Happy Friday!!

Another day of very eye opening SAS presentations.  So thank you.  I hope you have a fabulous weekend and enjoy your time away from school.

On Monday we will go over last week's MC.

See y'all then.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "Dynamite" Taio Cruz

Long Way Down Discussion Questions - DUE MONDAY

Hi Lovelies,

Below you will find the Long Way Down discussion questions.  PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR RESPONSES.  My email is ybeltran@sandi.net

Your answers are due by Monday at 3pm.

And a HUGE thank you for writing today in class.  I look forward to reading and getting a sense of your writing style.  Don't forget SAS #3 tomorrow in class. 

Questions:
1.  Will and his family are immersed in a distinctive culture.  How would you describe their culture?  

2.  What aspects of Will's culture do you identify with?  What aspects are foreign to you?

3.  Why not break The Rules?

4.  What are the unspoken rules in high school culture?  In society? In your culture?  

5.  What are your thoughts on the book's ending? 

6.   Regardless of your opinion, what do you think Jason Reynolds meant with those last words?

7.  What creates the cycle of violence described in Long Way Down?

8.  How do you think the cycle of violence could be stopped?

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "Build Me Up Buttercup" The Foundations

Marina Keegan - Stability in Motion

Today in class you received a copy of Marina Keegan's "Stability in Motion", a chapter in her book The Opposite of Loneliness (on your First Semester Book List).  You are to research her (image, bio, accomplishments, job, etc.) and then "Adler" up the text paying particular attention to the rhetorical devices (use the list from the project to help you).

Tomorrow in class you are expected to OWN this text - talk about it, write about it, think about it.  Thanks in advance for that.

Since a slew of you were absent (where were you?) you will need to get a copy from me in class when you return.

And as long as we're on the subject of school absences, I absolutely understand that life happens - illness, family emergencies, etc. - but you are a vital part of the energy and magic of Room 853 so I guess I just want you to know you were missed.

For those of you who had an APUSH test, I hope you did your best.  That's all you can ask of yourself.  Try to remember that chasing grades will leave you exhausted, but pursuing learning will propel you toward success (however YOU define it).

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "You're the One That I Want" Grease Soundtrack

Julie Lythcott-Haims

My bias is coming out FULL FORCE today with this TED Talk.  Rewatch, rewatch, rewatch. 

And tomorrow ooh la la.  Show up. We will be feeding your brain some delicious tidbits.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "More Than A Woman" Bee Gees

Sugar Sugar

Oooh ooh...Monday feelings over here in Room 853 but thank you so much for showing up.  It's all I ask of you.  I appreciate the Empty Your Cup writing (and can't wait to read them) and I also thank you for the effort on MC #2.  We will go over annotations, answers, and pro tips next Monday in class.

For now, the major items are working on your Rhetorical Devices Project and reading Long Way Down.  Those due dates are next Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

Cannot.

Wait.

I hope you have a beautiful rest of your day and I'll see you tomorrow for TED Talk Tuesday.  And by the way, each of you will be more than fine if you don't allow the stresses of high school to overrule your common sense.  You don't need perfection for success; you need a whole heart, a healthy mind and body, and the ability to critically think.  Mostly you need people who see you and can support you - maybe that person isn't a parent...Maybe it's a friend or (dare I say) a teacher?

Hasta manana.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "Sugar Sugar" The Archies

Happy Friday

Happy Friday!!!

Thanks for the SAS presentations today.  As always, I appreciate your feeding of my brain.

I hope y'all have a beautiful weekend and start/finish reading Long Way Down and work on your Rhetorical Devices Project.

See you Monday.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: AT LAST Earth Wind and Fire's "September" on this 21st day

The 5 Canons

Happy Thursday, Lovelies -

Below you will find the notes you need for The 5 Canons.  Please make sure you copy the info down into your class notes...And sorry it has to be done like this.  Y'all know how I feel about mindless staring at the computer and calling it teaching.

Invention: have something to say instead of having to say something; develop and generate ideas

Arrangement:  put ideas together for effect; what is WHERE and WHY? ***key to success on AP exam

Style: text to itself; specific word choice (diction)

Memory: oral culture in Aristotle's era - you would memorize the speech or text; now we're a print and media culture BUT you need to know HOW to access the information you need and the VALUE of knowing things (culture literacy).  This canon is basically SAS so pay attention and wake up.

Delivery:  how does the text appear on the page; graphics and visuals

Put this info IN YOUR MIND.  I remember them with the acronym of I.M.S.A.D.

Your job for today/tonight is to Adler up the "Haiku History" text and pay close attention to how the 5 Canons are alive and well in Spike Gillespie's piece.

Also, don't forget that SAS #2 is tomorrow.  BE PREPARED.

Love and Light (and happy almost Friday!!),
Beltran

Today's Song: Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"

Project #1

Happy Wednesday, Lovelies -

Your first project for class will be the Rhetorical Devices Project that you can find HERE.  The final product is due in class on Wednesday 10/3 which gives you 2 weeks from today.

I absolutely cannot wait to see what you create.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song:  Mariah Carey "Emotions"

TED Talk Tuesday - And the Promethean Board Just Died

It's vital to always have an attitude that is adaptable so this morning (like 5 minutes ago) when I turned on the Promethean Board and IT DIED, I decided to just go with a different plan.

Until we get it fixed, access the TED Talk HERE. I assume most (if not all) of you have Me Machines so after our lesson today and our rhetor research, enjoy Shawn Achor.  He's amazing.

Make sure you rewatch the video and take quality notes before next Tuesday.  And don't worry about all the different requirements for notes...I haven't taught you devices or appeals or the 5 Canons...yet.

Have a great Tuesday.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "Walking on Sunshine: Katrina & The Waves

I Am a Writer Lesson - MC #1

Happy Monday, Lovelies -

Hope the weekend was good to you.

Today in class, we used the Amy Tan text as a launching pad for understanding (and slaying) the beast that is the multiple choice section of the AP exam.  Access the more in depth info on the 8 Types of questions you'll likely see HERE. This knowledge is also very useful for those of you who say you are college bound.

Finish your CHUNKING if you didn't in class.  But be sure to return all work to the CLASS TRAY tomorrow.

Start paying attention to what you're consuming.  Rhetoric is ALL AROUND and if you're not mindful (this is water) you'll become the puppet society loves.

TED Talk Tuesday tomorrow and are you reading???

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: Joan Jett "I Love Rock N' Roll"

First SAS

Too many highlights to list on your first day of SAS. Well done.

I learned so much about topics, interests, passions and people.

So thank you for presenting.

I wish you all a glorious (reading for pleasure) weekend!

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today’s Song: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”

Amy Tan Annotations

Happy Thursday, Lovelies!

Today we worked on annotating the Amy Tan piece.  In case you want to read the entire essay, it's called Mother Tongue.  Actually a good read.  And don't forget, Amy Tan is on your First Semester Book List.  #diversityandinclusion

Tomorrow, BE READY WITH YOUR SAS even if you're not signed up to present.  I can't wait to learn about all sorts of things.

Enjoy your night - maybe read?

I'll see y'all tomorrow,

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "Higher Ground" Stevie Wonder

Just Read

Tonight, after all the other important stuff is done, find some time to read.  Adler it up and go.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: Katy Perry "Roar"

Brene Brown

I hope you opened your hands and listened to Dr. Brown’s message in her amazingly popular TED Talk “The Power of Vulnerability”. Your job between now and next Tuesday is as follows:

1.  Add Brene Brown to your TED Talk chart.
2.  Rewatch Brene Brown and take QUALITY notes (include strategies you hear her using like anecdotes, appealing to ethos, etc.) If you want to print out the transcript and annotate it, that’s ideal but for now QUALITY notes will do.
3.  Know what you think of her y’all - not your feelings, mind you, but your thoughts. Be able to cite specific evidence that supports your thinking.

You are entitled to your opinions but not your facts.

Have all of this work/thinking done by next Tuesday.

And tomorrow, make sure you’ve read and annotated the Adler piece. It was posted last week under “Heads Up”.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today’s Song: “You Can’t Hurry Love” The Supremes

Thus It Begins: Multiple Choice Monday

There isn't any way to sell the fun of a multiple choice test - they can be pretty awful, but it is my hope and intention that MC Mondays become a sort of ritual to embrace.  Thank you for your effort today and your willingness to at least try.

We will be using the piece again on Thursday and next Monday so it will become a touchstone text of sorts.  And I hope you realize why I selected it...Reading a diverse and inclusive array of authors isn't just something I'm all about.  Seems College Board is as well.

For tomorrow, be prepared to step into our first TED Talk Tuesday.  I can't wait.

In the meantime, are you reading??  How's Long Way Down?

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "Take It Easy" Travis Tritt version of the Eagles classic

Fri-Yay

Dear Lovelies,

Happiest of Fridays to you.  Over the weekend, consider the expectations for SAS (thanks to all the former students who modeled an SAS today).  Your first attempt will be next Friday 9/14.

I'll review it all with you next week but feel free to email with questions.

Since you are to be reading Long Way Down, why don't you spend a few minutes getting to know the author?  This is a great video that nicely shows Jason Reynolds' philosophy.  Please watch and consider.  After all, you can spare 3 minutes and 23 seconds, right?  And if you're interested in doing what a student does, read this Washington Post article.  I found it very telling of Reynolds' intentions as an author.  Besides, if you've paid attention, the rhetor is pretty much the puppet master of the Rhetorical Triangle.

If you're open to even more "food", check out this brain food.

Have a great weekend and I look forward to seeing y'all Monday.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "Everything Now" Arcade Fire

HUGE HEADS UP

Dear Lovelies,

Thanks for your open hands in class.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts about the books and answering any questions you might have.  Announcement below:

For class next Wednesday 9/12 you will need to have read and taken notes on
THIS DOCUMENT.  

If you don't have a printer, hear me when I say that all you need to do is READ the document and TAKE NOTES on it.  If you do want to print it out, feel free.  But in this case, please do not ask me to print it for you.  Ask a friend.

What I would do - seeing as how when I was a student - I never had a working printer, I would open the doc on my computer or phone (either here at school or at home or at the library...you get my drift).  I would have out my notebook.  I would READ the piece first and DRAW a rhetorical triangle.  THEN I WOULD READ IT AGAIN and take some quality notes on each paragraph/section.

Love and Light (and see you soon),
Beltran

Today's Song: "Can't Stop the Feeling" Justin Timberlake

The Book List Is Going Live Right Now

Lovelies,

Tomorrow we will be discussing all things books.  So here it is:  Beltran's AP Language Book List - First Semester.  I don't know how long I will keep this link active so grab it while you can.  Either print it, copy it, take a picture of it, etc.

The expectation is that you show up to class tomorrow with knowledge of the list. 

We will be working with it in class and engaging in the lesson:  We Read.

Thanks for the attention today...The Circle Thingy, y'all.  It's everywhere.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today's Song: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" Stevie Wonder

Not Much to Say

Thank you for showing up today. Hope y’all heard the message and understand why we TED.

You know what you’re supposed to do.

Love and Light,
Beltran

Today’s Song: “Think” Aretha Franklin