February 29

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Four Seasons/Allegro from Spring" by Vivaldi*; "Four Seasons" Mongolian folk music; "Four Sticks" by Led Zeppelin]

Leap year got me thinking about the number four.  Four seasons, four quarters to a whole, four year Olympiads, presidential terms, etc.  Be creative: using what you know about the number four, imagine how an author could use this as a symbol in fiction.  (Bring in examples if you can think of some, and also consider the significance of other numbers-- like the culturally lucky "3" or the "10" of iambic pentameter).

AGENDA:
1. Journal/check LA notes
2. Sonnet read-around

HW:
1. Finish LA
2. Prepare a brief for your LA: one paragraph per open essay question that provides relevant information that would help others learn enough about your book to answer the question

*How cool is this?  While researching Jon's p.2 question about whether the "Four Seasons" included a chorale (yes, I checked Wikipedia) in class, I discovered that Vivaldi actually composed the works to accompany four...wait for it... SONNETS!  As someone (Gary?) said, "The circle is complete."

Kudos: February (III)

Congratulations to the following students on their college acceptances and scholarship wins!


Shannon Murray (San Diego State)
Jessica Parra (UC Merced, CSUN)
Tori Thompson (Sonoma State)
Tatiana Alvarez (UC Merced, San Jose State)
Marie Alvarado (CSUN)
Gary Case (CSUN)
Betzy Bras (CSUN)
Kelli Carrillo (CSUN)
Katie Enstad (CSUN, San Diego State)



If I've missed anyone, or if you've done something amazing since I posted this, please let me/us know in class.

February 28

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Sister Moon" by Sting]
Describe (or imagine) a moment in social conversation when a quote from a poem was (or would be) more effective than the speaker's own words.  Explain why the poetry has more impact.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Sonnets

HW:
You should be at or near the end of your LA work; please bring in active reading notes tomorrow (2/29)

February 27

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Write a poem about the literature analysis book you are currently reading.  Stop after five lines (unless you've written a Haiku) and concisely evaluate the poem according to the criteria we discussed last week.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Explicate your poem to your partner (be sure to resolve any ambiguity or differences in understanding of analysis literary terms)

HW:
1. LA (due 3/2; hard copies due in class 3/1)

February 24

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Someday We'll All Be Free" by Alicia Keys; "Flight to Freedom" by Arturo Sandoval]

After you complete this journal entry and the required peer edits, you will have choices to make about how best to use your time today.  Given the goals you've set for yourself in this course, what's your plan?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Quiz [?]
3. Peer review
4. PR/CWG/blog/BQ/LA

HW:
1. Diligently read and prepare your LA notes

Kudos: February (II)

Congratulations to the following students on their college acceptances and scholarship wins!

Edith Gonzalez (CSULA)
Candace Rickman (Cal Poly SLO)
Sarah Rayburn (Colorado State University)
Jessica Manriquez (San Jose State)
Nicole Montoya (University of Hawaii)
Rebecca Patterson (UC Riverside, CSUN)
Dania Hatamleh (Cal Poly SLO)
Jon Hoffman (Cal Poly SLO)
Kristen Frias (Cal Poly SLO)
Kaley Jorgensen (Cal Poly SLO)
Jojo Relyea (Cal Poly SLO, Sonoma State)
Betzy Bras (Cal Poly SLO)
Paola Trujillo (San Jose State)
Marisol Zepeda (San Jose State)
Tatiana Alvarez (San Jose State)
Nancy Rubio (San Jose State)

If I've missed anyone, or if you've done something amazing since I posted this, please let me/us know in class.

February 23

JOURNAL TOPIC: [choose your own]

AGENDA:
1. Journal/collect HW
2. Peer editing rubric
3. Peer editing: 1st round

HW:
1. Literature analysis reading
2. Prepare/bring materials for tomorrow (AP, blog, BQ, CWG all eligible)