Today's Agenda...

Taken from Google Images

-For those of you who were absent yesterday, you will take ze QUIZ over Act II!

-After quizzes are handed in, we will start Act III Scene 1 in a MSND

- A bit of acting, perhaps?

- POST YOUR BLOGS EARLY so you don't have to worry about it tomorrow!

Good luck this weekend, Herders!

Wednesday Already?!

For those of you who missed class today, this is what we did:

-Journal Prompt: Titania and Oberon are in a fight over something that is rather silly.  Write a short story about a time you got into a fight/spat over something rather ridiculous.  Use dialogue!

-We finished reading Act II as a class (be sure to do so at home!)

-We took a quiz over Act II - be prepared to take it tomorrow!

-Post your blogs early so that on Friday, you may enjoy the VB tournaments and will not have to worry about school!

Tomorrow we will start reading through Act III!

Tuesday (Which is kind of your Thursday)!

Nice job reading Act II Scene 1 yesterday!  I had fun talking about the play with you guys!

This is the agenda for today:

-Watch the corresponding film clip for Act II Scene 1

-Facebook Assignment!  We will have the rest of the period to work on this AND in class tomorrow (but remember that class tomorrow is only 30 minutes).  You will probably have to do some homework tonight in order to finish it by the end of class tomorrow!

And remember: NO BLOGS THIS WEEK!

Happy Friday!

"The course of true love never did run smooth" (Act I Scene 1, Line 134).

Taken from Google Images

The plan for this rainy Friday afternoon:

1. Take Quiz over Act I Scene 1 and the Elizabethan Era

2. Act II Scene 1 - Meet the fairies!

3. MSND film (if there is time)
4. Remember to post blog entries by 4!

Thursday

- Journal Prompt:

Why is love so complicated? (use your genre sheet)

- The tale of "Pyramus and Thisbe" and how Ovid's love story relates to A Midsummer Night's Dream

- Reading of Act I Scene 2 - your introduction to the "players"! Quince, Bottom, Flute, Starveling, Snout and Snug

Acting Day!

Today, we will finish Act I Scene 1 in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and then...

WE WILL ACT!

I am going to split you up into groups of 5, and each of you will arrange the scene I assign (lines 56-126).  In your groups, choose your character and discuss the following questions to prepare for your group's debut:

1. How is Hermia feeling in this scene?  Why?  How will you portray her emotions with your delivery of the lines and gestures?
2. How is Theseus feeling in this scene?  Why?  How will you portray his character with your delivery of lines and gestures?  How should he, as the Duke of Athens, hold himself?
3. How is Egeus feeling in this scene?  Why? Is he a domineering father or does he simply want the best for his daughter?  How will your actions and delivery of his lines portray this?
4. How is Lysander feeling in this scene?  What does he want?  What kind of person is he?  How will you portray his character with your delivery of his lines and gestures?
5. How is Demetrius feeling in this scene?  What does he want?  Do you think he feels confident in himself?  Why or why not?  How will you portray your thoughts on his character through your lines and gestures?
6. How should characters be situated on the "stage"?  What would be the most effective set up?
7. Who do you think the most important person is in this scene?  Where should he/she be situated in the scene? 
8. Who do you think thinks he/she is the most important person in this scene?  Where should he/she be placed in the scene?

Don't be afraid to get up there and really get into your parts!  Remember, we will all look like fools at one point or another!  So get over your stage fright and deliver those lines! 

Today, my Friends...

The Plan:

- Journal Entry: Define "comedy".  What is your favorite comedy?  What is it that makes it so good? (use your genre sheet!).
- A Midsummer Night's Dream as a pastoral comedy
- Finish character List
- Begin Act I Scene 1!

Side note: You will have a quiz on Friday over the PowerPoint I showed you yesterday as well as any material covered in class up until Thursday (in-class readings, Pyramus and Thisbe, etc).

Monday FUNday.

The agenda:

-Jolly Rancher Journal Prompt
-Elizabethan PowerPoint Lesson (TAKE NOTES)!
-Midsummer Night's Dream Character List
-Start Act I (maybe)

"It's Friday, Friday..."

THE PLAN:

- 30 minutes of SSR - my gift to you

- Go over tests

- Begin character list for A Midsummer Night's Dream

Have a fun and safe weekend!  Good luck tonight, gentlemen!

Test Today!

Today, my friends, we are taking your Othello test.  Afterwards, we can attempt to finish the film.  I'm not giving you anymore journal entries this week, so post yo' blogs early!  Get them out of the way so you don't have to post them tomorrow!

Good luck tonight in VB, ladies!

Wed-nes-day.

Journal Prompt:

Respond to one of the 7 Statements about Othello using one of the writing approaches on your genre sheet.

Test Review!  Be prepared for a test of Matching, Multiple Choice, True/False, and Fill in the Blank tomorrow!  After we finish the test, we'll watch the rest of the film!

October 4th

The plan for today, crew:

Journal Prompt:

We have finally finished reading Othello, so your task for this journal entry is to reflect on your reading of the play - its characters, its themes (race, class, jealousy, greed, deceit), its plot, the language (etc).  Write a letter to Shakespeare himself, telling him what you thought of this famous tragedy.  You may also ask him any questions that you have concerning the play.  These letters may be serious, but there is also room to have some fun with your writing as well.  Be creative.

Group Discussion - 7 Statements about Othello (these are not facts, but merely statements that various scholars have said about the play):

1. Othello's problem is his own jealousy.

2. It is very important to the play for Othello to be black.

3. Desdemona is not a wimp.  She is a soldier's wife and fit to be so.  She has good sense, stubbornness, and courage.  She can stand up to Othello for the sake of what she thinks is right, even when he is in a dangerous mood and few people would care to face him.

4. Desdemona is not angelically pure.  The potential for unrestrained desire must be in her character in order for the drama to work.  The more loving she is, the easier it is for Othello to think that she has deceived him.

5. Iago is not a "motiveless malignity" as he has been called - a devil who does evil for its own sake.  He has a thirst for power and the wit to contrive a way to get it.  Desdemona's death is a side effect he did not really intend.

6. Iago's cleverness is not total.  He build into the intricate structure of his plot a piece of terrible stupidity: he fails to understand his wife.

7. The war between Othello and Iago is fundamentally a dispute between the goodness and evil of the world.

Tomorrow we'll finish this discussion and have a Jeopardy Test Review Session - the TEST IS ON THURSDAY!