Thursday, June 4: English 8/9 (1)

Today students completed the play, Romeo and Juliet.  There were some decidedly mixed reviews.

Students now have the task of re-writing an alternate ending.  The following short list criteria is below:

A more detailed criteria will be presented next class.

English 8/9 (1)

Today students began by working in groups on assigned scenes from Romeo and Juliet.  Using a summary, students found lines from the play that provided the gist of the meaning.  Students then performed these in class.

Students then watched the scenes from the movie.  We have now watched up to Act III, scene ii.  Students then went through their response booklets with the intent to complete what we have watched and studied in class.

Language Arts 7

Today students began their own children's story!

I read through the story Adventures With Gary, by Brock MacInnes.

Students then generated criteria for which to write their own children's book:

This will be typed up into a rubric.

Students then generated their own story boards that they will use to write a children's story.

Students then made use of the laptops to begin their actual stories.

English 8/9 (1)

Today students chose a scene from Romeo and Juliet and created a comic strip that showed what happens in the scene.

These were well done!

Students then watched a short performance by the Pender Harbour Community Choir.

Wednesday, May 20: Language Arts 7

Today students worked on a reading comprehension exercise.

Each group also had 20 minutes of practice time for their shadow puppet performances.

English 8/9 (1)

Today students began by answering the following prompts in their journals:

Students then watched the following short animation on Friar Laurence from Romeo and Juliet:

http://study.com/academy/lesson/friar-lawrence-in-romeo-and-juliet-soliloquy-letter-to-romeo.html

Finally, students read through Act II, scene 4 in the play and answered the relevant section in their response booklets.

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/section9.rhtml

http://www.shakespeare-navigators.com/romeo/T24.html

English 8/9 (1)

Today students began by reading the first 5 lines of Act II, scene 2 and identifying the clues/figurative language that described what time of day the scene is taking place.

Students then were asked to watch two separate versions of the balcony scene (Act II, scene 2) and note the differences/similarities:

Students were then asked to choose which scene they preferred and offer an explanation as to why, using evidence.

Finally, students completed the Act II, scene 2 portion of the new response booklet.

Language Arts 7

We have had to bump our presentation date up due to my upcoming absence next Wednesday, May 20th.  If any parents are available as an audience this Wednesday, May 13th, we will begin our presentations at 9:30am.

Our students have worked hard and their puppetry is quite good!

Thursday, May 7: English 8/9 (1)

Today students read through Act I, scene 5.  We then watched all of Act I.

Students were responsible for completing their workbooks.  These were handed in and will be marked on their completeness.

Act I, Scene 5:

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/romeo_1_5.html

English 8/9 (1)

Today's class was shortened as the circus came to town!!

We had time to watch all of scene 4 and half of scene 5.

This is a reminder to all students that we will be reading the following on Thursday morning, first thing:

May 1 2015: Language Arts 7

Today students spent the class working on their scripts and began creation of their shadow puppets.

English 8/9 (1)

Today students began by completing a quiz on the terms provided last class.

Students then looked over a poem by Lois Burdett based on Romeo and Juliet's Act I, scene 3.  Students then read through this scene and the next (scene 4) in the readers.  Students were asked to create a short four line rhyming poem based on scene 4.

We then watched the Franco Zeffirelli movie up to scene 3.  Students then had ten minutes to complete their response booklets.

Scene 3:

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/section4.rhtml

http://www.shakespeare-navigators.com/romeo/T13.html

Scene 4:

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/section5.rhtml

http://www.shakespeare-navigators.com/romeo/T14.html

Language Arts 7

Today students began class by getting into their groups and beginning their upcoming projects.

Much of the script writing took place and most groups are now halfway through writing their scripts.

Way to go!!

English 8/9 (1)

Today students began by completing a journal write:

Should parents have a say in who you date?  Why/why not?

Should parents be able to use their own experiences to teach you about dating and relationships?  Why/why not?

Do you have the type of relationship with your parents that you can talk about these things?

Students then looked over the glossary handout for the play:

THERE WILL BE A QUIZ ON THE TERMS THIS THURSDAY!!

We then read through Act I, Scene 2.  Students did a great job of reading the parts!

http://www.shakespeare-navigators.com/romeo/T12.html

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/section3.rhtml


Finally, once the Student Response Booklets were complete, students watched more of the PBS documentary on Romeo and Juliet.

Friday, April 24th, 2015: English 8/9 (1)

Today students began by answering the following question in their journals:

Are teenagers capable of feeling true love?  Should they be restricted from such emotions?  Should teens be allowed to act upon and express romantic love/emotions? Why/why not?

Students then were given a Shakespearean Insult Kit, so that they were able to create insults.  We then spent some time insulting each other (in fun, of course).  Students recorded their favourite insults and bit their thumbs at each other!

We then read through the prologue and the first scene of Romeo and Juliet.  Students were asked to fill out a booklet, which will be handed in after each act and marked.  Please keep your books up to date!  If you were away, see me for a booklet.

Romeo and Juliet:
http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet/

https://www.playshakespeare.com/romeo-and-juliet/scenes/330-act-i-prologue

https://www.playshakespeare.com/romeo-and-juliet/scenes/293-act-i-scene-1

Language Arts 7

Today students began with a content read, whereby they explored their choice of Ancient Greek history or mythology.

Students then discussed in their groups what they read (each student had one minute to share).

Next, students got into their groups and were given a category of criteria to fill in for our Greek myth shadow puppet shows.  The criteria they created can be seen below:

Greek Myth Shadow Puppet Criteria

Criteria	Beginning	Developing	Accomplished	Exceeding
Acting -rehearsed -voices -pronunciation -skill/emotion	·       bad grammar and pronunciation ·       no emotion ·       has frequent pauses ·       not rehearsed	·       some emotion ·       pauses in the wrong places, but self-corrects ·       some voices used, but shifts and changes back to normal voice ·       somewhat rehearsed	·       good grammar and pronunciation ·       very few mistakes ·       always uses emotion ·       well-rehearsed	·       great grammar and confident pronunciation ·       almost no mistakes ·       pauses in the perfect spots ·       rehearsed a lot and taken seriously
Puppets and Staging -creativity -lighting -props	·       not very creative ·       no effort into props-they look rushed ·       dim lighting	·       kind of creative ·       put some effort into props ·       lighting is fine ·       overall, the play seems to need more	·       creative ·       lighting is good ·       props well made ·       shadows are clear	·       beautifully made ·       lots of effort ·       lighting is excellent ·       details in shadows ·       props are very creative
Script -formatted -clear -conventions	·       not in script format ·       messy and unclear what character says what ·       does not follow proper conventions	·       shows an attempt to format ·       attempt made to make things clear, but more effort could have been made ·       has some understanding of conventions	·       understands how to format a script ·       effort has been made to make the script clear ·       understands how to use conventions	·       script formatting experts ·       script is clear and goes beyond just a regular script (has interesting added details) ·       clear understanding of conventions, mistakes are rare if non-existent
Group Work -kind -respectful -equal -on task -listening	·       not interacting ·       disrespectful ·       unkind ·       talking out of turn ·       hardly listening	·       no acknowledgement of ideas ·       polite most of the time ·       some positive interactions ·       looking at speaker ·       everyone participates	·       sharing opinions openly ·       interacting positively ·       respect ideas ·       mostly polite ·       do not interrupt each other ·       shows good listening	·       sharing opinions and ideas respectfully ·       everyone shares equally ·       fully interacting ·       respecting all ideas ·       very kind and polite ·       focused ·       not interrupting the talker ·       looking at the speaker

Finally, students were briefed on how to actually write a script.  We practiced together and a sample can be seen below:

Theseus and The Minotaur

Narrator: Aegeus, the king of Athens, and Aethra, daughter of Troezen, were married and were expecting a child.

Aegeus: Athens can be a dangerous place, Aethra.  There are always people who plot against the king. Stay here with your father and raise our child in the peaceful countryside.

Students will be working on this project for the next few classes.