Andrew worked on his AP art project in Anna's room today. I took the period to lesson plan.

Andrew began typing the thesis statement for his The Old Man and the Sea essay. We discussed Santiago's obstacles and allies. I helped him brainstorm how to think of a general category that Santiago's obstacles and allies fit into, and use this as a starting point for his thesis statement.

Andrew began brainstorming notes to answer his essay topic: Explain the obstacles and forces that Santiago faces, and how these obstacles and forces affect him in The Old Man and the Sea. He began typing his thesis statement and outline.

Andrew completed the discussion questions for the commonlit article "Forever Young." We discussed the significance of age in The Old Man and the Sea and this article. We discussed the similarities and differences.

Andrew read a commonlit.org passage called, "Forever Young: America's Obsession with Never Growing Old." This paired the theme of growing old in The Old Man in the Sea. He answered the guiding and follow-up questions. We discussed.

Andrew completed his hero's journey diagram for The Old Man and the Sea. We discussed the road home, the return with the elixir and the right to live. He selected a topic for his essay.

Andrew completed identifying and explaining the following stages of Santiago's journey: world of common day, call the adventure, refusal of the call, meeting the mentor, crossing the first threshold, test/allies/enemies, approach to the innermost cave and supreme ordeal. We discussed each stage in reference to The Old Man and the Sea and he wrote complete sentences in his descriptions.

Andrew began diagramming the hero's journey using The Old Man and the Sea plotline. We discussed Santiago's world of common day and call to adventure.

Andrew continued writing his answers and discussing the discussion questions for The Old Man and the Sea. I diagrammed the structure of a story. We used this diagram and the hero's journey to discuss plot events in the story.

Andrew continued answering and discussing questions for The Old Man and the Sea. We discussed the metaphors of Santiago's scars being "old as erosions in a fishless desert," the symbolism of the marlin, the irony at the end of the story, if Santiago dies at the end, and why he says "Every day is a new day." He wrote his answers in complete sentences.