R&J Helpful Links

Sometimes, reading Shakespeare and figuring out what he means can be difficult. There are ZILLIONS of resources on the web, but here are a few that I recommend without the extraneous (and unreliable) high school student websites out there. I will continue to add to this post as I find more extremely helpful resources!

Easy Reading

• Audio version will full cast: Quick, fun, great voices!
• http://www.speak-the-speech.com/romeoandjuliet.htm
• OpenSource Shakespeare: Concordance, searchable texts, and easy navigation!
• http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/plays/playmenu.php?WorkID=romeojuliet
• No Fear Shakespeare: A side-by-side Shakespeare text and modern text. Also available in book format to buy!
• http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet/
• Bartleby: Online copy of Shakespeare’s text accompanied with line numbers
• http://www.bartleby.com/70/index38.html

Helpful Analysis

• Mr. Bruff offers detailed and sound analysis with a delightful British accent. He has many videos that can help you with other texts and assignments, too. The following are video analyses of Romeo and Juliet.
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqGFsWf-P-cB7YAoARj6iAFCglAfy9aN2

To Kill a Mockingbird

As we head to Spring Break, let's quickly touch on one of America's seminal novels: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Beloved by thousands of young and old readers alike, this coming-of-age, Great Depression and Jim Crow era novel is celebrated as a hearty historical perspective on 1930s Southern culture.

We will only be reading an abridged version of the text due to time constraints of our 180 days together. You can find that version and an audiobook I recorded for you at this link. LitCharts is a really excellent resource that has some interactive flow charts of what happens throughout the novel. Make sure you check it out for solid explanations and analysis of the rest of the novel.

I highly recommend that if the story intrigues you that you read the entire novel by Harper Lee herself. The full novel is on audio files provided by this teacher's Weebly.

Many people consider TKAM their favorite book of all time. Especially in anticipation of the corollary novel that has recently been announced, you may find your new favorite author! See these other links to find out why so many love it!

• 5 Reasons Why TKAM is GREAT!
• TKAM is more popular than the Bible
• 70% of (Inexpert) Debaters Agree

Time for the Time Machine Projects

You should have 2 of the 3 required C Layer activities completed today. Each bullet counts as one activity. The list of C Layer Activities is listed after the jump.

Our reading of The Time Machine will continue today and next week, according to the calendar of activities. After you finish the activities for C Layer, be sure to begin working on B Layer and A Layer. A Layer will take you the longest of all the layers.

HONORS: Be sure to be working on your handouts outside of class. Topics and directions are found after the jump.

Perhaps an easier-to-navigate audiobook can be found at the following website: http://archive.org/details/time_machine_0805_librivox
This is the audiobook we will listen to for in-class readings.

Travels to Countries Afar, Travels into the Future

We have finished Gulliver's Travels and seen how a stranger can observe a new world with new social customs.

H. G. Wells published The Time Machine in 1895, almost two centuries after Swift published Gulliver's Travels. However, both novels are remarkably similar in social criticism and theme. While Gulliver's Travels is a satirical work (making fun of the English Parliamentary folly), The Time Machine uses problems with humanity to create a future-looking science fiction novel.

Soon, we will complete this comparison chart of the two novels.

The Time Machine is available in free audio book online at the following links:

• http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17401/17401-readme.htm
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OroP6b_dBik
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3LI9UingiE

The Time Machine is available for free on the kindle app or online at these websites:

• http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/WelTime.html
• http://www.online-literature.com/wellshg/timemachine/1/
• http://www.literaturepage.com/read/thetimemachine.html
• http://www.bartleby.com/1000/

Gatsby Audiobook and Questions

As we continue to read Gatsby, you can always read your chapters with this handy alternate audiobook! The audiobook is even separated by bite-size bits within chapters! Enjoy the easy reading!

Reading Schedule (Subject to Change):
Chapter 3 due May 1
Chapter 4 due May 2
Chapter 5 due May 5
Chapter 6 due May 6
Chapter 7 due May 7
Chapter 8 due May 8
Chapter 9 due May 9

We will also continue with our theme trackers  (Honors courses) and chapter questions (standard-level courses).

Already by Chapter 3, we've seen a lot of drama. Can't wait to see the story unfold!

Finding Treasures in The Great Gatsby

Complete the following WebQuest to learn more about the background of The Great Gatsby. This web-based search will introduce you to the world of Gatsby and his fellows so you may better understand the development and significance of action in the novel.

2. After the War Link: after the jump below
7. Arnold Rothstein Link: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Rothstein.html
8. Flapper Jane Link: http://www.colorado.edu/AmStudies/lewis/1025/flapperjane.pdf

Here's a video giving you a headstart on analysis of The Great Gatsby:

An online text of The Great Gatsby is free to read and download at: http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/f/fitzgerald/f_scott/gatsby/

Listen to any section of the novel at this hyperlink audiobook.

New Online Resources

News from Mrs. Steppe:

After years of planning and developing, the Online American Library is now LIVE!  This is a fantastic resource - and will only get bigger each year!  With any luck all American library systems will share their digital collections, creating one of the largest inventories of information, music, and books available for free (well, our taxes pay for it) in the world.

 

Here's an article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/18/digital-public-library-of-america_n_3111264.html

 

And here's the DPLA:

http://dp.la/

The Audio Great Gatsby

Here is a YouTube Playlist of an audiobook of The Great Gatsby. Feel free to listen!

Audiobook Part 1