Flocabulary

Flocabulary 

    Flocabulary is an online learning platform that delivers educational hip-hop songs, videos and additional materials to students in grades K-12. It engages students with hundreds of songs and videos covering different subject areas. It introduces students to the topic of the lesson and familiarizes them with the vocabulary words of the lesson using hip-hop music. Videos come with many helpful features including Lyrics, Quick Review, and Discuss Mode. For example, in Discussion Mode, questions related to the topic are asked throughout the video to engage students in discussions and help them explore different perspectives on the topic. This will help the students to improve their speaking and critical thinking skills.

    Also, there is The Vocab Cards section where students can learn about new words and practice using them in different contexts. When you click on any of the vocab cards, you can see the word, part of speech, definition, and a sample sentence using the word. Some Vocab Cards also include synonyms/antonyms and an image. At the bottom of each card, there are the options to "Write with this word" and "Draw". If the students select “write with this word”, the card will flip and they need to use the word in a sentence or give an example to show they understand the meaning. If they select “draw” section, the card will flip again and they need to draw a visual representation of the word by using the provided tools. As a teacher, we can select specific words to assign to students.

 

Moreover, a quiz section in each video assesses students' understanding of the vocabulary words mentioned in the video and it provides immediate feedback for students.

Lastly, in the lyric lab section on vocabulary, students respond to a prompt to create a rhyme using the lesson’s vocabulary words. There is also beats library so students can practice rapping their rhymes over a beat. 

    The website provides a free trial, but not a free program. I think Flocabulary is an effective tool to teach vocabulary in a fun way. As there are fun and catchy rap songs to teach concepts in various disciplines, including math, science and language arts, students are eager to participate in the activities.