May 14th, 2013

5/14/13

In Class:
Journal--  Respond to the following quote:
“Poetry’s mission is to subvert, to question, to challenge, provoke, to flail one’s vulnerability and voice in the marvelous whirlwind of poetry’s awe, flagging at the horns of the raging beast that is society’s gluttonous comfort ….” - Jimmy Santiago Baca 

Poetry for the sake of poetry: "Theme for English B" by Langston Hughes.

Discussed background of legislation like SB 1070 in Arizona. Screened "Tuscon's Mexican-American Studies Ban" from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, then read "So Mexicans are Taking Jobs from Americans?" (Jimmy Santiago Baca), "The Physics of Being Mexican American (Quantum Mexicanics)" (Ralph Haskins), and "Legal Alien" (Pat Mora). Discussed the use of poetry as a tool for dismantling systems of social oppression, specifically in the framework of the following questions:
      - What was the social issue that inspired this poem?
      - Who do you think is the target audience?
      - What effect did this have on you? What effect do you think it would have on the target audience?
      - What approach/techniques does the author use to create this effect

Independently, each student read background information on Do Not Resuscitate orders, euthanasia, and Japanese internment camps, followed by "Do Not Resuscitate" by Brenda Butka and "In Response to Executive Order 1066" by Dwight Okita. Each student then wrote a brief paragraph reflecting on either of the poems and answering the four above questions.

With remaining time, students worked independently on missing work or final portfolios.

Exit Ticket: Reflect briefly on the Poetry Jam.

Homework:
Finish your paragraph on social justice poetry.
Work on finals! Due next Tuesday.
Catch up on any missing work.