Sixty Second Shakespeare: A Romeo and Juliet Review!

Remember when we visited the website which included video footage of one minute overviews of Shakespeare's plays? That is exactly the task we will be undertaking today. Here's a link back to that site. This should be fun!

Yesterday I was out, but you were watching the film versions of the play. They really are quite different, aren't they? The timing in the Luhrman version of the final scene creates a major shift in the theme...What did you notice, and how do those things you notice affect the overall theme? In order to analyze these two versions, we'll draw up some time lines in our cooperative groups.

Well, my friends, this may not be the Globe Theater, but 'tis enough; 'twill do! Good luck!

*A comment about blogging......The atmosphere in the virtual classroom of the blog is still

as important as my actual classroom. Please know that the most important rule of life is to be kind, and if you can't, then get out of the way!

Readers' Theater: The Grand Finale

Today we will dig in and read the final scenes of the play in class. I hope everyone is here to help us put the pieces together. Ironically, I realize that we have spent far more days reading the play than the actual number of days the play encompasses! We'll look over study guides and figure out a timeline of events, too.

Many of you have been blogging about topics related to Romeo and Juliet, courage, fear, love, fights with parents, and so forth. One of our reading great books groups even began blogging about refilming the play and choosing movie stars for the leading parts. Check out this post to see some of their ideas.

I'll be checking in your books on Thursday and Friday, so if you have lost yours in your room at home, better go on a hunt now. For the last weeks of school, we'll be sharing independent reading and writing, creating a summer reading list, and setting goals for the future.

Until then, keep reading and blogging!

Act V: Can There Be A Resolution?

As you know, the last act of any Shakespearean tragedy offers the final climax of the play and a sense of resolution. In other words, all of the loose ends are finally tied up. As we read these final scenes, we notice how neatly it all fits together, not just in plot or story line, but also in the language itself. The poetry itself in the last speeches of the play reflects a more dignified, formal tone. We'll look closely at this in class today and tomorrow.

Friday's reading and blogging illustrates your thoughts on the play, your independent reading, and even some of your political/moral/ethical opinions. Look over the blog rules that you created -they are listed at the beginning of each blog spot- and be sure that you are respectful of one another and of our safety concerns, anonymity, and language. Having a virtual classroom has been an honor and a privilege, and it is so nice to have bloggers leave comments in response to our thoughts and ideas. The safety and etiquette rules you created included respect for opposing opinions. It's those connections that you make with each other that often bring a deeper meaning to the issues we discuss.

Keep reading and blogging!