The man who knows don't tell and the man who tells don't know...

Hi gang,

For homework I want you all to read Spike Lee's script from pages 44 to 74. The page number is to the far right of the page. It begins right after the racial slur montage and ends just before the hot city night montage. In these scenes the people are still affected by the heat of the day and Mookie visits his girlfriend Tina. We will watch most of these scenes in class and then we will continue our reading of the remainder of the movie.

The website is here

Please be prepared as we will not reread this part in class. Also, your poetry is due tomorrow.

See you in class!

What is Hip Hop, really?

Hi gang,

I'm proud of the hard work many of you put into your project and papers and assessments for our unit on The Covenant. It was indeed a difficult book to get through. If you would like to offer feedback on how I could be a better teacher with the unit of study, I encourage your feedback. I will probably ask many of you individually about this.

On to the next one: So, I'm all about breaking down stereotypes, misconceptions, incorrect histories, and false media. And one genre (as this is a genre studies class) that is certainly challenged in many ways is Hip Hop. For this unit we are going to be studying this cultural movement in 3 parts - one part musical, one part poetry, one part movies and screenplays. We will spend about one week on each part.

Up first is Hip Hop music. In class on Friday we will first analyze what is a genre and how do we (and our minds) categorize, judge, consider genres. Then we will break down the origins of Hip Hop (or rap) music and characteristics of this genre.

Tonight, I want you to view at least the first part of Lil Wayne's documentary entitled "The Carter". (Viewer discretion advised - there is some cursing and overall "bad swagger" - stop watching, please, whenever you want)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzVPOsUMmWY

I want you to post a few comments, thoughts on the following questions:

Is this Hip Hop? If it is, what are some characteristics of Hip Hop that you recognize in viewing this clip? If it is, how might this genre, then, be considered by fans/musicians in other musical genres? If it is not, why not? What is disturbing/surprising/inspiring/disheartening/unique/moving about this? Does this clip show Hip Hop as a revolution? Is Hip Hop a revolution?

(I realize I have posted quite a few questions in a kind of stream of conscious manner - choose one or two to post a comment on)

I decided to show a clip of Lil Wayne first, as you all - I am certain - know who he is. His music has reached youth in several genres, cultures, language zones. I am not declaring that he is or is not Hip Hop, rather I want us to share some of our thoughts with what is familiar with us first.

Next, I want you to check out this music video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TN-kDEKxF0

This is a music video of Eric B. & Rakim's "I ain't no Joke". This song came out in 1986. What are your thoughts about Hip Hop music in watching this video.

In class on Friday and next Tuesday we have a lot of Hip Hop to listen to, so loosen your sneakers and pull your hats backwards. See you Friday!

Study Guide Questions - Chapter 13 - Apartheid

Here are some study guide questions for chapter 13 "Apartheid". Remember, your test is on Thursday next week - April 29! Also, your project is due the following Monday.

1. What is apartheid?

2. How is Heather affected by this system?

3. What does it mean to be charged with being coloured?

4. What evidence or clues do the Race Classification Board use to determine a person's race? Discuss Petra's examination. How was she treated and how does she react? Are you surprised by these actions?

5. How is Detleef van Doorn similar/different from his ancestors Wilhem and Adriaan? What do you think they would say to their descendant?

6. Where are Bantu, Indians, and Coloureds moved to and why?

7. How did languages change in mines?

8. What would Shaka's friend Nxumalo say now to Jonathan?

9. What was the purpose of BOSS and how did they operate?

10. What was the purpose of Robben Island?

11. Was the system set up to fill Robben Island? Was Daniel Nxumalo more wise than Matthew Magubane for having avoided jail?

12. Reread the end on page 1116 - How is apartheid essentially justified to the Afrikaner leadership?

Final Project for The Covenant

What’s up gang. This is it. No more papers…on The Covenant, that is. You will certainly have more papers to write (pause, and excited cheer), but not with this novel. As I am slowly returning your written work – no, Alex, I haven’t finished yours yet, stop buggin’ homey – we will work on our next project. I have exciting news. Each of you…wait for it, wait for it…will become the producer of the soundtrack for the novel The Covenant! (insert: classroom cheers and high-fives all around)

Holy English teacher, Mr. Philen, what does that mean? I’m glad you asked. That means that you will create a song list that depicts the plot, the mood, the tone, the emotion, the symbolism of this beautiful historical novel.

In class we will be exploring a few soundtracks – namely Pulp Fiction, There Will Be Blood, The Dark Night, Blood Diamond, and Cold Mountain. Hopefully this will stimulate some creative energy for your work.

There are several ways to do this. You may create numerous tracks or songs for your soundtrack. You may also have one continuous song, however, this work should reflect/demonstrate the novel in full. It is not enough to focus on one chapter. You may also create your soundtrack to follow, if you will, the movement of one group of people throughout the novel. For instance, perhaps you will choose to emphasize the van Doorns or the English and how they are portrayed in this historical novel.

You do not have to write lyrics, but you must include passages in your soundtrack that will assist the listener in understanding your song/tempo choice for a particular track. I truly dislike setting minimums/maximums for things like this, as I think they occur best when organic. However, I realize some of you, not naming names (Alex), will cry and whimper until I give you a direct number. So, you must have AT LEAST 5 passages for your soundtrack. I know this sounds confusing, but it will all make sense, I promise. You may, however, write your own lyrics if you choose.

· Your soundtrack must be between 10 and 15 minutes! (Some of you will exceed this and that is cool, too) You may work in pairs for this assignment, but please keep in mind I am not privy to extending deadlines because you and your partner can’t find time to work together because of sports, student council, etc, etc. Remember our Macbeth play?!?

· You must give titles to the songs on your soundtrack.

· You must create a CD cover – meaning artwork!!!! You must put the artwork in a nice CD case that will include the CD cover and backcover, which will mimic CD cases you might see in stores. Don’t worry, we will work on each stage of this in class.

· You will write a very brief reflection about your work that will explain to me the madness of your creative work.

We will work in class on this, but if I were you I would not rely primarily on this scheduled work time.

Due Date: Tuesday April 27^th.

Thrilled, Filipino style...

Hi knuckleheads,

I apologize for not posting this yesterday, however, the "network" was "down" at school. It's funny how vocabulary meaning changes. I've never seen this "network", but apparently it is now lower than usual. It's funny, too, how much we rely on this "network" to do work. It's like we are all prisoner to the "network"...fight the "network", man, yeah...and, I'm rambling...

Here is your paper topic, due by next Friday - you may submit it via email or simply hand me a hard copy:

“The time comes in the life of any nation when there remains only two choices – submit or fight…” – Nelson Mandela

Discuss how this quote relates to the people, the cultures, the history of the region explored in Michener’s The Covenant.

You should support your ideas, concepts (thesis, if you will) with text. Perhaps you explore a character or two, or, perhaps, you explore a group of people, or, perhaps, you explore an event from the novel. This should be written 1.5 - 2 pages in length, single spaced (yeah, I do know the difference), 12 size, Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins...

This is due no later than next Friday. I realize we have a field day on Thursday, but you can email me your work any day before Friday. No knuckleheads!!!

Mr. President...

Hi-D-ho! (alluding to South Park)

We are wrapping up our unit on Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope. For you formal essay assignment you will write a personal (but formal) letter to the President of the United States. In this letter you will introduce yourself, discuss your priorities, opinions, beliefs, share your thoughts and opinions of his book and his policies, and highlight any pressing questions, suggestions, hopes, fears, dilemmas, problems - that you may have. Granted President Obama may not be the president of your country, but he is most definitely a figure of considerable stature and influence in and around our world. Remember this.

Also, keep in mind that February is Black History month in the United States and that as a class we are reading Douglass' Narrative of a Slave's life.

This should be between 3 and 5 pages in length - double space, 12 font, Times New Roman. Include his address at the beginning of the letter as we discussed in class.

Your rough draft is due on Monday! I will conduct one-on-one conferences with each of you to discuss your writing.

We will send these to the President!!! (So, no pressure, ha!)

You can find the formal writing rubric here.

Please have your rough draft finished and be ready to discuss your work on Monday!

Peace!

After the Iowa Caucus...

Hi gang,

We discussed chapter 5 - Opportunity - and began the movie "By the People". We will continue to watch and read about Obama on Wednesday.

We have watched through the Iowa Caucus, which is the first election day to vote for Democratic candidancy. This is not the Presidential election, yet. This movie documents the campaign trail through his eventual election as 44th President of the United States.

I want you to write a 1-1.5 page essay on the following two questions/thoughts/ideas from the movie.

1) Does Obama warrant (deserve) all of the hype, attention, adoration that he receives? Or, does he happen to be in the right place (a polarized and frustrated America) at the right time? What insight does this documentary give you into the world of the campaign trail?

2) During several interviews bystanders were asked if they thought Obama could be the next president. Many replied that, "America is not ready." What does this mean exactly? Why might they say this? What is your reaction to this idea that America is not ready.

Please remember that your essays should be free of error. Please proof read your work. Do not turn in an essay with careless errors. Please write in 12 font, Times New Roman style, single spaced, no funky margins. Also, be prepared to discuss chapter 6 of Audacity of Hope.

See you Wednesday!

For the SENIORS...

Dear Tobias, Cloe, and Goncalo, and Renaud,

I hope yous have an awesome time working with Habitat. This week in class we will be covering chapters 5 and 6 of Obama's Audacity of Hope. Please write a 1-1.5 page essay reflection on each chapter - in editorial or letter response.

Highlight what stood out to you as significant and/or meaningful for each chapter. Emphasize how this work may or may not have altered your perception or opinion of Obama and how each chapter relates to the American people. How might the American people perceive this work?

You may turn this in by next Wednesday!

Have fun!!!

Mr. P

Thoughts on the Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass...

Hi gang,

Here is your writing prompt for essay number 2:

Much of the first three chapters (and the book in entirety) discusses the situation of the slaves. Discss in detail how Douglass' people, the slaves are controlled physically, emotionally, spiritually, psychologically. Give insight into how the slave owners, masters, slave-holding families may also be affected. How might this affect future generations on economical and psychological levels? Use text to support your answer.

Remember: 12 font, Times New Roman, single space, regular margins (no funky margins), 1 - 1.5 pages in length

Also, I can't encourage you enough to think about how you and our school can support the people of Haiti. Brainstorm ideas and let's do something!!!!

The Autobiographical novel...

Hi gang,

We are cruisin' with Obama and Frederick. These two autobiographies differ much in style and purpose, but each give us a unique look into the heart, mind, and soul of each author. I am captivated by Obama's ease with the reader and his openness to not only share humanizing antecdotes, but to also consider and criticize his own political thought process. I am completely engrossed by the world in which Douglass lived and his unrelenting drive to share with the world the devastating reality of a slaved people and backward nation. Without his words this reality may have been swept under the mental rugs of the American people.

I want to remind you all that your cooperation and participation is impertinent to our classroom. A class with one speaker is not a class. Share your thoughts, ideas, concerns, emotions...I'd love to hear them.

For Wednesday you will write an essay. You have two choices:

1) Select a controversial topic of your choice and discuss your opinion. Explain how your values led you to this opinion. What has influenced your thought process and how did your value system take shape? Try to observe this objectively.

OR

2) Discuss some of your most cherished values. How did you come to hold these values and discuss how you live by them. Give real life experiences and examples to support your response.

Please:
-12 font
-Times New Roman
-single space
-1 - 1.5 pages
-no funky fonts

*anything outside this will be penalized!!!!

This is due Friday!!! See you then!!!