Young scholars write a rap or hip-hop lyric about the life of a famous Black American. They explore famous Black Americans in history and explore how the rap form compares to other forms of poetic expression.

Students engage in a lesson to research the life of Tezuka Osamu. They examine his life and writings looking for the answer to essential questions to guide the work. They complete several activities as part of a unit study.

Eighth graders are introduced to the concept, What Makes Good Poetry? They are asked to explore the writer within.