October 19

JOURNAL TOPIC:
In addition to Antigone and Oedipus Rex, Sophocles also wrote, "I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating." What is your philosophy on this point?


AGENDA: (standardized exam administration: day 1 of 3)

October 18

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Recently it rained for the first time in months. In fiction, rain is often used to symbolize the author's tone or to create a mood for the reader. What feelings do you associate with rain? As an author, when/why would you choose to include it in a story?


AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Good News: No new vocabulary list this week
3. Bad News: Vocabulary mid-term Friday, October 22
4. Logical Fallacy News: Owing to school-mandated California High School Exit Exam "practice test" there will be no logic in class this week; therefore please bring your journal, vocab notes and/or literature analysis book to class 10/19, 20 & 21 (if you don't have extra time during the period, make sure to dedicate some homework time each night so that you're prepared to take exam and turn in both journal and lit. analysis on Friday)

LOGICAL FALLACIES

logical fallacies -

October 15

JOURNAL TOPIC:
As experts in symbolism, please explain the relatively new trend of throwing flour and eggs on people to "celebrate" their birthdays. Older people may regard this behavior as assault or a desperate plea for attention; is there a deeper significance to this practice, or is it as dumb as it looks?


AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Vocabulary quiz
3. Logical fallacies


HW: Read "Logical Fallacies" (next post) and choose five that you recognize from your own experience. Write an example of each one and be prepared to discuss in class 10/18.

October 14

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Imagine that you are sitting at home one evening when you see a big spider walk across the floor in front of you. Do you ignore it, take it outside, smash it, or do something else? What information do you consider before you decide? Explain.


AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Discuss HW in groups and report persuasive tactics to class
3. KEY TERMS: argument, syllogism, premise, inference, conclusion, truth, validity, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, logical fallacy

HW: Study for vocab quiz 10/15-- and make sure you are able to tell an inductive syllogism from a deductive syllogism.

October 13

JOURNAL TOPIC:
[CHOOSE YOUR OWN TOPIC.] Every day so far, you have been given a topic to write about. Today you may write about ANYTHING you want. (One catch: You must write a full page to earn full credit.)


AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Monty Python's Argument Clinic: What is an argument?
3. Lecture: syllogisms/inductive/deductive reasoning

HW: Evaluate an argument and answer the questions posed in class; be ready to discuss in class 10/13

October 12

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Yesterday I attended a meeting about teaching English and it got me to thinking: Why do any of you care about learning English? What will you gain from being a better reader/writer/listener/speaker?


AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Return work/check vocab sentences & paragraph on logic and leadership
3. Review & discuss Antigone final
4. Review vocabulary (last week's quiz, this week's definitions)
5. Exchange vocabulary study strategies

EXIT TICKET: Five new strategies and three action steps (on a new strategy or on your tried/true method) that you will take today to improve your vocabulary and associated quiz scores.