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ILLUMINATIONS

RAPPING TO REVIEW: A NOVEL STRATEGY TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND SUMMARIZE COURSE MATERIAL

Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester PA 19383 E-mail: mknabb{at}wcupa.edu

	Introduction

TOP Introduction Phys Is Supernatural References

 
Recent studies indicate that hip-hop can successfully be used as a tool in the K-6 classroom to improve literacy skills (1, 7). Although hip-hop is in its infancy, some educators are using it as a mnemonic device to help students with math and history facts (8). The use of music as a way to stimulate and teach new material is based on the work of Howard Gardner, an educational psychologist best known for his theory of multiple intelligences (2). Gardner stresses the use of nontraditional teaching techniques to account for different learning styles (3). In fact, some science educators have used music to teach traditional lessons, such as biological classification (6). This semester, I used this novel teaching technique to review the semester’s material in my undergraduate, nonmajors’ Anatomy and Physiology 2 course and used the popular Carlos Santana song "Since Supernatural" (4) as my template.

Few science educators incorporate music in their lessons. I was inspired by Professor Helen Davies, a University of Pennsylvania microbiology professor, who uses song to teach about infectious disease (5). Although she uses popular tunes such as Simon and Garfunkel’s "Sound of Silence" and the Beatles’ "Yesterday," her tuneful teaching style has won her many awards, including the National Golden Apple for Teaching Excellence.

Below are revised lyrics to Carlos Santana’s "Since Supernatural," called "Phys is Supernatural." Students really enjoyed the review, and one commented that it was the most original thing that he had seen so far in their college experience. As a strategy to expand on this idea, teachers should consider having students write their own rap lyrics to actively engage them in the material. Furthermore, teachers may focus on a more specific area to provide greater depth and detail of the subject matter.

	Phys Is Supernatural

TOP Introduction Phys Is Supernatural References

 
TURN THIS UP A LITTLE LOUDER NOW

TURN THIS UP A LITTLE LOUDER NOW

TURN IT UP

LADIES AND GENTS YOU'RE TUNED TO THE SOUND OF A AND P 2

WHERE THE KIDNEYS AT?

WHERE THE LUNGS AT?

HERE IN PHYSIOLOGY NOTHING'S CHANGED

HOMEOSTASIS IS THE NAME OF THE GAME

FLUCTUATIONS THAT ARE OUT OF THE RANGE

ARE SENSED TO PREVENT DANGER

SITUATIONS THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR HEART STOP

WOULD MAKE ALL THE SYMPATHETIC NEURONS START

FIRING TO SYNAPSES ON EVERY PART

WHERE RECEPTORS ARE FOR

EPI, ACH, AND NE

PUPILS DILATE, HELPS YOUR SEEIN'

PRESSURE'S DROPPING, CO'S STOPPIN'

GOTTA GET THAT BLOOD FLOW HOPPIN'

BLOOD CELLS-WHITE, T CELLS FIGHT

WHAT HAPPENS DURING FIGHT OR FLIGHT?

THE SPLEEN IS SLY

AND RED CELLS DIE

AND LYSOZYMES COME OUT WHEN YOU CRY

OH, BP, BP, BP

NEGATIVE FEEDBACK

NO MATTER WHAT IT IS

BARORECEPTORS KEEP TRACK

WHEN IT'S GOING TOO HIGH

THE FIRING IS LOW

OH, DON'T WORRY ARTERY

NO ANEURYSM FOR YOU!

AND EACH MOMENT IN TIME

YOUR STOMACH KEEPS TRACK

OF THE LEVEL OF CHYME.

I AIN'T TOO MUCH OF A DORK TO SEE

THERE'S AMAZING STUFF TO LEARN IN PHYSIOLOGY.

WITH HOMEOSTASIS AIN'T NOTHING CHANGED

NEURONS KEEP FIRING UP TO YOUR BRAIN

KEEPING TABS ON YOUR PLEASURE AND PAIN

UNTIL THE SIGNALS START TO WANE

HYPOTHALAMUS SENDING SIGNALS

TO THE PITUITARY

CRH, TRH MAKIN' THYRO

THE ENDOCRINE SHOW WITH HORMONES-BUT THEY'RE SLOW!

POLYS STREAM IN, PHAGOCYTES CLEANIN'

WHITE CELLS COMING, YOU KEEP DREAMING

FEVER'S PASSING

FOOD'S MY PASSION

SINCE THOSE BAD BUGS GOT A BASHIN'

GORGE TONIGHT, TOO MUCH FAT, TOO MUCH CARBS, TOO MUCH RICE.

MY GUT NOW HAS HCL TOO HIGH

REVERSE PERISTALSIS, OUT IT FLIES!

VC, VC, VC

KEEP YOUR BREATHING ON TRACK

IF THE CO₂'S HIGH

CHEMORECEPTORS BRING IT BACK

IF THE PH IS UP

THEN THE BREATHING IS LOW

OH, DON'T WORRY KIDNEYS

WE DIDN'T FORGET YOU!

CAUSE IF THE PH'S NOT FINE,

ACIDS IN THE URINE

ARE GONNA LEAVE ME BEHIND.

I AIN'T TOO MUCH OF A NERD TO SAY

PHYSIOLOGY IS FUN IN LOTS OF WAYS

WHERE THE KIDNEYS AT?

WHERE THE LUNGS AT?

HEY, B CELLS

MAKE THE BACTERIA DIE

JUST KNOW IN THE BODY

HOMEOSTASIS WANTS TO PREVAIL

BRAIN, GUT, FRONT AND DORSAL SIDE

PHYSIOLOGY IS SYSTEM-WIDE

HEART, LUNGS, HEAD, AND VENTRAL SIDE

HOMEOSTASIS LETS YOU MAKE IT FOR THE LONG RIDE

CAPILLARIES WOULD YOU EXCHANGE

EXCHANGE SOME OXYGEN FOR ME

BRAIN, GUT, FRONT AND DORSAL SIDE

PHYSIOLOGY IS SYSTEM-WIDE

HEART, LUNGS, HEAD, AND VENTRAL SIDE

ARRANGED BY M. KNABB

	References

TOP Introduction Phys Is Supernatural References

 

1. Anderson E. Rap Music in the Classroom? Teaching English in the Two-Year College 20: 214–221, Oct 1993.
2. Gardner H. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: BasicBooks. 1983.
3. Gardner H. The Unschooled Mind: How Children Think and How Schools Should Teach. New York: BasicBooks. 1991.
4. Jean W, Duplessis J, and Washington G. Since Supernatural. On: Shaman. CD by Carlos Santana.
5. Kadaba L. A teacher’s infectious tunes. Philadelphia Inquirer: May 2, 2001.
6. Lykins KV. The "musical" method of teaching classification. Am Biol Teacher 55: 182–183, 1993.
7. Morrell E and Duncan-Andrade JMR. Promoting academic literacy with urban youth through engaging hip-hop culture. English J: July 2002. [Abstract online] http://www.ncte.org/ej/abstracts/0916july02/promoting.shtml.
8. Wellington E. Reading, writing, rapping. Philadelphia Inquirer: May 7, 2003.

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This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Knabb, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Knabb, M.