Hand in your college application letter brainstorming sheet.  I will check them in and return them to you.  For each of the three possible narrative topics/moments you identified from your life, write the corresponding common app prompt.  (You can simply put the common app prompt number (1-6) in parentheses at the end of the brief description (two to three sentences) of each narrative topic.

e.g.,

For prompt #1, I might write about the neighborhood yaredcare business I started in 7th grade and continue to this day.  It has taught me so much about initiative, how to make and manage money, and the importance of doing a job well, that you might be able to say that it helped me to grow up and has shaped my character. It taught me to manage my time, take pride, and be accountable and responsible to others.  I wouldn't be the same person without this experience (1)

Now, please
Independent Reading (15 minutes)

On a notecard...
One side of notecard...
What is the title of text?
Who is the author?
Year of publication?
What is the genre?
How did you learn about this text? From who or what?
What is it about (as far as you can tell)? Provide a brief summary describing the text?

The other side of notecard...
Why did you chose this book, magazine, or other text?
What is one "take-away" from today's reading? In other words, describe a moment, statement, of maybe a piece of information that stuck with you?

Please hand in your notecard (include your name, class period, and date in the upper right hand corner)

The Quest for Meaning & Happiness in Life
Deepak Chopra:The Happiness Prescription

We heard Mihaly C., the European psychologist,  describe how certain activities can create a sense of "flow" for us. Those activities could be creative, work-based, physical, spiritual, intellectual or some mix, but the common denominator is that a person experiencing flow experience great sense of engagement and satisfaction, so much so that they almost lose their sense of time, their worries, or the world at large. They are in the "flow", in the zone.

In Deepack Chopra's, The Happiness Prescription, we'll see a  different take on the attempt to find peace or happiness.  Chopra tackles the challenge from a primarily spiritual perspective, integrating mostly Buddhist - but also Christian ideas - (and of course these ideas are present in one form or another in most other major world religions, such as Judaism, Taoism and Islam).  And of course, spiritual ideas invariably involve psychology, biology, and philosophy, and so those ideas are intertwined as well.  Watch and take notes. Try to learn about Chopra's interpretaion of one of the world religion's teachings, and how he  thinks it  might benefit people.  If it speaks to you in some way, cool.  If it is not your cup of tea, that's cool too.  We're just trying to present a sampling of some different ways people seek to cultivate peace and meaning in their lives, to live consciously, which as young adults, I challenge you to do. Much of the world, frankly, sleepwalks through their life.  Try to be more intentional in your own.

Talking Points...I will stop the video occasionally to remind you to write down some idea that stuck out for you for some reason. Write down what he said along with a couple of sentences explaining why it resonated with you.  We will discuss these tomorrow.

Tonight's homework...Talk to someone about your college essay narrative assignment and see if they can help you chose a personal story to tell. Remember, you want to show a good or mature or self aware side of you without sounding like you're bragging. It should, most of all, somehow help the college admission's staff see you as a human being they can connect with.

Once, you have chosen a prompt, begin writing a rough draft.  Finish at least two paragraphs, and bring it to school tomorrow.  I will show you a couple of writing moves tomorrow which you can apply to your evolving draft if you so desire.