Wednesday, February 21 - AM Advanced
Welcome to a new term! We began by discussing what we would like to do this term. Many said that they would like to read and discuss articles on culture shock and on living as an immigrant in the US.
We then began a unit on rap. Opening discussion: What is rap? How does it differ from other styles of music? When did it begin? Where did it begin? What is the difference between rap and hip hop? What are the lyrics often about?
We then began reading an article on rap and listened to a song by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
February 22, 2024
We began with some philosophy. We reflected on the famous words attributed to Socrates: The unexamined life is not worth living.
Returning to the article on the origins of rap, we wrestled with some discussion questions: Why do you listen to music? What happens to you when you listen to music?
On to the article: We learned about rap rock, alternative hip hop, hardcore rap, gangsta rap, and G-funk rap. We listened to some selections from Run DMC, Public Enemy, and Nas.
We also had a conversation prompted by a thought experiment: If you were a rock star or celebrity, would you use your platform to speak out on a social or political issue?
