Thur 11/30

Pre IB Eng 10
1. grammar time
2. vocab review
3. Othello Act IV
4. HW: read choice book, grammar 10, finish reading Act IV (optional)

Eng 11
1. HW check
2. write Of Mice and Men essay RD, turn in by end of period
3. HW: grammar 10

Sophomores, check out these pictures of textiles

We've been talking about Islamic art and how the handkerchief Othello gives to Desdemona is not just any run of the mill handkerchief. It's a family heirloom, a real work of art. Have a look at these pictures of Islamic textile art to get a better idea of what we are talking about.

This one is a good example of a small textile, perhaps a handkerchief not unlike the one Othello gives to Desdemona.



Here are some other handkerchiefs to look at.






Check out these details of the fine embroidery.





Here is a textile used for a wall covering. Can you see the Arabic scipture we talked about (those squiggly lines you see).



This last one is a good example of a rug. Check out the intricate geometric patterns in the middle.

Wed 11/29

Pre IB Eng 10
1. grammar time
2. lit term: symbolism
3. the history of a handkerchief: paraphrase
4. finish Othello Act III
5. "a play about a handkerchief"
6. HW: read choice book, visit blog and check out new pictures

Eng 11
1. vocab quiz: Of Mice and Men #2
2. grammar time
3. finish film
4. model essay planning with Gatsby example
5. finish essay prep sheet

Tue 11/28

Pre IB Eng 10
1. grammar time
2. Act III scenes 1-3
3. HW: read 3.4.56-69 and 3.4.70-76 in Othello, read your choice books, do grammar # 6,7

Eng 11
1. HW check
2. vocab review
3. grammar time
4. finish film
5. HW: grammar #6,7

Mon 11/27

Pre IB Eng 10
1. vocab warm up-- quiz Friday
2. grammar: dashes
3. end of Act II review plus character drawing
4. essay journal #2
5. lit term: comic relief
6. begin Act III
7. HW: read choice book, grammar # 4,5

Eng 11
1. grammar: dashes
2. introduce essay assignment
3. watch Of Mice and Men film-- review for essay
4. HW: do #1,2 on essay prep sheet, grammar #4,5

Wed 11/22

Pre IB Eng 10
1. grammar time: colons
2. review lines 1-175 of Othello 2.1
3. Herald
4. perform 2.3
5. HW: finish reading end of 2.3, read choice book, do grammar #3

Eng 11
1. HW check
2. grammar: colons
3. OMAM culminating activity: symbolism
4. OMAM comprehension test
5. HW: grammar #3

Tue 11/21

Pre IB Eng 10
1. grammar #1: semicolons
2. more lit terms
3. Othello 1.3 review
4. "Ring the Changes"
5. essay journals: 10 minutes in class, finish for HW
6. HW: read lines 1-175 of Othello 2.1, read choice books, do grammar #2

Eng 11
1. vocab warm up: definitions
2. grammar k#1: semicolons
3. review events of chapter 5 n Of Mice and Men
4. do character dream chart in NBs
5. read ch 6 aloud
6. HW: study for comprehension test

Mon 11/20

Pre IB Eng 10
1. vocab warm up-- quiz on Dec 1
2. Othello choral reading-- finish
3. finish Act I
4. HW: read choice books, grammar page 1, be reading to share reading questions answers for 1.3

Eng 11
1. vocab warm up-- quiz Nov 29
2. review "Round Characters" study guide
3. do "Imagery" study guide with partner
4. read ch 5
5. HW: in NB do character/ dream t-chart, grammar 1

Pictures and artwork from Othello productions

I hope you enjoy these pictures I've found from various productions of Othello. What's so great about Shakespeare is how each producion is so unique. I've seen Othello a couple of times on stage and three different times on film. One stage version was terrible, but the other was fantastic. Of the three film versions I've seen each had its good and bad parts. Usually you might get a great Othello and a bad Iago, or vice versa. When you get a good Othello, Iago and Desdemona, you're quite lucky. Some times the minor characters can make a show. I remember the Roderigo and Emilia in the Othello I saw in London really giving great performances. The worst Othello I've seen was in a film version with Anthony Hopkins painted brown as Othello. I just didn't buy it. Anyway, enjoy these pictures.





The one below is a shot from the production I saw in London in 2004. It was set in a fascist kind of state in the 1940s.

THe shot below is a famous production starring Patrick Stewart. Othello, in this case, is white, and everyone else is black.


The one below is from a very famous production from the early 1960's starring Lawrence Olivier. This picture shows you how Othello was performed for many years with a white actor made up to look black.

London Bridge

This is the picture I mentioned in class. If you were a traitor or some other scoundrel in Shakepeare's time, you could get your head chopped off and mounted on a stick on London bridge. Sounds very Lord of the Flies to me. See if you can spot the heads in the picture. Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Sophomores: check out these pictures of the Globe Theater

These are pictures of the Globe in London. This is not the original theater, which burned down long ago, but the replica built in the 1990s. When you're in London you can go see a traditional production there. The best seats are the cheapest. They are only 5 pounds (about $10), but you have to stand in the yard just like an authentic groundling. Most of these pictures will enlarge when you click on them.

Fri 11/17

Pre IB Eng 10
1. vocab quiz
2. lit terms/ devices in Othello
3. review 1.1
4. read 1.2
5. Choral reading (need to do this in 3rd block on Monday)
6. HW: read choice book, vist blog and edline

Eng 11
1. vocab quiz
2. Of Mice and Men ch 3 work
3. read ch 4
4. HW: do "round characters" in study guide

Thu11/16

Pre IB Eng 10
1. vocab review
2. wrap up line tossing, share identities fo characters, draw map with religious context, etc.
3. Act 1.1 slightly cut script
4. share first 31 lines with questions
5. HW: read all of 1.1 and answer questions in your head; read choice book; study vocab

Eng 11
1. vocab warm up
2. review pages 15,20
3. do Foreshadowing and Jargon study guide sheets
4. read ch 3, finish for HW
5. HW: visit blog

Wed 11/15

Pre IB Eng 10
1. Othello line tossing
2. Othello line improvs
3. "The Lover, The Girlfriend and the Buddy" improvs
4. HW: read your choice books

Eng 11
1. HW check
2. review Of Mice and Men ch 1-- T/F quiz, etc
3. do Ch1 characterization in study guide
4. read ch 2 aloud
5. HW: finish all ch 1 work and do ch 2 character quiz

Tue 11/14

Pre IB Eng 10
1. vocab warm up: definitions
2. finish Bardology 101, show film clip
3. get Othello books

Eng 11
1. get Of Mice and Men books
2. vocab warm up: definitions
3. review background notes, share responses
4. Grapes of Wrath passage analysis
5. Read ch 1 and do true/false quiz

Juniors: view this photo essay

Juniors should click on this link to see a photo essay on the Great Depression. Leave a comment with your name under the "comments" below.

Sophomores: post your title here

Click on the "comments" below and leave your name and title.

Mon 11/13

Mon 11/13
Pre IB Eng 10
1. college bound reading: bookmarks, post titles, due date: Dec 8th
2. vocab warm up: Othello #1
3. grammar pre-test
4. begin Bardology 101

Eng 11
1. grammar pre-test
2. vocab warm up: Of Mice and Men #1
3. read "Workers in Waiting"
4. "Workers" journal: gut reaction and "American Dream" response
5. read "Migrant Labor" background and highlight
6. HW: "Migrant Labor" journal: gut reaction and "American Dream" response

Welcome to 2nd Quarter

Your current grade is undetermined. You have 0 out of 0 points.

If you want to know your final grade for 1st quarter, check edline. If you see the participation grade, that means your grade is final. I should have all grades up my Sunday evening.

The absolute final deadline for any changes to grades is Tuesday at 3 pm. If you see that I have made an error in anyway with your grade, you will have to tell me by that time.

Sophomores: We will begin 2nd quarter with Othello. You will also be reading your college bound choice book at home during this time.

Juniors: We will begin the quarter with Of Mice and Men. Work to your full potential! No slacking!

Due Dates for 1st Quarter

Pre IB Eng 10
9/22 RD of Lord of the Flies essay*****DONE
9/29 FD of Lord of the Flies essay*****DONE
10/5 The Crucible Test*****DONE
10/12 Grammar Test*****DONE
10/16 finish college bound reading assignment*****DONE
10/18 Crucible essay RD*****DONE
10/25 Crucible essay FD*****DONE
11/6 Anthem extra credit*****DONE
11/8 Cry, The Beloved Country On Demand Essay Test*****DONE


Eng 11
9/15 RD of imaginative writing assignment****DONE
9/19 FD of imaginative writing assignment*****DONE
9/22 Declaration final assessment*****DONE
10/12 Grammar test*****DONE
10/18 Huck Finn comprehension test*****DONE
10/30 Huck Finn essay RD*****DONE
11/3 Huck Finn essay FD*****DONE
11/8 Great Gatsby final, including an essay question*****DONE

Wed 11/8-- last day of the quarter

Pre IB Eng 10
1. Cry, The Beloved Country essay final
2. get your NB scored

Eng 11
1. Gatsby test
2. finish Gatsby film if time permits

Tue 11/7

Pre IB Eng 10
1. Finish Cry, The Beloved Country film
2. library: browse titles for college bound reading assignment

Eng 11
Watch Gatsby film, prep for test

Mon 11/6

Pre IB Eng 10
Watch Cry, The Beloved Country, review for test

Eng 11
1. return Huck essays, 10 pts extra credit opportunity
2. watch "Great Books" and take notes for Gatsby test
3. begin Gatsby film
4. collect NBs
reminder: don't forget to submit your Huck essay to turnitin.com by Wednesday

Fri 11/3

Pre IB Eng 10
1. vocab quiz
2. Book III last three questions
3. preview essay test

Eng 11
1. turn in Huck Finn final draft and rough draft (separately)
2. ch 7 question in small groups
3. HW: finish Gatsby by Monday, do all NB questions

Thur 11/2

Pre IB Eng 10
1. vocab warm up
2. Book III question 1,2,3
3. finish book by tomorrow

Eng 11
1. vocab warm up
2. ch 6 DVD review
3. review ch 6 questions as a class
4. read ch 7 aloud
5. HW: complete Huck Finn final draft

Wed 11/1

Pre IB Eng 10
1. debate: crime
2. Book II T-chart
3. read to page 280 by tomorrow

Eng 11
1. review ch 5 questions for participation
2. DVD ch 5 review
3. read ch 6 aloud
4. HW: do ch 6 questions in NB, work on essay