JAMBALAYAH EDUCATIONAL TIPS

http://www.youtube.com/ is an amazing archive of important & interesting performers that the public can readily access. Jambalayah is a website which showcases classic, culturally significant YouTube music and dance videos. Jambalayah's goal is to help the general public identify some of the music and dance "video gems" that are found on YouTube.

Most Jambalayah's showcased videos include a family friendly, edited version of the featured video's YouTube viewer comment threads. These edited viewer comment threads enable Jambalayah visitors to read interesting, informative, and educational comments without having to wade through the contentious, insulting and profanity filled posts that are often found on those threads.

The following Jambalayah Educational Tips (J.E.T.S) are examples of how Jambalayah’s featured videos and edited YouTube viewer threads can be used in educational settings. Additional educational ideas for possible posting on this page can be sent to jambalayah17@yahoo.com. Thanks!

WATCHING JAMBALAYAH SHOWCASE VIDEOS
1. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) and then write a report or present an oral report about whether you think the song or dance featured in this video is a classic.

2. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) and then write a report or present an oral report about that song’s or that dance’s theme.

3. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) from a culture other than your own. Write a report or discuss the similarities and the differences you found in the video between your culture and the culture represented in the video.

4. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) from a specific genre. Write or present an oral report about whether you like or dislike that genre of music or that type of dance and why.

5. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV). Pretend you are a music or dance critic. Write or give an oral presentation about the performance. Include information about the performer/s style, clothing, performance setting, audience reaction (if any) and/or other details.

6. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) and then use the Internet and/or other resources to write a report or present an oral report about that artist or that group.

7. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) featuring a specific artist or group. Use the YouTube search box to find another video of a different song or dance by that same artist or group. Write or present an oral report about which song or dance you liked the best and why.

8. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) of a specific song or dance. Use the YouTube search box to find another video of that same song or dance that is performed by a different artist or group. Write or present an oral report about which performance you liked the best and why.

9. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) of a specific song or dance. Use Internet websites such as Wikipedia and Internet search engines such as Google or Yahoo to find biographical information on the featured artist or group. Write a biographical report or present an oral biographical report about that artist or group.

10. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) of a specific song or dance that is performed in front of an audience that is shown in the video. Describe the audience. Include details about the genders, ages, racial/ethnic group/s of the audience. Also describe what the audience is wearing and what the audience’s reaction to the artist or group.

11. Watch a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) of a specific song or dance. Critique the quality of the video. If you were shooting or producing this video, how would you do it differently?

READING JAMBALAYAH VIEWER COMMENT THREADS

1. Write or orally present a review of the entire Jambalayah edited viewer comment thread for a Jambalayah showcase video that you have watched. Include information about the number of posts to the thread, and what the general tone of the thread was. Include two comments that you think best represent the entire thread. (Note: a “thread” is a series of written comments, usually on a specific subject).

2. Choose two comments from the Jambalayah edited viewer comment thread of a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) that you have watched. Write or discuss whether you agree or disagree with one or both of those comments and why.

3. Write a comment about a Jambalayah showcase video (JSV) that you have watched. Posting this comment to the video’s actual viewer comment thread (if viewer comments are permitted for that video) is optional.

4. Write a report or present an oral report about what you have learned about the music or dance genre, or about the artist or group from reading this Jambalayah edited viewer thread.

5. Choose two comments from a Jambalayah edited viewer comment thread that are emotive. Discuss what emotion/s the posters expressed. Discuss any reactions other posters to that thread had to those comments. Discuss how those comments made you feel.

6. Identifyy two comments from a Jambalayah viewer comment that provide biographical information about the artist or group. Write a report or present an oral report about those comments.

7. Choose two comments from a Jambalayah viewer comment thread in which the commenters share personal memories about the song or dance or the artists or group. Write a report or give an oral presentation about those comments.

8. Choose two comments from the Jambalayah edited viewer comment thread that include slang or text messaging terms such as LOL or OMG. Write those comments, define the slang terms, and substitute those terms in those sentences for standard English words or phrases.