february 27/28

[for your MOM: mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...]

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes/ these go out to Gatsby: "You've Really Got a Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles; "The Love I Lost" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes; "Pick Up the Pieces" by Average White Band]

We've been reading about a character who will do just about anything to change the past and get what he wants.  What do you think of Gatsby's efforts?  If you could, what would you change about the past?  How would you go about it?  Do you think it could work?

AGENDA:
[MOM]
1. Journal
2. Gatsby: finish reading, debrief/discussion

POST:
1. Finish notes and thoughts on Chapter 8 (title: GATSBY CHAPTER 8 NOTES AND THOUGHTS)

2. Notes and thoughts on Chapter 9 (title: GATSBY CHAPTER 9 NOTES AND THOUGHTS)

3. Answer the following questions (title: WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT GATSBY)

(Suggested opening: "The great thing about The Great Gatsby is that the characters and their decisions also reflect life in America today.  For example...")

1. Is Gatsby great?  Is he even good?  Why/ why not?
2. Nick opens the book by complimenting himself for his honesty.  Is Nick honest with himself?  Why does he constantly hang out with dishonest people?  Why does he respect them and seek out relationships with them?

3. Fitzgerald describes Daisy and Tom this way: “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”  What does this mean?  Do you agree?

4. Do you understand Daisy's behavior?  Do you agree with her choices?  Is she a person you would let your brother/son/friend date?

5. The last line of the book: "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."  What does this mean?  How does it relate to the theme/s of the book?

february 26

[for your MOM: tell yourself something nice about yourself. repeat. tell yourself something nice about yourself. repeat. tell yourself something nice about yourself...]

JOURNAL TOPIC:
What's the cutest animal you would eat?

-OR-

Which character in Gatsby would you be willing to trade lives with?  Why?  If no one, why?

AGENDA:
[MOM]
1. Journal
2. Gatsby: Q & A on Chapter 7
3. Gatsby: Chapter 8

POST:
Your notes & thoughts on Chapter 8 (title: GATSBY NOTES & THOUGHTS ON CHAPTER 8)

Guiding Questions:
1. What does Gatsby tell Nick about his night when Nick shows up early in the morning?  What does Gatsby say about what happened between Tom and Daisy?
2. What does Nick suggest that Gatsby do?  Why does Gatsby reject Nick's suggestion?
3. What does Gatsby say about the way he and Daisy left each other the first time, when he went to war?
4. The gardener interrupts to tell Gatsby he wants to drain the pool.  Why, in the middle of all of this drama, do you think the author interrupts the tense relationship dialogue with a secondary character and mention of the pool?  Why do you think it's important that Gatsby wants to swim at least once in his own pool?
5. Nick gets to work-- and the entire narrative shifts.  Now we're getting to the climax of the plot, and Fitzgerald goes nearly Shakespeare.  Describe the action and what it represents.

february 25

[for your MOM: When is it wise to seek counsel/advice from others, and when does it make sense to find the wisdom you need within yourself?]

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe what you think it means to be wise.  Is it the same thing as well-informed, or knowledgeable, or educated, or is it different? (Look up the words to see what others think.)  Is your experience school helping you become any of these things?  How?

AGENDA:
[MOM]
1. Journal
2. Progress report self-assessment (questions below, please turn in paper during class)
3. Gatsby: Finish reading and posting notes for Chapter 7 (use the guiding questions HERE)
4. Discussion about Chapter 7 (time permitting)

POST:
Finish your notes for Chapter 7, including your answers to the guiding questions

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS:
1. At the end of last semester, during your exit interview, you set some goals for yourself.  Are you achieving them?  Rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = not achieving, 10 = crushing it) and write 1-2 sentences that explain why.

2. Describe one thing that you have done really well in this course so far this semester.

3. Describe one thing you need to improve.

4. What letter grade have you earned to this point?  Please be specific (include "+" or "-" if appropriate) and write 1-2 sentences that explain your answer.

benefits of meditation

I understand how different our course feels compared to what many of you experience during the rest of your day.  This is why, sometimes, I think it is important for you to see research and the experiences other students have around the country.  A couple days ago, The Washington Post ran an article about different meditation practices in classrooms around the country and the resulting positive effects.  The article is behind a paywall, though, so I am including THIS ONE from a few years ago so you can get a sense of why we do one of the things we do, from a source other than me.  (In terms of ethos, you should know that both the Post and Forbes are high-quality publications produced big audiences of successful people who want the latest/best information-- they are not for an especially "touchy/feely" crowd.) Enjoy. -dp

february 24

[Today your MOM is thoughtless... just breathe.]

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe the last time you simply fell out laughing.  What set you off?  If this has never happened to you (poor you), what do you think it would take?

**If you finish before the rest of us: a) refine your journal entries for the week; b) look up "Trimalchio"; c) work on your blog.

AGENDA:
1.  Journal (please turn in)
2. Gatsby: Chapter VIII (8)
3. Agreements/ reading and blogs

POST:
1. Post your notes and thoughts on Gatsby Ch.8 (title: GATSBY CHAPTER 8 NOTES AND THOUGHTS)

2. What's the difference between agreeing to complete work for each other, being told what to do for homework, and exploring what you want to in your own way?  (title: HAVE TO VERSUS WANT TO VERSUS GET TO)

guiding questions: chapter 7

1. Why does Gatsby stop having parties?
2. Why does Gatsby fire his staff, and who replaces them?  How are these people different, and how do their personalities reflect what we know about Wolfsheim?
3. Describe the difference in Daisy's and Gatsby's reactions to Daisy's daughter.
4. Describe the "outing" to New York and the confrontation between Tom and Gatsby.  Who wins?
5. BAM! What happens on the way back to Long Island?  (You have to get this-- it's THE event of the book.)
6. What are Tom and Daisy doing at the end of the chapter?  What does this say to you about Daisy's character?

february 21

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Sometimes ideas from class stick with us and sometimes they don't. Describe an idea that you learned in class that has stuck with you longer than you expected. Why does it stick out in your memory? Was it presented in a memorable way, or is it particularly meaningful or valuable?

AGENDA:

1. Journal

2. Catch up and reflect: make sure your notes on Chapters 1-7 are up-to-date and posted on your blog

3. We will read Chapter 8 on Monday, you are free to read ahead if you like

POST:

1. What do you think is the central message-- the theme-- of the book so far?  (title: WHAT GATSBY SAYS TO ME) 

2. What ideas have we read about or discussed that you think are worth writing about?  Write a couple sentences about the ideas from the book that you consider most interesting, or important, or worth thinking about further.  Then, write 1-3 questions that we might be able to use as prompts for an essay next week. (title: GATSBY PROMPTS FURTHER THINKING)

what a great way to start the day!

february 20

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe a practice that's good for you -- working out, eating vegan, sleeping 8 hours a night, flossing every day -- that you don't do.  Why don't you do something that you KNOW is good for you?  Logically, this seems absurd, but we all develop habits and life practices that need improvement.  What will it take for you to take better care of yourself?

-OR-

Gatsby seems to think that money will influence Daisy, bring back the past, change the future, and get him what he wants.  This seems to parallel what some people think about money in 2020; some appear to believe that it will attract lovers, create happiness, grant powers, solve problems, and change the world.  Others will look at this paragraph as nothing more than a nice pile of words.  What do you think?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Evaluate progress: Gatsby Chapter 6
3. Gatsby Chapter 7

Post:
Gatsby notes and thoughts on Chapter 6 (title: GATSBY NOTES AND THOUGHTS: CHAPTER 7)
*You may want to include a perspective on the fact that, between Gatsby and the news, it seems impossible to get away from everyone talking about money all the time.  Is this reasonable or healthy?  What effect does it have on us?  For example, isn't there a better reason to learn than just getting a diploma/degree/job?

february 19

JOURNAL TOPIC:
How far away from you (or how different a life from yours) does a person have to live in order for you to consider him/her a "foreigner"?  Are you inclined to welcome "foreigners" -- whether they be from a different country, city, or even just another social clique on campus-- or are you inclined to favor people whose experience is more similar to yours?

**If you finish before the rest of us: a) refine your journal entries for the week; b) look up "Trimalchio"; c) work on your blog.

AGENDA:
1.  Journal
2. Gatsby Chapter 6

*You may read individually or with partner/s at your table

**Since I'm not in class today (oh, the cruel irony of talking about health yesterday!) here are some guiding questions to help you as you read:

• Yesterday I mentioned the foreshadowing of seeing a picture of Dan Cody.  Who is he?  What is the REAL story of Jay Gatz?  How do alcohol and money figure into that story, and what does Gatz/Gatsby learn/take away as a result?
• Describe the conversation between Gatsby, Tom, and Mr. & Mrs. Sloane. Do these people like each other or enjoy each other's company?  Why are they hanging out with each other?
• Describe Tom and Daisy's experience at Gatsby's party. 
• Gatsby thinks that he can recreate the moments and the love that he and Daisy shared in Louisville.  He thinks that money will influence Daisy and get him what he wants.  Based on what you know about Daisy-- and what you know about life-- what do you think?

I plan on being back tomorrow, so we will review and complete Chapter 6 together.  Please get as far as you can so that you know what we're talking about.  

POST:
Chapter 6 Notes (title: GATSBY NOTES AND THOUGHTS: CHAPTER 6)

february 18

[for your MOM: Think of all the amazing things your body does in a day.  The little things: tying your shoes, making sure you keep the nutrients from your food and getting rid of the rest... Have you thanked your body recently?  Maybe now would be a good time.]

JOURNAL TOPIC:
The human body is such an amazing design.  Evolution.  Wow.   Whether you believe that Mother Nature, or God, or selective adaptation from primordial ooze is responsible, it's quite a system, and yet it's also oddly imperfect.  Why do we have such weird quirks?  Why is pain necessary?  Or fever?  Or phlegm?  Why couldn't we just have a red light or buzzer that goes off and says "Er, hey, you should probably get some rest"?

AGENDA:
[MOM]
1. Journal
2. Gatsby Chapter 5

POST:
Chapter 5 notes and reflections (title: NOTES AND THOUGHTS ON GATSBY CHAPTER 5) 

february 14

[for your MOM: How much love can you feel in sixty seconds?] 

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "My Funny Valentine" by Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker; "California Love" by 2Pac]

Love is intangible. It doesn't exist as a physical "thing" in the world that we can observe or experience with our senses.  How do you know it exists?

How will the love you feel and express today be remembered tomorrow (by you or anyone else)?

Lastly, if you really love someone, why do you need companies to tell you to buy stuff in order to show the way you feel? (And, if someone really loves you, what do they care if you buy a crappy stuffed animal or overpriced flowers today, as opposed to, I don't know, October 9?)

Pro Tip: If you really love someone, show them every day.  Buy them flowers this February 29 ("My heart LEAPS for you!")  Not only will you surprise and delight the person you love 365 days a year-- "OMG you're so sweet, you were thinking about me even without a pop up ad?" -- but you'll also be a role model for those poor suckers who paid 3x the price for roses this week.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Wrap up quizzes and blog posts for the week
3. Bad language and our culture
4. Gatsby plan (time permitting)

COMMENT: To the "sticks and stones" post on the course blog.  Read (at least skim) the article and share your thoughts and feelings.

POST:
1. Think back on this week and reflect: How can you show what you learn about what we read?  (title: HOW YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW)

didn't i just talk about this yesterday?

Less than 24 hours after I mentioned the idea in class that something like this could happen, I read about it actually happening on the CNN website:

"NBA superstar Lebron James gives 4 years of college tuition to the 193 students in the first class of his 'I Promise' school."  Watch the video below.

sticks and stones, and... words?

Thinking we may need to talk about this.  Please skim the article and come to class tomorrow prepared to tell us what you think.  Feel free to comment to this post in the meantime.

<<CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE>>

february 13

[For your MOM: What does it mean to be "your own best friend"?  How can you be kind to yourself? Where does exercise, nutrition, rest, and mindfulness fit into this?]

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Money" by Pink Floyd; "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits]

Do you think money changes people?  Are people who are born into money different than people who aren't?  Are their lives really that different?  Why are we so curious about the extremes (like people who are super-rich or super-poor, for example)?  Is this why F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby instead of A Regular Gary?

-OR-

Now that we know Gatsby and Daisy were "a thing" back in the day, before he became great and she became Mrs. Tom Buchanan, make a prediction about where you think things are going to go from here.

AGENDA:
[MOM]
1. Journal
2. Finish reading Chapter 4
3. Choose three people and give them your test.  Walk up to them, have them find your blog post with your eight questions, and sit with them while they answer your questions online in a comment to your blog.  We will set this up in class together; I'm posting the general idea so that if anyone is not in class today, you can message three friends and have them do this today, so that you will not fall behind tomorrow.

POST:
1. Chapter 4 notes -- if you haven't already (title: GATSBY CHAPTER 4 NOTES)
2. Your test results.  Describe the process of selecting questions: how did the questions you chose reflect what you think is important to understand about the book?  Also describe what people got right and wrong, and how the conversations you had about this indicated whether they understand the book. (title: TESTING UNDERSTANDING FROM THE OTHER SIDE)

february 12

[Idea for your MOM: What is it about sitting still and quietly that seems like a challenge to some people?  What happens when I just, simply... relax?]

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Testify" by Rage Against the Machine; "Test for Echo" by Rush]
When does Nick feel tested (or at least uncomfortable) in the book?  When do you feel tested in life?

-OR-
In the process of selecting today's tunes, I geeked out and researched the etymology of the words test, testify, and testimony.  Turns out they're all related to determining correctness or vouching for the truth in some way.  Small wonder that the lyrics of both songs question what we're seeing.  If you prefer, you can write about how sometimes you receive messages that don't appear to align with reality.  How can you tell?  How do you respond?  Are you able to test the truth for yourself?  (Hmm, isn't that how the scientific method was developed?)


AGENDA:
*[MOM]
1. Journal
2. Cake Wednesday: (a) advice from a college finance pro; (b) write a poem that you can enter in that scholarship contest
3. Today we will finish reading Chapter 4 and reflect by challenging three friends (see below).  Write a test with at least two questions per chapter.

POST:
1. Chapter 4 notes (title: GATSBY CH 4 NOTES)
2. The questions (BUT NOT THE ANSWERS) on your blog (TITLE: GATSBY TEST CHAPTERS 1-4).  Get at least three friends to take the test by commenting to your post with their answers.  Grade them and report their grades with the correct answers in a second post (TITLE: GATSBY TEST GRADES).

***
Q: Dr. Preston, what if I can't get three friends to take my test?
A: Fine-tune your powers of persuasion and try harder.  This is all-or-nothing.

gatsby and the public domain

To better understand why people can't just go around sharing and remixing Gatsby-- but they WILL be able to in less than a year from now, read this article.

february 11

[MOM'S IDEA: "What do you need to figure this out?  You can do this."]

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Did it occur to you to read this weekend?  Why do you think this sort of idea comes naturally to some people, and not to others?  If this is something that you have to work at, what will you have to do in order to support this habit?

AGENDA:
1. MOM

2. Journal
3. Gatsby: your questions on Chapter 3 and begin reading Chapter 4

POST:
1. At the end of Chapter III Nick tells us of his "cardinal virtue" -- what is it?  How does this admission change the way we look at Nick?  Is his idea supported by the events we've read so far?  Do you think he is being humble or arrogant?  (title: NICK'S CARDINAL VIRTUE)

2. Gatsby reading notes on beginning of Chapter 4 (title: WHO ARE THE PEOPLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD/ GATSBY CH 4 READING NOTES)

poetry for $

This just in:

gatsby chapter 3 questions for your post

Here are some questions you should be clear on.  Post the answers to your blog in sentence form.  You can introduce the post by writing something like, "I just read Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby, and here is what I got out of it."

What rumors about Gatsby did the two girls and Jordan talk about?  Why do you think Gatsby is so mysterious?

 

What does Nick call the man in Gatsby's library?

 

What does Nick initially imagine Gatsby to look like?

 

What does Nick find out about Jordan?

 

What do Gatsby and Nick plan to do on the next day?

 

At the end of the chapter, we learn that Nick's cardinal virtue is," I am one of the few ____ people that I have ever known."  Fill in the blank and explain why you think he mentions this at this point in the book.

february 7

[Minute of Mindfulness: I'm going to think on this Zen proverb: "You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes a day.  Unless you're too busy; then you should sit for an hour."]

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Taking Care of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive; "Business by Eminem]

What thoughts came up for you during our minute of mindfulness?  Did you let them go, or did you choose to focus on one?  What "business" do you have to take care of today that may deter you from the things you really want to do-- not just relaxing, but thinking about and doing the things that will help you create the life you really want?  To put this another way, what will you do to avoid becoming the sort of outwardly successful and inwardly miserable characters that we are reading about?

AGENDA:
1. [MOM]
2. Journal
3. That thing that we all love to do, oh so #$%!@%&!! much
4. Gatsby Chapter 3
5. Q & A and plan for finishing the chapter

POST:
1. Gatsby reading notes on Chapter 3 (title: NOW IT'S A PARTY/ GATSBY CHAPTER 3)
2. (by Monday) Something that occurs to you during the six minutes (minimum) you give yourself to think about your Big Question this weekend (MY MOM ON MY BIG QUESTION) [Note: "MOM" stands for "Minutes of Mindfulness" so you should probably explain that in your post.]

they walk among us

february 6

[Minute of Mindfulness: Is there something in your life that is incomplete?  How does this make you feel?]

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "Symphony No. 8 in B Minor" by Franz Schubert, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic]

The day before yesterday, some classes nearly finished reading Chapter One of The Great Gatsby together before the bell rang.  Yesterday, we nearly got to the part in Chapter Two when Tom (well, you'll see today).  Almost every day, I leave campus thinking of things that we didn't have quite enough time to read, discuss, consider, or do.  We place a huge value on finishing things; today I am wondering about the value of incompleteness (if you really want to geek out on this, you can read about how mathematics and logic -- and therefore a great deal of our thinking about everything-- is incomplete... articles on Stanford's philosophy site and Wikipedia).  What is the value of an unfinished symphony that leaves the next steps or the ending up to us?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Gatsby pp. _____ (finish Chapter 2 and get into Chapter 3)

POST:
1. Post your Gatsby reading notes (title: GATSBY pp. ___)
2. Set a goal based on today's conversations and describe it in a post entitled, MY UN/FINISHED SYMPHONY

check out the new guy!

I'm always impressed when a student joins a new class, looks around, and realizes that there is a secret network within that class whose members decided to create it in the first place.

That has to be weird.

Can you imagine joining this happy freak show over halfway through the year and trying to figure things out as you go? 

We have a few new students, and they are making their way into the Open-Source Learning network.  Welcome to Valentina, Nelson, Pimo, and Angel (if I'm forgetting someone please comment to this post).  It reminds me of that great quote from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book: "The strength of the wolf is the pack, and the strength of the pack is the wolf." 

Please take a few moments today to check out your fellow wolves' blogs and encourage each other.  You can see Angel's blog by clicking HERE:

february 5

[Minute of Mindfulness/suggestion: What do you imagine will give you the freedom to really go for what you want in life?]

JOURNAL TOPIC: (today's tunes: "Green Light" by John Legend w Andre 3000; "Green Light" by Lorde)

Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby ends with Nick (our narrator) seeing Gatsby reach out toward a green light (the end of a dock?) across the water.  Take a guess: given what you know about green, and lights, what do you imagine this symbol can possibly mean?  Use the epigraph and anything else we've read/discussed so far to support your idea.

-AND-

Let's talk Gatsby!  What do you want to talk about today?  What did you read over the last two days that's worth writing about and/or asking questions about?


AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Gatsby plot, characters, and discussion topics
3. Fitzgerald's style/techniques
4. Checking in: are we on the same page?  Continue reading
5. Your Big Question
6. Our reading schedule

POST:
1. Today's Gatsby reading notes (title: Gatsby pp. _-_)

2. Make a list of three things you will do next regarding your Big Question (title: BQGSD; define this in your post :)

gatsby audio

Some of you have asked me about an audio recording of the book.  (Full disclosure: I haven't listened to this.  If it's good, please comment and let me know.  If it sucks, please comment and let me know.)

february 4

JOURNAL TOPIC: [today's tunes: "War" by Edwin Starr; "Give Peace A Chance" by The Plastic Ono Band]

[Minute of Mindfulness: Focus on a conflict-- within yourself, between yourself and someone else, or between other people-- and ask what it would take to resolve it.  *Or, as always, you can think about nothing.]

Ever since we read yesterday (and talked about the Rotary scholarship essay) I've been thinking about conflict.  Whatever else we learned from the exposition, the author definitely gave us the idea that some things don't seem to go together.  Like whoever Gatsby really is and the "great" version the epigraph recommends to anyone wanting the attention of a lover.  And what about the narrator?  He seems like he goes against his family's tradition to move to New York, where he doesn't fit in with the millionaires-- and he even got the idea when he came back from... World War I.  What do you think of these conflicts?  Do you think they will matter in the book?  Do you think they matter in life?  Please explain your answer. 

-OR-

Choose a character or a moment in the book and describe it like you’re telling a friend about something that happened at lunch.  This will tell me what gets your attention, what affects your mood as a reader, and what you remember. (Obviously, it will also tell me what you’ve read and understand.)  When it comes to the characters and their words and actions, be as judgmental as you want.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Keep reading (as a class, in groups, or by yourself) and taking notes
3. You should be posting to your blog EVERY DAY now as part of your routine. You can do this during the last part of the period if that makes it easier. Please post your notes (title: GATSBY pages xx-xx). (Don’t type “xx” — use the pages you/we read that day.)  You can also post about any Big Question work you’re doing and anything else you want to share with your readers.

gatsby narrator's relationship to daisy

On p. 10 of The Great Gatsby our narrator tells us that, "Daisy was my second cousin once removed."  Some of you asked me what that means -- and I've always had trouble remembering the specifics -- so here is a family tree diagram I found on Lifehacker.

basic essay structure

In case anyone needs a reminder about the basic structure of an essay, please have a look at the newest page on the course blog: Basic Essay Structure.

february 3

AGENDA:
1. We read! (Start The Great Gatsby together.)
2. We write! (Journal and begin writer/essay conferences.)
3. We win! (That's actually self-explanatory.)

JOURNAL TOPIC:

Sometimes when we start a book it's easy to get impatient with all the background information the author gives (on places, characters etc.) before something actually happens.  Why do we get all of this stuff first?  What did we learn in the first few pages of reading today?  How does it help to know these things when the action starts and the plot gets going?  What would we miss if The Great Gatsby started with a chase scene?