As part of an Apple coaching session, I modelled this creative, cross-curricular lesson for a secondary school history teacher looking to engage students in new ways. Using GarageBand on iPad, the lesson transforms key facts about the Norman Conquest into a memorable learning experience by having students write, perform, and record their own historical raps or songs. The teacher saw how this approach supports deeper understanding, creativity, and collaboration, while helping students retain complex historical content through music and storytelling. The lesson structure is also highly adaptable—perfect for applying the same method to other historical events or key curriculum topics across subjects. It’s a fun, inclusive, and impactful way to integrate technology into the classroom while empowering both students and teachers.
Thank you so much, Donald, for your kind words and thoughtful feedback! I’m really glad to hear you found the lesson plan useful and easy to follow — that was exactly what I was aiming for. I want to make it as straightforward as possible for teachers to try out new ideas, and by presenting it in a ready-to-use lesson plan format, I hope others can simply slot it into their own planning. That’s certainly how I like to use the brilliant resources shared by others on the forum. The students had a fantastic time creating their raps, and it was so rewarding to watch their confidence and creativity flourish throughout the activity.
I really appreciate you sharing the post with your colleagues and pre-service teachers — it’s always exciting to think about how an idea might evolve in different classrooms. I’d love to hear how others adapt or build on the activity, too. Thanks again for your encouragement and support!
May 27, 2025
What a great cross-curricular activity you've created using GarageBand! Your lesson plan Keynote document illustrates the activity with all the pertinent information and provides step-by-step instructions that could be implemented right away. I am sure your students were inspired to create their raps, not realizing the depth of their learning along the way! I 'm sure you also enjoyed assessing their projects. 😁
Congratulations to you for inspiring your students in this way and thank you for sharing your idea and resource with the community! I'll be sharing your post with my education colleagues and pre-service teachers, for sure.
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