In this activity, Nina started a new final exam. In this test she worked with limits using L.Hopitals rule when appropriate. She also determined derivatives by definition.

In this activity, Nina completed her study of the Pittsburgh final exam. This part of the exam tested her ability to integrate and work with revenue, cost and profit functions.

In this activity, Nina worked on the Pittsburg final exam completing the sections on limits and derivatives.

Today's lesson addressed inferring the meaning of symbols and identifying theme. I first placed four quotes on the board describing the jungle or wilderness setting of the novel. We then analyzed the figurative language and allusions within each description and placed interpretations on the language describing the wilderness/jungle . This discussion provided a good segue to theme, specifically the import of Kurtz' dying words,"The horror! The horror!" Nina addressed the possibility that Kurtz refers both to Colonial exploitation and his savage actions and greed. We then delved into the darker possibility that Conrad expresses a dark view of all humanity, not just Kurtz. I discussed how Conrad's characterizations of human behavior resemble Freud's but remarkably predate Freud by about 20 years. We then reviewed the study guide questions that explored the last moments of Kurtz ' life and why Marlow feels Kurtz' dark revelation was actually a moral victory as it least constituted an affirmation of something as opposed to total nihilism.

During today's Spanish classes, we practiced Spanish by watching a movie. After finishing the movie, Nina was given time to write the summary.

During today's Spanish class, we practiced Spanish by listening to several Spanish songs and translating them into English.

During our first sessions we focused on the author's use of symbolism and foreshadowing to highlight Marlow's moral dilemma which he characterizes as a choice between two nightmares. We explored the author's fluid descriptions of the jungle first as impenetrable, then as vengeful ,and last as pitiless and inferred the author's suggestion that the "non-human"world does not care about the human world. We further addressed the symbolism of the skulls on the rail posts of Kurtz' hut and the innocent "Russian harlequin" who acts as foil to Kurtz' corruption. As Marlow comments that he is relieved by Kurtz displaying his moral derangement (the skulls) in the open, we discussed why Marlow prefers Kurtz' open derangement to the self righteous hypocrisy of the company manager. Nina then completed an exercise locating phrases and adjectives describing the "native woman" who obviously was in some form of relationship with Kurtz as she dramatically and painfully expresses her discomfiture over Kurtz departure from the inner station .We will compare this woman with Kurtz' fiancee whom we will meet at the end of the novel. During our final session we continued our mini writing seminar using the writing exercises I prepared based on the novel. Today, Nina completed an essay on the theme of societal vs internal restraint and which is the more admirable . Nina has a good grasp on this motif and did well in integrating supporting quotes into her essay, in editing her work, and in crafting complex sentences. I assisted in word choice and paragraph organization where necessary .

During our final course sessions, we are allocating significant time to essay writing skills. Today, in response to the writing exercises I prepared based on our study of "Heart of Darkness" Nina first completed an essay on the author's use of foreshadowing . In this exercise, we addressed the need to identify a controlling idea for the essay and to incorporate this idea into a thesis within the first paragraph. We then completed our second essay on the illusion vs reality motif in the novel as illustrated in the author's depiction of women. Again, we worked on formatting a controlling idea and drafting a first sentence that broadly addresses the question and yet introduces the point of the essay. As Nina completed paragraphs ,we worked on the skill of self-editing , sentence placement, and word choice . Additionally, I provided instruction on using the first paragraph to provide some sense of a definition of what constituted an illusion and what constituted the reality that the narrator encountered . From there ,Nina was able to compose a second paragraph that explained the significance and import of the illusory world where the author suggests women do and must continue to reside. We then started a third essay on the theme of restraint, societal vs internal ,and discussed restraint's role in the maintenance of an orderly civilized society. To assist Nina in getting started,I again modeled some broad first sentences that could form a foundation or controlling idea for the essay. We left off discussing how to combine sentences in the first sentences Nina drafted.

Absent

During today's Spanish classes, we practiced some conversational Spanish as well as reading and comprehension.