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Catalyst #11 2.11
In The Alchemist, Santiago reflects on how his sheep react to their travels:
“The problem is that they don’t even realize that they’re walking a new road every day. They don’t see that the fields are new and the seasons change. All they think about is food and drink.”
1- How can the sheep be a metaphor for people in our society today?
2-What would the road, field, seasons, food and drink translate to in our society today?
3- Do you agree that most people act like ‘sheep’? Why or why not?
4- Has Santiago acted like his sheep during any component of his travels so far?

Catalyst #12 2.12
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To you personally, what does it mean to go on, or to have, an adventure? Or, what is an adventure you have had in the past?
Which of the adventure stories that you read last night most aligns with your idea of an adventure? Why?
Did you notice any connections between these four adventure stories, other than that they were adventures?
Which of the adventure stories was your favorite? Why? What might this reveal about your own interests, beliefs, etc?

Catalyst #13 2.14
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Happy Valentine’s Day! Please have out your Trojan War timeline/questions for me to check.
Based on yesterday’s debates, which of our four heroes do you believe best exemplifies a hero?
Provide 3 pieces of evidence to support your choice in #1.
Look back at your reading of the Trojan War from last night: name at least one “hero” who was a part of the war.
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Did this hero complete any of the hero’s journey? Name at least one step he/she completed OR explain why he/she did not complete any of the steps.
What did you find interesting OR confusing about the Trojan War?
In other words, what part of the war would you like to discuss more?

Catalyst #14 2.15
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Have out your Trojan War timeline for me to check.
In your journal, record your response to each of the multiple choice questions (called selected response on the EOC) that follow the passage.
For each answer choice that you choose, record a reason why you chose that answer or why you eliminated another answer.
Do NOT answer the short or extended responses—we are going to talk about how to answer these questions, because of the unique formatting of the EOC.

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Catalyst #15 2.19
“The stranger” in this portion of The Alchemist tells Santiago:
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“Courage is the quality most essential to understanding the language of the world.”
“You must love the desert but never trust it completely. Because the desert tests all men: it challenges every step, and kills those who become distracted.”
Interpret how each of these quotes could apply to your own life, or the lives of your classmates. What do they actually ‘mean’?
Do you agree that courage is the most important quality we can have? Why or why not?
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Should everyone have to go through a “desert” in their lives? Why or why not? What is its value or its disadvantage?
Use remaining time to review your reading!

Catalyst #16 2.20
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Put yourself in the shoes of one of the following characters:
Paris, Menelaus OR Helen
Re-cap what happens to this character leading up to the breakout of war between the Greeks and Trojans.
Write from this character’s perspective, as you think he or she would speak:
 How are you feeling at this moment in time?
 What is your relationship to the other characters listed above?
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Do you feel a sense of responsibility, shame, honor, spite or revenge?
Who, if anyone, do you blame for your circumstance? Do you blame yourself even? Why or why not?
Do you feel like the oncoming war is necessary? Why or why not?
What are you going to do next?

Catalyst #17 2.21
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1- Choose three of your vocabulary words. Use each one in a sentence of its own. Be SURE to clearly indicate the meaning of the word in the sentence AND to use it as the correct part of speech.
Look back at Scenes 1 and 2 of Antigone (starting on p. 1064 in your blue textbook under your desk).
2-What is the major conflict in the play so far?
3- So far, what seems tragic about the play?
4-What archetypes can you identify in the play? Identify at least two. Explain the archetype.
5-How is Antigone different from her sister Ismene?

Catalyst #18 2.25
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Current Event Conclusion: Take a few minutes to complete the synthesis box from your notes on the discussion from Friday.
Then, answer the questions below about this excerpt from The Alchemist:
“And what went wrong when other alchemists tried to make gold and were unable to do so?”
“They were looking only for gold,” his companion answered. “They were seeking the treasures of their Personal Legend, without wanting actually to live out the Personal Legend.”
What is the difference between seeking the treasure of your legend and living out your legend?
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What could be the “treasure(s)” that you or your classmates might be seeking?
What treasure(s) might you be seeking later in life?
Do you agree that you are only successful if you want to live out your personal legend, not just seek its treasure?

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Catalyst #19 2.26
Imagine that you are a Greek ORTrojan warrior in the Trojan War.
Hector has just been killed by Achilles, and there is a 9-day truce to honor Hector’s death.
1-What is your outlook on the war at this point?
2-What, if any, divine intervention are you expecting or hoping for?
3-Who would you want to make allies with?
4-Who would you want to be sure to steer clear of?
5-What has been the most memorable aspect of the war up to this point?
6- If it were up to you, how should the war end?
(You may refer back to your reading if you need to refresh on what is happening at this point in the war.)

Catalyst #20 2.27
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Have out your Alchemist chart for me to check!
Read each of the following statements. A- Record whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree. B-Then, record at least 2 reasons why. C-
Finally, star the statement which you felt MOST strongly about.
1. Doing what you think is right is more important than following the law.
2. Being loyal to your family is more important than your loyalty to the government.
3. Someone who obeys every law is weak and fearful.
4. If a close friend or family member did something illegal, I would not tell the police, even if it meant getting into trouble myself.
5. People should fear death.

Catalyst #21 2.28
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Read each of the following statements. A- Record whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree. B-Then, record at least 2 reasons why. C- Finally, star the statement which you felt MOST strongly about.
It is worth it to sacrifice your own happiness to honor what you believe is right.
Your course in life is already determined by fate, and there is little that you can do alter the course of your fate.
It is sometimes justifiable to punish other people for one person’s crime.
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I would risk dying to honor my family.
When a conflict occurs between beliefs, it is not a case of “right” or “wrong” – it is a case of different perceptions/points of view.

Catalyst #22 3.1
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The following are personal reflection questions…
Consider all of the characters in Antigone. Who do you share the most in common with? Explain why.
What was your reaction to the ending of the play? Explain why.
The following are seminar-style questions…
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Which character do you think has exhibited more hubris:
Antigone or Creon? Explain your answer using at least 2 specific examples of each character’s actions.
Is it worse that Creon is acting like a tyrant toward his people, that he is not being loyal to his family members, or that he is disobeying the justice of the gods?

Catalyst #23 3.4
Let’s review for Wednesday’s test!
Look back at your notes on Archetypes and the Hero’s journey.
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What is the significance of the color red?
What is the significance of the garden setting?
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What is the significance of the sun?
What happens during a hero’s apotheosis?
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What does it mean if a hero has freedom to live?
Look back at your notes from Greek mythology and theater
6. Provide two examples of divine intervention in the Trojan War.
7. What was the text-specific theme of one of the adventure stories?
8. What are two components of a Greek tragedy?
9. How does a tragic hero differ from a hero?
10. Provide an example of how one of the four great heroes exemplified a step of the hero’s journey?

Catalyst #24 3.7
Complete the 5 poetry explication steps (situation, structure, literary devices, sound devices, conclusion) that we practiced on Monday. You can number 1-5 in this case.
“Moonrise” by Jeanette Purcell
City night sky gives itself to me again when I have so little left to receive it.
I am dark, crumbling and you are rivers and trees away searching your own night sky for a sign.
The strong gates of your heart are wide open to me always, but, if only.
So I wait, as seasons before, decades before, fathers and mothers before me still inside watch and listen.
Suddenly, bamboo, bones, fiber, fences, water, glistening koi, * all the tiny rooms, paths and places I hold your memories relax in audible, reverent wonder at the fullness forming on this horizon’s edge.
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* koi: colorful fish that symbolize love and friendship

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Catalyst #25 3.11
Hopefully everything went well while I was gone on Friday and you were able to learn lots about flood stories.  We will be discussing these later this week.
In a few minutes, you will be taking an EOC Practice Quiz. This one will ‘count,’ meaning that you will earn a quiz grade for it, based on correct answers.
To prepare, take a few moments to review your notes regarding EOC selected (multiplechoice) and constructed responses from our last EOC “quiz” and from last Thursday’s practice
1-What are the four components of a constructed response?
2- Based on our practice on Thursday, what is the most challenging part of a constructed response for you? How do you hope to improve upon this?
3-What are two strategies we discussed to improve your performance on selected response (multiple choice) questions?
4-What other strategies have you used in the past to ensure you perform well on selected response (multiple choice) questions?

Catalyst #26 3.12
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In the last few days, you have read several sets of comparative stories: Genesis v. Pandora, various flood stories, and, last night, tales of sacrifice.
1-What is the most interesting or significant comparison you can make between any two of the stories that you’ve read?
2-What is the most interesting or significant contrast you’ve found between any two of the stories that you’ve read?
3- Imagine that you were in Abraham’s or Agammenon’s position. Would you have made the same decisions that they did regarding their children?
Why or why not?
4- Imagine that you are Isaac or Iphigenia. How would you have reacted to your father’s decisions? Would you have been able to understand? Why or why not?
5- How do each of these stories end? What do you think the different endings mean for the message in these tales?

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Catalyst #27 3.13
Please have out your vocab homework for me to check. You are now going to conduct a condensed self-edit to prepare for the peer edit:
1- In your journal, record what you feel is the overall strength of your writing: focus, content, organization, style or mechanics. WHY?
2- In your journal, record what you feel is the overall weakness of your writing: focus, content, organization, style or mechanics. WHY?
3- On your essay, highlight or underline any sentences that you feel might be troublesome.
4- Star(*) the paragraph that you feel is most well-developed.
5- Put an X beside the paragraph that you feel is least well-developed.
6- At the bottom of your paper, write a comment about what you MOST want your partner to look for in your essay.

Catalyst #28 3.14
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Based on Chapter 1, what is your impression of what may have happened to the narrator (Amir)? What do you think the phone call from Rahim Khan could mean?
Describe the friendship between Hassan and Amir as depicted in Chapter 2. What is typical about it? What is a bit unusual?
What is the conflict between Hazaras and Pashtuns?
What does Baba say is the only sin? Explain his reasoning.
Why is Baba worried about Amir at the end of Chapter 3?

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Catalyst #29 3.18
In what ways (if any) did you interact with social media over the weekend (facebook, twitter, instagram, texting, chats, etc.)
Did these interactions (or lack of interactions) lead to a positive or negative effect? EXPLAIN.
What would make social media ‘better’? Explain.
What do you still want to discuss regarding Friday’s article?
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Throughout the week I will be integrating review into your warm-up. Please see the review guide on the website for more information!
Review: what does ambidextrous mean?
Review: what is the apotheosis in a hero’s journey?
Review: what are the five steps of poetry explication?
Review: Record any questions that you have about the upcoming midterm.

Catalyst #30 3.19
Look back at the article that you read last night on “Evidence Found of
Flood”…
1. What do you think is the author’s purpose in this nonfiction article?
2. Despite any faith-based beliefs, what evidence does Tim
Randford present that offers either support for or against a
“punishment” flood?
3. Is there any evidence of this article supporting a bias one way or another? Why or why not?
4. Look back at the flood stories that you read—make two connections between this article and the stories.
5. Review: What is a tragic flaw?
6. Review: Explain why fortitude and craven are antonyms.
7. Review: What is an epithet?
8. Review: List two requirements involved in MLA formatting.

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Catalyst #31 3.20
In this next part of our unit, we will be weighing the connections between different types of texts. Therefore, answer the following IN COMPLETE SENTENCES:
Why do we read fiction, particularly stories?
What aspects of writing do we analyze in fiction?
Why do we read nonfiction, such as articles and documentaries?
What aspects of writing do we analyze in nonfiction?
When might it be beneficial to read both fiction and nonfiction sources?
Which type of reading do you prefer? Fiction or nonfiction?
Review: How is a tragic hero different from an epic hero?
Review: What should you do first when approaching a passage with multiplechoice questions on a test?
Review: Provide an example of parallelism.
Review: Which of our other vocabulary word(s) is/are related to guise?

Catalyst #32 3.21
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Based on your reading so far (Evidence of flood, Noah, Gilgamesh, Tata and Nena and Deucalion), answer the following:
What comparisons have you noticed across these texts?
What contrasts have you noticed across these texts?
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Do you believe a ‘punishment’ flood actually occurred? Why or why not?
Review: Explain how punitive and redress could be related.
Review: Explain two ‘perceptions of humanity’ that the
Greeks held, as seen in their mythology
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Review: What was a text-specific theme in Antigone?
Review: What is the difference between dramatic and situational irony?

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Catalyst #33
Feedback “Friday”! I will collect journals on Wednesday.
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As far as class activities, do you prefer the individual, group and/or full class activities that we’ve done? Which ones in particular?
What do you enjoy about the activities you listed for #1?
As far as content of your course, what readings have you enjoyed? not enjoyed? Why?
What has been difficult or frustrating in this class? Are you still feeling confused about anything we are learning?
Has this course challenged you academically? In what ways?
Do you have any suggestions for how we could make class better?
Overall, what has been the “best” part of this class?
Overall, what has been the “worst” part of this class?

Catalyst #34
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When have you wasted something and not realized your waste until it was too late?
What did you waste? Why did you not realize it at the time?
What was the consequence?
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What is the greatest sacrifice that you have ever made?
What did you give up or lose? Why did you have to do so?
What were the effects of this sacrifice?
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When have you been forgiven by someone?
Were you surprised by their forgiveness of you?
What were the effects of their forgiveness?
When have you felt betrayed by someone?
Why did you feel betrayed?
What did you do about the situation?