The death of Janie's second husband marks the beginning of Janie's march into self-awareness. We discussed Janie's barely restrained relief and joy over her abusive husband's death. Olivia addressed the author's metaphorical descriptions of Janie's public show of grief as hiding her private joy as well as the author's figurative language describing "Death" . We noted how death is described as other than the traditional black cloaked figure with a scythe reflecting Hurston's interest in anthropology and other cultures . While Janie is looking forward to a degree of independence, she nonetheless, falls into another relationship . We examined how her new relationship differs from her past two marriages as evidenced by her new love interest, Tea Cake, teaching her the game of checkers so that she can participate in the town's social life, something her prior husband forbade. For homework, I assigned reading the next two chapters.

After finishing the cumulative review of the first three chapters, I guided Olivia in further review of logarithms and exponents. We practiced change of bases with logarithms, expanding and condensing logarithmic expressions, and solving exponential and logarithmic equations. There was no assignment.

Continuing our review of the mechanics of the electoral college, we studied a map illustrating the outcome of the popular vote and the electoral vote in the 2016 election. I noted how both in Texas and Washington , an elector cast a vote for a candidate other than the candidate who won the popular vote and how an elector's right to do so is presently before the US Supreme Court. Olivia interpreted the map noting red and blue states as well as the outcome of the popular and electoral vote as reflected in a pie chart. We again noted how although Clinton won the popular vote by almost 3 million votes,Trump comfortably won the electoral vote. We then discussed ways the electoral college system could be reformed to make it more democratic .Olivia presented some good ideas that ,in fact, have been under discussion for some time. Last, we discussed the role of a primary, a caucus ,and the nominating convention held at the end of the process. I noted while this year's nominating conventions are likely postponed, if not cancelled due to coronavirus concerns, as a practical matter the conventions today are merely theatre as the outcome is largely known beforehand as a result of the primaries. We are having a test tomorrow on the legislative branch and lobbying.

Today we studied the novel's genre and style .I first reviewed elements of the Romantic genre represented by Hawthorne and Melville ,and then reviewed the role of Twain in introducing realist elements into American fiction. Olivia then discussed examples of realism in the novel, and we noted some similarities between Twain and Hurston in the use of dialect and common people as main characters. I then provided instruction on how Hurston's poetic language sets her apart from the 20th Century Realist Movement which avoids the use of figurative language. Continuing to address style ,I then pointed out where and how Hurston uses sentences fragments. Olivia then offered insightful ideas concerning the use of the fragment to emphasize an idea . We further examined whether the use of fragments might mirror the main character's fractured life at this point in the novel. Last, I addressed a few additional vocabulary words from the reading. For homework, I assigned reading the next two chapters.

Olivia and I worked on some problems from the cumulative review including finding roots of polynomials, polynomial long division, synthetic division, and condensing logarithmic expressions. There was no assignment.

After completing a review of the 25th amendment and the order of succession if a president resigns or dies in office, we examined the purpose and mechanics of the electoral college in presidential elections. Olivia discussed the concerns of the 18th Century framers that average citizens did not have the capability of electing a president as the motive for the electoral college, and from there I provided instruction on the mechanics of the process. I discussed the "winner take all" rule applicable in 48 of the states that awards all of a state's electoral votes to the candidate who has the most votes in that state even if that candidate wins by only one vote. I then placed on the screen working examples of how a candidate can accumulate a huge lead in the popular vote by winning by big margins in populated states and still not accumulate the necessary 270 votes to win the electoral college vote. In this regard, we will look at a synopsis of the Bush V Gore US Supreme Court case tomorrow. For homework I assigned reading pages 305-308 and completing the study guide on the reading.

As we will be having an exam on the novel in the next weeks, we have been analyzing and practicing interpreting the author's metaphorical language and placing the metaphorical motifs into the novel's theme. As such, we discussed the author's comment that the main character had "no more blossoming openings dusting pollen over her man" in terms of Janie's disillusionment with her husband . We reviewed the association between Janie's dreams of a fulfilling marriage and the recurring flowering pear tree symbol. Olivia discussed Janie's rejection of her husband's attempt to beat her into submission in terms of Janie finding her own voice, another literary motif we have been studying. Last, we discussed Janie's empathy with an ill -treated mule as recognition of her own burdens in an oppressive marriage. For homework ,I assigned reading chapters. 7 &8.

The president's Article II powers are quite extensive, Yet, the Constitution sets almost no qualifications for the office. Olivia identified the constitutional qualifications, age and natural born citizen, and displayed strong insight in speculating why the framers provided so few qualifications for the office. We then looked at the role of the Federal Election Commission in monitoring campaign donations and expenditures and the extraordinary amounts of money spent by presidential candidates. I mentioned how public financing of campaigns remains available if candidates are willing to accept the fund raising limit that accompanies the acceptance of public funds. In today's world, none are. We discussed the president's salary and perks and last, the critical role of the vice-president as the tie breaker if there is a 50/50 vote in the Senate. Olivia provided a good analysis of what qualifications a presidential candidate might want in a vice-president, and, in that regard, we discussed various possible vice presidential picks for Joe Biden and what each might bring to the ticket. For homework, I assigned reading 302-305 and answering study guide questions.

To begin the week, we first reviewed vocabulary from the novel, motifs from the novel, and the differing points of view employed by the author in the novel. We then examined the relationship between Jannie and her second husband,Jody Starks. Olivia participated in class discussion on the shortcomings of the relationship and the inability of Jody to understand Jannie other than as an extension of himself . He suppresses her "voice" and thereby her identity. We noted how Jody only provides material things to his wife and believes that things can be substituted for understanding and love based on equality. As an exercise , I asked Olivia to offer advice to Jody as if she were a marriage counselor while I "played" the part of Jody excusing and explaining my actions . For homework, I assigned reading the remainder of chapter 6.

Olivia and I started working problems from a cumulative review. We worked problems finding the midpoint and distance of a line between two given points, the equation of a line between two points, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of two functions, finding the inverse of a function, and direct variation problems. There was no assignment.