Welcome Back! August 19, 2019

Focus: Who are we as readers and writers?

1. Warming up with three good things

Consider the following facts about happiness:

• When your mind is in a happy state (as opposed to a negative or neutral state), you're significantly more efficient, competitive, and successful.

• "Doctors put in a positive mood before making a diagnosis show almost three times more intelligence and creativity than doctors in a neutral state, and they make accurate diagnoses 19 percent faster." (Achor The Happiness Advantage 15)

• "Optimistic salespeople outsell their pessimistic counterparts by 56 percent." (15)

• Students in a happy mood before taking a math achievement test receive significantly better scores on average than students in a neutral state of mind. (15)

• You can rewire your brain to become happier by performing certain tasks on a regular basis.

2. Taking the "Two-Minute Personality Test" and introducing ourselves

• Tell us your name. :)

• Share one of your three good things.

• Share one response from your "Two-Minute Personality Test."

Small break: Welcome to a screen-free zone!

3. Launching the Writer's Notebook

4. If time allows, discussing "I Am Offering this Poem" and meeting the Poetry Response

HW:
For tomorrow (Tuesday):

• Please print your summer reading assignment and bring it to class.
• Bring How To Read Literature Like a Professor to class.
• Please join our class Remind account either by accepting the invitation I sent you on Saturday or by clicking here.

For Friday:

• Complete and print your first poetry response (click HERE if you need the packet).
• Make sure you (and hopefully your parents/guardians) have completed the survey I sent you last week.
• Reread Books 1-4 of The Odyssey (we'll do our first Socratic ticket in class).
• Have our course syllabus signed.