Reading/Working times

National Geographic- The Truth about Black Holes (Really good)
5/11- 45 min

AP text
5/10- 30 min

Biology text
5/10- 1 hour

Portfolio
5 hours cumulative over the week

Macbeth Main Idea: Ambition & Power

From the beginning of the book, our class has analyzed Macbeth for certain main ideas or theme. These defined the main characters and plot of the story and one of the most important is the affect that ambition has on people and how power that is acquired through the ambition is received. In the first Act, we are introduced to King Duncan who has received power with grace and strength. We also meet Macbeth who enough power and influence to satisfy any man... until he is told he could have more by the witches. His ambition and want for this power continues to grow within him and then, is spurred along by Lady Macbeth. He driven to kill the great King and then kill anyone who threatens his rule.

The ambition for power and dominance drove him to become king in a most unsavory manner. The power then corrupted him and basically caused him and his wife to go insane. He is killed by those he once called friends. They killed him because his insanity and power transformed him into a monster. This monster is the focus of the book making his ambition and power a theme or main idea of the story. Ambition and power can cause both great and terrible events to occur and this tragedy tends to favor the latter.

Reading/Working Times

National Geographic (The New Food Revolution, Shipbreakers)
5/2-45 min

Social Studies Textbook
5/1- 30 min

Things fall apart
4/30-30 min

Macbeth Quotation: "A drum, a drum! Macbeth doth come!

Near the beginning of the book in Scene 3 of Act I, we have the gathering of the three witches. This particular scene, is the introduction of the plot for the rest of the tragedy. No other occurrence throughout the book can be directly traced to the "start of it all" as this one is. The quotation, "A drum, a drum! Macbeth doth come," is spoken by the third witch and announces the entrance of Macbeth, but it means much more than just a stage direction. It marks the beginning of Macbeth's journey to kingship and eventually to death. When he approaches the witches and they tell him of his fate, he launches himself into a quest for the throne due to what these witches, that he just came across, had told him.    

This particular utterance marks the end of the exposition and the beginning of the action of the plot and the real tragedy of Macbeth and those around him. Shakespeare uses the witches to foreshadow what is to come while also providing a storyline, fates to both narrate and direct the story, and driving force to push the tale and main characters forward. As Macbeth struggles to manipulate fate and slowly fall to insanity, the witches are there to show what is to come and how it will play out. Shakespeare allows for the audience to cheer for the main character but also recognize their faults through the truth given to us by these witches. Had Macbeth doth not come, we wouldn't have a classic Shakespearean tragedy.

Reading/Work times

Reading 

Lung cancer research/reading

4/25-30 min, 4/26-30 min 

Things fall apart

4/27-1h and 30 min

Work 

Blogs

4/24-30 min 

The Rising Genre of "Epic Music"

If you've ever been to a movie and watched the main character charge through battlefields, or save the world or even just their family, you've heard this music. It's everywhere and you just have yet to notice it. The genre is casually referred to as "epic music" or "movie music" but really, there is no true genre that can encompass the entire volume of these musical masterpieces. Each song or piece or whatever you choose to call it, is a combination of rock, classical, choral, electronic, and orchestral music. It is not all thrown together but is carefully crafted to create a piece of music that inspires and excites. Some songs are not for all but each person can find the music as a whole to be incredible. It's hard to explain. You listen to the music and you recognize it from somewhere but you don't know where. It's probably because you have heard it. It's the music behind every great movie scene or show and at the peak of every great song. It's the best of everything you've ever heard.

As people find it online and in whatever they listen to, they realize the greatness in it and share it. One of the most popular composers of this music is Two Steps From Hell. This band alone has had over 50 appearances in different shows, movies, events, and functions that I'm sure all of you have at least heard of let alone seen. It is truly everywhere and everything and as more people hear it, they recognize it and begin to appreciate it as music instead of accompaniment. It's amazing and... awesome. I encourage everyone to at least give it 10 min.

Try the albums: Sky World, Invincible, and Archangel         

Reading/ Working Times

Working 

Nervous Conditions Projects
4/7-2 hours, 4/8- 30 min,  4/10- 2 hours

Reading

Nervous conditions re-reading (every day that i worked on the projects, 15 min)

Things Fall Apart
4/12- 30 min, 4/13- 30 min

Total= 5 hours, 30 min.