Things to add: the essential questions component sprinkled in spring 03 and some Socratic Seminars.  If this became a much bigger unit, I would add a multigenre on the themes perhaps! Also: MUST INCLUDE A COMP-CONT PAPER on Characters in play.

 

1

 

1. Journal: What is your overall impression of Shakespeare's time period, his life, his work?  Do you enjoy/anticipate or dread Shakespeare?  Explain.

2. Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet Background

    a. Handout: Romeo and Juliet Character Relationships.

    b. Our in class background notes:

        1) Discuss journal.

        2) Why study Romeo and Juliet?  Why study Shakespeare at all?

        3) Who was Shakespeare?

        4) When and where did he work?

        5) Of what significance were Elizabeth and the Renaissance?

        6) And the play itself?

3. Read and review play as needed.  Use the guides and synopses provided on the site.  We will work with various parts of the play, but it is up to you to “fill in the blanks.”  If I suspect anyone is not up-to-speed, I can and will assign the Romeo and Juliet Study Guide.  Take a look if you like, but it ain’t pretty.

 

2

 

1. Journal: none
2. Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet Background (cont.)

    a. Handout: Romeo and Juliet Character Relationships.

    b. Our in class background notes:

        1) Discuss journal.

        2) Why study Romeo and Juliet?  Why study Shakespeare at all?

        3) Who was Shakespeare?

        4) When and where did he work?

        5) Of what significance were Elizabeth and the Renaissance?

        6) And the play itself?

3. Read and review play as needed.  Use the guides and synopses provided on the site.  We will work with various parts of the play, but it is up to you to “fill in the blanks.”  If I suspect anyone is not up-to-speed, I can and will assign the Romeo and Juliet Study Guide.  Take a look if you like, but it ain’t pretty.

3

 

1. Journal: Describe exactly what gives you troubles in reading Shakespeare.  How do you cope with it?
2. Romeo and Juliet Workshop
    a. Finish background notes: techniques of Romeo and Juliet

    b. Characterization
        1) Obviously the main characters but don't overlook others.
        2) The Triad: Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio -- An example of how we can organize what we see in literature for analysis and discussion.  Looking for patterns!

    c. Handout: Cast Relationships

3. Reading Shakespeare: Modeled Reading
I will read through select sections of the text and "think out loud" how I read Shakespearean text.  The purpose is to show you how to
    a. use footnotes effectively,
    b. discern meaning from contextual clues,
    c. create meaning using common sense and imagination to facilitate faster and more efficient reading,
    d. know when to switch to close textual reading (defined), based on importance of the scene, including marking the text.

 

4

 

1. Reading Shakespeare: Modeled Reading
    a. I'll continue modeled reading as needed.
    b. Select students emulate modeled reading in class.
        1) your own thoughts out loud
        2) classmates will add theirs as you read as well
2. Journal: What have you learned from the Modeled Reading?  How has it changed the way you approach the reading of literature with difficult language like Romeo and Juliet or Frankenstein?  If it didn't change your approach, describe how you approach it and how you developed that skill.
3. Debrief from modeled reading.
4. HW: KNOW the Queen Mab speech for Monday.

 

5

 

1. Journal: Look over the Mab Speech again and respond.
2. Reader's Workshop: Imagery & Meaning
    a. Discuss your responses to Mercutio's Queen Mab speech and put the speech in context.
    b. Draw and color Mab's scene on a literal level.
    c. Share and display pictures.

6

1. Journal: What is your favorite scene in the play (so far)?  Why?
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project
    a. Assign Project –
keep things simple!
    b. Groups form (6 groups -- Period 5/6, 4 each; Period 10, 3 each)
    c. Scenes picked from hat.
    d. Begin planning: organize and brainstorm.

3. Performance: 5/28

4. Reminder: Mab Pics due by Friday.

 

7

 

1. Journal: none
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project
    a. Create fully developed outline of
        1) your scene enactment, including all details; if it's translated, you'll need a script.
        2) the language themes you will focus upon and how you plan to explore them.
        3) what aspects of characterization you plan to explore and how you plan to discuss it
        4) back up plans
    b. Turn in outline tomorrow.
    c. Create your materials as outline is completed and REHEARSE!
    d. Rehearsal time provided next two days.

3. Performance: 5/28

4. Reminder: Mab Pics due by Friday.

 

8

 

1. Journal: none
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project
    a. Complete and turn in outline if needed.
    b. Clarify all scenes; master what you need to cover or get the class to think about.
    c. Rehearse scenes.
    d. If you doing your scene in translation, you'll need a fully developed script.

3. Performance: 5/28

4. Reminder: Mab Pics due by tomorrow.

 

9

 

1. Journal: none
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project
    a. Complete any content prep you need.
    b. Rehearse scenes.

3. Distribute Of Mice and Menthink Final Exam!

4. Performance: 5/28

5. Reminder: Mab Pics due today.

 

10

 

1. Journal: none
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project
    a. Synopsis: the boys look for Romeo after the party (II, i)
    b. The Balcony Scene (II, ii)

 

11

 

1. Journal: none
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project
    The Nurse fetches Romeo (II, iv)

 

12

 

1. Journal: none
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project
    The Nurse tells Juliet and the Wedding (II, v and vi)

 

13

 

1. Journal: none
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project
    I am fortune's fool! (III,i)

 

14

 

1. Journal: none
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project 
   a. Synopses
        1) Juliet reacts to Tybalt’s death (III, ii)
        2) Romeo whines to Friar Lawrence about banishment (III, iii)
        3) Capulet and Paris arrange Juliet’s marriage to Paris (III, iv)
    b. Romeo and Juliet part ways (III, v); Juliet's Plan (IV, i)

3. Have ALL portfolio and electronic portfolio materials in class Wednesday!

 

15

 

1. Journal: none
2. Romeo and Juliet Group Mastery Project
    a. Synopses
        1) Juliet agrees to the marriage to Paris (IV, ii)
        2) Juliet commits to the fake suicide plan – her soliloquy (IV, iii)
        3) Juliet is “dead” (IV, iv)
        4) Romeo discovers from Balthasar that Juliet is “dead” & gets the poison from the apothecary (V, I)
        5) Find out from Friar John that the letter explaining Juliet’s death never made it to Romeo in Mantua due to plague (V, ii)
    b. Death Scene and Denouement (V, iii)

3. Have ALL portfolio and electronic portfolio materials in class tomorrow!

4. Bring Lit Book tomorrow.