Shakespeare Links

You will have today's class period ONLY to complete this assignment. PLEASE WORK DILIGENTLY!

I have gathered together several websites that have information about Shakespeare or his times. Use these websites to finish filling out your information guide to Shakespeare.

http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/shakespeare1

After you have completed the background information on Shakespeare, please choose one of the quotes after the jump. You will research how this quote is used in modern times by checking on The New York Times website for current articles that still use Shakespeare's words today. 

For fun, check out this hilarious parody of Forrest Gump for the life of William Shakespeare!

List of Shakespeare FAMOUS Quotes after the jump!

Shakespeare Wish I to Understand

Shakespeare's language sounds a little weird at first. But really, once you try to read those "fancy" words and funky word order, the story isn't that difficult to get. Check out this awesome example by comedian John Branyan: A Triune Tale of Diminutive Swine (recorded live show video here).


Shakespeare's language sounds funny because it is Early Modern English, not our Modern English that we speak every day. You see, our language has morphed from Germanic roots of Old English to the Latin influence of Middle English and additions of French during the Renaissance to create Early Modern English. Now this all happened through a series of mini, simple changes to the everyday language (known as vernacular) that later became a significant shift in how the language was spoken and written. Etymology and linguistics is supremely interesting, so be sure to check out some resources if it intrigues you to know why we spell some words "ie" and others "ei" (or "ph" and "f").

Macbeth in Film

Comparison Chart

3 Versions of Act 1, Scene 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clG8ha2D26g

Two Versions of Act 4, Scene 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3nyHy4s6ew   immediately followed by http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr8b9SQ68sw

and your favorite, the PBS version (which also stars Mrs. Catermole from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt.1 as Lady Macbeth), is also available on Netflix:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/episodes/macbeth/watch-the-full-program/1030/

No Heavy Books!--Macbeth Text Online

Here are some great resources for making Macbeth more accessible to read and to carry!

• In class, we will be listening to the dramatized audio version of Macbeth.
• SparkNotes has the entire text of Macbeth in both Shakespearean English and Modern English. 
• The entire text on a searchable website can be found from MIT. 
• The Google Play store has an android app to play Macbeth as an audio book.

Take any one of these to complete your Act dramatization

Fellow teachers and parents, read this well-crafted article that demonstrates how fun (and wild) reading Shakespeare in school can get!

Macbeth TEST!

We have finished reading Macbeth, completed many worksheets, analyzed quotes and setting and motifs, and watched the PBS Macbeth. It's TEST TIME!

Review the following worksheets:

• the elements of a tragedy
• character quotes
• the Globe Theater illustration
• theme trackers (If you are curious about the other Theme-based Questions for the other themes in Macbeth, check out this document.)

You've also got this awesome rap for you to listen to as review! It's got main themes and plot summary!

The following sections will be on the test:

• matching INCLUDING theater definitions and character identification
• fill-in-the-blank with easy, one-word answers
• a super-short answer section requiring three-eight words
• multiple choice about plot
• two short answer questions (paragraph)
• paragraph responses to TWO themes 
• identify the parts of the Globe Theater

The Imminent Climax of Macbeth

After reading all of Act III and the first scene of Act IV, we are now taking our time analyzing and focusing on what has happened, why it is important, and the poetic significance of Macbeth.

As we continue Act IV, we will watch some film interpretations of Act I scene i and Act IV scene i. (Version 1, Version 2). Your favorite, the PBS version (which also stars Mrs. Catermole from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt.1 as Lady Macbeth), is also available on Netflix. Each of you will get to tell how YOU would direct Macbeth with this Elements of Directing Sheet. 

You'll notice that Joseph Campbell's Monomyth can also be applied here. Check out this image and see if you can modify the Acts below to align Macbeth to The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Halloween Independent Reading

It’s time for our favorite spooky, creepy, and imaginative time of year: HALLOWEEN! To celebrate, our Independent Reading will be chosen from two magnificently scary authors, Edgar Allan Poe (Eng III) and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Eng IV).

Once you choose a short story by your course’s author, you may choose to EITHER (1) complete the assignment below OR (2) complete a typical Reading Log with Creative Role, Research, and Log. Both choices will STILL REQUIRE you to complete a Vocab Mini Project, as found on the blog.

Edgar Allan Poe Short Stories:

http://poestories.com/stories.php

http://www.americanliterature.com/author/edgar-allen-poe/bio-books-stories

http://www.online-literature.com/poe/

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Short Stories:

http://www.online-literature.com/doyle/

http://www.eastoftheweb.com/cgi-bin/read_db.pl?search_field=author_id&search_for=ArthurConanDoyle&order_by=author_id,title&page=1

Create a visual representation of the plot using the plot diagram that you have known since elementary school. I want you to take this basic literature analysis tool and expound upon it to create a high-school-level interpretation and presentation of your short story. This means that I will be looking for AT LEAST the following elements to be added to your plot diagram storyboard:

• 30 points: Each of the categories found in adjacent picture in legible and detailed accuracy

• 25 points: Identify AT LEAST FIVE literary devices used in the short story by creating a flipbook to go along with your plot storyboard. Each device should have a definition, an example from the text, AND one to three sentences explaining the device’s use in the story.

• 20 points: Images, film clips, sound recordings, or drawings to represent the plot for each moment of action on the chart

• 15 points: Five-question quiz for your classmates to complete. Must be typed. Put two quizzes on one page, please.

• 10 points: Presentation to the class over Halloween Week

MB Act I: Setting Mood

The first Act of Macbeth introduces some interesting characters and scenes. Notice already the motifs of darkness, strange omens, and epic foreshadowing that you can connect throughout the rest of the play. We will track these connections through analysis and summary of quotes by characters throughout the play. The first Character Quotes sheet is due at the end of the unit on test day.

We have begun to track paradoxes in the first scene. Think about how these establish a theme and particular motif in the play.

We will watch these three versions of Act I.i and compare director's choices for how to present Shakespeare's words in a real-life enactment.


The following handouts will be completed by the end of Act I and are due on Wednesday.

• Act I.iii
• Act I.vi

Spring Break TO-DOs!!!!

Seniors: Two things:

• Macbeth Take-Home Test
• Remember you may use your text and resources to answer your test. This will be due Wednesday, April 10th after Spring Break.
• Along with your test, remember to complete your Character Quote handouts for basic Macbeth plot.
• Senior Project Hours and Portfolios
• All Senior Project info can be found at this link.
• 10 product hours and 5 mentor hours will be due the week you return to school, so GET WORKING!
• Fill in all those gaps in your portfolio using the forms and format found here on the blog and in the Senior Project Handbook.

Juniors:

• Time to edit your research papers. Even if you take just a few hours to create a cleaner draft, DO IT! 
• Remember, doing AS MUCH WORK NOW will save you immense amounts of work for your final draft. 
• All the help you need should be on this blog post (CLICK HERE).

Your Very Own Macbeth Film

After seeing the varied performances of 4th period, we will now compare our works to the PBS version of Macbeth. Check it out before our take-home tests will be due the Wednesday after Spring Break!

Filming Macbeth

After this week of planning, today we filmed our own scenes of Macbeth. You astounded me with your preparedness, bringing costumes, phones, and props to film your individual Acts. Monday, bring in your semi-edited films on a flash drive, cd/dvd, or other device you can leave with me to download and compile your videos for viewing on Tuesday.

As a reward after the bell, we recorded our very own English IV Harlem Shake video. For fun and your viewing pleasure, here is the video!

Create-Your-Own ACT! Resources

As we begin our class rendition of Macbeth, you may need some resources about Macbeth in general, the overall themes, or the specifics of other Acts. Here are some reliable and handy resources as you head your way to directing your groups Act of Macbeth!

• A BRIEF Video Overview of the plot, story, and themes of Macbeth
• General Plot Summaries and Analysis (too short to know everything, but long enough to get the gist of things)
• One-Liner Summary (for the quick and dirty)
• College-Level RECAP Videos for review, analysis, and higher-level-thinking
• Detailed Analysis Videos of each scene in each Act
• 100 Incredibly Useful Sites compiled by OnlineCollege.org for learning way more about Shakespeare
• Of course, the symbaloo from last week's assignment
• AND of course, all blog posts tagged "Macbeth" or "Shakespeare"

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" (Act V, Scene v)

Here is a collection of all of the documents we have completed in our time with Macbeth. Our schedule until Thanksgiving goes as follows:

Thursday: Watch and analyze film versions of the play.
Friday:  Take notes/explore the elements of a tragedy.
Monday: MACBETH TEST
Tuesday: Ballads and Thankfulness

If you are curious about the other Theme-based Questions for the other themes in Macbeth, check out this document.

You've also got this awesome rap for you to listen to as review! It's got main themes and plot summary!

After the jump, I have posted all of the links to the important documents and handouts for this unit. These will be useful if you are missing any or if you would like to study with blank forms!

Macbeth Resources

Act 1, Scene 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clG8ha2D26g

Apparition Scenes

1971: Witches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3nyHy4s6ew

1971: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr8b9SQ68sw