Tag Archive for Rebellion!

Choo-choo! Welcome to the Caesar Station!

October 24, 2016 / / No comments

Anyone got a little brother or sister, maybe a niece or nephew, who loves trains? It’s like a law that kids love trains. Thanks to my daughter’s train obsession, I can’t talk about stations without thinking of trains now…

Standard: 

  • ELAGSE9-10RL1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
  • ELAGSE9-10RL2 Determine a theme or central idea of text and closely analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • ELAGSE9-10RL3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
  • ELAGSE9-10RL4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone.)

Learning Target: I will review various aspects of the play Julius Caesar based on the four main standards we covered this unit.

Opening Session: Just a review and maybe some more historical perspective about the death of Julius Caesar. Since we’re reviewing today, this should activate your brains to think about Caesar’s story.

Work Session: Ok! So since today is Monday, I thought it would be helpful to go over the plan for the week… you know me, I like plans!

  • Today we will review the major standards we covered this unit
  • Tomorrow I’m out at an all-day meeting. Y’all will work on a packet with the substitute. Yes, I will grade it.
  • Wednesday is our performance of Caesar:60. PAY ME PAY ME PAY ME!!!!!!!
  • Thursday is your Julius Caesar Unit Test!
  • Friday we will be doing CardinalCon again!

Sounds like a busy week, right? Let’s get started!

Today you will be doing stations for Julius Caesar review. You’ll be divided into 8 teams of 4 – pull a marker from my bag, and the marker color is your team! Everyone get with your team now…

We’ve got 4 stations, so that’s 2 teams per station. The WINNING TEAM will be the team with the most contributions across all stations! The stations are:

  • RL1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of inferences drawn from the text – Was Brutus a good or a bad person? What quotes from the play tell you that? WHY? Write those quotes and explanations on the poster!
  • RL2: Provide an objective summary of the text – Write down things that happened in each act of the play in the appropriate places on the poster.
  • RL3: Analyze how complex characters interact with other characters – Chalk Talk – you may write your own answer to the question OR respond to someone else’s answer! How did Cassius convince Brutus to kill Caesar? Why was it an effective way to persuade him?
  • RL4: Determine the meaning of words of phrases as they are used in the text – Find as many vocab words and definitions as you can…..GO!!!

You will have 12 minutes at each station. Remember, you’re sharing the station with another group, so you’re in head to head competition against one another team the entire time, as well as your overall competition with the whole group.

After everyone has hit up each station, we’ll head back to our own desks to reflect a little on what we’ve done today.

Closing Session: Ticket out the Door! Rank the 4 standards we did today (I’ll put them on the board) 1-4, with 1 being the standard you feel you’ve mastered the most, and 4 being the standard you need the most work on.

Assessment: Formative (TOTD, posters visually assessed by color)

Differentiation: Process (students given aids such as dictionaries or annotated texts); Learning style (visual, kinesthetic).

Film Studies

March 23, 2016 / / No comments

Welcome, everyone! Anyone else kind of lacking in sleep today? Just me? Babies, man. 4AM is SO not party time.

Standard:

  • RL.9-10.7. Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).

Learning Target: Students will watch the film version of Julius Caesar and work on a study guide.

It’s actually OK that today is the day I’m short on sleep, because I had planned a movie day for us! You guys will be watching the 1953 version of Julius Caesar, which is hands down the best film version, and it follows Shakespeare’s play very very closely. As you watch, you’ll be working on study questions to help deepen your understanding of the play.

Tomorrow we will work on a project about the play, so I want everyone to have a really thorough understanding before we go forth and transform our source material into something new!!!

Julius Caesar Study Guide

Name: _______________________________________________ Block: _______________

ACT I, SCENE I.

  1. How does Shakespeare make the common people appear to be less than noble?
  2. What are the people doing that angers Marullus and Flavius? Why does this anger them?
  3. What actions do Marullus and Flavius take to correct the situation?

 

ACT I, SCENE II.

  1. Why does Caesar want Calphurnia to stand in Antony’s path during the race in honor of the feast of Lupercal?
  2. What is Antony’s response to Caesar’s instructions? What does this suggest about their relationship?
  3. What is Caesar’s reaction to the soothsayer’s warning?
  4. What complaint does Cassius make about Brutus’s behavior towards him? How does Brutus answer this complaint?
  5. Cassius’s story attacks what aspect of Caesar’s makeup? What is this attack supposed to say to Brutus?
  6. What does Cassius mean by the following statement? “’Brutus’ will start a spirit as soon as ‘Caesar'(147).”
  7. How does Brutus respond to Cassius’s attack on Caesar?
  8. What astute observation does Caesar make of Cassius?
  9. What faults does Caesar see in Cassius’s nature?
  10. What does Caesar mean by the following statement? “I rather tell thee what is to be feared/Than what I fear; for always I am Caesar.” (211-12)
  11. What does this statement show about Caesar’s nature?
  12. What story does Casca relate to Brutus and Cassius? What does Casca tell us by the personal remarks he adds to the story?
  13. How did the people react to Caesar’s fit? What does this tell us about their feelings for Caesar?
  14. What information does Casca give about Marullus and Flavius?
  15. At the end of the scene, what plans does Cassius make to sway Brutus to his cause?

 

ACT I, SCENE III.

  1. What wonderous things has Casca seen on this night?
  2. What reason does Cassius give for the terrible storm?
  3. What important news does Casca give Cassius about the Senate’s plan?
  4. What does Casius mean by the following statement? “He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.”(106)
  5. What instructions does Cassius give Cinna that will help sway Brutus to their cause?
  6. What reason does Casca give for wanting Brutus to join their cause?

 

ACT II, SCENE I.

  1. What question is Brutus pondering at the opening of the scene?
  2. For what information does Brutus want Lucius to look at a calendar? What is the significance of what Lucius finds?
  3. Why do the conspirators want Cicero to join them?
  4. Why does Brutus reject Cicero? What is Cassius’s reaction and what does this show about his and Brutus’s relationship?
  5. What do the conspirators plan to do the next day?
  6. How does Decius say he will make sure that Caesar will come to the Capitol?
  7. What has Portia done to show Brutus that she is worthy of knowing his secrets?

 

ACT II, SCENE II.

  1. What strange and horrible things does Calphurnia report to Caesar that have been seen that night?
  2. What does Calphurnia mean by the following statement?

“When beggars die, there are no comets seen;/The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”(30-31)

  1. How does Decius convince Caesar to go to the Capitol?

 

ACT II, SCENE III.

  1. What is Artemidorus’s plan?

 

ACT II, SCENE IV.

  1. Why is Portia so nervous and upset? On what errand does she send Lucius?

 

ACT III, SCENE I.

  1. In regard to Artemidorus’s request, how does Caesar’s nobility doom him?
  2. What is Metellus Cimber’s petition to Caesar? What is Caesar’s response and why does he give this response?
  3. What does Brutus instruct the conspirators to do before they go before the public? Why does he instruct them to do this?
  4. What request does Antony’s servant bring to Brutus? What is Brutus’s response?
  5. Why does Cassius object to letting Antony speak at Caesar’s funeral? What reassurance does Brutus give him?
  6. What promise does Antony give Brutus about his funeral speech?
  7. After being left alone with Caesar’s body, what does Antony promise to do?

 

ACT III, SCENE II.

  1. What reason does Brutus give for murdering Caesar? What is the crowd’s reaction?
  2. What final mistake does Brutus make in letting Antony speak?
  3. Why does Antony read Caesar’s will to the people?
  4. At the end of the scene, what are the fates of Brutus and Cassius?

 

ACT III, SCENE III.

  1. What is the significance of this scene?

ACT IV, SCENE I.

  1. What are Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus doing at the opening of the scene?
  2. Why do they want Caesar’s will? What is ironic about this?
  3. What is Antony’s plan for Lepidus? What is his reason?

 

ACT IV, SCENE II.

  1. What does Brutus tell Lucilius about dying love?
  2. What practical instructions does Brutus give Cassius about their disagreement? What is unusual about this?

 

ACT IV, SCENE III.

  1. What wrong does Cassius say Brutus has done him?
  2. In response, what does Brutus condemn Cassius for doing?
  3. What does Cassius threaten to do if Brutus continues to “urge” him?
  4. According to Brutus, how has Cassius wronged him? What is ironic about Brutus’s accusation?
  5. To prove that he has been wronged, what does Cassius tell Brutus to do to him?
  6. What is the real reason for Brutus’s ill temper? Give all of the details.
  7. Messala brings what ill news of the triumvirate’s actions in Rome?
  8. What reasons does Cassius give for not going directly to Philippi?
  9. What reasons does Brutus give for going directly to Philippi? Who prevails?
  10. What happens to make Brutus speed up his plans to go to Philippi?

 

ACT V, SCENE I.

  1. What hope of Octavius and Antony is answered? What does this say about Brutus?
  2. What does Cassius mean by the following statement?

“Flatterers! Now, Brutus, thank yourself;/This tongue had not offended so today,/If Cassius might have ruled.”(45-47)

  1. What ominous sign has Cassius seen that causes him to fear the coming battle?
  2. What does Brutus say he will do if they lose the battle? Why is he reluctant to do this?

 

 

ACT V, SCENE III.

  1. What horrible mistake does Cassius make? What is the outcome of this mistake?
  2. What is Titinius’s reaction to Cassius’s actions?
  3. What is Brutus’s response to Cassius’s and Titinius’s actions?

 

ACT V, SCENE IV.

  1. What role does Lucilius take upon himself? What was Antony’s response to his masquerade?

 

ACT V, SCENE V.

  1. What request does Brutus make of Clitus? What is his response?
  2. What does Brutus ask Volumnius to do? What reasons does he give? What is Volumnius’s response?
  3. What does Strato do for Brutus? What does Strato ask Brutus to do first? Why?
  4. What overture of peace does Octavius make to Brutus’s men?
  5. How do Antony and Octavius honor Brutus?

Act V…the big finale!

March 22, 2016 / / No comments

Standard:

  • RL.9-10.9. Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).

Learning Target: Students will finish reading Julius Caesar by reading Act V together.

Activator: 

 

Today we’re finishing up reading Julius Caesar by reading Act V! Yay! After this we’ve read the entire play! Which, personally, I think is pretty cool :)

Closing Session:

When we finish reading the play and it’s all said and done, I want you guys to write a little paragraph for me:

Do you think Brutus killed Caesar for selfish reasons (like he wanted power or didn’t like Caesar) or for altruistic reasons (he did it for the good of Rome)?

Differentiation:

Different length reading parts based on readiness and interest.

Assessment:

Closing paragraph will be graded.

Act IV: It’s All Downhill From Here!

March 21, 2016 / / No comments

Can you believe it’s only two weeks to spring break?! It’s also one week until MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! And also Easter is this weekend, today is the first day of spring, and it’s my daughter’s birthday, so basically it’s the holiday season around here!

Standard:

  • RL.9-10.3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Learning Target: 

Students will read act IV of Julius Caesar and then create a descriptive bubble map for one of the characters.

Activator:

Work Session:

So, today we are continuing with our reading of Julius Caesar by reading act IV. No lie, the book is kind of downhill after act III. I mean, they fight a war and all, but aside from that nothing happens. How does someone make fighting a civil war boring? Well, it takes a special skill that you’ll see demonstrated today… We can use this as an opportunity to talk about how you focus your writing, because you can totally make boring things interesting and interesting things boring just by changing the focus of your writing.

Anyway, get ready to read your parts again today!!!

Closing Session:

As we finish reading act IV today, I’d like you guys to pick a character and work on describing them. Make a bubble map – I’ll make an example on the board for you – write your character’s name in the center and five adjectives that describe your character in the bubbles around it.

You may choose from Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Casca, Portia, Calpurnia, or Antony.

Differentiation:

Different length reading parts based on readiness and interest; choice of character for bubble map.

Assessment:

Bubble maps will be graded

Then Fall, Friday!

March 18, 2016 / / No comments

Standard:

  • RL.9-10.9. Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).

Learning Target: Students will read the end of Act III of Julius Caesar and then work on a deeper understanding of Antony’s famous “Friends, Romans, countrymen” speech.

Activator:

Welcome to FRIDAY!!!!

Today we are going to finish reading Act III, which contains the most famous scenes in the entire play, the funeral speeches!! We’re also going to see act III scene III, which is kind of entertaining and is intended as comic relief.

After we finish that, we’re going to work on a translation of Antony’s famous speech to modern English. You can use any slang or informal language you like, so long as you keep the meaning from the original intact.

That’s today, y’all! Hope you have a fabulous weekend!!

Assessment: Speech translations will be graded

Differentiation: Varied reading part lengths based on readiness and interest.

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