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Rule One
It’s exciting, when we do creative writing
Inspiration igniting ideas like lightning
In a poem or a song, don’t worry what word belongs
Your opinion is impossible to get wrong
Brainstorming ideas is how art is made
Raise your hand, write it down, no need to be afraid
We really want to know what you think
The only answer that’s wrong is an answer that’s blank
Rule Two
Creating something new can be stressful
Having the right attitude can help you be successful
Edison’s attitude helped him not go berserk
“I didn’t fail a thousand times, I found a thousand ways that didn’t work”
So don’t worry that the word, phrase or sentence isn’t right
Every idea you put out there can spark another light
This is the rough draft nobody sees
Writers don’t make mistakes, we make discoveries
Rule Three
Do you have a diary, a notebook or a journal
To make sure your bright ideas don’t stay internal
Make sure you have a place to write ideas down
When you see them on a page they’re easy to move around
You can revise, remix, rethink and edit
Best of all, you won’t regret it because you won’t forget it
To make sure your ideas can evolve and spread
Do not edit in your head
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2. |
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chorus (2x)
The four ways to rhyme
Brainstorm in your mind
All the words you’ll find
The four ways to rhyme
verse 1
First way is using “real rhymes”
These are the kind that you use all the time
The kind of rhymes you might read in dr. Suess
With the same ending letters like loose, noose or goose
Or same ending sound no matter the letters in use
You can rhyme words like caboose and reduce
With the skills i introduce, you don’t have any excuse
You can get loose off the rhymes you produce
You got the flavor and the juice, you’re the ace not the duce
Rain down thunderous rhymes like a lyrical Zeus,
chorus
verse 2
Second are “near rhymes”, some call them “slant"
You can rhyme this way, don’t let them say you can't
Different letters at the end but a similar sound
Rhymes words together like crown, proud and found
Make rhymes from things you find around
When you find them make sure to write them down
Then say them out loud as you can go around town,
Adjectives verbs and nouns, possibilities abound,
Brainstorming like a cloud, your rhymes skills are profound
Your rhymes will astound, and the crowd will be wowed
chorus
verse 3
Third you put the “em-PHA-sis on the wrong sy-LA-ble”
Emphasize the wrong syllable like fo-SSIL from FO-ssill
Or change long vowels to short, whatever works for your ear
You can find mispronounced words in the poems of Shakespeare
It might sound wierd, but if context is clear
You can say “i ran in fear through the forest from a bear”
Then everyone will cheer, sing your praises everwhere
You’re an ill rhyme sayer, and a rhyme game player
If rhyming was a city then you’d be more than the mayor
You need a crown for your hair, and a throne would for your chair
chorus
verse 4
Fourth, turn phrases into words
It might sound absurd but it's somethings you’ve heard
Like make a word from the phrase out-the-door
To rhyme with hard words like Baltimore
Or ask somebody whatchu-calling-for?
About to make a rhyme train so all-aboard
Get dancers on-the-floor while you’re out on-a-tour
They want the rhymes you got-in-store, what you halting-for
The crowd wants-some-more, let all-them-pour
Like a rhyme Steph Curry you’re about-to-score
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3. |
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Let’s play a game
Counting syllables in your name
Syllables break words down
To the parts with a vowel sound
Three syllables in "Lil’ Ma-ma"
Four syllables in “Da-lai La-ma"
Syllables break words down
To the parts with a vowel sound
Five syllables in "Ba-rack O-ba-ma"
Six syllables in “Wil-mer Val-der-rama"
Syllables break words down
To the parts with a vowel sound
Let’s play a game
Counting syllables in your name
Mike
One syllable
Michael
Two syllables
Michaelangelo
Five syllables
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Eight syllables
Let’s play a game
Counting syllables in your name
Syllables break words down
To the parts with a vowel sound
Three syllables in “Ma-Don-na"
Four syllables in “Ben-i-ha-na"
Syllables break words down
To the parts with a vowel sound
Five syllables in “Vasco da Gama"
Six syllables in “Com-man-der Adama"
Syllables break words down
To the parts with a vowel sound
Let’s play a game
Counting syllables in your name?
Bob one syllable
Sponge Bob
Two syllables
Sponge Bob Square Pants
Four syllables
Sponge Bob Square Pants from Bikini Bottom
Ten syllables
Let’s play a game
Counting syllables in your name
Syllables break words down
To the parts with a vowel sound
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4. |
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ASK the right questions, IMAGINE how to solve them,/
PLAN out each and every move/
CREATE a solution to the problem/
See what works and then IMPROVE/
VERSE 1
The first step of EDP is to ASK
What are the key elements in this task?
What is the problem, what have other people tried
What devices are similar, what lessons can that provide
What are things you can do and the things you can’t
Also known as limitations or as the restraints
ASK is the first EDP step
It’s mental exercise so you got to get our reps
CHORUS
VERSE 2
Second step of EDP is IMAGINE
Brainstorm what kind of gadget you want to happen
You’ve asked the right questions, now think up solutions
It’s good to take notes to watch your ideas evolution
The job of imagination is never really done
But when you have a list
of ideas you can pick
take your time so you pick the best one
IMAGINE is the 2nd EDP step
It’s mental exercise so you got to get your reps
3rd step of EDP is to PLAN
Best way to do it is a diagram
It’s the “design” of the engineering process
Fail to plan or plan to fail,
pay attention to details,
it will help your progress
Make a list of all the materials that you will need
The better you plan the more likely it is you’ll succeed
PLAN is the 3rd EDP step
It’s mental exercise so you got to get your reps
4th step of EDP is CREATE
You want to get it right so you concentrate
Follow the plan in step 3 precisely
If you planned out right maybe it just might come together nicely
To make sure that your new invention works without a doubt
You have to a test run that means try it out
CREATE is the 4th EDP step
It’s mental exercise you got to get your reps
5th step of EDP is IMPROVE
Now that you finished your creation what’s your next move
You’ve pressed all the buttons, pulled all the levers
What works and What doesn't?
What’s smooth and What’s buggin’?
What’s perfect and what could work better?
No matter the outcome, you’ve learned so that means that you win
Now take what you learned and do E – D – P over again
IMPROVE is the 5th EDP step
It’s mental exercise; you’ve got to get your reps
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5. |
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6. |
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Chorus 2x
The four ways to rhyme
Brainstorm use your mind
All the words you’ll find
The four ways to rhyme
Verse 1 REAL RHYMES
First way is using “real rhymes”
These are the kind that you use all the time
The kind of rhymes you might read in Dr. Seuss
With the same ending letters like loose, noose or goose
Or same ending sound no matter the letters in use
You can Rhyme Words like caboose and reduce
With the skills I introduce, you don’t have any excuse
You can get loose off the rhymes you produce
You got the flavor and the juice; you’re the ace not the deuce
Rain down thunderous rhymes like a lyrical Zeus.
Chorus 2x
Verse 2 SLANT RHYMES
Second are “near rhymes,” some call them “slant"
You can rhyme this way; don’t let them say you can't
Different letters at the end but a similar sound
Rhymes words together like crown, proud and found
Make rhymes from things you find around
When you find them make sure to write them down
Then say them out loud as you can go around town,
Adjectives, verbs and nouns, possibilities abound,
Brainstorming like a cloud, your rhyme skills are profound
Your rhymes will astound, and the crowd will be wowed
Chorus 2x
Verse 3 EM-PHA-SIS ON THE WRONG SYL-LA-BLE
Third you put the “em-PHA-sis on the wrong sy-LA-ble”
Emphasize the wrong syllable, like fo-SSIL from FO-ssill
Or change long vowels to short, whatever works for your ear
You can find mispronounced words in the poems of Shakespeare
It might sound weird, but if context is clear
You can say, “I ran in fear through the forest from a bear”
Then everyone will cheer, sing your praises everywhere
You’re an ill rhyme sayer, and a rhyme game player
If rhyming were a city then you’d be more than the mayor
You’d need a crown for your hair, and a throne for your chair
Chorus 2x
Verse 4 TURN PHRASES INTO WORDS
Fourth, turn phrases into words
It might sound absurd but it's something you’ve heard
Like make a word from the phrase “out-the-door”
To rhyme with hard words like Baltimore
Or ask somebody, “whatchu-calling-for?”
About to make a rhyme train, so all-aboard
Get dancers on-the-floor while you’re out on-a-tour
They want the rhymes you got-in-store, what you halting-for?
The crowd wants-some-more, let all-them-pour
Like a rhyme Steph Curry you’re about-to-score
Chorus
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7. |
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8. |
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CHORUS
ASK the right questions IMAGINE how to solve them
PLAN out each and every move
CREATE a solution to the problem
see what works and then IMPROVE
VERSE 1
The first step of EDP is to ASK
What are the key elements in this task?
What is the problem, what have other people tried
What devices are similar, what lessons can that provide
What are things you can do and the things you can’t
Also known as limitations or as the restraints
ASK is the first EDP step
It’s mental exercise so you got to get our reps
VERSE 2
Second step of EDP is IMAGINE
Brainstorm what kind of gadget you want to happen
You’ve asked the right questions, now think up solutions
It’s good to take notes to watch your ideas evolution
The job of imagination is never really done
But when you have a list
of ideas you can pick
take your time so you pick the best one
IMAGINE is the 2nd EDP step
It’s mental exercise so you got to get your reps
VERSE 3
3rd step of EDP is to PLAN
Best way to do it is a diagram
It’s the “design” of the engineering process
Fail to plan or plan to fail,
pay attention to details,
it will help your progress
Make a list of all the materials that you will need
The better you plan the more likely it is you’ll succeed
PLAN is the 3rd EDP step
It’s mental exercise so you got to get your reps
VERSE 4
4th step of EDP is CREATE
You want to get it right so you concentrate
Follow the plan in step 3 precisely
If you planned out right maybe it just might come together nicely
To make sure that it works without a doubt
You have to a test run that means try it out
CREATE is the 4th EDP step
It’s mental exercise you got to get your reps
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Baba Got BARS vol I is the companion EP for the BARS (Bomani Armah wRiting System) curriculum featuring the music used in Baba Bomani's residencies, workshops and assemblies! Beginning with “3 Rules of Creative Writing” and “4 Ways to Rhyme”, this project is a perfect supplement and inspiration for 3rd graders and higher to encourage them to write rhymes. The “Syllable Game” is a favorite amongst pre-K students to 3rd graders, as well as an incredible ice-breaker. The “E.D.P. (Engineering Design Process)” is an in depth look at this basic problem solving fundamental for 3rd graders all the way through grade school, and can be supplemented with the E.D.P. lesson plans found in the B.A.R.S. curriculum.