During our introductory lesson to our next novel, "Of Mice and Men", we read material I distributed on "The American Dream" and "The Great Depression". We discussed that while for some the American Dream means material prosperity , conceptually, the notion captures the ideal that anyone who works hard enough can achieve his personal goals ,whether they be financial or otherwise. We analyzed how the Great Depression shattered many people's belief in the achievability of the American Dream . We then viewed a short biographical video about John Steinbeck and his writings. Last, I displayed numerous historical photographs of life during the Depression taken by famed Depression photographer Dorthea Lange. We studied the iconic photo, "migrant mother", as well as photographs of rural poverty , and urban soup kitchens and bread lines. For homework ,read chapter 1 and answer assigned questions.

After Marcel completed a short vocabulary quiz, we reviewed his study guide homework answers and made revisions and additions where appropriate . In this regard, Marcel discussed how Miss Havisham's agenda is not to just humiliate Pip but to use Estella as a vehicle to emotionally injure as many men as possible.We examined why Drummle is the perfect husband for Estella given his arrogant disregard for all people. Marcel then took notes on today's lesson" What's love got to do with it?- the bildungsroman." We reviewed the characteristics of the genre ,and I explained that the character's journey to self discovery often requires a dive into the crucible of unrequited love. We then examined the text ,and Marcel placed in his notes Pip's definition of love and Miss Havisham's definition of love. We discussed how both ,due to events in their life, have distorted conceptions of love . In Pip's case, he was abused as a child ,a practice we examined Pip perpetrating on his servant . Marcel continues to offer interesting plot predictions as all of the subplots in this complex novel begin to resurface. For homework, quiz tomorrow chapters 27-29, and complete SAT prep material 1-33.

After we finished reading chapter 6, Lena took a comprehension and vocabulary quiz on the chapter. Again,she scored 100%. As the following chapter introduces a sub-theme of interracial relationships ,we began by identifying on the board the race of the various characters and discussing how in 1964 segregation was still prevalent in the South. I noted how the main character,Lily, is White and how her attraction to Zach, an African-American, was highly controversial in 1964 South Carolina. I further showed a short video on the Civil Rights Movement that included news reels showing segregated public places and buses as well as some of the Civil Rights Marches. I then provided Chapter 7 vocabulary on flashcards after which we began the reading wherein the relationship between Lily and Zach unfolds.

Bobby took a test on Acts IV and V of Julius Caesar during today's session. I provided assistance on drafting the paragraphs requiring an analysis of quotes. He will complete the essay portion for homework tonight.

Lena took notes from the board continuing our study of the novel's bee metaphor. We noted how August = the queen bee and mother of the hive and further acts as a surrogate mother to Lily . On the board I noted that in chapter 6 Lily finds a spiritual mother in the Black Virgin Mary. Lena then formed a sentence combining the material on the board. Before continuing our reading, Lena took a quiz on chapter 5. She scored 100% answering both fact based and abstract multiple choice questions. We then began reading and discussing chapter 6 which we will finish tomorrow.

As the final test on the play is scheduled for tomorrow, we had a review session today. We began by reading the synopsis of two acts followed by examining and discussing the commentary for Acts IV and V. We then examined critical speeches in Acts IV and V, and Bobby practiced analyzing the quotes by first contextualizing, then paraphrasing ,and last explaining their significance . In preparation for the essay, we re-read our practice question and introduction paragraph and discussed how and why the play could more aptly be titled "The Tragedy of Brutus" rather than "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar." Bobby discussed Brutus' trusting and idealistic character as the cause of his tragic death. Homework-study for test.

In conjunction with the vocabulary words I distributed last week, we began by identifying their parts of speech and ,in preparation for Wednesday's quiz , drafting sentences using the words in their proper context. All of the words are from the novel, "Great Expectations". We then turned our focus to the book, and I placed on the board the theme of "Guilt and Forgiveness". We discussed examples of the theme's recurrence in the dying words of Mrs . Joe,"Pardon me Pip" as well as in Pip , as narrator looking back at his past arrogance commenting ,"God Forgive Me." Pip's obsession with Estella was further examined as well as Miss Havisham's maniacal definition of love as self abnegation. . Marcel offered an interesting and insightful comment about the middle section of the novel deviating from an otherwise interesting and engaging plot line .This led to our identifying the two major plot lines that Dickens at least temporarily abandons to launch a social criticism of the Victorian class system, and of the Victorian judicial system. In that regard ,we further addressed Marcel's inquiry as to the purpose of the scene describing Mrs. Joe's funeral arrangements which again deviates from the main plot line but satirizes the social customs and norms of what is supposed to be "cultured "society. For homework due Weds: vocabulary quiz, read chapters 36-38 and complete study guide questions.Locate web article about Newgate Prison in Victorian England.

We began our session with instruction on forming compound sentences using conjunctions such as "and ,but ,or". Lena completed exercises combining simple sentences using conjunctions and replaced proper nouns with pronouns where appropriate . We then continued reading chapter 5, stopping to note the use of the vocabulary words ("eclectic") ,to note the "moon" motif as well as to review the significant elements of the plot. Lena participated in the reading as well as in class discussion . We last reviewed our notes for chapter 5 as there will be a chapter 5 quiz tomorrow.

We studied an essay included in our text discussing why Antony describes Brutus as "the noblest. Roman of them all." As a prelude to drafting an in class essay on this same topic, we discussed what to include in an essay outline and Bobby then prepared a list explaining and supporting Antony's observation about Brutus . I focused our discussion on additional textual support evidencing Brutus' idealistic character as well as Cassius ' manipulation of Brutus by taking advantage of Brutus' idealism. We then formed a topic sentence using the prompt and began an introduction. As we will be having our final test on the play on Wednesday, for homework I assigned completing the essay as a practice exercise . In this regard, I emphasized the need to use an organizational structure that includes separate paragraphs for an introduction, textual support, and a conclusion.

The religious customs and beliefs of the Boatwright family in the novel borrow from many traditions. I placed on the board the tradition from Catholicism -The Virgin Mary- and the tradition from the Jewish faith-the Wailing Wall. We then looked at photos of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem and discussed the custom of inserting written prayers into the wall's crevices. We finished reading Chapter 4 noting how the character ,May, eases her extreme mental suffering and pain by creating her own"wailing wall" in the backyard .She likewise inserts in her wall written prayers or events that cause her angst. The characters' practice of drawing on multiple traditions fit well with one of today's vocabulary words "eclectic". Lena then completed a chapter 4 comprehension and vocabulary quiz. She scored 100%. We began studying chapter 5 by first examining the metaphor in the prologue .Lena recognized the meaning of the metaphor wherein the darkness in the beehive represents darkness of difficult times in one's life.