WHAT IS FLOCABULARY?

Flocabulary is a small publishing company and creative team that produces curricular tools that use hip-hop as a way of reaching and teaching students. Our titles in language arts, social studies, math and science are a fun, effective way of increasing student engagement and achievement.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

1. Students Listen to Songs to Boost Motivation and Engagement

All Flocabulary programs use original hip-hop music to provide a first exposure to the content and jump-start the learning process. Vocabulary and subject-area content are incorporated into the music itself, so learning begins right away in a highly engaging format.

2. They Complete Research-Based Exercises to Develop Content Mastery

After listening to the songs, students apply what they have learned by completing a research-based exercise sequence or doing further reading in their Student Books.

3. They Take Assessments to Measure Progress

Each reproducible Teacher Resource Book contains detailed lesson plans, assessments, answer keys and more. Ultimately, students are encouraged to generate their own content through writing, performance, and other higher-order thinking activities.

IS FLOCABULARY STANDARDS-BASED?

All curricular content in Flocabulary materials is drawn from published state standards, and all supporting workbook elements are modeled after exercises and activities found on state assessments. The professionals at Flocabulary work with teachers and researchers to develop materials that are closely correlated to standards and best practices for instruction.

WHY DOES IT WORK?

The songs and academic materials created by Flocabulary are based upon a significant body of research which confirms using music and rhyme as an effective strategy to increase both student motivation and knowledge retention. By emphasizing direct instruction of content-area vocabulary and terms, Flocabulary is supported by the research of reading and vocabulary experts Robert Marzano and Isabel Beck. Once students are engaged, learning takes place at a faster rate, and what’s more, the results are lasting. Thousands of schools nationwide use Flocabulary products because they have been shown to increase standardized test scores.

WHY RAP?

Music and rhyme are proven memory aids. Rap music is essentially mnemonic devices with catchy rhythms. Rap songs are ideally suited to storytelling and conveying detailed content because of their strong emphasis on lyrics. Also, many of your students have grown up with hip-hop (both as a sound on the radio and as an element of pop culture), and building a culturally relevant bridge to your students’ interest is essential for the 21st century classroom. We’ve seen students of all backgrounds – even those who initially don’t like rap – enjoying Flocabulary songs just because they are engaging and much more interesting than traditional teaching methods.

WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE RAP?

We are well aware that not every teacher is a hip-hop fan and that many of you may not feel comfortable introducing hip-hop into your classroom. Regardless of how you feel about hip-hop, it is important to respect the fact that many of your students love it. Flocabulary’s products demonstrate the highly effective educational applications of our classroom-appropriate brand of hip-hop. In addition, bringing this art form into your classroom is an excellent opportunity to have your students teach each other (and you). Be honest with your class about trying something that you don’t necessarily know a whole lot about. Students who know a lot about hip-hop will share their knowledge and feel empowered by that experience. The more empowered they feel with their knowledge, the more they will learn what you want them to learn.

CAN I GET A DISCOUNT FOR LARGE PURCHASES?

Yes. Please don’t be afraid to ask. Scaled bulk pricing is available for all large purchases, and Flocabulary is committed to making our products available for under-funded schools.