Shakespearean Insults...

When I was job sharing with a friend of mine a couple years ago, we were both teaching Shakespeare and did an opening to the unit that involved creating "Shakespearean insults"

So, when I saw this on facebook today, I just about fell out of my seat laughing.... too funny!

NY Times Ethicist: Ethics and Discussion on a variety of issues.

While sharing favourite picture books and readings to do with Elementary School Students, a Student Teacher in a workshop I did last week suggested this site for discussion topics with high school students:

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/features/magazine/columns/the_ethicist/

There are some topics, perhaps, you would not want to discuss with students, but some of the articles are very good and would be nice to read with highschoolers and discuss or have then write or debate after.

Here are a few examples:

Does the Golden Rule Hold Up in Modern Society?

By CHUCK KLOSTERMAN

The problem with treating others as you would like to be treated.

One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Banned Good

By CHUCK KLOSTERMAN

Is it wrong to donate a baby crib to charity that another country has outlawed

Is It Wrong to Skip the Commercials?

By CHUCK KLOSTERMAN

The ethics of fast-forwarding.

I haven't gone through many of them yet, but am always looking for articles and topics to discuss with older students that are thought provoking and lead to discussion, debate and for students to write specifics and think deeper about topics.

**Please note some topics from the NY Times webpage are NOT suitable for the classroom, but there are many that are. As always, preview carefully.

Identity Maps

This lesson on identity was found here. It is not my lesson, but something I found online and wanted to share with teachers. It would work best at the start of the school year in a class, or could be modified for mid-year or new semester. It uses sociograms, word maps, research and self-reflection.

Lesson Question:

How can students create identity maps to introduce themselves to their peers?

Applicable Grades:

3-12

Lesson Overview:

In this "ice breaker" lesson, students use Visual Thesaurus maps as a source of inspiration for creating their own "identity maps" to identify their own multiple roles, qualities and attributes. Then, students share their identity maps as a means of introducing themselves to their peers.

Length of Lesson:

One hour to one hour and a half

Instructional Objectives:

Students will:

• use the Visual Thesaurus to look up a historical figure
• create identity maps incorporating words and elements from Visual Thesaurus maps
• share their identity maps in a small or large group setting

Materials:

• student notebooks
• white board
• computers with Internet access
• large drawing paper (one sheet per student)
• markers (one per student)

Warm-up:

Looking up historical figures on the Visual Thesaurus:

• Start this lesson by looking up a historical figure's name in the Visual Thesaurus, and displaying the map associated with that name on the classroom whiteboard. (For example, you could look up Benjamin Franklin, Harriet Beecher Stowe, or even Charlie Chaplin.)
  
  
• Once you display the historical figure's description by scrolling the cursor over the red bubble associated with the person's name, click on that red bubble to reconfigure the map to show different nouns that are used to describe that person's roles. For example, by clicking on Benjamin Franklin's description, students will see that Franklin was known as an "American Revolutionary leader," a "writer," a "printer," and a "scientist."

Instruction:

Introducing the concept of an identity map:

• Explain to students that today they will be mapping their own identities, in a similar fashion to the people and word maps they have seen on the Visual Thesaurus. Although they may not be well known or famous for their different roles, they will use this mapping opportunity to introduce themselves to their peers through their identity maps.
• Distribute a sheet of large drawing paper and a marker to each student.
• Instruct each student to use a marker to write his or her name in the center of the drawing paper with large bold letters.

Brainstorming roles and nouns:

• Encourage students to consider all the roles they may identify with in the different facets of their lives. They can think of their familial roles (Big brother? Big sister? Baby of the family?); their roles in school (Writer? Reader? Scientist? Historian? Artist? Class clown?); their roles outside of school--on the playground, on the Internet, or among friends (Hoopster? Gamer? Confidant?); or any other roles that may come to mind
• Direct students to draw a different line or ray on their identity maps for each role they wish to include. At the end of each line, they should write the word that identifies that particular role. Students should include at least three or four of these lines.

Incorporating adjectives:

• Explain to students that they may also wish to borrow other elements of Visual Thesaurus word maps for their identity maps. For example, they may wish to include adjectives on their maps to describe themselves.
  
  
• Adjectives could be written at the end of lines that originate at their names and branch out (if they are adjectives that generally apply to their identities), or they could be rays surrounding a particular role (e.g., the adjective "responsible" might be used to describe "big sister," or "prolific" may be used to describe "writer").
  
  
• Encourage students to use the Visual Thesaurus if they are gravitating to vague, trite or commonplace adjectives. For example, if a student has decided to include "kind" on his map, display the Visual Thesaurus word map for "kind" and inquire if he could be more descriptive in his use of adjectives (sympathetic? tolerant? charitable?).
  
  
• Students should include at least five or six adjectives in their identity maps.

Here is a sample identity map:

Wrap-up:

Sharing Identity Maps:

• Once students have completed their identity maps, have them use the maps as a way to introduce themselves to their classmates.
  
  
• In order to save class time, you could have students share the maps in small groups or in a "gallery walk" format (where students post the identity maps on the classroom's walls and students circulate around the room reading the maps and leaving feedback on sticky notes).
  
  
• After sharing their identity maps, students could discuss their observations. What did they learn about their peers through this mapping exercise? What roles do many students share? What adjectives were the most descriptive or unique?

Extending the Lesson:

• One way to extend this lesson would be to have students incorporate other Visual Thesaurus "relationships" in their identity maps. (To see the list of relationships displayed in VT word maps, open the Settings panel and click on the word "Relationships.") For example, a student could reveal what he or she "is not" by including an antonym relationship, or a student could draw a "is a member of" line to designate a club or team affiliation.
  
  
• If you want to further emphasize parts of speech in the lesson, you could have students color-code the words they add to their identity maps according to parts of speech. On the Visual Thesaurus, nouns are indicated by red bubbles, and adjectives are indicated by golden bubbles. Students could use this system on their maps as well, or come up with an alternative.

Assessment:

• Assess students' identity maps based on the variety of the roles and adjectives they included. Did they consult the Visual Thesaurus to avoid use of vague or trite adjectives? Did they include multiple roles to show different facets of their lives? Did they share their identity maps with their peers in an engaging manner?

Educational Standards:

Language Arts
Standard 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes.

Level II (Grades 3-5)

1. Contributes to group discussions
5. Uses strategies to convey a clear main point when speaking (e.g., expresses ideas in a logical manner, uses specific vocabulary to establish tone and present information)
7. Makes basic oral presentations to class (e.g., uses subject-related information and vocabulary; includes content appropriate to the audience; relates ideas and observations; incorporates visual aids or props; incorporates several sources of information)

Level III (Grades 6-8)

1. Plays a variety of roles in group discussions (e.g., active listener, discussion leader, facilitator)
6. Makes oral presentations to the class (e.g., uses notes and outlines; uses organizational pattern that includes preview, introduction, body, transitions, conclusion; uses a clear point of view; uses evidence and arguments to support opinions; uses visual media)
7. Uses appropriate verbal and nonverbal techniques for oral presentations (e.g., inflection/modulation of voice, tempo, word choice, grammar, feeling, expression, tone, volume, enunciation, physical gestures, body movement, eye contact, posture)
Level IV (Grades 9-12)

1. Uses criteria to evaluate own and others' effectiveness in group discussions and formal presentations (e.g., accuracy, relevance, and organization of information; clarity of delivery; relationships among purpose, audience, and content; types of arguments used; effectiveness of own contributions)
5. Makes formal presentations to the class (e.g., includes definitions for clarity; supports main ideas using anecdotes, examples, statistics, analogies, and other evidence; uses visual aids or technology, such as transparencies, slides, electronic media; cites information sources)

Macbeth Rap

My friend and colleague did Macbeth with her English class and as a final project a group of students presented this video.... It is amazing!

Midsummer Night's Dream Facebook Assignment

So I decided to do fake facebook accounts with my Grade 9 Highschool Class for Midsummer Night's Dream. I saw "Shakesbook" and "Fakebook" assignments online and used them as inspiration to create this project. Students had 2 computer lab classes to complete the assignment and most finished easily in that time, while some needed to take extra time at home to finish.

Below I have posted the instructions, marking rubric and sources as well as some links to a few samples from my students.

Fakebook Profile for a Main Character
1. Choose one of the main characters.
2. Create a "fakebook" profile for the character that reflects what you know about them.
3. Write 5 status updates for the character that relate to major events in the plot and
    accurately reflect the characters personality.
4.Create 10 or more responses to the statuses from other characters.
5. You may have MORE posts if you wish.
6. Ensure the statuses are in reverse chronological order with most recent at the top.
7. Include your name and block at the bottom of the page.
8. Save a copy for your files and print a copy to turn in.
Marking Rubric

Minimum 5 Status Updates that reflect characters personalities and refer to major events in the
plot in chronological order. /5

Minimum 10 replies reflect characters personalities and relationships. /5

Profile details reflect character and show understanding of character. /5

Creative, correct formatting, appearance resembles template/examples. /5

Total:    /20

Resources

You may use any of the below resources to create your page or create your own as long as it
contains all the criteria:

1. Fakebook is an online ap. You can click to edit and create a page then save and print.
http://www.classtools.net/fb/home/page
2. Facebook template for Microsoft Word.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/templates/facebook-template-word-TC102239159.aspx

3. I have several templates I will share with the class.

Samples

*Please note at the time of posting these links are active and accurate, but may become unactive or edited in the future without my knowledge. These are a random selection of examples.

Demetrius: http://www.classtools.net/fb/31/BCYd7a

Nick Bottom: http://www.classtools.net/fb/36/WUbGMA

Puck: http://www.classtools.net/fb/56/JegDDX

Hermia: http://www.classtools.net/fb/17/g8mU4D

Lysander: http://www.classtools.net/fb/35/hHdYTW

Nick Bottom: http://www.classtools.net/fb/25/hKJDeB

Helena: http://www.classtools.net/fb/74/BgUNgi

Helena: http://www.classtools.net/fb/67/3Ee2Ci

Twitter
Two students paired up to use twitter to create their own version of the project:

Helena: https://twitter.com/#!/helenalovesdem
Demetrius: https://twitter.com/#!/2cool4helena

Final Projects - Midsummer Night's Dream

I really enjoy giving students choices for final projects. I am in a temporary position until the end of the year and we are doing Grade 9 Midsummer Night's Dream. I believe final projects can be a great way to assess learning in a variety of ways. For my groups I have set-up their final project, which I will share in a future post, but for now, here is a list of ideas that helped motivate me to create some cool options for my class.....

1.

THE DAILY NEWS: Imagine you are an Athenian journalist who wants to report the events of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in your newspaper story. Apply the information given in the play to your story and design an appropriate layout for your newspaper.

2.

THE EVENING NEWS WITH ________________: Write a script for a news broadcast which reports on the events in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Include a weather report, a missing person report, a fast-breaking story, a human-interest angle, a "strange but true" feature, etc. Use at least two anchors to present the broadcast. You may videotape or perform your broadcast for the class.

3.

A BUSY DAY AT THE CASTING AGENCY: A casting agency is where actors are selected to play parts in movies. Suppose you are the head of the largest casting agency in Hollywood, and a large film studio that wants to make a new movie version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream has contracted you. Make up the casting list by deciding which roles will go to which movie or television actors. Decide during what time period your production will take place. Also, write a short synopsis on why you think each actor is "perfect for the role."

4.

YOU’RE THE TALK SHOW HOST: Imagine yourself as a popular talk show host. Your producer tells you that next week you will have the characters of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on your show. As you plan your show, consider such things as the show’s title (for example, "Runaway Athenian Kids"), whom to have in the audience (Athenian teens, nobility, etc.), and your own angle on the story (Fairies and Sprites: can they be trusted?). Write a script, and act it out or videotape it for the class.

5.

COMIC BOOK CREATOR: If you have a natural talent to write a comic book, or you have ever wanted to try to write a comic book, try reproducing A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a comic. Remember that you must use the actual dialogue of the play in order to write your comic; you may edit the text, but you must use enough of the main story to keep the plot true to the story as told in the play.

6.

WANTED: Create a "wanted" poster for Puck, the mischievous sprite. You must include an illustrated "photo," a list of his criminal activities (mischief-making), physical description, aliases, where he was last seen, his probable whereabouts, and any rewards being offered. Who is offering the reward for his capture (think about who in the play might want to capture Puck to keep him from further mischief)? What punishment might he receive if he were captured?

7.

FLOWERS FOR SALE: Create a commercial and print ad campaign for Oberon’s magic flower, the "Love-in-idleness." You must come up with a pitch, a slogan, and one unique way to market your target audience. Who would be the most likely to buy such a product? What would be the best ways to reach this audience—radio, television, direct mail, billboards, magazines, newspapers, Internet ads? Would getting testimonials from several "satisfied customers" be effective? Create your campaign and present it to the class.

8.

FASHION DESIGNER: Fairy Wear is the latest fashion! Create sketches of clothes fit for Titania and Oberon, the Queen and King of the Fairies. Remember, they are the rulers of the natural world, so the clothing should have a "natural" appearance. Then, plan a fashion show to unveil these designs: write a descriptive plan of the show including the brand name, the theme of the show, music used during the show, a script for the host to use to describe the fashions, etc. Then videotape the fashion show using "live" models or dolls!

9.

WEDDING PLANNER: Imagine that you are in charge of the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta. There is no limitation on the budget, so you have unlimited resources. What would you plan for the wedding ceremony? The wedding reception? Prepare a detailed schedule and a budget of the event.

10.

CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR: Create a children’s story about the fairies in the play. They can interact with characters from the play or with new characters that you create. Keep in mind the personality of each fairy so that they act in ways that are true to their characters. Illustrate the book with your own drawings, pictures from magazines, or from pictures you design on a computer. Create a cover that displays the title of your book, a scene from the book, and your name. Find a creative way to bind the book together!

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Midsummer Night's Dream - 2 fun games

I have been seeking ways to do more engaging activities during our Midsummer Night's Dream unit. I found these awesome activities and although i was reluctant to try them with my chatty, mostly male, Grade 9 English class (last block of the day also!!!) I gave it a shot and was pleased with how into it they got (ok, they prizes helped motivate them) I was also super excited to discover how much they had retained from the play thus far!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Scavenger Hunt

Part One:

Discover how your classmates’ opinions and experiences relate to the play! Walk around the room and find a student to which each statement applies and ask him/her to initial the square. Students may initial each paper only once! The first student to complete all 25 squares wins!! Share your findings with the class and discuss the situations to which you can relate and why.

___ has played a trick on somebody Puck	___ has "loved" someone who didn’t return the feeling	___ has felt jealousy	___ has envied a friend’s good looks	___ has had parents disapprove of a relationship
___ has tried to run away from a problem	___ believes in love at first sight	___ has fought with a friend over a boy/girl	___ regrets falling in love with someone	___ has had funny or bizarre dreams recently
___ believes that looks don’t matter when in love	___ likes to tease or mock others	___ has disobeyed a parent	___ has been annoyed by a persistent admirer	___ has had a crush on the friend of a boyfriend/ girlfriend
___ enjoys magic shows or tricks	___ has gotten completely lost	___ is sometimes fickle about love	___ has told a friend’s secret	___ has been spoiled
___ enjoys plays and shows	___ has rudely insulted a friend	___ has refused a loved one’s demands	___ likes to play "matchmaker"	___ has performed on stage

Then on a BINGO sheet have students write out these names in random order:

Demetrius Hermia Oberon Snout

Egeus Hippolyta Peter Quince Snug

Francis Flute Lysander Philostrate Theseus

Helena Nick Bottom Puck Titania

Bingo Directions for Teachers: Use the following descriptions or quotes to test your students’ knowledge of the characters of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

Descriptions:

1. wants to take the changeling child from the Fairy Queen (Oberon)

2. falls in love with a mortal while under the spell of a love potion (Titania)

3. the Duke of Athens (Theseus)

4. the Queen of the Amazons (Hippolyta)

5. says the "Prologue" of the play Pyramus and Thisby (Peter Quince)

6. plays the lead male role in the play Pyramus and Thisby (Nick Bottom)

7. plays the lead female role in the play Pyramus and Thisby (Francis Flute)

8. is worried about learning his lines for the play Pyramus and Thisby (Snug)

9. plays the Wall in the play Pyramus and Thisby (Snout)

10. asks the Duke to force his daughter to marry Demetrius (Egeus)

11. the man Helena loves (Demetrius)

12. the man Hermia loves (Lysander)

13. reveals her best friend’s secret to the man she loves (Helena)

14. puts a love potion in the wrong man’s eyes (Puck)

15. runs away with her lover against her father’s wishes (Hermia)

16. does not think the Duke will enjoy the play Pyramus and Thisby (Philostrate)

Quotes:

1. "The course of true love never did run smooth." (Lysander)

2. "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." (Helena)

3. "Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated." (Peter Quince)

4. "I am that merry wanderer of the night." (Puck)

5. "The villain is much lighter-heeled than I. I followed fast, but faster did he fly." (Lysander)

6. "Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell. It fell upon a little western flower, Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound" (Oberon)

7. "I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass, if he go about to expound this dream." (Nick Bottom)

8. "The object and the pleasure of mine eye, Is only Helena." (Demetrius)

9. "I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again: Mine ear is much enamour’d of thy note" (Titania)

10. "Nay, faith, let not me play a woman; I have a beard coming." (Francis Flute)

11. "Lovers and madmen have such seething brains …" (Theseus)

12. "A play there is, my lord, some ten words long … But by ten words, my lord, it is too long." (Philostrate)

13. "… I present a wall: And such a wall, as I would have you think, that had in it a crannied hole or chink, Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisby, Did whisper often very secretly." (Snout)

14. "Four days will quickly steep themselves in night; Four nights will quickly dream away the time" (Hippolyta)

15. "Have you the lion’s part written? pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study." (Snug)

16. "You thief of love! what, have you come by night And stolen my love’s heart from him?" (Hermia)

My grade 9s did really well with the descriptions. The quotes were a bit harder, but they still did a good job!

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