Alexa and I needed to continue our study from yesterday. We were unable to answer all of the discussion questions and to finish our discussion of the first 100 pages of the novel. We then continued with the section Alexa read for homework. We talked about the novel being a murder mystery. We discussed the characters further. Alexa also made her predictions of what is going to happen. I have Alexa
SSR ( sustained silent reading time) for about 10 minutes. We then discussed what she had read. She will read more for homework.

Spent time with Vlad researching Ninja Nerd Science and TEDEd. Read several articles and picked up a few new quotes for Vlad's paper. Added a new visual for the first paragraph to have a visual showing the spike in deaths attributed to Covid-19 worldwide. Added new entries to Works Cited page. Went over the importance to Part One of the Sandwich: citing the source of the forthcoming quote and providing the source's credentials. Double-checked that the paper fulfilled the promise made in the thesis statement and, secondly, the paper answered the questions posed at the start of the paper. Thought through the wording of the concluding paragraph.

Alexa had read the first 100 pages of the novel for homework. She is really enjoying it. We spent our class discussing these pages. We talked about the characteristics of the gothic novel found there. We wrote short answer responses to the accompanying discussion questions. We discussed author's purpose and the time period of the novel. We compared some of the characteristics of the novel to some of the characteristics of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Alexa will continue reading the novel for homework.

Alexa and I began by answering the study guide/ discussion questions for the chapters of the book she has read. We also discussed in detail the setting of the novel. I showed her some pictures of Manderley from the 1940's Hitchcock movie to get a better picture in her mind. We also discussed the role of women in the 1930's and compared them to Jane Austen's women in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Alexa will continue reading the novel for homework. She says that she is enjoying the novel.

The plan was for Katya to tell me which subway artist she chose for 3rd place, which for 2nd place, and which for 1st place. Then Katya was to tell me what she saw as the strengths in the 2nd place winner and in the 1st place winner. Next, the plan was for me to cover (as an overview) these basic items required of her research paper: a thesis statement; an introductory paragraph; a prioritized list of causes; a discussion of a "tipping point"; transitions; introductions to all block quotes, citing source and credentials; the format of a block quote; parts 1, 2, and 3 of "the Sandwich"; a concluding paragraph; a provocative title; the format of the first page.

Katya and I met (by phone) for the first time. She did get the subway art project I sent her. We went through the assignment which Katya agreed could be fun: She is to look at the 10 paintings I sent her, and as an art critic she is to choose the 3rd place winner, the 2nd place winner, and the 1st place winner. After that, Katya is to tell me about the strengths of the 2nd place painting and the strengths of the 1st place painting. Katya clarified for me that she is going to the New School in Manhattan to study psychology, not art and design. Her interest is in human behavior. That got me thinking: Would she like to research "divorce," as an example of human behavior: both the causes of divorce and the effects of divorce. Katya seemed to really like the project, and she agreed that doing a research paper would be a good idea, to find out what psychologists are saying and what the controversies are. In addition, we talked about not just having a list of causes and a list of effects but having each list prioritized: primary causes, root causes, circumstantial or secondary causes. That puts the causes into a perespective. In addition, I introduced Katya to the term "tipping point." She got the concept. We talked about using the term when discussing divorce scenarios. We turned next to some of the mechanics of a research paper: the importance of having a provocative title; the organization of an introductory paragraph; block quoting; the format of a Works Cited page. We ended by talking about using Google docs so we could work on her research paper together as she is writing and editing her paper. The plan is for Katya to speak to Nicole about having two sessions: one on Friday at 10 and a second hour on Tuesday or Thursday.

Alexa and I began reading the novel. We discussed the setting of the book. I showed her pictures of the mansion in the book from Alfred Hitchcock's movie of the novel. We began to discuss the characters, especially the protagonist who narrates the story. Alexa will read more of the book for homework.

Continued work on writing and editing Vlad's research paper. Edited core paragraphs. Checked Works Cited page. Together, designed and wrote introductory paragraph. Sent Vlad to YouTube animation "The Coronavirus Explained and What You Should Do." We both viewed the animation produced by doctors and scientists, and I asked Vlad to see it again and glean from it one or two quotable points. Vlad and I also looked at the website "Our World in Data." There we found excellent graphs tracking the spread and death rates of the COVID-19 virus. Worked with Vlad to incorporate an impressive "daily death rate graph into Vlad's opening paragraph. Next, sent Vlad to another website "Ninja Nerd Science" to research how the concept of mutation is key to understanding the virus, when the virus first attacks bats, then mutates so it can attack another animal like a camel, then mutates so it can attack a human. The "origin" of the virus at any one stage in its life, then, is a result of any one mutation in a set of multimple mutations. Vlad to complete his research assignments and write up his concluding paragraph.

Today Alexa and I read the short story "The Lottery." We discussed it's dystopian theme and content. We answered some accompanying study guide discussion questions. We also began reading another short story"The Monkey's Paw". We ran out of time, and Alexa will read the majority of that story for homework.

We progressed nicely. Suggested that Vlad go online and see YouTube annimation "The Coronavirus Explained and What You Should Do." Vlad and I watched the video annimation and talked about what insights we learned about the virus, its origin, its make-up, its vulnerabilities, its ability to invade human cells, and its ability to set up a dangerous chain reaction in a human being, starting in the lungs. We discussed the difference between viruses and cells. Talked about why Vlad should not really use the term "virus-cell." I asked Vlad to also go online to YouTube to Ninja Nerd Science and see all of "COVID19: Coronavirus Virology, Epidemiology, Pathophsiology." With these two YouTube sites, Vlad can exborate his paper using authorities. Last, asked Vlad to look into Remdesvir, a virus killer that attacks the virus' own RNA, a topic which Vlad had touched on in the early part of this paper when talking abut the RNA studies of Dr. Anderson at Scripps Research. Looking forward to seeing Vlad's paper taking its final shape.