Show a documentary that illustrates how hip-hop started. "Beat This! History of Hip-Hop" is a documentary that covers all the important components. Have the youth discuss how hip-hop has evolved. Prepare questions to test the young people on the content of the documentary. Split the class into two and have a class quiz to see what they remember about the documentary.
Invite a hip-hop DJ to the class. Ask him to demonstrate to the youth, "mixing" and "scratching". Hip-hop DJs usually have the ability to mix two different tracks on the vinyl music format using two turntables. "Scratching," is a sound created by forcibly moving the turntables back and forth. Get pairs of students to take turns putting vinyl record onto the turntables, putting the turntable needle at a point on the track and playing a track.
Print out lyrics of famous hip-hop rap artists from the past and present. Play their music and ask students to try rapping along with the tracks. Highlight the rhyme patterns that the artists use. Get the students to listen to the rhythm of the rappers while they rap. Most rappers talk about their life experience. Some rap about politics or social issues while others enlighten the listener with knowledge. Ask the youths to write a verse about something they feel strongly about.
Show the youth different pictures of graffiti art. In groups of three ask the students to write a list of 5 things the images all have in common and what materials they think were used. Give them coloured pens and pencils. Get students to individually design a graffiti image on a piece of paper. Stick large sheets of paper on a wall and get the young people to spray their names using different coloured spray paints.