Name:
8th Grade Social Studies
*Due Date: Thursday, April 19, 2012*
Date:
Block:
Unit 6 Performance Assessment Option 1
Professions and Skills Utilized: Political Analyst, Sociology, Psychology, Social Work, Urban
Planning
Unit Question: Do cultures interact in order to confirm their beliefs about another culture or learn
from other cultures?
Situation: You are a member of the world famous McLaughlin Group and you are called in to offer
your insights into the current cultural interaction between the inner city urban culture and the
government/suburban culture. Culturally speaking, you are specifically analyzing how mainstream
American culture interacts with inner city urban culture. Each answer will be limited to 30-45 seconds
max.
Project Question: Does mainstream America interact with the cultures of the inner city in order
to confirm their beliefs or learn from inner city culture?
Task: You will pair up with one person in your group of four in order to argue each side of the unit
question. Keeping true to the McLaughlin Group style of discussion, Mr. McLaughlin will ask
questions of specific group members and the panel will discuss the answers for 8-10 minutes.
Preparation: You will have class time as well as homework time to analyze the four sources provided
in order to formulate an opinion on the unit question as it applies to mainstream America relating to
inner city culture. The sources you will analyze are:
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SECESSION: Millburn Article
URBAN POVERTY: Song: “Down Rodeo” by Rage Against the Machine, Boyz in the Hood
HIP HOP: Documentary: Master Class: Jay-Z
POLICE POLICY: Clip: Rodney King, 2010 Clip
EDUCATION: Title I Funds and Ebonics
HOUSING: Habitat for Humanity
FASHION: Self Directed: See Mr. McLaughlin for Challenge Details
PASSTIMES/CUTLRE: Dance, Sports, etc. See Mr. McLaughlin for Challenge Details
You can always do additional research; but make sure you start with sources on the attached list.
Process:
 Once you analyze these sources, you will fill out a Unit 6 Indicator Sheet in order to decide the
unit question.
 You will pair up with one member in your group in order to prepare for discussion.
 You will prepare an answer to the debate questions (see next page) in bullet/outline format.
 You will be assessed on your preparation as well as your verbal presentation
Special Consideration:
 Tie your answers back to your research in class
 Strong answers will consider Cognitive Dissonance Theory
Sources by Topic
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MCLAUGHLIN GROUP EXAMPLES
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maxSizHOB70&feature=related
 An example of how the discussion will be moderated
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSqsBfBCW7k&feature=related
 An example of the passion with which I want you to discuss
 NOT AN EXAMPLE FOR CONDUCT
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SECESSION: Millburn Article
o http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/24/nyregion/why-millburn-wants-out.html
 Quick summary
o http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03E5DF153EF93BA15752C1A9629
C8B63&pagewanted=all
 Complete story
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URBAN POVERTY:
o Song: “Down Rodeo” by Rage Against the Machine
 (See Lyrics Page)
o Boyz in the Hood Clip
 (See Mr. McLaughlin)
o http://www.pbs.org/legacy/viewers/social.html
 Summary of life in the inner city
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HIP HOP: Documentary: Master Class: Jay-Z
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WSr22Exf5o&feature=related
 2:32-3:41
 6:00-8:02
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JggatfIDWY (Part 4)
 Beginning-3:22
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POLICE POLICY: Clip: Rodney King, 2010 Clip
o http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/police-brutality-caught-on-video
 Rodney King Article Summary
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW1ZDIXiuS4&feature=related
 Rodney King Video
o http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/15/police-brutality-video-sh_n_648289.html
 Example of Police Brutality in Texas
o http://dissidentvoice.org/2010/07/police-brutality-in-america/
 ADVANCED RESEARCH
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p45PMRGfeGY
 Police Brutality in California
EDUCATION: Title I Funds and Ebonics/Black English
o http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/11105.aspx
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 Definition of Title 1 School
o http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/index.html
 Advanced explanation of Title 1 School
o http://www.cal.org/topics/dialects/aae.html
 Quick Summary of Ebonics
o http://linguistlist.org/topics/ebonics/ebonics-res2.html
 Primary Source of the Oakland Ebonics Resolution/Motion
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_KKLkmIrDk
 Author tries to reform/eliminate Black English
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HOUSING: Habitat for Humanity
o http://www.habitat.org/how/historytext.aspx
 Summary of Organization
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FASHION (Challenge/Optional):
o “Ghetto” Fabulous
o Looking “Gangster”
o “Bling”
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PASSTIMES/CUTLURE (Challenge/Optional):
o Dance, Sports
 Street Ball
 Brick City Lacrosse
 Jerkin’
Song: “Down Rodeo”
Artist: Rage Against the Machine
Album: Evil Empire 1996
Yeah I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
These people ain't seen a brown skin man
Since their grandparents bought one
So now I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
These people ain't seen a brown skin man
Since their grandparents bought one
So now I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
Bangin' this bolo (Be On The Lookout) tight on this solo flight can't fight alone
Funk tha track my verbs fly like tha family stone
Tha pen devils set that stage for tha war at home
Locked wit out a wage ya standin' in tha drop zone
The clockers (poor minimum wage workers) born starin' at an empty plate
Momma's torn hands cover her sunken face
We hungry but them belly full
The structure (societal conditions) is set ya neva change it with a ballot pull (voting)
In tha ruins there's a network for tha toxic rock (crack)
School yard ta precinct (police headquarters), suburb ta project (low income housing) block
Bosses broke south for new flesh and a factory floor
The remains left chained to the powder war (gang wars over cocaine)
Can't waste a day when the night brings a hearse
So make a move and plead the fifth (right against self-incrimination) 'cause ya can't plead the first
(freedom of speech)
Can't waste a day when the night brings a hearse (car used to carry coffins)
So now I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
These people ain't seen a brown skin man
Since their grandparents bought one
Yes I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
These people ain't seen a brown skin man
Since their grandparents bought one
So now I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
Bare witness to tha sickest shot while suckas get romantic
They ain't gonna send us campin' like they did my man Fred Hampton (leader of the Black Panthers
[Militant Black Rights Group])
Still we lampin' (chilling out) still clockin' dirt for our sweat
A ballots dead so a bullet's what I get
A thousand years they had tha tools
We should be takin' 'em
Forget tha G-ride (stolen car) I want the machines that are makin' em (control the means of production
aka the factory)
Our target straight wit a room full of armed pawn (people that are armed) to
Off tha kings out tha west side at dawn
Can't waste a day when the night brings a hearse
Make a move and plead the fifth 'cause ya can't plead the first
Can't waste a day when the night brings a hearse
So now I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
These people ain't seen a brown skin man
Since their grandparents bought one
Yeah I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
These people ain't seen a brown skin man
Since their grandparents bought one
Yeah I'm rollin' down Rodeo wit a shotgun
The rungs torn from the ladder can't reach the tumor
One god, one market, one truth, one consumer
Just a quiet peaceful dance!
Just a quiet peaceful dance!
Just a quiet peaceful dance!
Just a quiet peaceful dance!
Just a quiet peaceful dance for the things we'll never have
Just a quiet peaceful dance for the things we don't have
Discussion Questions
1. How does Rage Against the Machine’s “Down Rodeo” comment upon the current status of
those living in the inner city? Does this singer feel as if there is help from mainstream
America? Is mainstream America confirming its beliefs that the inner city cultures are a bunch
of criminals/animals or are they intent on helping?
2. How does police brutality connect to confirming beliefs about a culture?
3. Is mainstream America more similar to Belgium or the Belgian Congo during King Leopold
II’s time?
4. What role does Hip Hop play in bringing cultures together? Does Jay-Z seem intent on
learning or confirming? Why?
5. Is there a historical record of human rights abuses by authority figures? (Hint: Use examples
we studied in class)
a. Is there evidence in America of authority brutalizing the inner city?
6. Are Habitat for Humanity and Educational grants enough to help the inner city? Should more
be done? Is there a mutual exchange of goods and ideas between the inner city and mainstream
America?
7. Clearly, some citizens in New Jersey are not happy with their tax dollars helping the inner city.
Are they confirming or learning from the inner city?
8. The ebonics motion has been defeated. Is mainstream America confirming their beliefs about
the inner city or should they be more open minded?
9. Is the evidence stronger to say that mainstream America learns from the inner city or is
mainstream America confirming its beliefs about the inner city?
10. Challenge/Optional: What role does fashion play in the exchange between inner city and
mainstream American life? Are the cultures learning or confirming?
11. Challenge/Optional: Are passtimes/cultural activities from the inner city confirmed by
mainstream America or does mainstream America learn from these inner city cultural
activities? How can you tell?
12. Does mainstream America interact with the inner city to confirm beliefs or learn?
Unit 6 Assessment Option 2
Project: After reading Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness talk with Mr. McLaughlin to develop an
assessment to demonstrate your knowledge of Unit 6 and explain your answer to the Unit Question.
You will also work out a series of due dates at this meeting.
Author: Joseph Conrad
Title: Heart of Darkness
CD/Book on Tape/iTunes time: about 4 hours
Possible Project Ideas:
 Five Paragraph Essay
 Prezi/Powerpoint Presentation
 Political Cartoon Book
 Comparing Heart of Darkness to a current event
 See Mr. McLaughlin with more ideas
 Glogster and Short Writing Response
 Fakebook Profile of important characters
Cross Curricular Opportunities:
 Be sure to talk with Dr. Mordente in order to see if this book and your project can count as your
enrichment book in Language Literature Class.
Due Date: Friday, April 20, 2012