Week 9, Quarter 1

Monday / Tuesday

Unit test on "Hamlet." For homework, do the vocabulary review unit.

Wednesday / Thursday

Check for the homework. We will begin "The Oresteia" in class.

Homework: None tonight but there will be a vocabulary unit test on Wednesday / Friday of next week.


Homework: Study for the vocabulary test on Wednesday / Friday. Remember, you are off on Tuesday.

Week 8, Quarter One

We are going to do things a little differently this week. On Monday/Tuesday, we will go over the last act of "Hamlet." Take notes! Then, we will watch the last part of Branagh's film, starting with the scene where Gertrude announces that Ophelia has drowned ("wittingly," as the grave-diggers / clowns will put it). At the end of that scene, there is a brief image of the "drowned" Ophelia which looks very much like a famous pre-Raphaelite painting above. We will go from there to the end. Pay special attention to the dynamics between husband and wife. Also, note how the ending is a kind of reflection of the beginning. Shakespeare does that as well--throughout the play. First, we have Hamlet Sr. manipulating his son, Hamlet Jr., to seek vengeance. Later, of course, we have King Claudius, who offers to be Laertes' new "Dad" and manipulates the young man into killing Hamlet in an unfair fight. If we do not finish the Branagh film on Monday/Tuesday, we will wind it up on Wednesday/ Thursday.



As I said, we are switching things around. So do the vocabulary homework tonight--Chapter 6.



And remember, there will be a unit test on "Hamlet" next Monday/ Tuesday.



Wednesday/ Thursday



I will check to see that you have done the homework. Then we will go over it. After that, we will talk about various schools of literary criticism. I will give you one to read in class. We will discuss it. Then I will give you one for homework, for discussion on Friday.



Friday

Discussion of criticism.

Week 7, Quarter 1

Monday/Tuesday

We'll get through more "Hamlet" in class and watch more of the film. Begin vocabulary homework--chapter five

Wednesday

PSATs! Sorry that I forgot about them. Note that this week's plan has been amended.

Thursday/Friday

I will check for your vocabulary homework and we will go over it. That is probably all we will have time for on Friday. Even classes, however, will probably get through more "Hamlet." As we get close to finishing, you may want to look over your notes because a test will be forthcoming.

Week 6, Quarter 1

I so enjoyed seeing many of you at Fall Festival--especially when you were in the middle of something, like entertaining or serving food. I tried to get some pictures--as you can see.

Monday/Tuesday

We will read more from "Hamlet" and watch more excerpts from the Branagh version. Please have your notebooks out and take notes. I always include sentences from what we are reading on my vocabulary tests--that and current events. Also, there will definitely be some quotes from "Hamlet" on the exam. For homework, study for the vocabulary test.

Please take note: those that cannot take the vocabulary test on the day that it is given will have a completely different make-up version. Also, I will give one extra credit vocabulary question. You can still only make 100 points, but in case you miss one item, it might help. Make-up tests never get any extra-credit offerings.

Wednesday/Thursday

Vocabulary test. If we finish early enough, we will do a little more "Hamlet." Or you can begin your homework: Vocabulary, Chapter four.

Friday

I will check to see that you have done your vocabulary homework. We will go over it.

Weekend Homework: TBA