WOS:

Today we moved class to the auditorium. I gave a brief quiz on Act 2, and we rehearsed our scenes that we blocked. We performed them on stage and had a chance to give feedback on the comedy in the blocking. We discussed physical humor, and how the play probably had lots of this to help the funny.

HW: Please read act 3.

Brit Lit:

Today in class we examined blocking: notes to the actor of movement on stage. We talked about using abbreviations for movement, and I gave you a cheat sheet of often used shortcuts.

I broke you into small groups and had you block a scene of Macbeth. I asked you to include movement every 3-5 seconds to avoid the "cement shoe syndrome."

HW: 10 Macbeth lines this Friday. Please continue to learn the lines and be ready to recite. For anyone looking for a bit of extra credit- ask me about the Shakespeare challenge in class...

Late Night

Please be reminded that my late night is Wed., or any other day with appointment. If you need to make up assignments, or a bit of extra help, please drop in.

WOS:

Today we had a discussion on Act 1; specifically, we examined the comic elements of the play.

Part 2 of class, we talked about stage movement, otherwise known as blocking. I broke you into small groups and assigned you a part to block in a comedic way. Videos to follow....

HW: Please read act 2 and per usual, come in prepared with at least 5 discussion questions. Please once again focus on the comedy. Please continue to think: Is this play still funny? How would you make it funny if you were going to direct.

Part 3 we made believe that we were casting the play with modern celebrities. Specifically, I asked you to find characters that would add to the level of comedy.

Brit Lit:

Today in class...
We talked about a Shakespearean Tragedy and looked for the exciting force the propels act 2. I asked you to do a one pg "free write" speculating on what is in store in Act 2. If the death/murder of the king is the explosive force at the start of act 2, and the action continues to rise towards act 3, what else could happen. Macbeth is a blood bath, so be ready for a good ol' Scottish bash.

HW- Please continue to work on your Macbeth lines. I posted them last night for your convenience on the blog, but it is also obviously in your books.

A Geek Gift from Mr. Nameika

Dungeons & Dragons Soda: Sugar Free Potion of Healing.

A Block Story Boards

Think:

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

Word O' the Week:

Boondoggle [Boon-dog-uhl]: Noun. A braided cord worn by Boy Scouts. Also; a wasteful activity, especially one funded by the government as a political reward.

Wos:

Today in class we finished working on our "grouping" of lines into 4 categories. I hope that it was clear the Shakespeare had a formula in how he describes love. This holds true in all on his plays, and many of his sonnets.

HW: Read act 2 and please come into class with 5 questions for discussion on Tuesday. Specifically, did any of act 2 make you laugh? Please remember, this is a comedy :-)

Learn:

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more.
It is a taleTold by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Brit Lit:

Today in class, A block finished their Act 1 comic/storyboards. After, I asked you to cast Macbeth with modern actors, and discuss why each was selected.

I assigned 10 lines from Macbeth that you will need to memorize for this Friday. 10 points per line, and it is being counted as a test grade- so it should help you averages a bit :-)

Tuesday, we will be acting out Duncan's death scene outside- so please bring a sweatshirt. They are predicting a "return to Summer" but you know that the weather people do not always get it right.

Question: Why do you think that Shakespeare does not "show" Duncan's death? The same with the marriage of R & J....why does he leave out the seemingly most important scene in the play?

Wos:

Today in class I passed back your exams. The class average was an 86.

Whether you realize it or not, I have been conditioning you for what we start next week. I tried hard to hold your hand in Hamlet, explain fundamental concepts, and most importantly: break down that inherent fear the students' have around studying Shakespeare. Next week, I take off the safety switch and go full speed.....

Brit Lit:

Today in class: Block A: We finished taking notes on Act I in Macbeth, reviewed, and had a quick quiz on Act I. A few of you came in late and missed parts of this- please be diligent about missing class and YOUR responsibility to make up anything missed.
The last 5 minutes I asked you to storyboard Act I, trying to include EVERYTHING in 8 frames. I am sorry that we were rushed on time. I will give you the first 15 minutes Monday to finish the assignment. Make sure you bring them on Monday.

Block A/B: We watched act I in the Roman Polanski version of Macbeth. Most consider this version to be far and above, the best film adaptation. Please be thinking of whether you agree with the screenplay and character interpretations. Do you agree with the depiction of Lady Macbeth?

Next week we be getting deep into the meat of the play. Look forward to some blood and death in class! Have a wonderful rainy weekend, and try and re-charge for next week.

Parent/teacher Night

It was very nice to meet so many of you last night during parent/teacher conferences. If you were unable to attend and would like to speak with me, please feel free to call or email me. I would be happy to meet with you at your convenience. My email at school is cusicks@tantasqua.org

Shadenfreude.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude

How does this impact comedy?

What does it say about us?

Brains? You need them in my class!

WOS:

Today, we looked at comedy. For HW, I asked each of you to bring in 5 "safe for school" knock knock jokes. We looked at how timing can influence comedy. Specifically, we examined pause, tone, stress and inflection. All of these terms are crucial in understanding the "funny" in Shakespeare's comedies.

Comedy is a difficult topic. Unlike hard drama, it does not always hold up well over large periods of time. Jokes that are topical and funny today, often seem dated and out of place in as little as 5 years time. So, you can imagine what 400 years can do to a joke. But the universal comedies hold true. Please be thinking about what type of jokes are lasting.

Knock Knock.
Who's There?
Qsick.
Qsick who?
Qsick of Shakespeare yet?

I am looking forward to laughing together.
Remember: the average child laughs 30 times a day. The average adult: 3 times per week.
Laughter, and being able to find humor in things, keeps us young.....

Brit Lit:

Today we finished working on our Compare and Contrast Essays. Please see me if you did not have a chance to finish. Block A: We will have a quiz on Act I on Thursday. HW: Review Act I and bring in any questions that you have. I will answer these during our review.

Block B: You took your quiz today. Mr. C will work with any of you still needing time on your essays on Friday. I am also after today if anyone wants help on the paper or Macbeth.

Word O' the Week:

Ullage: Noun [Ul-ij] The amount of liquid by which a container falls short of being full.

Wos:

Today I gave a test on Hamlet. I will try hard to get those back to you by this Thursday. We will be switching gears, and downshifting into a comedy next....

I am also looking for feedback of what worked, or did not work, for you with Hamlet. It is my hope at this point in the course that you have a good understanding of the general concepts needed to enjoy his plays.

Brit Lit:

Today in class we defined: Stress and inflection. To help you understand both, we broke into groups and I gave you a scenario to recite the same lines. Hopefully, this helped to understand how both can be used to dramatically alter the lines in a play. I am posting some of that for you guys to see...

Which led us to finish Act I in costumes. We discussed the powerful character of Lady Macbeth. I suggested that using stress and inflection can dramatically alter her scene at the end of the act where she learns about Macbeth's encounter with the weird sisters. Please plan on finishing our notes on Act I tomorrow, and expect a small quiz to follow. Please remember that you can use your notes on every quiz- so it is important to have that with you everyday.

HW- Please make sure that you have a first draft of your compare and contrast essay. We will be going to the computer lab Wed and I should have time to help anyone having a difficult time with this paper then.

Wos:

Today we reviewed act 4 and I tried to answer any lingering questions that you may have had. We will finish watching the Gibson version Thursday, and begin to review for a test on Tuesday...

Brit Lit:

Today in class we started Macbeth. We acted out Act 1, sc 1-3. I put on a 10 min clip from the film Braveheart to illustrate what it was like to be in battle 400 years ago. That is what Macbeth feels like as we meet him... Like two spent swimmers clinging....
No HW as long as the sox are still in the playoff.

Wos:

Today in class we read Hamlet's speech on Pg 169, pairing it with a musical score that matched the mood of the scene. After lunch, I broke you into rows and asked you to look at all 7 scenes in act 4 and design a rotating set that could have been used in all 7 scenes with no major set changes. As most of you proved in your discussions, Shakespeare could not have used elaborate sets. The fact that sc 6 is a letter reveals the limitations that he would have faced depicting a pirate scene.

HW- Please finish Act 4. We need a Nemesis for Hamlet to fight- and these scenes provide one. Also be thinking as we head into act 5 what would work for a live performance. I would like to stage one of the final scenes for our performance for the Ted Grant recognition brunch next month. I will be interested in hearing your suggestions.

Reading to a Musical Score

The Macbeth Curse...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scottish_play

Brit Lit:

This morning we had a quick quiz on the intro reading that I assigned last night in Macbeth. I also gave notes on "that Scottish" play, and told you the story of Shakespeare and his times. During our study of Macbeth, I have two main objectives:

That you will understand Macbeth and do well academically. There is no reason that you all should not have A's during Macbeth. You may use your notes on every test and quiz.

That you will enjoy Shakespeare and have fun. This is entertainment. Granted it is 400 year old entertainment- but it, more than any other writing, holds up extremely well. We will actively perform the play and have fun with it. I am not doing my job if you are not enjoying my class. Please come to class with an open mind. If you think that you will hate it, you will. Leave your bad experience with reading his plays at the door...

Wos:

Today I asked you to write what you thought the moment of final suspense will be in Act 4. I then assigned each row a scene in act 4 to "perform" in front of the class.

Hw:
Make sure you passed in your Hamlet vs. The Lion King writing prompt.

For tonight, please select a musical score that could be placed behind Hamlet's speech on pg 169 Act 4, sc 4. Please pick music that matches the mood and intensity of what is being said. Remember, musical scores are meant to add intensity.

Word O' the Week:

Batie: A useless bungler. An obsolete Scottish dialect word.

Brit Lit:

Good to be back, even at 80%. Thank you for being polite and respectful while I was out. Today we started our look at the life and times of the greatest writer of all time, William Shakespeare.

HW: Please read the section in Macbeth on:
Shakespeare's Macbeth, Reading Shakespeare's Language (pgs xiii-xxiv)

You know that you go to a great school when....

Wos:

Today we recited our "To be, or not to be" lines. If you were not ready, or were absent, please be ready to go Wed. Remember, you loose 10 points each day that you are not ready!

Brit Lit:

Today I was finally able to get us into the lab to but together the final draft of your pilgrimage papers. I will look to get us one more day if possible this week.

These will be due this Friday.

Word O' the Week:

Anile [an-yl]: Adj. Of or like an old woman. Why did that kid and anile get along so well? Because they have a common enemy: mother.

WOS:

Today we translated the famous "To be, or not to be" speech in Hamlet. Reminder, you need to memorize the first 10 lines for Tuesday.

HW: Learn your lines for Tuesday. 10 points per line, with one free line if needed.

Brit Lit:

Today we learned about the Compare and Contrast Essay. In class you began the 1st draft of comparing and contrasting the differences between the classic tale A Kinight's Tale and the very modern film of the same name. Below is a brief explaination on how to write this:


How to Write a Compare/Contrast Essay
Compare and contrast essays are the other big essay types in academic writing. These essays will follow a specific question and are fairly easy to complete. There are several ways to write this type of essay. The most important thing to remember is structure. Many wonderful essays fall victim to the woes of bad structure, making any ingenuity to fall by the wayside. Go over the rules on how to write a general essay, and then structure your compare/contrast essay in one of the following two formats:
Introduction
Your introduction — like the five-paragraph-essay, should open generally (with a quotation, anecdote, generalization), and lead into the thesis statement.
Topic 1
This next portion of your essay (which may consist of one paragraph or several) should cover only the first topic of the comparison and contrast. Compare/Contrast essays take two topics and illustrate how they are similar and dissimilar. Do not mention topic 2 in this first portion.
Topic 2
This next portion of your essay (which may also consist of one or more paragraphs) should cover the second of the two topics. Do not discuss Topic 1 in this section. Since you have already gone into great detail about it, you may allude to Topic 1 briefly; however, do not analyze Topic 1 in this section. This portion of the paper is to discuss Topic 2 in great detail.
Topics 1 and 2 Together
Now that you have analyzed both Topic 1 and Topic 2 independently, now it is time to analyze them together. This section may also be one or several paragraphs.
Conclusion
The conclusion — like the introduction — should be a generalization of the thesis. This paragraph should express your certainty and absolute knowledge on the subject matter. You should reaffirm your thesis (essentially restate it in new words) and show how you've proven it.
OR
Introduction
Your introduction — like the five-paragraph-essay, should open generally (with a quotation, anecdote, generalization), and lead into the thesis statement.
All Comparisons (Topics 1 and 2)
This section — which should consists of several paragraphs — should go through all similarities you find in the two topics on which you are writing. There should be at least three comparisons (essentially three short body paragraphs) in which you give an example from both topics of comparisons in each.
All Contrasts (Topics 1 and 2)
This section — which should consist of several paragraphs — should go through all differences you find in the two topics on which you are writing. There should be at least three contrasts (essentially three short body paragraphs) in which you give an example from both topics of comparisons in each.
Conclusion
This conclusion is wrapping up everything you have just proven in your paper. It should restate the thesis in a new, more official way, and you should feel quite confident in your writing.
Here is a quick breakdown on how the Compare-Contrast Essay should appear:
Type A:
Paragraph 1: Introduction (with Thesis)
Paragraph 2: Topic 1 (Comparison a)
Paragraph 3: Topic 1 (Comparison b)
Paragraph 4: Topic 1 (Comparison c)
Paragraph 5: Topic 2 (Contrast a)
Paragraph 6: Topic 2 (Contrast b)
Paragraph 7: Topic 2 (Contrast c)
Paragraph 8: (Optional) — Comparisons/Contrasts together (any topic)
Paragraph 8: Conclusion
Type B:
Paragraph 1: Introduction (with Thesis)
Paragraph 2: Comparison a (Topic 1&2)
Paragraph 3: Comparison b (Topic 1&2)
Paragraph 4: Comparison c (Topic 1&2)
Paragraph 5: Contrast a (Topic 1&2)
Paragraph 6: Contrast b (Topic 1&2)
Paragraph 7: Contrast c (Topic 1&2)
Paragraph 8: Conclusion

Back 2 School Night

Tonight, from 6:30-8:30 , Tantasqua will be holding an informative "meet the teacher" night. I encourage all parents/guardians to consider attending. It is a great way to casually meet them and discuss the many great things that we will be doing this year together. Looking forward to meeting them!

Brit Lit:

Due to a scheduling mix up this morning, coupled with the Sr assembly, your Pilgrimage paper will be now due next Tuesday. I have scheduled the lab on that day.

Today in class we talked about A Knight's Tale and watched the Heath Ledger version. On Friday it is all about contrasting images in film and literature.

HW: Please finish reading A Knight's Tale. If you lost the printed on that I gave you, look for it online. It can be found easily.

WOS:

Please memorize the following for next Tuesday:

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream:

WOS:

Take the scene assigned today in class on pg 83 (lines 278-292) and convert them to match a certain new take on Hamlet. For example:
How would you write these as a-

Sci-Fi film
A children's story
A Musical
A war drama

Brit Lit:

HW: Please read pgs 1-9 in A Knight's Tale. Today in class we finish our 1st draft of our pilgrimage stories. Most of us will be in the lab Thursday to type these.

WOS:

Today we read our Voltemand lines as newscasters. I have posted some online. I am sorry about the audio on the 1st one :-( I had my finger on the mic.

After lunch, I defined Stress and Inflection. I broke the class into 2 groups and asked you to find 2 examples on each, and change the line based on you stress and/or inflection.

No HW so Rob can save the universe in the new Halo expansion. :-)

Brit Lit:

Today in class we discussed symbols. The majority of the block was spent construction your symbolic representation collage of yourself.
Block B took a quiz on The Pardoner's Tale. A block will have this on Wed- so please review the story.

Wed, we will be writing the 1st draft of you pilgrimage. For HW tonight, please have ready an experience required you to travel a distance in which you learned a lesson about yourself.

WOS:

Today we compared yet another take on Hamlet via the Kenneth Branagh version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsn9opKuWbs
Good class discussion on the many differences. I think how you picked up on the use of white in the film. It def was a strange contrast to some of the "darker" versions.

This week we will be looking at stress, tone and inflection. In particular, how each can alter the meaning of the play.

HW: Please take a look at Voltemand's speech on pg 71 (Act 2 Scene 2) and be prepared to give it as a news report. Focus on how it would be read as a modern news story on the state of the nation. We will present these in class Tuesday.

Brit Lit:

Today in class I assigned the Pilgrimige Paper:
Make Your Own Pilgrimage…..

Over the next week, we will be reading a collection of “tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer.

In class we will be looking at his style, and be looking at what a pilgrimage is, and why you would go on one. Duplicating a writer’s style is one of the hardest tasks that I will ask you to do. It will require close examination of the language and they way Chaucer tells the tale.

Part 1: The Prologue Poem In this section, you will write a poem to begin your piece. In your poem you must: Give yourself a title as a pilgrim
Write 4-6 Lines.
Emulate Chaucer

Part II: The Symbolic Representation Provide a hand drawn picture, a collage, or a brief descriptive piece which clearly gives a symbolic representation of who you are. Remember, symbols are common images, which are used to represent much larger things.

Part III: The Tale You will write about a pilgrimage that you have been on.
In your Tale, you must: Write 3 well written paragraphs
Write a tale that includes, Characters, a plot, a setting, a climax, and a conclusion
There is a clear lesson that you learn by the end of the tale.


Due Date:_________

Word O' the Week:

Chad: A small piece of paper generated from punching holes in paper.

Brit Lit:

Today in class we completed working on the video game manual assignment. I will accept these via email attachments with no late penalty by 4 pm today. Any time after, you loose 10 points per day.

HW: Please continue to think about a pilgrimage that you took that has changed you.

WOS:

Today in class we defined: Personification, Metaphor, Simile, Classical Allusion, Reversed word/thought/sentence construction. We talked about how these were the special effects during Shakespeare's plays.
Next, I broke you into groups and asked you to find examples from Act 1.

After lunch, we went outside and learned about stage fighting. I asked you to imagine that your pinkie finger was a 30 lbs. 4 foot sword. Videos above..... Then we swapped them out for light sabers and added a sci fi element.

HW- At the end of class we defined an aside. Please write a script (1/2 page or more) that ends with an aside that dramatically changes the scene. For example, a scary scene that become funny, or a tragic event that becomes insignificant. Remember, the aside is ONLY heard by your audience and can be a powerful insight into the character's mind. We will start class on Friday acting these out- so try and make them interesting! I can't wait to see what you guys come up with....

You Tube link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbQdE6fNa0k

WOS:

Today we finished Act 1 in Hamlet. We defined Classical Allusion, and acted out Act 1 sc 4 live. Please complete the questions that I gave you for HW this evening.

I would like to have parts of class outside if the weather permits- so please dress accordingly.