Tuesday and Wednesday, March 18-19 March 19, 2008

On Tuesday, we played a Macbeth bingo review game.  We also worked a little on sonnets and discussed the major test for Wednesday. 

Test is on Wednesday… sonnets are due on Thursday.  Remember to continue working on Senior Projects.   

Monday, March 17 March 17, 2008

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

We read and discussed several examples of sonnets today.  Students in the class have an assignment.  They must write an original sonnet and submit it by Thursday, March 20.  The sonnet must contain the following features:

• 14 lines
• ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme sceme
• Three quatrains plus a rhyming couplet (organization)
• Problem/solution (organization)
• Iambic pentameter (daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM)
• A clear, logical theme

The sonnet must be typed and must include at least one image and a colorful border. 

Thursday and Friday, March 13-14 March 14, 2008

We finished reading and viewing the play Macbeth.  On Friday, students did 32-second skits based on the play.  This was very funny!  The class actually managed to act out the play in 27 seconds.  We also looked at several quotations from the play, identified the speaker, addressee, and context and then discussed them as examples of paradox or equivocation. 

Wednesday, March 12 March 12, 2008

We finished reading Act IV today.  Students then created a wanted poster for Macbeth.  We will share these posters tomorrow and move on to Act V. 

Discussion Question for March 10-16 March 12, 2008

If you were going to compile a soundtrack for Macbeth, what songs would you include?  Why?  Identify at least five songs you would choose and explain your choices. 

Your response to this discussion question is due by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 16. 

Tuesday, March 11 March 11, 2008

Students shared their motifs visuals today.  They covered blood, death, insanity, and manliness.  I went over the remaining motifs with the class.  We then moved on the witches’ cauldrons and discussed how the ingredients and Macbeth’s willing interaction with the witches reflect his evil nature.  We then read more of Act IV, getting through most of Scene 1. 

Monday, March 10 March 11, 2008

Today students finished assignments they began last week–the witches’ cauldron close-reading activity and the motifs chart.  Some students finished early and viewed clips from the Reduced Shakespeare Company’s performance video. 

Thursday, March 6 March 6, 2008

Today we finished viewing Macbeth, Act III.  We then began three assignments that we will complete tomorrow:

1. Finish reading Act III, Scenes 6-5
2. Trace one motif as it appears throughout the play so far.  Create a visual representing this motif.  Include illustrations, symbols, and quotations in your visual.  You can choose from the following motifs:
   • blood
   • death
   • sleeplessness
   • guilt
   • hypocrisy
   • insanity
   • manliness
   • ambition
   • equivocation
   • hell
   • disorder
3. Read Act IV, Scene 1.  Create a drawing of the witches’ cauldron.  Include all of the ingredients in the cauldron and label each of them. 

Be prepared to discuss and present your cauldron and motifs on Monday.  Daphne has volunteered to go to Hocutt to get more markers if necessary.

I will not be here on Friday.  Have fun working on these assignments.  I will see all of you on Monday!  Have a great weekend. 

Wednesday, March 5 March 5, 2008

We viewed Macbeth, Acts I-II today.  We will view Act III tomorrow and move on to an oral reading of Act IV.

Tuesday, March 4 March 5, 2008

Today we accomplished the following tasks:

1. Completed the Macbeth visual essays (collages) based on Act III
2. Viewed examples of Senior Project Oral Presentations
3. Discussed Senior Projects in detail