformed as part of a live performanceby the pupils. For example, alongside aband, percussion group, choir or visualfilm, or as part of a drama performance.Use the Samplebot app, which isdesigned to sample sounds via an Ipad’sinternal microphone. Pupils could useSamplebot to record sounds at themuseum, or sounds relating to theobjects. For example, at the NationalSlate Museum, pupils recorded thesounds of stones and slate hitting eachother, then used Samplebot to putthese sounds on virtual square pads.The virtual square pads on the screenwere then used to create a sampledrhythm similar to an electronic drumbeat. This method further enhances anobject’s sensory identity whilst creatinga unique backing track for the rappers.Use the app Simple Minds + to createinstantaneous mind maps includingvoice memos and photography to andcreate detailed mind maps.The Pocket Operator Speak app canbe used for sampling voice and relevantsound effects and can be used insteadof or alongside an ipad.

Expressive arts project ideas:Offer open-ended creative tasksby inviting pupils to suggest ideas.Create animations to tell a visual storyalongside the rap/beatbox/spokenword soundtrack.Explore dance moves to perform tothe final track or performance.Create stage costumes and propsto use in a performance.Design a book of the lyrics that includesillustrations and graphics.

Ideas for cross-curricular learning:Film and record performancesdigitally.Write scripts and/or subtitles for a filmor animation.Share digital recordings on social media.Create a written and visual blog totrack the project process frombeginning to end.Design the project to facilitate ahumanities topic or project.Use a science or natural historycollection for inspiration.Reflect on the content of thelyrics created through a critique/reflection session.Explore maths through rhythmand lyrics.Explore maths through film editing.Improve emotional literacy by exploringemotional connections to objects.Write about the materials (science) ofthe objects that are being explored.



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Presenting creative work in partnershipwith arts and cultural organisations furthersupports the cultural democracy model ofthe new Expressive Arts Curriculum, andhelps to facilitate the ‘Four Purposes’.

Why not approach the cultural organisationthat you visited, or that the work isconnected to, to ask if it could supporta sharing of the pupil’s achievements.Some ideas for this are:

A performance, welcoming the widerschool community at a culturalorganisation.

A TV screen that shows the completedwork displayed for a number of weeks,placed near to objects that inspiredthe pupils work.

Sharing work digitally withthe organisation.

A display showing the whole creativeprocess including the initial visit, thecreative mindmapping, written poetryand the final performance.

Ask the cultural organisation andthe pupils to suggest some ideasfor sharing work produced

Next steps Online resources

Collections onlinemuseum.wales/collections/online/

Art UKwww.artuk.org

People’s CollectionWaleswww.peoplescollection.wales

Available on HWBPeople’s CollectionWales ImageResourceHistory of Wales resourceNational Museum of Wales resources

People’s CollectionWales, Learn(for teachers and includes resources).www.peoplescollection.wales/learn

https://museum.wales/collections/online/

https://www.artuk.org

https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/publishers/ef5c4530-38ea-464a-94d5-b379fcdfd18a

https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/publishers/7094e2db-f7d9-4181-9788-f917a0f25646

https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/publishers/6817db18-b97b-45b2-90cd-41987b55bdb1

https://www.peoplescollection.wales/learn

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About the authors

Beat Technique is a talented beatboxer rapper, DJ,producer and songwriter. He also works as a musiceducator andconsultant. He has forged a uniqueperformance style and stage presence, whichwere builton the stages and events of Glastonbury, the O2, RoyalAscot and Silverstone to namea few. He is an advocatein the beatbox battle scene, having competed in theUK championships in 2014 before participating in thefirst ever Welsh Beatbox Championships in 2015.

He currently spends the majority of his time teaching theart of beatbox, rap, dj-ing andmusic production, in schoolsand youth organisations.He has achieved significantsuccess with disaffected young people who find schoola challenge, enabling them to improve attendance,behaviour and motivation in all areas of the curriculum.

Rufus Mufasa is a pioneering participatory artist, literaryactivist,poet, rapper, singer songwriter, theatremaker,andmother. Rufus is theWales Future GenerationsActPoet in Residence (2019 – 2020); a HayWriter at Work(2018-19); and a BarbicanFellow (2015-17). She practiseslocally, nationally and internationally, and has participatedin international arts programmes in Finland, Indonesiaand Sweden that explore indigenous languages andwomen’s rights.

Rufus has published two solo albums of poetry collectionsentitled The Pride –Magic andMolecules (2019) andFlashbacks and Flowers (2020). She has a degree inTheatre andMedia Drama, and a master’s degreein Scriptwriting from University of South Wales.

Mr Phormula is a pioneering beatboxer and live loopingartist. With a career as diverse as theWelsh landscapewithin which he is rooted, Mr Phormula’s inspiredperformances and vocal compositions have gained himinternational recognition as a leading beatboxer, rapperand producer. Over 15 years’ experience of working ineducational environments highlights Mr Phormula’scommitment to using bilingual beatboxing and rapto engagepeople from allwalks of life. MrPhormulapossesses a solid work ethic and involves participantsfrom a wide range of backgrounds with varying needs.Mr Phormula is guaranteed to be engaging andentertaining whilst also supporting skills such asincreasing confidence and collaborative working.

Danielle Cowell is Learning, Participation& InterpretationManager at theNational Roman LegionMuseum, and thestrategic lead for digital learning for Amgueddfa Cymru- NationalMuseumWales. She has20 years experiencein delivering museum learning programmes at NationalMuseum Cardiff and St Fagans: National History Museum.She currently leads the learning strand for the People’sCollection Wales.

Danielle set up the successful digital learning projectSpring Bulbs for Schools, which hasbeen running for overten years with 7,000 pupils participatingeach year acrossthe UK. Her current role involves leading the learningprogramme at the National Roman Legion Museum anddeveloping staff accross the organisation to increase theirdigital skills and create new digital learning resources(many ofwhich are publishedon Hwb). Danielle hascontributed to numerous strategic partnership projectsincluding the First World War education project withNational Library Wales.

Ruth Lloyd is the Co-ordinator of the Arts and EducationNetwork; SouthEast Wales. She has over twenty years’experience of working in learning and interpretationsettings in museums, galleries and the wider arts sector,and a special interest in bringing cultural organisations,artists and communities together through authenticcreative projects. Her previous work has includedsetting up the innovative museum residency programmeat the V&AMuseum in London; project managing theestablishment of the Exhibition Road Cultural Group inLondon; working on the Arts Council of Wales Lead CreativeSchool programme and producing a wide range of sociallyengaged artworks andprojects as a freelance producer.Ruth has a degree in FineArt Textiles from GoldsmithsCollege, University of London, and amasters degree inInterpretation, Representation and Heritage fromUniversity of Leicester.

The Arts and Education Network;South East Wales would like to thank:Lewis SchoolPengam, Tredegar Park PrimarySchool,Ysgol Gymunedd Pentraeth, Barri Gwilliam, BethanJenkins, Steve Butts, NicholaWilliams, NazSyed, NationalSlate Museum, Tredegar House and NationalMuseumBig Pit for working with the team to facilitate innovativeprojects within their schools, and organisations thathave formed the best-practice case studies on which thisresource is based. We would also like to thankmuseumeducator Karin Molson of Monmouthshire County CouncilMuseum Service and Newport Fusion for their support.

This course and resource was createdfor the Arts and Education Network:South East Wales by the following groupof artists and cultural educators.


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Beatboxing, rap, and spoken word - Hwb

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