january 23

JOURNAL TOPIC:
What do you know?  Describe something you know-- and explain how you know that you know it.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Three questions (regarding ethos/pathos/logos, hearing/listening, and genre)
3. Test or no test
4. Revisiting genre in terms of Steinbeck and what makes us happy and sad

HW:
Finish reading this article on John Steinbeck (we'll start together in class). Follow one of the links, and then post an item to your blog in which you explain one thing you learned and why you chose to follow one particular link and not another.  (title: DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE)

january 22

[UPDATE 12:27 P.M. PST/ I may have to attend a meeting during our period.  If that happens, please write in your journal, then look up ethos/pathos/logos and take notes.  Define each term, present an example of each term, and be ready to discuss as soon as I get back.  If you have headphones, you can watch/listen to the speech on your phone.  If you don't, please do this at home.  Mahalo.]

JOURNAL TOPIC:
It's a common phrase: "The best years of my life..." What makes one year better than another? Assuming there is such a thing, how will you recognize "the best years" (or moments) when they happen?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. MLK: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
3. Misery, hope, and ways of writing about both
4. Genre at the beginning of the 20th century: naturalism, realism, and modernism

POST:
Post your notes and observations/reflections from today's class to your blog (title: NOTES FROM TODAY'S LECTURE)

HW:
Watch it. LEARN it.  Comment to this post with any reactions, observations, or questions that will help you better understand it.  Be ready to discuss it on Tuesday.

january 18

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Sick.  It's an awful feeling.  And it seems like when we get sick, everyone around us has an opinion: rest up, drink fluids, see a doctor, sweat it out, take an ice bath, walk it off... How do you know what to do when you get sick?

AGENDA:
1. Journal (please turn it in when you're finished writing)
2. Class blog audit
3. Search online for 1 novel and 2 short stories

POST:
What short stories/ novels did you find in your research?  What appealed to you and why?  Be sure to describe the search terms (and engines) you used and the titles/authors of the works you chose.  (title: THE WORLD IS MY LIBRARY)

opsec on the internet

We will cover this in detail starting next week.  For now, if you want to get a head start, click this link and start reading.

january 17

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Imagine a logo for your blog.  What image would you use to describe yourself?  Think about other logos you've seen, and imagine an icon and colors that might represent your personality, your purpose or goals, and the work you do best.  Describe this in detail.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Share your logo
3. Design your logo on the computer and put it on your blog
4. Paul Simon's Graceland 



POST:
We often think of reading and learning as an individual experience, but in reality these activities are often better when they're shared.  What is your experience?  Does your experience align with what you saw in the Paul Simon video?  Explain. (suggested title: HOW TO GET TO GRACELAND)

STRIKE: your thoughts?

This week, teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District are on strike.  Do some research (the LA Times is probably a good place to start) and take a position: are the teachers right, is the district superintendent right, or is there a way to meet everyone's needs?  Write your answer in a comment to this post and/or in a post on your blog.

january 16

JOURNAL TOPIC: (today's tunes: "Let the Day Begin" by The Call; "Where Do I Begin?" by Jill Sobule; "Begin the Begin" by R.E.M.)

Describe a thought or a feeling that you'd forgotten over break and experienced again when you walked back into this room.  Now, remember that this is a new beginning, so here is the important question: How will you re/create the thoughts/feelings you WANT to have in this room this semester?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Reboot
3. Introduction to spring semester:

• Review technical elements of literature we covered last semester
• Prepare for the final in June (!)
• Take your Big Question to the next level: Masterpiece Academy starts late April
• Win the Internet
• Speak like a pro
• Create like a genius

HW:

Research Paul Simon's album Graceland (starting with this) and come to class Tuesday prepared to discuss whether this qualifies as American Literature.  To do this properly, you will have to do some research and/or review your notes in order to define American Literature and make your case.