Lanaʻi Elementary Presents
Canoe Plants
As part of their Fourth Grade studies, students at Lanaʻi Elementary School researched plants brought by early Polynesian voyagers.
Once they discovered the description, growing habitat, and ethnobotanical uses of their plant, they wrote poems to honor the plant.
Finally they created illustrations of their plants using oil pastels and black tempera paint.
Materials for the illustrations were provided by Donors Choose sponsors: NEA, Chevron, and Roseanna Vierra.
Publication of Canoe Plants coordinated with instructor Christi Barrow.
Read moreArtistic Resistance: Creating a Transformative Teaching Praxis Through Hip-Hop
Abstract
As an urban art form of creative expression, hip-hop has profound significance for education. Theories of cultural production contextualize rap as a powerful resistance-oriented transformative tool. Building upon aesthetic education models, this article moves from theory to practical application by providing a critical analysis of over 1,000 rap lyrics, giving particular attention to the ways a select group of artists conceptualize knowledge, learning, and school. Within the music, the rappers draw upon personal experience and social commentary to argue for community-based culturally relevant schooling and high expectations. These lyrical lessons add to the general discussion about how to utilize the arts in urban schools.
Key Words: youth culture, hip-hop, aesthetic education, urban education, literary arts
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