Heather Watgen, left, laughs as Candi Baker, director of dance at the Lawrence Arts Center, center, shies away after Roscoe Johnson III of the Hip Hop Academy expands on Baker’s rap about her arthritic knees Wednesday at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vt. Lawrence educators spent part of the morning with Johnson and others with the academy during the Art of Integration Summer Workshop organized by the Lied Center at Kansas University. Workshop leaders led educators through a session geared toward using aspects of hip-hop, like rhyme structuring, as a vehicle for teaching.

Fifth-graders in Heather Watgen’s class at Cordley School can look forward to composing their own urban rhythms in a couple of weeks.

Now that Watgen qualifies as a bona fide rapper — head nods, tight rhymes and all — the longtime educator is eager to introduce her youngsters to an art form that just might help draw them all into a world of words, meanings and experiences.

“In years past we’ve rapped about the Constitution,” Watgen said Wednesday during a “hip-hop” session for teachers at Plymouth Congregational Church. “But this will allow them to rap about themselves, and be a good way to get them to write.”

Teaching educators such lessons is the ongoing goal for the Art of Integration Summer Workshop, organized by the Lied Center to help teachers learn how to incorporate various art forms into their educational efforts.

About 50 teachers from the Lawrence school district took part in the sessions, sponsored by the Lied Center.

“We’re giving them tools they can take into the classroom,” said Anthea Scouffas, the center’s director of education.

Watgen figures she picked up some useful equipment from the group rap session, conducted by Hip Hop Academy, of Kansas City, Mo.

During the morning seminar alongside 25 other teachers and educators, she stood at a microphone and rapped not about Thomas Jefferson, the framers or anything else regarding the foundational document for U.S. government.

Instead — and dutifully following instructions from artist Roscoe Johnson III — Watgen schooled the eager crowd about herself: teacher, wife, mother.

Cue the backbeat…

Only teachin’ 10 years, but I’m married 25.

It’s been a great life, and I’m glad to be alive.

Got two fly sons, both attending KU.

They’re music and science — careers which will someday be new.

We work hard as family, and play when we’re able.

The best times we have are around the dinner table.

Her performance — see it on LJWorld.com — earned approving nods from Aaron Sutton, another instructor from Hip Hop Academy.

“She even said ‘fly’ in there,” he said.

Kendra Anderson, music teacher at Prairie Park School, turns to workshop leaders as she comes up short on a rhyme during Wednesday’s session.

Several other teachers tested their lyrics and rapping skills during the event, learning how such performance can help aid memorization, foster creativity and encourage expression. Several said they intend to infuse such knowledge — that’s the fifth element of hip-hop, by the way, coming after graffiti art, emceeing/rapping, break dancing and “turntablism” — during the coming year.

“In order to rap, you’ve got to know something,” Johnson said.

Peter Gibson gets it. After using music last year to teach Sunflower School third- and fourth-graders the “50 Nifty United States,” the music teacher is ready to add rap to their repertoire.

“It’ll open up kids’ ears,” Gibson said, after himself performing a rap. “This goes from jazz to blues to hip-hop. It’ll be a very valuable tool.”