The Private Eye - looking closely and thinking by analogy with jeweler's loupes and inquiry method for hands-on interdisciplinary science, art, writing, math, and more











Light Bulb Rap!
Zay Allen, a science teacher from Bragg Middle School, Gardendale, AL, was inspired to create her own "Light bulb Rap" during a Private Eye Workshop (led by ALAHASP Private Eye Trainers Joan Dawson and Beverly Radford, from the University of Alabama, Birmingham).

First, she created her loupe-analogy list while peering into a 7 watt light bulb.

As she considered how she wanted to use her “bones-for-a-poem”, she thought of her 8th grade physical science students and how a rap poem based on their Private Eye loupe lists would be a neat bridge to the study of electrons, electricity and more. Scroll to the bottom of the page to read and listen to her light bulb rap, "The Bulb". (Her daughter Zoe Allen played the drums and JaRay Nalls did the beat box!)

Along with her black line, initial loupe-drawing, we've included a selection of other teachers' close-up light bulb encounters — to show where you can go from an initial drawing: You can add color and then create a 2nd “Close, Closer” enlargement — A kind of Georgia O’Keeffee Light Bulb! Teachers do a “Close, Closer” artwork in Day 2 of The Private Eye Workshop.



close

closer...


The Bulb

(listen while you read)

(Chorus)
 
Light, light, it looks so bright,
 
Look inside and see a sight.
 

 
At first glance, I see a green friend.
 
His antennae and his legs are found within.
 
Next I notice tall telephone poles —

wires carrying messages from houses to homes.

 
Then I see, looking back at me,

a bulldog named Spudz Mckenzie.
 
Lastly, as I finish this rhyme,

the bottom of the bulb brings canned goods to mind.
 


Light, light, it looks so bright,
 
Look inside and see a sight.


Light, light, it looks so bright,
 
Look inside and see a sight.

-- Zay Allen


 
 
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