Lessons

Overview

Hip Hop IllumiNation provides a library of lessons that use themes from hip hop music to promote positive youth development. These lessons are designed to prompt reflection, critical discussion, and action on the topics presented (see below). Topics have been drawn from research on youth development which suggests that each topic is an important area for growth as young people mature. They are also topics that consistently arise in hip hop music. Hip Hop IllumiNation identifies music that aligns with each topic and creates lessons that help youth connect their own development with culturally relevant themes. We regularly create new lessons and add to the library, so you have a variety of options for engaging the young people you care about.

Lesson Topics

Our lessons cover a wide range of topics, all essential to positive youth development. They can be grouped broadly into two categories: Critical Consciousness and The Six Cs. Each of these categories is further divided into topics and sub-topics that cover essential domains of youth development (see below). You and the youth you work with will know best which topics they are most interested in or in need of pursuing. Categories and Tags make it easy to search and find appropriate lessons based on topic, sub-topic, artist, and even song title.

Structure of Lessons

Our lessons are structured to facilitate teaching and learning. With that in mind, each lesson has a section summarizing the topic(s) and sub-topic(s) covered and how they are important for youth development. The summary is followed by learning objectives, outlining what youth and adults should gain from the lesson. Objectives are followed by the lesson content, which includes lyrics/themes from featured artist(s)/song(s), guidance for the adult leading the lesson, and specific prompts for Reflection, Discussion, and Action. At the end of each lesson, we also try to provide links to additional lessons or other resources that might extend learning.