Brit Lit:

Today
Journal prompt #14:  Please describe your experience with Shakespeare.  What have you read/seen?  What things did you not understand?  Were there things that you liked?          1/2 page

We tossed around some Shakespeare insults.

I passed out books.

I introduced the play Macbeth

WOS:

Today:

Journal Prompt #13:  Have you ever fallen in love with with someone that you thought was different than they were? 
1 page

We finished the Gibson version of Hamlet.

I introduced 12th Night.

HW:  Please make a list of 10 things that make you laugh.  Be ready to talk about these in class Tuesday.

Brit Lit:

Today:

We defined Morality Plays:  One goal- to save your soul.

We defined the 7 deadly sins, and the 7 virtues.

We acted out the play Everyman.

I asked you to write your own Morality play:
Journal #13:  Write your own morality play that shows a clear conflict between good vs. evil.  Please model the play and characters after Everyman.  1 page min.

We selected the best from each row, and had you act out the one that you selected.

I collected you video game manuals.  Please be reminded that you lose 10 points for each day that it is late- so please do you best to get these in ASAP.

I also again collected your plagiarism sheets. 

WOS:

Meet the Characters



Viola: A noble woman who is rescued after a shipwreck. She believes her twin

brother to have drowned in the disaster. She decides to make her own

way in the world. She disguises herself as a boy and uses the name

"Cesario" so that she can work as a page in Duke Orsino's household.


Orsino: The powerful Duke of Ilyria. He is obsessed with the countess Olivia, who

does not return his love. Orsino seems to wallow in his own misery,

perhaps more concerned with 'being in love' than he is with the person he

claims to love. He is egotistical and misses what those around him are

feeling.


Olivia: A wealthy and very beautiful citizen of Ilyria. She has recently lost her

father and her brother. She claims that she will not show her face for

seven years while mourning. This rule gets quickly thrown away when it

suits her. Olivia also seems to enjoy the drama of her own suffering.


Malvolio: The steward (head servant) of Olivia's household. He keeps things in

very good order, but he also won't let anybody have any fun. He takes

himself very seriously and frowns upon those who do not act like he

thinks they should. He is very ambitious and thinks very highly of

himself.


Feste: Olivia's fool. His job is to make people laugh, but along the way he

manages to make a number of good points. Like many of Shakespeare's

fools, he tells the truth through the mask of his profession. He may be a

fool by trade, but he sees more of what is going on than most.


Maria: Olivia's gentlewoman, or chief maid. She also helps run the household,

but she doesn't look down on those around her. A very intelligent

woman, she is able to both help Olivia and keep order, while at the same

time have a bit of fun with Sir Toby.


Toby Belch: Olivia's Uncle who lives in her household. He is a drunk and likes to

spend his evenings (and most days) drinking with his friends and playing

tricks on people. He is a smart person, but spends so much time drunk it

is hard to see. His foolishness is starting to get on Olivia's nerves (as well

as everyone else's).


Andrew Aguecheek: A foolish knight who joins Sir Toby in his drunken sport.

He likes to think of himself as handsome, clever, charming, a good

dancer, and many other things, but really he is just an idiot and a coward.

Toby convinces Sir Andrew that Olivia could fall in love with him, but

really it is a ploy so Toby can keep living off Sir Andrew's money.


Sebastian: Viola's twin brother. He also believes his sibling died in the shipwreck.

As he travels through Ilyria he is confused that so many people seem to

know him. A noble man, he knows how to take care of himself.


Antonio: A sailor on the ship that sank. He rescued Sebastian and they become

close friends. He insists on accompanying his friend to help and protect

him in Ilyria. This is dangerous for him, though, since he is a wanted man.


Fabian: Another servant of Olivia. Fabian occasionally helps Sir Toby in his

schemes and enjoys his pranks.


Valentine and Curio: Gentlemen working for Duke Orsino



Sea Captain: The kind captain who rescues Viola when her ship sinks.

WOS:

We took the Hamlet Test.  Please see me if your were absent to arrange a make-up date.

I collected your books.

Brit Lit:

Today:

I passed around samples of previous projects.

We worked on:

Your One page summary introducing the story
Your 14th century weapons page
5 of your 10 levels due.

The rest of your video game manual project remains due on Friday.

WOS:

Today:

Journal #12:  If you could add or remove a death in act V, who would you choose and why?  How specifically would it change the play?  CP/CPA: 1/2 page  H: 1 page

I gave you a review sheet for the test.  Please use this to study.  Many of these questions could be on the test.

HW:  Study for the Hamlet test.  Plan on school and be ready to take this on Thursday, or possibly Friday.

Brit Lit:

Today:

Journal Prompt #12:  Please describe all of the things that you love/hate about high school.  You can talk openly about your experience, but please do not list specific staff by name.    1/2 page

We took an open book quiz on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

We looked at the requirements for the video game project.  With or without snow days, these are due on Friday.  Please make sure that you have your book, the assignment and your research home with you tonight.  I have a feeling you won't be able to get them on Thursday....

HW:  Please work on your project.

Today: 

We started with journal #11: Imagine that you are a stage designer. In the play, Hamlet, act IV takes place over 7 different locations. Please design a set that would allow all 7 to share a stage. 

Alt: Imagine that you were going to place things into act V that would allow for a sequel. What would you add without changing the story, but also making it interesting? 

I gave you a quiz on act IV. 

We watched one of the Hamlet projects. 

Great job to that group! I tried to explain that Shakespeare often leaves a bit of comedy after a real heavy scenes to lighten the play. We see this in Act V, with the gravedigger scenes.

 I used a drum roll to try and show the funny lines. I believe it needs the physical humor to still be funny today. Plus I hate clowns. 

Did you also notice a relaxed Hamlet at the start of act V? Is Hamlet crazy, faking crazy, or himself in this scene? 

HW: Please read act V. Please be ready to talk about the ending in detail and avoid a quiz. 

Future, long range: Test on Thursday-Friday depending on the storm. Be ready for one on Thursday. I will give you a review sheet Wed.

Brit Lit

Today
Journal #11:  Please describe a moment when you made a bet where you though there was no way that you could lose- but you lost anyways.  If you can't think of one from your own life, please describe an unexpected loss that happened to someone you know.       1 page

We looked at the characteristics of Medieval Romance:
Chivalry
Remote time/place
Rank- social distinctions
Hero in adventure
Supernatural events.

We went to the lib. to research 14th century weapons.

I assigned your video game project.

HW:  Please read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in your anthologies.  Quiz tomorrow.

Progress Reports:

Progress reports are due by this Wed.
 I will be after school both Tuesday and Wed. for anyone needing extra help or to make up missing work.  Reminder:  work that is not made up by this time results in a zero- so please get those missing HW assignments in ASAP.

Word of the Week:

Dotty: (Dot-ee)  Adj.  Eccentric, mentally unbalanced, unconventional

Use for extra credit this week....

Suggested viewing....Great Job!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjz6ISFwhBE&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

WOS:

Today:

We looked at the stage direction that has survived in Shakespeare's plays. 

We looked at his top 10:

Alarum: Indication of the coming of a battle – a bugle call to arms

Aside: Words an actor speaks to the audience which other actors on the stage cannot hear.

Enter: Indicates the entrance on to the stage of a character or characters.

Epilogue: Last words after the conclusion of a play.

Excursion: Indication that a military attack is taking place.

Exeunt: Indicates the departure of two or more characters from the stage.

Exit: Indicates the departure of a character from the stage.

Flourish: Music usually introducing the entrance or exit of a king or another important person. It’s usually a short trumpet piece.

Prologue: Introduction of a play where someone comes on and tells the audience something important about the play that’s about to be performed.

Within: Indicates that a person speaking or being spoken to is somewhere offstage.


I broke you into 4 groups and asked you to block and perform the first 4 scenes of act 4.

I gave you:

10 minutes to complete a cold reading.
20 Min. to write new stage directions.
15 minutes to rehearse and practice the stage directions.
We performed these for the class :-)

HW:  Please look over the scenes performed, and finish reading Act 4.  Quiz on Tuesday.

Brit Lit:

Original Printing, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Brit Lit:

Today:

I collected any late projects.  These are passed due.

We finished A Knight's Tale

I passed out plagiarism sheets.  Please have these signed and returned.

I assigned you your next project:
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: the Video Game


Assignment: You work for a small indie video game company, and have just purchased the publishing right for a new video game based on the story. Please design a manual that will explain how the game is played. You will be graded on the following rubrics:

1.) A cover that has the title of your game and cover art for the game.
10 points

2.) Weapons page. Detailing at least 5 weapons that you have researched from the 14th century. Please include a picture and detailed 3 sent description for each. These need to be in your own words.
20 Points

3.) Intro page, which summarizes the entire story. 250 words min.
20 Points

4.) 10 Levels. For each, please do the following:
Create a title for the level
Give a 5-10 sentence description of the objective of the level.
30 Points

5.) End boss
Include a detailed picture or description, including the one weakness that allows you to destroy the boss and win the game.
20 Points.

Due: This Friday.

HW:  Please read Sir Gawian and the Green Knight in your anthology.  Please be ready for a quiz on your reading.

Shakespeare:

Today:

I collected your projects.
Kathleen would not share her movie, but she shared her socks.

We watched the Gibson version of Hamlet.

Have a great weekend.

Brit Lit:

Today:

We defined: Style, Tone and Irony.

We looked at the 4 types of characterization: Direct, Indirect, What others say and by physical appearance.

We talked about how all of this relates to Chaucer.

We completed part 3 of your pilgrimage project:

Write a 4-6 line poem about yourself trying to duplicate Chaucer's style.

Step #1:  Give yourself a title.
Step #2:  Write a 4-6 line poem about yourself, trying to duplicate the parts of Chaucer's style that we defined.
Step#3:  We wrote these on a clean sheet of paper
Ste#4:  Staple in this order-  Prologue Poem about yourself, sheet of symbols that define you, Pilgrimage Story.

I collected these.

I passed back you quizzes from this week.  If you were absent, it is your responsibility to make them up.  I will be afterschool Tuesday and Wed.

We began watching  A Knight's Tale.
HW:  Please finish your project if you did not pass it in.  Have a great weekend!

WOS:

Today:

I passed back your last two quizzes.  If you did not do as well as you had hoped, please consider staying after during my late night.  I am afterschool every Wed. and most Tuesdays.  I would be happy to help.

I answered any lingering questions on the assignment due this Friday.

We had day 2 of 2 working in the computer lab on your Hamlet projects.

HW:  Please make sure your projects are completed.  I will be collecting these Friday.

Brit Lit:

Today:

We took a quiz on The Pardoner's Tale.

We went to the computer lab for day 2 of 2 working on your Pilgrimage paper.

HW:  Please make sure your symbolism sheet and Pilgrimage paper are both finished for Friday.

WOS:

Today:
We spent day 1 of 2 working on your Hamlet projects.  These are due this Friday.  Please see me with any questions.

We also reviewed Act III and took a quiz on the reading.  Please see me if you were absent to make this up.

HW:  Work on your Hamlet projects.  You will have Thursday's class to also work on this.

Brit Lit:

Today:

We spent day 1 of 2 in the computer lab working on your pilgrimage stories.  All three parts: intro poem, symbolism sheet, and pilgrimage story, are due this Friday.

Brit Lit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBa5nN_JyPk&feature=youtu.be&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Brit Lit:

Today:

We spent the first 20 minutes finishing your prologue character sketch.

You presented these to the class.  I suggested taking notes.  I allowed you to use your notes on the quiz.

We took a quiz on the prologue.

HW:  Please finish reading The Pardoner's Tale.

WOS:

Today:

I asked you to imagine what Will Shakespeare's Facebook page might have looked like during the writing of Hamlet.  I tasked each of you to make a fictional FB page.  We shared these.



I shared an article from the NYT on censorship in China that centered around a line from the play.

We acted out act III.

I went over the Hamlet project(s)  Please select one of the three options and be ready to work on these this Wed and Thursday.

HW:  Please begin work on your project.  These are due March 1.

Brit Lit:

A couple of suggested sites:




The Harvard site: http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/ .

A resource site for a college course, lots of links:

http://www.wright.edu/cola/Dept/ENG/wsuwweb/pageindxs/chaucer.htm .

Brit Lit:

Today:

I gave you the first 10 minutes to finish your symbolic representation.  This is 1 part of a 3 part assignment that is due this Friday.  I gave you the assignment sheet for the rest of this project.

We took notes on Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

We defined pilgrimage and I asked you to try and think of an experience that fits the definition.

I broke you into groups of 2, and asked you to detail two Pilgrims from the prologue.  Each group will present these to the class on Tuesday.  the class will take notes based on your presentations, with a quiz to follow.

HW:  Please read pgs 91-112 and answer questions 1-9 on pg 113.

Bored over break with no HW from your favorite English class?


Check out Tantasqu'a own TV show, Feels Like Monday. New and previous episodes can be downloaded for free  in itunes, or viewed online at:


http://feelslikemonday.com.
Check it out :-)

WOS:

Today:  We watched an episode of MST 3000 that makes fun of possibly the worst version of Hamlet ever filmed.  A 1968, made for German TV version, with English subtitles.

HW:  Have a good break and relax a bit. 

Brit Lit:

Today:

We shared the ballads that you wrote yesterday.  Those that were brave enough to share, earned 10 extra points on the assignment.

We defined Symbolism

I gave each of your a stack of magazines and asked you to find 15 pictures that symbolize you.  One the back, you needed to explain what each picture symbolized.  Please save these.  This is the first part of our next class project.

I collected your first 10 journal prompts.  Please make sure I get these if you were absent.

HW:  Have a good break.  Come back recharged, and ready to work!  In the dull drums of Winter, I find these break most needed.

The Beatles do Shakespeare

Play, within a play....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5l3_PEnSS4&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Brit Lit:

Hear a version of Barbara Allan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqBD56vINYo&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

WOS:

I collected your HW

I explained the Hamlet Projects and answered any questions.

We read Act II, sc II

We discussed the play within a play.

We watched a version of this scene.

Brit Lit:

The Ballad of You:
We wrote interview questions
We described in detail 5 things that they carry
We wrote a 25-30 line ballad

Get on the Mic- we shared these on the mic

We listened to a folk recording of Barbara Allen.

Check this out if you enjoy graphic novels and Shakespeare....

http://www.killshakespeare.com/

WOS:

Today:

We broke into small groups to find examples of the language tricks used by Shakespeare in act I

We took a quiz on act 1

I assigned the Hamlet projects- due march 1st.

We began Act II.

We looked at the line "I am sorry" Act II, sc 1 line 104.  We talked about how it could be read differently.

HW:  Any politician giving a speech has notes to assist them.  Please write Claudius's notes for his speech in Act 1.  These should be brief and written for Claudius.  Please also write 5 points that were considered, but were never used.  For these lines, please draw a line through each making it legible, but showing that it was not actually used.  These can be funny.  Funny is always good...

Brit Lit:

Today:
Journal Prompt #10:  Write a 15-20 line ballad about yourself, from a third person.   15-20 lines

We went around the room and shared the ballad that you brought in.
I asked you to summerize the story in 5 sentences.
We used J. Cash as an example.

We read: Get Up and Bar the Door, The Twa Corbies, Sir Patrick Spens.  We used drum beats to attempt to show the beat and meter.

I described The Ballad of You assignment.

HW:  Please complete 10 questions that you will use to interview another student in class.  Please make the questions lead to  more than yes, or no answers.

Shakespeare:

Today:

Journal Prompt #9:  Please describe how you used the "To be, or not to be"  lines in your everyday life.  1/2-1 page...
I will be collecting these on Friday- so please make sure that you get caught up on any missing ones.  You can find them all on this blog.

We watched the PBS special on Hamlet:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/shakespeare-uncovered/

We finished act 1.

You can watch the David Tennant version here:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/shakespeare-uncovered/blog/hamlet/

Brit Lit:

Journal Prompt #9:  Please describe what your last 4 days were like.        1 page

Reminder, I will be collecting these after journal #10, so please make sure that you make sure that these have all been completed.

We finished Beowulf.

We defined ballad, and folk ballad.

HW:  Please bring in the lyrics to a modern ballad.  We will be using these as examples in class on Wed.

Fingers crossed...

WOS:

Today:

Journal prompt:  Define the term crazy.  Please describe a moment when you could have been thought of as crazy.  CPA- 1/2 page, H- 1 page

We played the Hamlet txt adventure game.

We finished Act 1, sc 2

I passed back your most recent assignments.

HW:  Think snow.  Use your To be, or not to be lines by Monday and be ready to explain to the class specifically how you used them, and what was the outcome.

Brit Lit:

Today:

Journal Prompt #8:  Discuss how some negative experience has had a positive influence in your life.  1/2 page

We watched the movie version of Beowulf.  During the movie, I asked you to think about how the story follows the hero's quest.

HW:  Pray for snow, but have your final copy of your paper finished and ready to pass in.  These are due Friday.  In the event that we do not have school, these will be due Monday. 

Get them done tonight, and play in the snow :-)

Hamlet TXT adventure, old school

When I was a kid, imagination was way more important.  One such example, is with text based games.  I remember passionately playing Zork I, II, and III for hours, typing in comments, only to be told that "the key can't be used here."

In a nod to days of old, a text based adventure game for Hamlet can be played online.  In the game, you must type in what action you wish to do next.  If you are interested in an old gaming format, or just want to waste some time online, The Hamlet TXT adventure will not disappoint. 

You can play the game here:
http://rdouglasjohnson.com/hamlet/

Need a Kenning?

http://abdn.ac.uk/skaldic/db.php?table=kenning&val=ARMOUR

WOS:

Today:

Journal #7:

"Madness in great ones must not unwatched go." 
What is the danger in having power, but being crazy?     CPA- 1/2 page, H= 1 page

We went over:

Shakespeare's Language Tricks (see worksheet)
Shakespeare's Secret Recipe for Tragedy
T.S.Elliot on The Problem with a revenge play (essay, please read for HW)

We watched a clip from Empire Strikes Back to Show the reverse language of Yoda.

We continued with Act I

HW:  Quiz Wed on language terms and Shakespeare Tradgedy.  Please look both over.  Also read essay by T.S.Elliot and write down one interesting thing that you learned while reading his essay.

Brit Lit:

Today:

I collected your HW from last night.  I will accept these late on Wed.  Please finish these if you did not pass them in.

We reviewed the definition of Kenning.  I asked you to find 5 kennings in the reading.  I collected these and counted it as a quiz.

We went to the computer lab to work on the 1st draft of your Hero's Quest paper.  These are now due Friday.  I will be afterschool this wed. if you need any extra help.  Please stop by.

Klingon Hamlet, or people have too much time on their hands...

http://www.kli.org/stuff/Hamlet.html

To B, or not a B?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA7lv1SDzno&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Patrict Stewart on Seaseme St.

WOS:

Today:

No journal prompt for today.

We started off looking at some research that may make you smarter:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1281386/pdf/0940170.pdf

I gave you 10 min to listen to the suggested music and then look at the 10 lines that were due today.

I detailed my challenge to any student interested in doing their lines as a specific character.  10 extra points...

We watched a 8 min intro to Hamlet video done by the Folger's Library.
http://www.folger.edu/template.cfm?cid=4084

We reviewed the play (read the rest for HW):
http://www.folger.edu/documents/Hamlet%20Layout%20for%20WEB.pdf

We covered Shakespeare's special effects- his use of language.  I passed out a sheet detailing these with examples.

HW:  Please read the Folger Theatre handout that I gave you.

Brit Lit:

Today:

For the first 15 minutes, we broke back into your Hero's Quest group from Friday.  I tasked you with showing these in a short skit.

We completed journal Prompt #7.  I will be collecting the first 10 this Friday.  Please make sure that you have all of them completed.

We took notes on Beowulf.

Specifically, we defined three new terms to know: Epic Poetry, Caesura and Kenning.

We looked at the values and morals of the Anglo-Saxtons.

We began reading Beowulf.

HW:  Please finish reading Beowulf in your anthology.  Please answer questions # 1-7 on page 36.  I will be collecting these.

Also, Day 2 in the lab Tuesday.  Please also use this time to make sure you are set to finish this by the end of class Tuesday.

wos:

Today:

We started with the idea of slowing down to allow creativity to emerge.  I shared what I learned at our recent professional development on this topic.  We tried some basic relaxation exercises to help you get to a "still mind."

Journal Prompt #6:  I gave you 15 minutes to write 1 page on anything.  How often do we get that?  Some of you chose to doodle, some wrote a song lyric, others wrote poetry.  Most of you agreed that it help to center yourself before you come up with new ideas. We discussed slowing you brain down to undertsand Shakespeare.

We broke into 4 groups.  We defined pantomime and watched an example from You Tube.  I then gave each group a scene from Act 1 and tasked you with showing these with only brief narration, and lots "showing" your action without using words.

Reminder: A great PBS series continues on PBS tonight, Shakespeare Uncovered.  I believe Hamlet is next Friday- but I am sure that you will get something out of all of them- they are that good. 

Cool video

First video showing what a thought looks like in a brain.  Worth watching....

http://gizmodo.com/5980796/first+ever-incredible-footage-of-a-thought-being-formed

Brit Lit:

Today:

We discussed the idea of slowing down to allow the creative process.  We tried some short relaxation techniques. 

Journal #6:  I asked you to take 15 minutes in your journal and explore and creative thought: doodles, a poem, a short story, song lyrics, etc.  1 page

I broke you into small groups and asked each group to make an original hero's quest, following the 12 steps that we have been studying.

I had you list these on a giant post it note and present the idea to the class,

HW:  Please re-watch the movie that you selected for the paper.  On Tuesday, we will be returning to the lab to finish your paper.

Brit Lit:

Today:

We went over the outline for your paper. 

We went to the computer lab to type your first draft.

WOS:

Today:
I gave you a pre- reading interview to get your feelings on some of the major themes in Hamlet. 

Journal Prompt #5:  For your journal prompt, I asked you to share your personal experience for three of the questions.  1 page

To Snooze, or not to Snooze.  We looked at a modern conversion of the lines that you need to learn for this Monday.  I asked you in small groups to convert these lines and share what you cam up with.

Shakespeare 101:  I gave you notes on the things that we know for sure about the Bard.

We took notes on the history of the globe, and the conflict with the church.  We also discussed the other forms of entertainment that Shakespeare competed against, and how this influenced his work.

We inched closer to starting act 1.

HW:  Please read CH  5 in Shakespeare Alive!  As always, be ready for a quiz....

Brit Lit:

Today:

Journal Prompt #5:  Think about the quote- "I want to sing how birds sing, not thinking about what others think."  Rumi 12 c.
What do you think about this?  Have you ever done something in high school where you disregarded what others might think?  1 page

I played two additional clips about The Hero's Quest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGV1BvnyvGo&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMl9cLz2b_s&list=PL789CCEBDDF7230AE&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

We finished our outlines for your first major paper.  Please make sure you show this to me to get credit.

HW:  Re watch the movie that you selected.  Thursday we will be in the computer lab writing our first draft.

Shakespeare:

Journal Prompt #4:  The play Hamlet opens with two words:  Who's There?  Write a one page skit, where each line is only two words.  1 page (two words per line)

We acted out the best.

We went over the cast list in Hamlet.

We took a quiz on CH 1-3 in Shakespeare Alive!

HW:  Please read CH 4.

Brit Lit:

Journal Prompt #4:  J. Campbell wrote about the importance of "facing your dragon."  Please describe a time when you, a friend, or family member, faced their dragon (fear.)  What was the outcome?  1 page.

We went over the 12 stages of the hero's quest.

HW:  Please work on the outline for the movie book or story that you plan on writing about.  You will have some time to work on these in class on Wed.

Must see TV:

PBS is running a weekly Shakespeare series for the next month.  Previous episodes and information on upcoming ones can be found here:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/shakespeare-uncovered/

Check it out....

Are you ready to learn why this scene is important?

Think

A Ostrich's eye is much bigger than it's brain.

Word of the Week:

Vamoose (va-moos): Verb int.  To leave in a hurry.

Shakespeare:

Journal Prompt #3:  Shakespeare often uses ghosts, magic, fairies, spells and witches in his plays.  What is your view on the supernatural?  Have you ever seen a ghost?  Would life be better with a little magic?  1 page

We watched the Video:  Why Shakespeare (15 min)

We paired up and delivered a Shakespearean insult.

We looked at insult lines from many of his plays.

I passed out Hamlet.

HW:  Please read ch 3 in Shakespeare Alive!  Please expect a quiz on ch 1-3 for Tuesday.

Brit Lit:

We watched more of the movie, Finding Joe. 

I passed out the paper assignment: 4 pages due Monday, Feb 4.

An outline sheet to follow:  Due Wed., Jan 30.

An explanation with examples of the steps.  This will be helpful in writing your paper.

Journal Prompt:  Please share your thoughts on the movie.  What parts connected with you and YOUR life?  1/2 page

Shakespeare on Tumbler...

http://pbsshakespeare.tumblr.com/

WOS:

Today:

We began with journal prompt #2:

Select a character from CH in Shakespeare Alive! and detail in one page what a day in the life would be like for one of the people living during this time period.  Please include details that show that you read the HW.

We finished Shakespeare insults.

We went to the Aud. for some acting games.

Have a great weekend.

Brit Lit:

Journal Prompt #2:

Who is your hero and why?  What makes a modern hero?  Why do we need them?  1 page

We looked at the influence on the Angles and Saxons on early stories.  We further detailed the oral tradition, but also looked at how Christianity worked into the earliest stories songs and poems.

We identified Fear of Fate as a common theme in early tales, and looked at how this is used in The Seafarer.

We watched some of the documentary, Finding Joe.  This will lead us towards your first major writing assignment next week.  We also will be looking at the excerpt fro Beowulf early next week.

Have a great weekend...

Brit Lit:

Here is a link to the trailer to the documentary that we looked at today:

http://findingjoethemovie.com/

Shakespeare Insult Generator

Shakespeare:

Today in class...

Journal Prompt #1:  Please describe your experience with:  Reading Shakespeare, acting, and how well you do in school.  1 page.

You were each given a line of verse from a different play.  We tried showing how emotion can change the meaning.

I broke you into small groups and asked you to but the lines in the correct order.

I went over the insults and bad words that Shakespeare used.  We paired up and yelled insults at each other.

We viewed a 10 minute documentary explaining why Shakespeare remains important.

HW:  Please read CH 1-2 in Shakespeare Alive!  Please select a character from your reading that you will choose to be for Friday.  We will be exploring the stage and using the character you select in some short acting exercises.  Please also wear comfortable attire, as we will be romping and rolling....

Brit Lit:

Today in class....

Journal Prompt #1:  Write a creation story that explains the following:  Why the sun and moon exist.  Why do we have seasons?  Explain life and death.  I gave you 10-15 min to write these.  Please continue to bring your journals to class everyday.

We took notes on the oral tradition and looked at where story telling came from. 

We played a game passing around a story to illustrate how drastically these changed upon re-telling. 

HW:  Please read the Seafarer in your Anthologies.

Shakespeare:

Today:

We went over an outline of the class.
I passed out Shakespeare Alive! and assigned CH 1-2 for Friday.  Expect a quiz...

I enjoyed meeting you all.  I am greatly looking forward to class- it should be a good one!

Brit Lit:

Welcome! 

Today I introduced myself and the objectives of the course. 

I assigned anthology books, and placed you in assigned seats and asked you each to share something about yourself.