Catalysts #59-66

Catalyst #59 May 4, 2015 Question of the Week: What message/aphorism would you want to put in to a fortune cookie? 1. What would your message/aphorism be? CHOOSE TO ANSWER 4 OF THE FOLLOWING: 2. Why did you choose this message/aphorism? 3. How has this message/aphorism helped you in the past? 4. How has this message/aphorism helped someone that you know in the past? 5. If you could add some follow-up advice (more details) to your message, what would you say? 6. When is receiving advice really important? (What kinds of situations do you/others need advice for?) 7. Who do you trust/rely on to give you advice? Why do you listen to this person?

Catalyst #60 May 5, 2015 Weekly ACT/SAT/MFL Vocabulary 1. UNSCATHED (adjective) “un-skay-thd” Context clues: He had a couple of close calls, but he ended up making it out of the battle unscathed. A. Complete the synonyms for unscathed: un _ _ _ t un_ a _ med B. Write two antonyms for unscathed. 2. TEDIOUS (adjective) “t- d- us” Context clues: Most high school seniors and juniors consider writing a research paper to be a tedious act: they feel the task takes far too long and is not exciting. A. Complete the synonyms for tedious: b_ r _ _ g t _ r _ _ g B. List three other activities that you find to be tedious. 3. SKEPTIC (noun) “skep-tick” Context clues: The preacher promised that sinners would be punished in the afterlife, but some skeptics in the audience seemed unconvinced. A. Choose the words that are characteristics of a skeptic: Acceptance, Disbelief, Optimism, Approval, Pessimism, Openness, Distrust B. Use the word skeptic in a sentence of your own.

Catalyst #61 May 6, 2015 College Freshmen Seminar: Time Management/ Life Rules As a class, we will read the article “Eliminate these 7 things from your daily routine.” 1. Has someone ever done this to you before? What was your reaction/or how do think you would feel? 2. According to the author, why is it important to NOT multitask? 3. A: Who is one person that DOES make a difference in your life? How could you pay him or her more attention? B: Who is one person (that you focus on, but) who does NOT make a difference in your life? How can you focus less on him or her? 4. The actions described in number 4 would fit in to which quadrant in the four quadrants chart? 5. What is one past mistake (yours or someone else’s) that you could make in to an opportunity to learn something? 6. What point is the author making in #6? 7. Think about one time where you talked to someone about someone else? Was the person you spoke to directly part of the problem or the solution? 8. Out of these 7 suggestions, what is one that you will commit to trying in the next week? Why are you selecting it?

Catalyst #62 May 7, 2015 SAT/ACT/MFL Math Prep 1. If a family orders 1 of each value meal numbered #3 through #8, how many meals will they be served? 2. SAT Question of the Day On the last day of a one-week sale, customers numbered 149 through 201 were waited on. How many customers were waited on that day? A. 51B. 52C. 53D. 152E If x 2 = 16, what are the TWO possible values of x? 4. ACT Question of the Day For how many integer values of n is 20- n 2 equal to a number greater than zero? A. 1B.2C. 4D. 5E. 9 HINT: Remember that integers include zero as well as negative and positive numbers.

Catalyst #63 May 8, 2015 College Freshman Seminar: Part 6--Adopting Lifelong Learning 1. Take the preferred learning style inventory and total your scores. What is your preferred learning style? Turn in your On Course text to p For your learning style, read the row on p. 273 that is called “Preferred Ways of gathering information.” Do these sound like you? Which one stands out to you the most/sounds the most like you? Write it down. 3. For your learning style, read the row on p. 274 that is called “When your instructor doesn’t teach to your preferred style.” Write down two of the items in the bulleted list that you think you could use in the future. 4. For your learning style, read the row on p. 274 that is called “Ask your instructor to do the following.” Write down two of the items in the bulleted list that you think you could use in the future. 5. What was your second highest score on the learning style inventory? Write this down. Now, read that column of the chart on p Pick one strategy to write down.

Catalyst #64 May 11, 2015 QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Would you rather? (Give a reason WHY for each response!) 1. Would you rather: Work less hours per day but more days, or less days but more hours per day? WHY? 2. Would you rather: Go to college for free but not get to choose you major, or get to choose your major but have to pay for all of your tuition? WHY? 3. Would you rather: Be able to talk to all animals or speak all human languages? WHY? 4. Would you rather: Go back in time and meet your ancestors or go in to the future and meet your great grandchildren? WHY? 5. Would you rather: Be able to fly Or breathe underwater? WHY? 6. Would you rather: Be successful but hated Or loved but unsuccessful? WHY?

Catalyst #65 May 12, 2015 Weekly SAT/ ACT/ MFL Vocabulary 1. ELUCIDATE (verb) “E-loo-suh-date” Context clues: The tutor tried her best to elucidate the algebra concept, but Ben just stared at her with a glazed look in his eyes. A. Complete the synonyms for elucidate: ex _ _ _ in dem _ _ s _ _ _ _ _ B. Write the words that are ANTONYMS for elucidate: Illuminate, muddle, confuse, clarify, complicate 2. NONCHALANT (adjective) “non-sha-lahn-tuh” Context clues: Even though she was incredibly nervous about what would they would do next, Brittany tried to act nonchalant by saying “It’s fine” and kicking her feet up on the desk. A. Complete the two synonyms for nonchalant: c_ _ m c_ _ l B. Write two antonyms for nonchalant 3. ANOMALY (noun) “uh-nom-uh-lee” Context clues: The researchers noticed an anomaly in the results: one person’s scores were 10 times higher than any other participant in the study. A. Complete the two synonyms for anomaly: ir _ _ _ u l _ _ _ _ y varia_ _ _ _ B. Which of the following is an anomaly: Sunset Sunrise Solar eclipse Rainfall

Catalyst #66 May 13, 2015 College Freshmen Seminar: Developing Emotional Intelligence 1. Take a moment and think about a recent time when you have been angry, sad, afraid or overwhelmed. Write down WHEN this was (estimate) and WHAT was making you upset. (a person, deadline, decision, etc.) 2. Turn in your On Course book to p Read about emotional self-awareness. Write down “emotional self- awareness” and, beside it, write EITHER the definition or the example provided. 3. Read about emotional self-management. Write down “emotional self-management” and, beside it, write EITHER the definition or the example provided. 4. Read about social awareness. Write down “social awareness” and, beside it, write EITHER the definition or the example provided. 5. Read about relationship management. Write down “relationship management” and, beside it, write EITHER the definition or the example provided. 6. Look back at what you wrote for #1. How could you have used one of the four skills you just read about to deal with that situation? 7. Our textbook defines “flow” or “being in the zone” as a time when you become absorbed in something challenging and when you don’t care about the outcome. When is a time when you have been in the “flow”? AND, can you connect this to a major you want to pursue in college? Why or why not?