As rights under the First Amendment are not unlimited, we discussed the scope of the limitations.
Olivia 's study guide answers were very detailed and accurate in identifying that "free speech" does not sanction obscenity, defamation , or immediate calls for for violence. We spent some time analyzing defamation as a limit on the First Amendment. Even though the parties involved may not be government agencies or actors, as a defamed party can use the court system to redress defamation ,the use of the court system invokes the First Amendment as the court system is an arm of government,. I also explained that public figures have a higher burden of proof in defamation actions ,in part, to protect political free speech that may be critical of government policies. Last, we discussed permissible "time, place,and manner" restrictions on speech ,such as limiting a protest march to a certain area ,at a certain time. We analyzed the US Supreme Court case of Snyder v Phelps wherein the family of a gay deceased marine filed suit against protesters who interfered with the soldier's funeral procession by holding up anti-gay signs. Even though the content of the speech was repugnant , even a conservative Court upheld the right of the protesters in part because they had complied with the place and manner restrictions by protesting on public property, not at the cemetery, and by maintaining a specified distance from the funeral . Olivia recognized how the outcome of the case could have been different had the protesters not complied with the "time, place, and manner" restrictions and had protested on the cemetery property near or adjacent to the burial site. For homework ,I assigned reading the remaining portion of the chapter and answering 3 study guide questions.

Yesterday, we outlined elements of Hemingway's style. Today, we closely examined a section of dialogue and discussed how the dialogue carries the narrative in the absence of any explanation of the characters' thoughts and motives. Recalling Hemingway's iceberg theory of writing, ie. 7/8 of what happens occurs below the surface, Olivia worked on implying the psychological narrative from the dialogue itself. We further examined the contrast between the main character's initial romanticized notion of war and the reality of war. Last, I pointed out the recurring image and symbolism of rain in the novel. Olivia examined language in the first chapters and provided a good explanation of the rain symbol based on the unadorned physical descriptions of the Italian front during fall and winter. For homework, I assigned reading the next 3 chapters.

I continued to work with Olivia on problems to relate trigonometric functions to their definitions and to find other trigonometric functions of the same angles. We also used the relationship that co-functions of complementary angles are congruent to find the values of various angles from information given about their complements. We also proved some simple trigonometric identities. There was no assignment.

We completed our unit on the Federal Court system by reviewing Olivia's study guide answers on the US Supreme Court and her take home test on federal jurisdiction. We first went over the term 'judicial review" emphasizing that all federal courts ,not just the Supreme Court, can declare a law unconstitutional . Olivia further discussed the original jurisdiction of the US Supreme Court, the types of cases the Court reviews from the Supreme Court of the states, as well as the mechanics of appealing a case to the US Supreme Court. In reviewing the take home exercise , we reexamined the terms exclusive jurisdiction , concurrent jurisdiction , original jurisdiction ,and appellate jurisdiction . Olivia displayed mastery in understanding these terms. Toward the close of the session, we moved onto our next unit, a detailed study of The First Amendment. We previously touched on this subject, but his unit will analyze its scope ,application ,and limitations in detail. We began by reviewing that the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment only apply if there is action by a government or an agency of government. We looked at some hypotheticals and discussed whether government action was present. For homework, I assigned reading pages 440-445 and responding the study guide questions ,

As we are beginning our next novel, "A Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway, today I introduced both biographical information that informs the novel as well as instruction on Hemingway's style and voice. Olivia took notes on Hemingway's style which is known for short simple sentences, vigorous verbs, and realistic conversation to carry the narrative. I discussed the purpose of this style , literary naturalism, and Hemingway's aim to create in his work an experience truer than life itself. Thematically, I further introduced Hemingway's mantra of "grace under pressure" as evidenced in his characters who face war, bulls in the arena, and the forces of the sea ,all as a test of character,. As much of the novel is autobiographical, I last discussed World War I , Hemingway's time as an ambulance driver in the war, his love affair with a nurse that forms the basis of the novel, and his time in 1920s Paris with the renown Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, Sherwood Anderson, as well as the famed painters of the day. For homework, I assigned reading the first 4 chapters of the novel.

Olivia and I worked together on problems about the relationships between the sides of triangles and the angles between them. I showed her how to calculate all sides of a triangle given the value of one trigonometric function. We also reviewed conversions between radian and degree measure of angles. There was no assignment.

We examined the role of the US Supreme Court in maintaining a consistent application of federal law across the country, as well as the two circumstances where the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction. In that regard, we reviewed the role of judicial review in the case of Marbury v Madison and discussed how Justice Marshall's famous decision was premised, not on the concept of judicial review, but on the Court's lack of original jurisdiction to hear Marbury's valid claim. Olivia then offered some good definitions of judicial review, stare decisis, and precedent. I discussed how the US Supreme Court is not bound by precedent under certain circumstances . We reviewed those circumstances in the context of pending abortion rights cases. Last, we examined the mechanics of how the justices decide which cases to accept as there are close to 10,000 requests for review filed each term of which the Court accepts about 80. For homework, I assigned finishing the study guide on the Supreme Court and completing a review sheet on the federal court system.

Following up on yesterday's essay outline exercise, today Olivia began drafting a literary essay on the novel and related poetry. I provided instructions for using the prompt plus words from the provided quote to formulate a topic sentence . Olivia composed a strong opening sentence and proceeded to draft an introductory paragraph that set forth a good introduction to the subjects that will be included in the essay. We examined grammar issues where necessary and then began a second paragraph addressing the substantive portion of the essay. The final essay is due on Monday.

I demonstrated for Olivia how the three sides of a right triangle can be used to derive the six basic trigonometric functions. We then studied the special relationships between the sides of 45-45-90 and 30-60-90 degree triangles and the trigonometric functions of all of those angles. I also showed her trigonometric identities including reciprocal functions and Pythagorean triples. We did some problems using the special functions. There was no assignment.

Olivia was absent today.