Tenth grade students in Mr. J's class are student researchers who inquire about Tupac, Immigration, Myth, Mysticism, and Magical Realism, The Harlem Renaissance, Las Vegas, and A Place Called School. Scroll down or click on the links to view current news and articles related to these topics.
Tupac
Slow Burn Season 3: Tupac and Biggie
In its first two seasons, Slow Burn looked back at two of the biggest stories of the late 20th century—the Watergate scandal and the impeachment of Bill Clinton. Season three tackles another: the murders of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. The story takes place at a moment when hip-hop was taking over pop culture, and a former theater kid from the Bay Area and a one-time crack dealer from Brooklyn were changing the music forever. They went from friends to enemies. And they ended up victims of a deadly rivalry between two rap scenes.
How is it that two of the most famous performers in the world were murdered within a year of each other—and their killings were never solved?
The Takedown of Tupac
The New Yorker
The New Yorker
Armed members of the Black Panther Party stand in the corridor of the Capitol in Sacramento with guns May 2, 1967. They were protesting the Mulford Act, which sought to make open carry of loaded firearms illegal. Don Mulford (R-Piedmont) had proposed the bill in response to armed Black Panther patrols of police in Oakland, which had been initiated as a check on police harassment of black residents. This photo is part of an exhibit at the Center for Sacramento History on Oct. 26, 2019.
Tupac A. Shakur Arrested for Meth Possession in Tennessee
KCRG
Oct. 2019
What . . . ? Real evidence that Tupac is alive. Click the article to see what Tupac looks like today. Tupac lives!
KCRG
Oct. 2019
What . . . ? Real evidence that Tupac is alive. Click the article to see what Tupac looks like today. Tupac lives!
Code of T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E
by Mutulu Shakur (Tupac's Stepfather)
by Mutulu Shakur (Tupac's Stepfather)
Tupac speaking to a conference about the T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E. social movement.
Politics of Protest: Tupac and Thug Life
by Malcom Tariq
Malcolm Tariq was a junior from Savannah, Georgia when he wrote this essay.
He majored in English and Sociology and has been a member of the Stipe Society for Creative Scholars since 2009. After graduation he planed to enter a graduate program in English, Comparative Literature, or American Studies.
Malcolm is now a graduate student at University of Michigan in English.
by Malcom Tariq
Malcolm Tariq was a junior from Savannah, Georgia when he wrote this essay.
He majored in English and Sociology and has been a member of the Stipe Society for Creative Scholars since 2009. After graduation he planed to enter a graduate program in English, Comparative Literature, or American Studies.
Malcolm is now a graduate student at University of Michigan in English.
Picture Me LOLin’
The long-gestating biopic All Eyez on Me is as awkward and laughable as the Tupac hologram.
By Aisha Harris
Slate
This Film Review does not make me want to watch this. Sounds pretty bad.
The long-gestating biopic All Eyez on Me is as awkward and laughable as the Tupac hologram.
By Aisha Harris
Slate
This Film Review does not make me want to watch this. Sounds pretty bad.
Why White Americans Don't See Themselves When They hear the Word Race
Michael Eric Dyson
Interview by PBS
Dyson wrote probably one of the more important texts on Tupac. We use selections from this book in our class. A couple of nights ago I was watching PBS Newshour and Dyson came on to speak about white privilege and implicit bias. This link will take you to the interview.
Michael Eric Dyson
Interview by PBS
Dyson wrote probably one of the more important texts on Tupac. We use selections from this book in our class. A couple of nights ago I was watching PBS Newshour and Dyson came on to speak about white privilege and implicit bias. This link will take you to the interview.
CHANGES: Tupac's First Manager, Leila Steinberg, Remembers the Early Days of a Blossoming Superstar Who Seemed Wise Beyond His Years
by Nicole Lopresti
XXL
October 2011
by Nicole Lopresti
XXL
October 2011
Immigration
How US Policy Turned the Sonoran Desert Into a Graveyard for Migrants
The New York Times
2020
The Sonoran Desert in Arizona, where slightly less than half of all migrant deaths occur, trying to make their way to the United States.
The New York Times
2020
The Sonoran Desert in Arizona, where slightly less than half of all migrant deaths occur, trying to make their way to the United States.
Chinese migrants found hiding in appliances at US crossing
Dec 10 2019
This photo released Monday, Dec. 9, 2019 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shows hands held up by a person or persons hiding in a washing machine, among 11 Chinese nationals found by CBP agents hiding in furniture and appliances inside a moving truck stopped Saturday, Dec. 7, while entering the U.S. from Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing near San Diego, federal officials said. The truck driver, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested on suspicion of human smuggling, according to a statement. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection via AP)
Dec 10 2019
This photo released Monday, Dec. 9, 2019 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shows hands held up by a person or persons hiding in a washing machine, among 11 Chinese nationals found by CBP agents hiding in furniture and appliances inside a moving truck stopped Saturday, Dec. 7, while entering the U.S. from Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing near San Diego, federal officials said. The truck driver, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested on suspicion of human smuggling, according to a statement. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection via AP)
The Deadliest Crossing
Rolling Stone
With no better options amid Trump's border crackdown, migrants are taking their chances with Arizona’s perilous Sonoran Desert
Rolling Stone
With no better options amid Trump's border crackdown, migrants are taking their chances with Arizona’s perilous Sonoran Desert
Border Trilogy Part 1: Hole in the Fence
Radio Lab
Backpacks left by migrants crossing the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.
Radio Lab
Backpacks left by migrants crossing the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.
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What It Costs To Be Smuggled Across the US Boarder
The New York Times Bribes and shakedowns. Days in hideaways without food. For many fleeing violence in Central America, this is what thousands of dollars gets them on the journey to the United States. |
The Phantom Border Patrol Agent: Snap 728
Snap Judgement Podcast
When Rocky Elmore became a Border Patrol Agent along the US-Mexico border, he knew it would be a scary job … just not this scary.
For more stories of natural and supernatural happenings on the border, be sure to check out Rocky’s book, Out On Foot: Nightly Patrols and Ghostly Tales of A U.S. Border Patrol Agent and his website.
Snap Judgement Podcast
When Rocky Elmore became a Border Patrol Agent along the US-Mexico border, he knew it would be a scary job … just not this scary.
For more stories of natural and supernatural happenings on the border, be sure to check out Rocky’s book, Out On Foot: Nightly Patrols and Ghostly Tales of A U.S. Border Patrol Agent and his website.
The Devil's Highway Map
UC Davis
This nonfiction text is about 13 Walker's who are abandoned in the desert to die by there guide. We will read this parts of this book in class. To read reviews click here
UC Davis
This nonfiction text is about 13 Walker's who are abandoned in the desert to die by there guide. We will read this parts of this book in class. To read reviews click here
Young Mexican Immigrant Returns to a Nation She Barely Knows
by Franco Ordonez
McClatchy Washington Bureau
Alejandra Pinzon, 20, who lived in the United States illegally, was told by lawyers if she returned to Mexico before she was 18 she could avoid immigration violations. An estimated 500,000 Mexicans between the ages of 15 and 32 have returned to their homeland since 2005.
by Franco Ordonez
McClatchy Washington Bureau
Alejandra Pinzon, 20, who lived in the United States illegally, was told by lawyers if she returned to Mexico before she was 18 she could avoid immigration violations. An estimated 500,000 Mexicans between the ages of 15 and 32 have returned to their homeland since 2005.
Myth, Mysticism, and Magical Realism
Kindred Spirits: Why did so many Victorians try to talk with the dead
New Yorker
May 2021
Among its other effects, spiritual work gave women the chance to speak in public.
New Yorker
May 2021
Among its other effects, spiritual work gave women the chance to speak in public.
Strange and Unexplained Podcast
Great Podcast if you are into this unit.
This episode on bigfoot was interesting
Bigfoot: Two Encounters with the Elusive Creature
Three men enter the forest decades apart and claim to encounter Bigfoot. Their stories are haunting and harrowing. So Is it possible that Bigfoot really exists? The answer is yes, it is possible. And just maybe the evidence has been right in front of us for years.
Great Podcast if you are into this unit.
This episode on bigfoot was interesting
Bigfoot: Two Encounters with the Elusive Creature
Three men enter the forest decades apart and claim to encounter Bigfoot. Their stories are haunting and harrowing. So Is it possible that Bigfoot really exists? The answer is yes, it is possible. And just maybe the evidence has been right in front of us for years.
The UFO Papers: Why did we start taking unidentified aerial phenomena seriously?
The New Yorker
May 2021
In the past three years, high-level officials have publicly conceded their bewilderment about unidentified aerial phenomena. Above: Four mysterious objects spotted in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1952.
The New Yorker
May 2021
In the past three years, high-level officials have publicly conceded their bewilderment about unidentified aerial phenomena. Above: Four mysterious objects spotted in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1952.
The Psychedelic Revolution Is Coming. Psychiatry May Never Be the Same.
New York Times
2021
Psilocybin and MDMA are poised to be the hottest new therapeutics since Prozac. Universities want in, and so does Wall Street. Some worry a push to loosen access could bring unintended consequences.
New York Times
2021
Psilocybin and MDMA are poised to be the hottest new therapeutics since Prozac. Universities want in, and so does Wall Street. Some worry a push to loosen access could bring unintended consequences.
A group of mourners and a man spat from the depths of Hades build a boat from the debris of New Orleans to rescue their lost loved ones trapped beneath the sea. Best Short Film, New Orleans Film Festival 2008; winner of the Wholphin Award, SXSW film festival 2008.
This was the short film by Court 13, directed by Benh Zeitlin, created in 2007 and birthed in 2008, that directly preceded the development and production of “BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD” –winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize (2012), and the Cannes Film Festival’s Camera d’Or (2012).
This was the short film by Court 13, directed by Benh Zeitlin, created in 2007 and birthed in 2008, that directly preceded the development and production of “BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD” –winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize (2012), and the Cannes Film Festival’s Camera d’Or (2012).
Harlem Renaissance
Coming Soon, a Century Late: A Black Film Gem
by Felicia Lee
SEPT. 20, 2014
New York Times
Footage from what may be the earliest surviving feature film with a black cast, made in 1913.
by Felicia Lee
SEPT. 20, 2014
New York Times
Footage from what may be the earliest surviving feature film with a black cast, made in 1913.
'African American Art' a Revelation at the Crocker
by Victoria Dalkey
Sac Bee
7/4/14
Frederick Brown’s “John Henry” (1979) is part of “African American Art” at the Crocker.
by Victoria Dalkey
Sac Bee
7/4/14
Frederick Brown’s “John Henry” (1979) is part of “African American Art” at the Crocker.
Click on Langston Hughes to learn more about the Harlem Renaissance.
Las Vegas
Treatment Lags as Betting Sites Surge
by Jim Miller
Sac Bee
11/12/15
A recovering problem gambler from Northern California talks about being a compulsive gambler and the turning points in his addiction that got him to Gambler Anonymous meetings and a better life. To help preserve anonymity, the pitch of the subject's voice has been electronically altered and his face is photographed in shadow.
by Jim Miller
Sac Bee
11/12/15
A recovering problem gambler from Northern California talks about being a compulsive gambler and the turning points in his addiction that got him to Gambler Anonymous meetings and a better life. To help preserve anonymity, the pitch of the subject's voice has been electronically altered and his face is photographed in shadow.
Why Phil Ivey Got a Raw Deal: Where Is the Ethical Line Between Advantage Play and Cheating?
by Jeff Ma
ESPN
10/10/14
"But casinos also have an obligation in this agreement. They get to create the game and set the rules -- all the rules. They can refuse service to you. They can kick you out. They can change the rules of the game. They have all the power. What they don't ever say explicitly is that in their minds part of this agreement is that you (the gambler) will lose. So when someone figures out how to beat the game that they created, how can that be unethical"
by Jeff Ma
ESPN
10/10/14
"But casinos also have an obligation in this agreement. They get to create the game and set the rules -- all the rules. They can refuse service to you. They can kick you out. They can change the rules of the game. They have all the power. What they don't ever say explicitly is that in their minds part of this agreement is that you (the gambler) will lose. So when someone figures out how to beat the game that they created, how can that be unethical"
Strip Down at the Sexist Pools in Las Vegas
by Jackie Strause
Fox News
7/18/14
Las Vegas pool parties are so chic, they actually have dress codes — no tank tops allowed, guys. Seriously. And leave the baseball hats and sports jerseys at home, too
by Jackie Strause
Fox News
7/18/14
Las Vegas pool parties are so chic, they actually have dress codes — no tank tops allowed, guys. Seriously. And leave the baseball hats and sports jerseys at home, too
I was watching a movie and this Las Vegas commercial came on--it spoke to me. I immediately said to my wife lets go to Vegas. Right as I said it, I came to my senses. I remembered that the commericial is as good as it gets. The rest of it is just a story that Las Vegas is selling, and they are good at it.
J.C. Tran Is the Latest in Region's Full Deck of Poker Aces
by Stephen Magagnini
Sac Bee
11/2/13
Tran of Sacramento will be at the final table in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas starting Monday.
by Stephen Magagnini
Sac Bee
11/2/13
Tran of Sacramento will be at the final table in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas starting Monday.
In Las Vegas, clubs threaten to become a bigger draw than gambling
by Hannah Dreier
AP
As nightclubs increase their market share, they compete to offer wildest experience.
by Hannah Dreier
AP
As nightclubs increase their market share, they compete to offer wildest experience.
This American Life: Blackjack
Stories about the casino game everyone thinks they can beat. In one, a
woman gambles away her inheritance and then sues the casino, saying they're to
blame. In another, Christians join forces to take down casinos — by becoming
professional card-counting blackjack players. Plus: MIT Blackjack Team member Andy
Bloch teaches us to count cards.
Stories about the casino game everyone thinks they can beat. In one, a
woman gambles away her inheritance and then sues the casino, saying they're to
blame. In another, Christians join forces to take down casinos — by becoming
professional card-counting blackjack players. Plus: MIT Blackjack Team member Andy
Bloch teaches us to count cards.
Gambling Addiction Affects More Men and Women, Seduced by Growing Casino Accessibility
By Daniel Bortz / U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT
The number of casinos across the country is growing, not to mention online gambling, but programs to combat gambling addiction have not kept pace. About 2 million adults meet the criteria for 'pathological gambling,' according to estimates.
By Daniel Bortz / U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT
The number of casinos across the country is growing, not to mention online gambling, but programs to combat gambling addiction have not kept pace. About 2 million adults meet the criteria for 'pathological gambling,' according to estimates.
Poker Players Continue to Insist Playing Poker Takes Great Skill
by Joshua Brustein
Bloomberg Business Week
by Joshua Brustein
Bloomberg Business Week
A Place Called School
Pay Attention! Can Technology Solve the 2500-Year-Old Problem of Boredom in the Classroom
Slate
Is this the way to keep kids engaged?
Slate
Is this the way to keep kids engaged?
How Google Took Over the Classroom
New York Times
Students at Newton Bateman Elementary School in Chicago use Google-powered laptops and Google education apps for classwork. More than half the nation’s primary- and secondary-school students — more than 30 million children — use Google education apps, the company says.
New York Times
Students at Newton Bateman Elementary School in Chicago use Google-powered laptops and Google education apps for classwork. More than half the nation’s primary- and secondary-school students — more than 30 million children — use Google education apps, the company says.
Rethinking the School Desk
Is the best way to fix the American classroom to improve the furniture?
By Linda Perlstein
Is the best way to fix the American classroom to improve the furniture?
By Linda Perlstein
Shades of Green:
Inderkum High's eco design seen as a way to help planet and reduce costs -- and it may also improve learning. Just ask the students.
by Ngoc Nguyen
Sac Bee 2007
Click here to read about the design.
Inderkum High's eco design seen as a way to help planet and reduce costs -- and it may also improve learning. Just ask the students.
by Ngoc Nguyen
Sac Bee 2007
Click here to read about the design.
You Came. You Thought. You Fixed Everything.
Your best ideas from Slate's 21st-Century Classroom event at the Newseum.
By David Plotz
2010
Your best ideas from Slate's 21st-Century Classroom event at the Newseum.
By David Plotz
2010
Classrooms around the World
Slide Show on Slate
Slide Show on Slate
The Fifth-Grade Exploration Studio
The Winner in Slate's Contest To Reinvent the American Classroom
by Linda Perlstein
The Winner in Slate's Contest To Reinvent the American Classroom
by Linda Perlstein
NAC Architecture Firm designed the the 5th Grade Exploration Studio
NAC Architecture
Awesome ideas for designing your facility. This is the firm that designed the 5th grade exploration studio above.
Awesome ideas for designing your facility. This is the firm that designed the 5th grade exploration studio above.
Learning Spaces
Larry Macphee
Larry Macphee
Fun Learning
Something New
by Axulm, Sacramento, CA
Music Education in Schools
By KevanH, Bradfordwoods, PA
School Clubs
By kwhaley2000, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Youth Lack Life Skills
By bb-rocks, Uniontown, OH
The New Diploma Mills
Slate
Something New
by Axulm, Sacramento, CA
Music Education in Schools
By KevanH, Bradfordwoods, PA
School Clubs
By kwhaley2000, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Youth Lack Life Skills
By bb-rocks, Uniontown, OH
The New Diploma Mills
Slate
Peer Pressure
Facts for Families
Facts for Families
School Rules
Can we have an honest conversation about phones in the classroom?
A.J. Juliani
School Start Times Really Do . . . .
ScienceDaily
School Start Times: A Wake-Up Call
By kristenxo, Wilmington, MA
Do School Dress Codes End Up Body Shaming Girls?
CNN
Dress Codes
By NocScrittore, Lafayette, CO
Gum: Not so Dumb?
By Selah, Knoxville, TN
Can we have an honest conversation about phones in the classroom?
A.J. Juliani
School Start Times Really Do . . . .
ScienceDaily
School Start Times: A Wake-Up Call
By kristenxo, Wilmington, MA
Do School Dress Codes End Up Body Shaming Girls?
CNN
Dress Codes
By NocScrittore, Lafayette, CO
Gum: Not so Dumb?
By Selah, Knoxville, TN
Diversity And Equality in the Classroom
Gym Class and Gender Equality
By ahheredia, Mexico City, Mexico
Suspending Suspension
By Kellen G., Oak Creek, CO
Unhelpful Punishment
Slate
Gym Class and Gender Equality
By ahheredia, Mexico City, Mexico
Suspending Suspension
By Kellen G., Oak Creek, CO
Unhelpful Punishment
Slate
The Struggling Student
Bullying in School
by CarrieAnn13, Goodsoil, Canada
Cyber-Bullying
By javajournalist, Leawood, KS
Mental Heath in Schools
NPR
So We Know Students Are Stressed Out . . . Now Let's Talk about It
NPR
School Shootings Are Preventable
Edweek
SEL is Good Teaching
