Rapmatics

I have to admit, I was wary of this tape the moment I saw the title and its tag line: “sing and dance your way to algebra!” However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that you can successfully combine rap and mathematics. Rapmatics employs a “keepin' it real” scenario in which a young, frustrated black teacher, unsuccessfully trying to motivate his mostly black students to apply themselves to learning math, ultimately challenges them to write a rap about algebraic rules. Although the production features bad lighting and poor filming (with the whole quasi-music video segment of the class gettin' down--in slow motion, no less--coming across as, well, cheesy), the concept itself is convincingly effective (rhyming “numeral flow” with “monomial” is only the beginning!). While those not familiar with rap skills may be confused, hip-hop savvy students might actually make more sense of various algebraic operations after hearing them presented this way. Built around solid information, Rapmatics' questionable production values are somewhat offset by a fun and creative approach to algebra instruction. Optional. Aud: J, H, P. (E. Gieschen)