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Monday, February 28, 2011

Alas, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern / Alas, Julius / Night Chapter 6

Grade 12
  • Continued Hamlet Act 5, scene 2.
  • Period 4 up to line 91 (1/2 class due to delayed opening)
  • Period 8 up to line 238
  • Reminder: Period 4 journals due tomorrow
Grade 10
  • Period 5: Continued Julius Caesar Act 3, scene 1 lines 58 to 253
  • No period 1 due to delayed opening.
Grade 9
  • Discussed chapter 6 in Night.
  • Reminder: Make sure all reading logs are done!
  • We will go over chapter 7 tomorrow.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Hamlet Grapples with Laertes / Benchmark Continued

Grade 12
  • Finished scene 1, discussed Hamlet's reaction to Laertes's behavior in the cemetery.
  • Pep talk on effort.
Grade 10
  • Finished benchmark
Grade 9
  • Finished benchmark.
  • HW: Read chapter 7 and write log.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Hamlet and the Gravedigger / Grades 9 & 10 Benchmark Exams

Grade 12
  • Went over Act III quiz
  • Discussed the question of Ophelia's death. Suicide? If so, does this mean that Ophelia, who actually goes through with it, and Laertes, who is ready to skewer Claudius over the death of his father, both make Hamlet look weak.
  • Began Act V, scene i through line167
  • Reminder: Period 8 journals are due on Friday. If you know you are going to be absent on Friday, I will need it tomorrow to avoid penalties.
Grade 10
  • Benchmark exam. Will be continued tomorrow.
Grade 9
  • Benchmark exam. Will be continued tomorrow.
  • HW: Finish chapter 6 plus reading log.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Act IV quiz / Benchmark Prep - Start Act III / Benchmark Prep- Listening

Grade 12
  • Quiz on Act IV
Grade 10
  • Prep for benchmark exam:
  • What does "controlling idea" mean?
    Controlling idea: is the main topic being considered. In terms of Regents practice, it is the idea connecting two passages. The controlling idea will be defined in the thesis statement/topic sentence.
  • Read Act III, scene i, lines 1 to 60 plus notes.
Grade 9
  • Listening activity to prep for tomorrow's benchmark exam. Read chapter 6, pages 85 to 87 to the class while they took notes. They then answered the following question: What is meant by, "We were masters of nature, the masters of the world."
  • Tomorrow: benchmark exam, listening.
  • HW: finish reading Chapter6 up to page 94 plus reading log

Monday, February 14, 2011

Act IV Video (Hamlet) / Act II Quiz (Julius Caesar) / Chapter 5 Quiz (Night)

Grade 12
  • Viewed Act IV
  • Tomorrow: Act IV quiz
Grade 10
  • Quiz on Act II
  • Checked notes for a grade
  • Tomorrow: Begin Act III and
  • Brief review for Regents Benchmark Exam for sceduled for Wednesday.
Grade 9
  • Quiz on chapter 5
  • Checked reading logs for chapter 5 for a grade.
  • Tomorrow: Review strategies for Regents exam in preparation for benchmark, sceduled for Wednesday.
  • No HW.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Alas, Poor Ophelia / The Constructed Response / Quiz Review & Make-ups

Grade 12
  • Finished Act 4
  • E-text with translation: LINK
Grade 10
  • Went over quiz for Act 1 and reviewed how to write a constructed response. We answered the question, "What conflict is revealed in Act 1?" Paragraph should start with a strong thesis statement with strong proof following:
  • The conflict revealed in Act 1 is between Caesar’s desire for power and the nobles who want to keep him from getting this power. This can be seen in Act 1, scene 1, lines 73 through 76 where Flavius is telling Marullus "These growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s wing / Will make him fly an ordinary pitch." Also Flavius is concerned that Caesar will "keep us all in servile fearfulness." (line 76) Also, in scene 2, lines 79 through 81, Brutus reveals to Cassius that he fears Caesar may become king.
  • Act II quiz and notebook check on Monday
Grade 9
  • Went over quiz for chapters 2 & 3.
  • Quiz make-ups were given.
  • Chapter 5 quiz and log check on Monday

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Ophelia Round the Bend / JC Act 2 Video / Elie's Foot

Grade 12
  • Read Act IV, scenes iv, v and vi
  • E-text with translation: LINK
Grade 10
  • Viewed Julius Caesar, Act II.
  • Tomorrow we will go over the Act I quiz and begin the Act II quiz. (Note: Study vocabulary!)
  • Notes for both acts will be checked for major grades!
  • E-text with translation: LINK
Grade 9
  • Journal: Towards the end of chapter 5, setting and plot develpments determine tone. What does the weather, the impending evacuation of the camp and Elie's injured foot do to the tone?
  • Discuss.
  • Continue discussing the end of chapter 5.
  • Tomorrow we will go over the chapter 4 quiz and start the chapter 5 quiz.
  • Reading logs for chapter 5 will be checked for a major grade!
  • HW: Check reading logs. Improve as needed.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Hamlet's Off to England? / Portia Can't Stand the Suspense / Elie: Faith Can Keep You Alive

Grade 12
  • Act 4, scenes 1, 2, 3 and 4 up to line 32
  • Those who missed yesterday's quiz are encouraged to make it up as soon as possible.
Grade 10
  • Finished Act II, began video up to Scene 1, line 140
Grade 9
  • Journal: Discuss the irony in the statement: ‘…if only he could have kept his faith in God…’ especially when compared to the beginning of the chapter.
  • Discuss
  • Watched forst part of Oprah Winfrey's visit to Aushwitz with Elie Weisel. (Link)
  • HW: Finish chapter 5.

Monday, February 07, 2011

Act III, Scene 3 and 4 (Video) / Julius is rather Full of Himself / Chapter 4 Quiz

Grade 12
  • Finish Act III video. Discuss Hamlet's interaction with Gertrude.
  • Quiz tomorrow
  • E-text with translation: LINK
Grade 10
  • Review friday's class.
  • Finish Act II, scene 1. Write log, with particular emphasis on Portia's characterization.
  • Read scene 2 up to line 56. Write log, with particular emphasis on Caesar's characterization.
  • E-text with translation: LINK
Grade 9
  • Quiz #3 on chapter 4
  • HW: Chapter 5, pgs. 66 to 73 plus reading log.

Friday, February 04, 2011

Hamlet, Act III Video / Portia's Complaint / Death of an Angel

Grade 12
  • Viewed first part of Act III video up through the end of scene 2.
  • Will finish the video on Monday and start the quiz.
Grade 10
  • In groups:
    • Journal: If, as Cassius says, Brutus is so malleable and, as we have decided, so gullible, why do the conspirators agree to his decisions about Cicero and Antony so easily? Note act, scene and line numbers for your proof.
    • Continue Act II, scene 1 to line 290.
Grade 9
  • Journal:
    What is the context and significance of the lines on page 59, "All hearts trembled, but mostly with envy. He was the one who had dared."
  • Discuss.
  • Discuss the significance of the execution of the boy at the end of chapter 4. Note, in particular its symbolic value.
  • No hw for the weekend. Quiz on monday.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Hamlet & Gertrude / Brutus Takes Charge / Elie Loses His Gold Crown

Grade 12
  • Review Polonius death: What context justifies Gertrudes fear of Hamlet? (He's being physical and possibly violent.)
  • What may the consequences of Polonius's death be? (Ophelia? Laertes?)
  • Finish Act 3.
  • E-text with translation: LINK
Grade 10
  • Review
  • Discuss literary elements for scene 1 so far; especially conflict, dramatic irony and character development.
  • Continue scene 1 through line 211
  • E-text with translation: LINK
Grade 9
  • Read from A Part of the Sky. (5 min.)
  • Night continued:
  • Journal: Tell the story of the gold crown. (from chapter 4)
  • Discuss chapter 4 so far. (Lit. Elements: character development, plot conflict )
  • HW: Finish reading chapter 4 plus reading log.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

That's It for Polonius! / Brutus Joins the Club / Night Quiz, Ch. 2 & 3

Grade 12
  • Read discussed Act 3, scene 3 and scene 4 up to line 117
  • E-text with translation: LINK
Grade 10
  • Read and discussed Act 2, scene 1 to line 140
  • E-text with translation: LINK
Grade 9
  • Quiz and chapters 2 and 3.
  • Checked reading logs. (Should be a toatl of 9 through page 51. Las five were checked today.)
  • HW: read and log pages 51 - 57.