Day 15

Happy Halloween. I hope you are all safe this weekend when choosing your fun.

Next week is going to be busy so be ready. Also, you need to find a quote from your second source that relates to your value.

For today:

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."
Charles Darwin

Day 14

So, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." You may ask what this has to do with anything yet it truly does. The Peanuts gang may be seen as transcendental, well at least some of them. Which of the characters truly are transcendental or individualists? Why do you think this? What about Charlie Brown? Personally, I do not think he is so transcendental. What do you think? Why?

Remember the following:

1. Make sure you have your value picked
2. Make sure that you have 2 quotes, paraphrases from "Into the Wild"
3. Make sure you pick a second text from the textbook.

Day 13

Today we continue talking about the dark side of transcendentalism by discussing "The Black Cat" and "The Raven." Part of the idea of Poe is that he, through his dark stories, gives the impression that people who do bad things will get punished in some way. This is the idea of the glass half empty versus the true transcendentalist who would think the positive out of the situation.

For today's blog:

Writing as the speaker, compose a diary entry for a day one week after the raven incidents. What does the speaker think and feel now? What has happened to the raven? You must be true to the story of what happens to the speaker during his continual interactions with the raven and his issues over the death of his beloved Lenore.

If you were not here today, go to YouTube and put in "The Raven" by Poe and listen to it.

Day 12

Today we began a discussion on the dark aspects of transcendentilism and romanticism. Based on the positives of transcendentilism, we would think that those who are good will have good happen to them. These individuals believe strongly in the theory that the glass is half full not half empty. Pretend (or not) that you are of the transcendental belief structure. How would you then explain the idea that bad things happen to good people? If you can explain this, does this make you a dark member of transcendentilism or just a realist in life?

Week 3 Day 11

Today we discussed a variety of values that we could attribute to Chris McCandless. Your homework was to pick one of these values. For your blog this evening, I want you to discuss which value you picked and why. Also discuss if this value is one that you feel you have in your life and why or why not? You can even give an example of how this value is a part of your life. Last, if you need more sentences, find one or two examples from the book of the value you have chosen.

Day 10

Someone asked for the vocab words in the blog so here go:

loquacious
meticulous
novice
palpable
refute

I will not put in week 2 words.

I thought we had a good week and hope you did as well. I thought the test was easy when I wrote it. Basically, everything on the study guide was on the test word for word (especially the short answer questions). Next week we will begin discussing the paper we will be writing. Make sure you have both your textbook and your Into the Wild book as you will need both for this assignment.

At the beginning of the week in 6th hour, we discussed the idea of paying it forward. Then, later in the week I blogged that this concept would come back to haunt you on Friday. Today is Friday so here goes:

Explain the concept of pay it forward and how it is important especially in the times we are living. Next tell me something you did this week that goes along the lines of paying it forward and how this action betters someone's life as well as your own and how that person may know to pay it forward as well.

If you did nothing this week then I guess this blog is not for you.

Day 9

Sorry this is later than I wanted but, the site was down for a bit.

Try this on for size:

"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future."
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Day 8

Another decent day of presentations. As I said to 5th hour, do not forget to read clearly all information and rubrics when creating presentations. Too many people got into the creative aspects of the presentation but did not focus on the importance of Transcendentalism within your communities. In fact, there were only 1 or 2 in each class that spoke to individuality clearly and enough. Live and learn.

While we are doing a review tomorrow for "Into the Wild" do not wait and study until tomorrow night. Go through the study guide and be prepared to discuss each section tomorrow. Also, do not forget the vocab quiz as well.

Now, here is today's piece (with apologies for somehow forgetting that I put up the same one twice yesterday):

"Life is known only by those who have found a way to be comfortable with change and the unknown. Given the nature of life, there may be no security, but only adventure."

-Unknown

Day 7

I enjoyed the presentations from today and look forward to more tomorrow. Remember, do not read from PowerPoints and slided should only have 15-20 words max on them. Try and keep presentation to about 4-5 minutes max as well.

A reminder to 6th hour and some new information for 5th hour: Friday's blog will deal with the idea of "paying it forward" or doing a good deed with the hopes that the next person will as well. You must do something for someone else this week that makes their life better and on Friday we will discuss this in the blog.

For today, respond to the following:

What does stand and be counted mean to you? You may use a personal experience to explain.

Cardmarking 2 Day 6

I am really looking forward to these presentations. Some of you have really taken this seriously which I respect and appreciate.

Here is what I would like you to think about:

Why do you think "Into the Wild" became a bestseller? What was it about this story that hit readers to the point of it selling so many copies, making it into a movie and using it in classrooms? What themes and values made people feel riveted to the story?

Day 5

I hope all will have your projects completed on Monday. While I will be checking for completion, presentations will be on Tuesday so that we can spend some time on Monday talking about how to present well.

Please respond to the following:

Define popularity & how this concept affects your life? How can this idea be trascendental?

Day 4

So, it was nice to meet many of your parents at conferences. I am very tired and am feeling momentarily uninspired. Thus, enjoy not having to blog this evening.

Day 3

Today we discussed Thoreau's "Waldon" writings and touched on he and Chris/Alex. I want you to think and dig even deeper to their connection. We know that Chris/Alex read Thoreau. What was it about Thoreau's writings that attracted Chris? How did the writings possibly direct the road that Chris/Alex went down? Last, touch on how these two men were similar, different, or both with specific examples from "Into the Wild" and "Walden."

This may mean some of you actually may need to read "Waldon." If I see blogs of people who are too similar, I will ask questions in class. If you cannot answer them, you will receive a 0 on the blog.

Day 2

This may take more than 7 sentences but deal.

What do you want to experience in your life? Give 3 experiences that you hope to have that are more than just superficial. Based on this information, how do your desires compare with Thoreau's wish to live simply and deliberately in the woods? Do you see any of yourself in Thoreau or Emerson? Why or why not?

Cardmarking 2, Day 1

Welcome to the second cardmarking. Now that you have lived through the first cardmarking I hope that you have gotten a grasp on my expectations and how to succeed in the classroom. You will continue to work hard but each and everyone of you is capable of achieving success if you want to work for it. I continue to be willing to do my part to help you if you ask for it.

Today, as we get to the end of our discussions on "Into the Wild" I want you to think about the values that Chris had or did not have. If you had to pick 3 values of Chris' what would they be? Why did you choose them and give an example from the book for each.

See you tomorrow!

Day 29

Hope you all had a good day and did well on the vocab quiz. Also, I hope Mr. Hand told you that we would not be having vocab next week. Please note that I will be collecting "Into the Wild" again to check post its on Tuesday. At this point, I can check for the whole book but have not decided how much I will check. You should be done with the book. Do not forget about the "Walden" reading as well.

On to today's discussion:

What do you think you would want to say to Chris/Alex if you were his father? His mother? His sister? Remember to related specific items from the story in your answer.

Have a good weekend.

Day 28

Hello. Hope you did not miss me to much today. I am sure that you got good starts on your project. Remember that you have a vocab quiz tomorrow and to bring your independent reading book with you as well. You will have time again on Monday to work on the project but that will likely be the last in class day to do so. I would imagine that we will do the presentations next Friday.

On to today's question:

What do you think of the many people in "Into the Wild" who seem to be living as transients or squatters (if you do not know what these mean look them up!)? Does the freedom of their lifestyle (or of Chris') appeal to you? Do you think they should attempt to establish stable homes and livelihoods? Why or why not?

Day 27

There seem to be many similarities between Chris/Alex, Mr. Keating, the boys in "Dead Poet Society," Thoreu, and Emerson. Please discuss how some or all of these people follow the ideas of transcendentalism with examples.

Day 26

Sorry that so much time was spent on vocab today but sometimes you just have to have those days. I truly hope you understand, finally, the ideas of Romanticism and Transcendentalism. Let us review:

Romanticism- idealism vs. realism
Transcendentalism- Individuality and non-conformity

So, with that thought, pretend that you could speak for McCandless. What would you have to say to Krakauer, his biographer. To his parents?

Day 25

Today's discussion continued to be throught provoking. I hope you have read and do not forget to do your vocab sentences for tomorrow. Furthermore, make sure you have read the piece in the book (pages 370-376).

Please respond to the following:

Name and explain at least one way Into the Wild reflects the ideas of Romanticism and Transcendentalism. Make sure you give specific references to the novel in your explanation.

Day 24

Today's discussion was based the book "Into the Wild." I thank most of the inner circle for participating in the discussion. I would remind those who will be in the circle on Monday to make sure you make references to the book with quotes and pages.

I want you to think for a moment about Chris/Alex and his relationship with his parents. Why is this relationship so bad? What does materialism have to do with the issues in their relationship? How does their relationship compare with your own personal relationship with your parents/guardians? Could you ever imagine going to an extreme and just leaving it all because of a relationship you were having?

Have a great weekend.

Day 23

I was pleased to be back with you today even if only to watch the end of the movie. How tragic for Neil to be so fearful of his individuality in the face of his father. How sad that sometimes people impress upon us their hopes and dreams to the point that they want to live through us and not let us live for ourselves. Neil's suicide was far more than his own personal death but the death of his individuality (metaphor). I truly hope that in your lives you learn to counterbalance your need and desire for individuality with the times when conformity also comes into play. These two can co-exist as long as you are making the choices which are best (and safest) for you.

Now, in regards to the Twain reading I gave you last Thursday. I hope you read it and understood what he was saying about point of view. Why did he not see the river the same way once he became a river boat captain? Why did this change his point of view? Give an example in your life when an incident has occured when you have changed your point of view on something because of that incident.

Day 22

I hope you are enjoying the movie. If you are watching it and understanding not only that it is a great movie but also how it connects to transcendentalism than you are doing well. I am looking forward to actually coming back and teaching tomorrow (at least until next week when I will disappear for another 3 days).

It seems as if Mr. Keating is very understanding of the students and of teaching the importance of individuality. Why is it that the other adults seem so afraid of these young adults being individualistic? When you answer, please refer to one example from the movie. Also, do you think the adults in your world want you or do not want you to become individualistic? Explain your answer.