Today we will be starting The Pianist in class.  This will be a guided journey for those who have returned the permission form.

Before we start the movie, you will need this Activity Guide.  It would be a good idea to look over the questions before the film starts.

I am eagerly looking forward to seeing your MSND presentations today.  Please make sure you have all your rubrics printed off and handed it to me before you start.

We will be spending the next month (or so) looking at Night.  As I told you in class yesterday, this is my first time through the novel with a class, so I  will be looking for your feedback on all the materials, approaches, and activities that we complete over the next little while. 

You can download the study guide here. 

Sparknotes can be helpful, but every good student knows they are not the end-all and be-all.  You will need to read the book, do the homework, complete the assignments and participate in class discussions to truly come to an understanding.

Today we are going to start a journey together.  I am excited to be spending time with you exploring Elie Wiesel's book "Night".   This will be my first time looking at the Holocaust with students from a literary viewpoint.  At times this will be a very difficult topic for all of us, both from an emotional and an analytical aspect.   The road to understanding will be winding, but we will get there.  Together.

"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in the camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever…Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never." — Night 

Now that we are done the play, you should make sure that all your exam review questions and workbook are all complete.  See me if you are missing anything that we corrected in class.

We will be spending the next three days working on our video/audio assignments in preparation for our upcoming presentation date.  You will be handing your copy of the play back in after Wednesday's class...so if you need anything from it, make sure you photocopy the passages before April 16th (photocopiers are available in the library).  Don't forget that there are several free version on line, including the transcript some of you have been using on No Fear Shakespeare.

We will be starting the novel unit on Thursday, with distribution and pre-reading exercises around the themes, characters, and settings contained in Night by Elie Weisel

Here is the audio file for Act IV.
 
Are you paying particular attention to the cadence and rhythms that we discussed and practiced in class?

Here are the study questions for Act IV and V.

As we move into ACT 3 Scene II in class, my hope is that you read Scene I for homework (as assigned).

This question sheet will help you keep everything straight (please complete it in the first 30 minutes of class).  The Scene Act 3 Scene II questions are for homework.

This time as we read 3:II as a group we should focus on delivering our lines in the same manner that Shakespeare intended (as we discussed in class there is a rhythm that exists in the way the dialogue is structured).  This is an awesome source to help develop your lines (and it also has some pretty interesting materials that should help you with your plays).

For those who have been asking, Act III is posted in audio format below

Today's hidden lesson: The first person to tell me why Shakespeare is often referred to as "The Bard" receives a chocolate bar.  There are no prizes for second place.

At the end of the play, you are going to be asked to answer one of the following "big questions". 

BQ#1: In A Midsummer Night's Dream, does Shakespeare present love as being a positive or negative force?
BQ#2: How does Shakespeare use plays within a play to express many of the important themes of the main plot?
BQ#3: Why does Shakespeare use the device of magic in a A Midsummer Night's Dream?
BQ#4:  How do the themes presented in a Midsummer Night's Dream relate to the life of a teenager today?

As we work our way through the play, you should be keeping your OBQ in mind and make sure you filter out all the information that you need to adequately defend your answer.  This will be your next entry in your blog.

Please complete the Act II study questions.  My hope is to be able to take them up by the end of class.  Pay particular attention to the Quotation ID and Significance questions, as they demonstrate a deeper understanding of the play.

This is an interesting TedTalk that looks at the connections between Shakespeare and Hip Hop.  It is also an interesting look at the power and cultural impact of words.