Monday, September 29, 2014

Pop Culture: Music & Politics & Blogging

BLOGGING.
We started today by looking at the Blog Post Tracker in your Google Drive.  It can be found the in Pop Culture 2014 OUT folder.

This was also a reminder to blog and to be consistent in your blogging.  If you get behind, it gets difficult to catch up.  There has been time in almost every class to blog IF you take advantage of it.

What do I mean by "Connections?" That's reading something online related to pop culture and/or reading someone else's blog post and commenting about it on your blog.

INTRO TO MUSIC MATTERS.
From there we watched this clip from Portlandia featuring Carrie Brownstein.



She's a more important figure to modern music than a lot of folks realize because of her band Sleater-Kinney which was hugely influential in establishing the indie rock scene of the mid-90s.  We watched this interview where she discusses the influence of gender on music listening.  (Spoiler: She doesn't think it matters too much.)


While Sleater-Kinney weren't a political band in terms of singing about government and laws and such, they were political in that they pushed for DIY over corporate control, were feminists in a way that said "feminism isn't about man-hating; it's about being hardcore rad women -- period."  Listen to their stuff.  Highly recommended.

MUSIC MATTERS.  MUSIC AND POLITICS.

This led us to day one of our music as politics exploration.

We looked at this Music Matters graphic organizer which is also in your Google Drive under Pop Culture 2014 OUT.

We chose Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" as the song to use as a model for the class.  This led us to The Roots & John Legend as well as Pharrell and Robin Thicke and what is currently going on in Ferguson, Mo.


This work is due at the end of class on Wednesday.  You may work with by yourself, with a partner, or with two partners to complete that work.

You have your first of two major projects for this quarter due this week.  (The second is a restaurant project to be introduced next week.)  The rubric for the Side A/Side B Soundtrack is available right here and embedded here as well.

Finally, you have a req'd blog post due this week.  It is described in the Pop Culture 2014 Blogs link to the right and also here below.

HOMEWORK.

Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd Post:
Week of 10.3
To what extent should music be edited/censored before being broadcast/played in public i.e. on radio, television, sporting events, school?Provide two points of view (at least one paragraph for each):1. Your own.2. That of someone who thinks the opposite of your opinion.  Try to see it from their point of view and present an honest version of what that individual would say.
Due: Friday, Oct 3

Complete: A-Side/B-Side Soundtrack Project
Rubric: Here.
Described:
Create: A-Side/B-Side Soundtrack
A-Side Soundtrack of Your Life (4+ Songs)
B-Side Soundtrack for Others (4+ Songs)

A-Side Soundtrack of Your Life
Consider:


  • Music tied to experiences
    • Music that tells the story of who you are and where you have been
    • Music that could take the place of your presence
    B-Side Soundtrack for Others
    Consider:
    • Who is your audience? Be specific.  Crystal clear.
    • Interview your audience.  Empathize.
    • Music that serves your audience's needs
    Also

    • One-paragraph rationale for each of your songs.
    • Cover art for each side; be intentional

    Due: Friday, Oct 3

    In-Class Work for Wednesday: Music Matters: Music and Politics


    AP Lit 3B: Frankenstein & Synthesis

    CLOSE READING.
    Today we'll focus our energies on close readings of Frankenstein and then an exploration of Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ozymandias."

    We'll use GoSoapbox as a back channel for our discussion.  Check your email for the access code.

    We'll follow this with another essay workshop and time to connect to one another on the blogs, show you how to turn in your blog posts on our new tracking tool.

    When working on  your synthesis essays, keep these structural and contextual ideas in mind.





    Also Mr. Ryder's feedback shorthand...



    HOMEWORK.

    Blog: 3+ Posts
    Req'd Creative Post:  Casting Call.  Cast a high quality new film version of Frankenstein.  Justify your choices.

    Compose: Synthesis #1

    Submit: First Submission Draft
    Due: Wednesday, Oct 1
    Note: Submit as Google Doc; Place in AP Lit IN folder




    Humanities: LNG, Blogging & Play



    L-N-G.

    We'll start his morning going with our second L-N-G current events reading from newsela.com .

    WHOLE NEW MIND. PLAY.
    From there, we'll talk about play sense for a few minutes. 

    And DOODLE CIRCLES!  

    Also, you need to complete the 2nd -- and final -- Notice/Wish/Wonder over Whole New Mind -- this one about design/play/meaning.  This is due on Thursday.

    You'll be working with a group of likeminded folks to determine a way to turn work into play in a class where you may struggle a bit.

    That work is the subject of your creative blog post for this week.

    Week of 10/3
    Creative Blog Post:  Invent a game to help you learn in a class where you usually struggle.  It may be the same game you create with your class partners or it may be another.  Explain how the game works and why you think it will help you in that class.

    Update: Here's some of what people came up with in a hurry.  There will be more time.




    BLOGGING.
    We will be showing you how to post links to our new blog tracking document, so we can best assess your blogs quickly and efficiently.

    And finally, we'll be getting everyone signed up on Remind today who isn't. Instructions are in the Humanities 2014 OUT folder on Google Drive.

    GETTING ASSESSED? HOW TO READ OUR COMMENTS.




    HOMEWORK.

    Blog: 3+ Posts
    Req'd Post:
    Creative Blog Post:  Invent a game to help you learn in a class where you usually struggle.  It may be the same game you create with your class partners or it may be another.  Explain how the game works and why you think it will help you in that class.
    Due: Friday, Oct 3

    Complete: Whole New Mind: I Notice/I Wish/I Wonder #2
    Focus on Portfolio Sections:  Design/Play/Meaning
    Due: Thursday, Oct 2

    Roots: Roots List #1 (See right hand side bar for lists and Quizlet links)
    Quiz: Thursday, Oct 2nd
    Roots-Word Product: Story/poem/song/film/letter/essay/blog post/etc that uses at least 5 root-based words
    Due: Thursday, Oct 2nd

    Compile & Design: Whole New Mind Portfolio
    Due: Thursday, Oct 9