Shakespeare:

Today:  Journal Prompt #3:  Describe the rise and eventual fall of a person/company/event/a song.  Why do we enjoy watching the fall?  Why do we slow down and watch an accident?  1 page.

This led us to our intro on Shakespeare and his version of a tragedy.  We defined a Shakespearean Tragedy.  These are important reference notes.  Please make sure that you understand it fully.  We will be referencing it often during our look at the tragedies.

I broke you into 4 groups and asked you to model the final moment of suspense.  I will try and post some of these on the blog.

Brit Lit:

Today:

Journal Prompt #3:  Please describe a moment where you helped someone without looking for any recognition.  A random act of kindness moment.  1 page.

We went over the Hero's Quest, and used examples from many popular movies: Jaws, Lord of the Rings, Batman, Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc...

I broke you into small groups and asked you to brainstorm on how a specific movie follows this formula.

World of Shakespeare:

We began class with:
Journal Prompt #2:  Please describe your experience with Shakespeare.  1/2 page.

We went down to the auditorium and did a series of acting games.  It was great to see you all laughing and smiling in school.

HW:  Please look over your reading from last night.  Please be ready for a short quiz on your reading.

Brit Lit:

Today:

We started with journal prompt #2:  If you could choose three super powers, what would they be and how would you use them?    1 page.

We defined the classical hero.  We looked at our need for a hero, and why we are always waiting for superman.  We discussed people that might be modern heroes.

I introduced you to Joseph Cambell and his book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces.  I gave you a handout in preparation for your fist paper.  We went over the basic concepts of the Hero's journey.

We looked at Star Wars and other popular stories that follow this formula.

HW:  Please find a movie/book that follows this formula and be prepared to explain how it follows the outline that you were given.

Here's some advice Bill Gates recently dished out at a high school speech about 11 things they did not learn in school.


RULE 1

Life is not fair - get used to it.



RULE 2

The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world

will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel

good about yourself.



RULE 3

You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out

of high school. You won't be a vice president with

car phone, until you earn both.



RULE 4

If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a

boss. He doesn't have tenure.



RULE 5

Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your

grandparents had a different word for burger flipping

they

called it Opportunity.



RULE 6

If you mess up,it's not your parents' fault, so don't

whine about your mistakes, learn from them.



RULE 7

Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as

they are now. They got that way from paying your bills,

cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about

how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest

from the parasites of your parent's generation, try

delousing the closet in your own room.



RULE 8

Your school may have done away with winners and losers,

but life has not. In some schools they have abolished

failing grades and they'll give you as many times as

you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the

slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.



RULE 9

Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get

summers off and very few employers are interested in

helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.



RULE 10

Television is NOT real life. In real life people

actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.



RULE 11

Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

World of Shakespeare:

Today:

We started class with our 1st journal Prompt:

#1  Pick a character from your reading last night and write from their perspective.  Please describe a typical day in their life.

We watched a clip from the National Endowment for the Arts on why Shakespeare is important.

We looked at some words and phrases that we thing Shakespeare coined.

HW:  Please read pgs. 17-47 Order in the Court:  The Renaissance
Please wear compfortable outfits for class on Thursday.  We will be doing some warm ups that require you to move around.

Brit Lit:

Today:

I passed out books and we tracked down old writing journals.

We wrote our 1st Journal Prompt:

Journal Prompt #1:  Write an original creation story.  1 page.

We defined the Oral Tradition of storytelling, and explored the fundamental problems.

We defined a Lyric Poem and discussed The Seafarer

Black A:  Read above story for HW.  Page 17.

Vader Waves Goodbye...

Vader slideshow:

Vader Slideshow

Thanks guys!  Feel free to share.  M.P took all pictures, I just cleaned them up :-)  Thanks M.

It was a pleasure being your teacher this year.  Find a tree and read a good book.  Try it. You may begin to love reading.  Have a great Summer!

Cusick

Vader slideshow:
http://www.flickr.com//photos/seancusick/sets/72157630242612248/show/

Brit Lit:

We took your final exam today.

HW:  Have a wonderful Summer.

Shakespeare:

We took the final exam today.

Brit Lit:

I gave you the final exam review sheet
Reminder:  You may use one page of notes.

I collected any late journals, books, late paper, etc...

You need a locker clean out pass to take the final.  Please make sure that you have that with you.

Shakespeare:

We finished  Anonymous.  What did you think?
We worked on the review sheet for the final.
I collected any late journals, missed quizzes, etc.

For the final you need:
All books passed in
Locker clean out pass
One page of notes.

We are almost there- end strong!

Shakespeare Review Sheet:

The World of Shakespeare: Final Exam Review Sheet 2012

We read the following: Othello, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew, The Twelfth Night, sonnets.

The following prompts are possible questions to consider (hint, hint):

#1 Examine the relationship in terms of a timeline between Desdemona and Othello. Please make sure to examine the end of their relationship, and how specifically Othello believes she has not been faithful. Examine how 4 characters other than Othello are directly, or indirectly responsible for the tragic ending.


#2 Please explain the ending of the 12th Night. Did true love prevail? Were you satisfied with the ending? Why or Why not? Please use specific details in your response.


#3 Talk about what makes a Shakespearian tragedy. Please examine one tragedy in your study group and discuss how it fits the definition.


#4 Please define the following literary devices that Shakespeare uses:

Alliteration, simile, metaphor, reversed word, reversed sentence construction, classical allusion, personification, suspension of disbelief, aside, using language to show class and status in the play. You should have three examples of each term and be ready to explain how they are used.


#5 Character can be defined by how one handles power. Look at 3 characters and discuss how well they handled power.


#6 Discuss the use of comedy in his plays. What ideas and specific plays hold up well and still make us laugh. Please use 3 specific scenes in your discussions.


7. Love, and the quest for love are important themes in many of Shakespeare’s plays. Please examine three relationships and explain in detail how they played out in specific detail using the 3 of the following plays: The 12th Night, Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello.


#8 Define a Shakespearian Sonnet. What did his sonnets reveal about him that his plays may not have? Pick a sonnet and be familiar enough with it that you could reference it in an answer. Be prepared to write an original sonnet about this class that follows the rules and rhyme pattern of a sonnet. You might wish to write this before the exam and have it on your page of notes.

Brit Lit:

I collected your journals.  If you did not pass it in, it is now late.  Please do so ASAP.

We defined the many Themes in 1984.

We discussed propaganda.  I showed you a few examples from the cold war: both American and Russian propaganda videos.  Why are we so easily led?

I gave you a final review sheet.  Please begin to study.

Read pgs 183-256 for HW

Shakespeare:

Today:

I gave you your final exam review sheet.  Please begin to review.

We looked at "e Good and the Badde"  Sterotypes of women from 1616

We talked about the stereotypes of women in 1616, and I asked you to find evidence of each in the play.

We finished the movie (30 Min.)