Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School 7

Introduction to Catholic School Week

  • Gather in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

  • Today marks the first day of Catholic School Week.

  • The theme is centered around the Bible and celebrating our faith.

Understanding Vocations

  • Each person has a unique calling from God, referred to as a vocation.

    • Examples of vocations include being a priest, nun, parent, spouse, or single person.

  • The common vocation for all is to strive for holiness and to become saints.

  • Emphasis on the importance of love as part of one's vocation.

Activities and Engagement

  • Students can expect to see peers dressed as Bible characters throughout the day.

  • A Bible trivia event will take place at lunch in the library to earn spirit points for their class.

  • The reflection on how to pray and discern one's vocation for the future is encouraged.

  • A special focus on the virtue of loving one another as Jesus loves us.

Classroom Management and Expectations

  • Discussion about recent changes in school start times by the State of California and their impact.

  • Reminder about maintaining classroom cleanliness and shared responsibilities for tidiness.

    • Issues noted: clutter and uncleanliness left by previous students.

  • Encourage students to take pride in their learning environment.

Academic Progress Review

  • Brief review of assignments submitted: Chapter 1 and Chapter 3 answers, chapter 5 reading quiz, and a setting assignment.

  • Instructions given for journal writing focusing on character surprises from The Great Gatsby.

Journal Assignment: Literary Analysis

  • Task to write about surprising character traits from The Great Gatsby.

    • Students asked to discuss their reflections with peers.

  • Notable characters to analyze: Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan.

Character Observations from The Great Gatsby

  • Gatsby's obsession to win Daisy back: demonstrates depth of his feelings and motivations.

  • Surprising lack of reaction from Nick Carraway to violent events he witnesses, suggesting his role as a passive observer.

  • Daisy’s swift return to Gatsby raises questions about fidelity and her emotional state.

Setting and Themes in The Great Gatsby

  • Discussion regarding the "Valley of Ashes" and its symbolism:

    • Represents degradation, industrialization, and the disparity between wealth and poverty.

    • Symbolizes the decay of the American Dream.

  • Importance of character backgrounds and their deception in creating identities.

    • Jay Gatsby fabricates details about his past (e.g., claims of attending Oxford).

Upcoming Assignments

  • Students to continue working on the setting activity related to The Great Gatsby.

    • 19 locations from the text to be identified and quoted, with symbols drawn for each location.

  • Collaboration encouraged while completing the assignment in class with peers.

  • Due date set for Wednesday.