Blogging We Will Go!

Finally at the end of our busy week, we are taking a day for laptops and blogging! Look at yesterday's post to see the direction we'll go! We'll visit the Shakespearean insult site and throw a few barbs at the bard!


Don't forget to track your blogging and commenting. Since each week's credit runs through Sunday, I won't collect these until a week from Monday when week 2 of this quarter ends.



Happy blogging and reading!

Get Thee To Work: Shaking Up Language!

I notice that some of you are already blogging about Shakespeare. Good for you! Some of the most beautiful and lyrical lines of poetry appear in the play we are about to read, but there are always those of us who are intimidated by the language. For that reason, tomorrow we are going to "play" with words, Shakespearean words and elevated language. So get thy books out and thee shall enjoy a battle of barbs for the bard! You'll see; it's easy. If you want to get some practice in before class, click on the Shakespearean Insults site for fun!


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Cool Visit to Verona!

Hey, have you guys been reading the class blog? (Yes, I know you can only post and comment to your own class's blog.) Check out the link provided by cavalierschick in Reading Great Books 5. It's a site about Verona, Italy, and you can actually take a virtual tour! Bravo!

Looking for Courage

An overriding question that seems to drive our course of literature study is: What is courage? That's not always an easy question to answer. The characters we've met in our reading face adversity, fight battles, look for strength (physical and spiritual/moral), and examine their own lives. It may be, for example, that it would take a great deal of courage to admit defeat and surrender, or it may take even more courage to fight even when you know you will be defeated. It may take courage to face a fight, or courage to walk away. I'm sure you can think of many examples.


As we continue examining these questions, we will begin a new work of literature, Romeo and Juliet. How - you might ask- can these questions apply? In fact, they do. Our characters face decisions, adversity, and hatred that was not of their own making. They must make choices and face consequences. We may find that many of the themes we've been discussing apply universally to this literature as well.


First, we'll visit the time period and location of Verona, Italy. This setting is crucial to an understanding of the conflicts our characters face. We'll also learn about the language, which at first glance may look foreign to you! Don't worry! It's actually a lot of fun.


Tomorrow's classes are back to 50 minutes in length. We'll finish up our essay test on Mockingbird, and with what time we have left map out our unit on Romeo and Juliet. So, my friends, adieu! Keep reading in your independent reading books!

*Don't forget to continue keeping track of your blog posts and comments. We have a new "log sheet" that was passed out this week. Keep it to hand in on April 16th.

Final Scene: Team Presentations

We got waylaid yesterday, so today we'll pick up with our investigations (close reading). If you refer back to chapter 28, you'll be able to revisit the events of the attack. Your team will piece together the scene, the weapons, victims, attacker and any witnesses. You will look for credibility and clues. The actual events are inferred, not spelled out. As this all comes together, we'll revisit the theme of the mockingbird as it is plays out in the novel.



Harper Lee's talent is amazing. In closing today, we will study the original survey we took at the beginning of this unit, and we'll determine how Lee's characters would respond.



This week of map testing may give you extra reading time in your Chief Time classes. This is a great time to read over the blog for book titles and ideas. Be sure you take advantage of this time!


Happy reading!

Crime Scene Investigation!

It's always interesting to share the ending of To Kill A Mockingbird to see each reader's view of the crime scene. Of course, so much of what Scout narrates is unclear because the view she has of the crime scene is masked by the darkness of night, and her perspective is further obscured because of her ham costume. Careful reading will reveal what she hears, sees, smells and touches during the attack passage. The sheriff and Atticus fill in other questions in the argument Scout witnesses. Today in class we will have a chance to share our own perspectives as we review the last chapters of the book and reflect in writing what we have learned. Bring any unanswered questions you may still have to class with you.