Pop Culture Makes the World Go Round

Dear Friends and Families of Room 205,
I wanted to give you a heads up on your child’s learning this year in Room 205. Of course we will be memorizing our multiplication and division facts, having spelling pre and post tests each week, as well as mastering our cursive handwriting. In addition to these normal subjects, we will also be studying Pop Culture and bring it into our class room on a daily basis.
Pop Culture you are asking yourself…why waste time on this? I am sure you are thinking, “My student needs to be at grade level…he/she needs to pass his/her standardized test…What is Miss Riggs thinking THIS time?!” I hear you loud and clear, but here’s the reality…Pop Culture is all around us, and it will bring your student’s learning to life!
Let me get you to see our side of this controversial coin. Pretend you are at work right now, in fact on a lunch break or a quick stop at the water cooler. What questions do you hear among your co-workers, your peers? Do these questions sound familiar??? “Did you see the game last night? How’s your fantasy Team doing? Can you believe that run by AP and that throw by Farve? What are your thoughts on Ballon Boy? Can you scream like Mary Murphy? Would you like to be on the hot tamale train? Do you agree with the Chief about firing that new Doc from Mercy West when she did not check that lady’s throat? What you think about McDreamy standing up to the Chief and pointing the finger at him? Are you going to see the MJ movie this Wednesday…so are you going to have a sick day on Thursday? How about those Law & Order story lines…hits pretty close to home, huh?”
Regardless if these are topics you are interested in, I am willing to bet my next pay check that you have at least heard of the Minnesota Vikings, “So You Think You Can Dance,” Grey’s Anatomy, Michael Jackson, and Crime TV shows. Well, here is the deal, your student has also heard about these topics and this is what they would prefer to talk about. Think about, you pick your friends from people who have similar interests as you…you talk about the same things, you watch the same shows, and generally have the same interests. If adults can handle this, why would we want to squash that for our students?
I can not tell you how many times I have heard from students in my years of teaching, “WHY ARE WE LEARNING ABOUT THIS?” Sometimes it is hard to see the real world connections in trigonometry, but what about having to learn cursive so that you can cash your paycheck, what about learning multiplication facts so you can know how much you will be paid that work week, what about learning proper grammar so that you sound educated when you go in for an interview, and what about understanding history so that we understand how the world functions today. These real world connections can be seen, but why not use REAL real world connections from our every day life that can be felt and touched every day. If our students are going to be excited about the big Vikings game or seeing the new MJ movie, why not tie their interests into the classroom and make learning fun again?!
I would like to invite you on this new journey of learning. I challenge you to learn your 5th grader’s likes and dislikes and get him/her to use that in their learning. I know that it will take open communication between you and me to help bring the real world into your child’s classroom. I am ready to step up to the plate and take on this challenge, the question is…are you ready to be on the “hot tamale train?!”
Thank you for your continued support in your student’s learning, Miss Riggs

Pop Culture Assignment #1
As we have mentioned in class, we are going to be bring Pop Culture into our classroom. Here is your first assignment:
Last year, I introduced you to the Hip-hop group “FigureHeads.” We listened to their CD, “The Movement” every day while we are in school. Well, this year we are going to be listening to a new FigureHead CD titled, “Fire in My Soul.” Your assignment is this, read the following lyrics to “Social Justice” as you listen to the new beats by clicking on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVUfON3veHo. After you listen to the song, pick 3-4 lines that relate to you and your life. Jot down some notes as to why these particular lines mean something special to you.
Part two to your assignment: Have your family at home listen to our new FigureHead song. Ask your family what they like/dislike about this song. Would they be ok with you listening to this song, as opposed to songs with explicit lyrics? Why, or why not?
Part three of your assignment goes to your family! Ask your student what the “hidden” message is to the song “Social Justice.” Have a discussion with your student about what Social Justices they know about, or have seen first hand. Also ask your student what social injustices they have seen or know about.
Note: to both students and families, have fun with this assignment! You will be listening to an awesome song with a powerful message. Be open with each other when having discussions and make sure to check in with each other as our school year progresses. We are working on bringing Pop Culture into our classroom, and this is the first step! Be sure to check out the FigureHeads website to learn even more about our favorite Hip-hop group: http://www.figureheadsinc.org/

“SOCIAL JUSTICE” - FigureHeads
Chorus
What you know about social justice/The ones who fought the ones who suffered/For basic rights like suffrage/But knowin about it ain’t enough kid/It’s time for you to rise up/It’s time for you to lead us

Verse 1
I’m a sojourner for truth like harriet Tubman/Can you feel that underground railroad rumblin/When it comes to justice stay stubborn/Like Rosa Parks on the bus not budgin/It all starts when someone does somethin/Instead of waitin around grumblin/So I let the ink flow like harriet Beecher Stowe/Whose uncle tom’s cabin helped to start the civil war/Then I’ll spit it some more like frances harpera protest poet revolution sparker/There’s no doubt that the path to a new beginnin/Is trail blazed by amazing women/do the math theres more I could name dozens/Many of whom did their thing without husbands/So raise the standard ladies it’s your life/And speak up for change if somethin ain’t right

Verse 2
Out the ashes of despair /Hiphop rose like a phoenixDuring a time where crime/ doubled up like a helixThis was the preset setting stage/ For a movementYouth took this flame of pain and straight used it
To spark a revolution and ignite a generationPassed from civil rights was this light of liberationOur interpretation/ went beyond their limitationsTeens/ remixed the dream/ and reached/ every nation Creativity was awakened/ And it’s no coincidenceHiphop transformed more than just/ instrumentsIt Bridged the gap distance / of black and Brown differenceAnd it still insists that/ We rise thru the resistance But now oddly Hiphop became commodityMarkets ideology making us like colonies/But our phil-o-sophy says we can move as oneand using technology, we shall over come

Verse 3
it’s hard when it feels like the world ignores you/but sorry I don’t feel sorry for you/ kids around the world been dying in war too/they won’t get used what you can afford new/27 million men, women and childrenare slaves on the planet and the number’s building/just a couple pennies is all you gotta pay for a five year old to work a twelve hour day/locked in a room till the carpet is made/you complain cuz you gotta work hard for Asdag,/ don’t you get it, get off yourself there’s billions of children who all need help but/ you still care more about your clothes than the slave kid who might have made those /either way I’m just saying there’s a lot to do /we on the front lines saving a spot for you