April 17th

1. Mary Shelley Biography- BBC Birth of a Monster

2. For Thursday, from the discussion questions from Monday's class, select 1 from each group of questions.  You will be responding to each of these questions with textual evidence. You will turn this in on Thursday. This will be a total of 5 responses.

For FRIDAY: You will need to be up through chapter 10 for Friday for your first literature circle.

Literature circle groups: Frankenstein 

Group 1:         
Keely                  Serena
Evan                   Sarah
Drew                  Zane
Jillian
Austin           

Group 2:
Kelsy                 Evan
Sean                   Gracie
Chloe                 Konnor
Jonathan

Group 3:
Niraj                   Tim
Alec                    Madison
Soleil                  Christen
Marcus
Garrett

April 16th

1. Remember you are through chapter 10 by April 19th. 

Today:

Get into groups of 3 and start working through the following questions- 

Prologue

1. Who wrote the prologue to Frankenstein? For what purpose was it written, according to the author?

2. What stories inspired the idea of writing the “ghost stories” that summer?

3. Describe the conversation that triggered the author’s “waking dream.”

4. Why does the writer say that Frankenstein is not “a mere tale of spectres or enchantment”?

5. Which other works about human nature inspired Frankenstein’s author?

6. Summarize where and under what conditions Mary Shelley began writing Frankenstein.

Letters

1. Show how the Letters frame the upcoming story of Frankenstein.

2. Analyze how Robert Walton’s life and travels adhere to the ideals of Romanticism.

3. Explain how Walton educates himself for his sailing adventure.

4. Predict how successful Walton’s voyage will be to find an Arctic passage, and the problems he could encounter on his adventure.

5. What does Walton desire when he writes the second letter?

6. Explain why Walton feels particularly fortunate to have secured the master of his ship.

7. Show how the shipmaster’s failed love story adheres to the ideals of Romanticism.

8. Infer how Walton’s “belief in the marvelous” makes him an ideal listener of Frankenstein’s story.

9. Formulate how the setting of the fourth letter is typically Romantic.

10. Tell what the sailors first see in the distance.

11. Describe the man who boards the ship.

12. Explain why the man is in the Arctic.

13. Analyze how the man fulfills Captain Walton’s desires.

14. Generalize why the man agrees to tell Walton his story.

15. Evaluate why the man cautions Walton against his “search for knowledge and wisdom.”

16. What is Walton’s duty as the man tells his story?

Chapter One

1. Tell how Victor Frankenstein’s parents met.

2. Summarize how Mary Shelley interjects her social interest of caring for the poor into Frankenstein.

3. Show how Shelley portrays the women, Caroline and Elizabeth, in Chapter One.

4. Describe Victor’s childhood.

5. Explain how Elizabeth comes into the Frankenstein home.

6. Assess how Victor feels about Elizabeth.

Chapter Two

1. Tell about Victor’s social tendencies and how he interacts with friends.

2. Contrast Victor’s academic interests with those of his friend, Henry Clerval.

3. Infer Victor’s meaning when he says of his desire to learn about science: “I find it arise, like a mountain river, from ignoble and almost forgotten sources; but, swelling as it proceeded, it became the torrent which, in its course, has swept away all my hopes and joys.”

4. Which authors and topics does Victor become obsessed with reading?

5. Generalize how Victor learns about alchemy and natural science. How does this fit with the characteristics of Romanticism?

6. Describe Victor’s experience with lightning. How was it a turning point in his life?

7. Explain Victor’s destiny. Locate a quote from the novel to support your answer.

Chapter Three

1. Tell what Caroline Frankenstein hopes for Elizabeth and Victor’s future.

2. Summarize Elizabeth’s response to Caroline’s death.

3. Explain why Henry Clerval’s father disapproves of education.

4. Deduce what Victor means when he states, “Chance—or rather the evil influence, the Angel of Destruction, which asserted omnipotent sway over me from the moment I turned my reluctant steps from my father’s door. . .”

5. Examine how Victor interacts differently with M. Krempe and M. Waldman.

Tuesday, April 10th. SCHEDULE FOR REST OF THE YEAR

Class today: 
1. Finish Macbeth presentations.
2. Pick up Frankenstein books.

CLASS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: 
* Will adjust if needed
Thursday, April 12th: Finish Macbeth and start Hamlet. 
Friday, April 13th: Conclude Hamlet performance.
                               Read Frankenstein. 
                               Receive Frankenstein discussion questions.
Monday, April 16th: Start discussion of Frankenstein. 
Tuesday, April 17th: Frankenstein and the Introduction/Letters discussion questions/notes.
Thursday, April 18th:  Introduction to Romanticism
                                     Characteristics of Romanticism in Frankenstein. 
                                    FINAL ASSIGNMENT.
Monday, April 23rd: Literary circles discussion of first 10 chapters of Frankenstein. -Romanticism
Tuesday, April 24th:  Prometheus Myth and Frankenstein. 

Thursday, April 26th: Characterization and Frankenstein sketches, etc.
                                    Quiz: chapters 10-21.
Friday, April 27th: Read "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"- Annotate and prepare notes.
Tuesday, May 1st (block day): Literature Circle discussion: Frankenstein/"Rime of Ancient Mariner"
                                                                                                Modern Prometheus
                                                                                                Characterization
                                            - Start watching Frankenstein
                                            -  Work on presentations
Thursday, May 3rd (block day): Literature Circle discussion of chapters 22-end of the book.
                                            - Watch Frankenstein
                                             - Work on presentations
Friday, May 4th (daily day): - Finish Frankenstein
                                              - Final preparation
Monday, Tuesday May 7th/8th: -Final presentations
Thursday, May 10th: FINAL- presentations

Frankenstein Reading Schedule: 
April 16th:  Letters and Chapters 1-3 (pages 1-39)
April 19th: Chapters 4-10 (pages 40-70)
April 23rd: Chapters 11-17 (71-108)
April 26th: Chapters 18-21 (108-136)
May 3rd: Chapters 22- end of book (136-166)
* You know your schedule. If you need to read ahead.. do so.

Friday, April 6th

Today- work day on Macbeth soliloquies.
Presentations will start on Monday, April 9th.

April 5th.

1. Read and take notes on the following article: "The Nature of Evil and Macbeth" found here... Nature of Evil

Outline the article ... take notes on the following information:

• What is the main claim of the article. 
• What are the significant points that the author uses to support the claim. 
• Validity of the claim. 
• Other examples from Macbeth that could be used to support the claim. 
• Ideas evident in the soliloquies? 

2. Using your notes as base of discussion, break into groups of 4 and go through the article. You will be turning in your notes at the end of discussion.

3. Finish Macbeth film.

Don't forget about your Soliloquy Presentations. We will present these on Monday!


Yesterday marked 50 years since a powerful light was extinguished in Memphis, Tennessee. April 4th, 1968. Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot and killed while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel.

Just the evening before, King delivered one of his most powerful, yet prophetic speeches, "I've Been to the Mountaintop".

Find the full text here: King's final speech

Video clip: I've Been to the Mountaintop

Robert Kennedy speech: RFK announcement

April 3rd

Watch compilation of Macbeth soliloquies: Macbeth Soliloquies

Be ready to present on Monday, April 9th.

Soliloquy Assignments: 
1.7: Macbeth 1.7 Soliloquy
- Keely, Kelsy, Sean, Drew, Madison, Evan D.
2.1: Macbeth 2.1 Soliloquy 
- Austin, Jonathan, Soleil, Zane, Gracie
3.1: Macbeth 3.1 Soliloquy
- Alec, Evan, Jillian, Tim, Konnor, Serena
5.5 Macbeth 5.5 Soliloquy
- Garrett, Niraj, Chloe, Marcus, Christen, Sarah

April 2nd

Soliloquy- Speaking one's thoughts aloud when alone on stage. Usually indicates significant motivation of character's behavior/action.

Practice Soliloquy:
1. Lady Macbeth’s Soliloquy in Act I Scene v after receiving Macbeth’s letter

Questions to aid analysis:
1. What do the words in this soliloquy have in common? How would you describe their connotations?
2. What context clues help us to understand unfamiliar words in this text?
3. Paraphrase lines of the text that are confusing to you, paying attention to Shakespeare's frequent use of inverted syntax.
4. What is the speaker's tone in this soliloquy, and which words and phrases communicate that tone?
5. How does Shakespeare's syntax affect meaning in the soliloquy?
6. What kinds of emotions is the speaker experiencing and how do you know?
7. What would you argue is the speaker's most significant emotion at this point in the play?
8. How does Shakespeare's diction contribute to the tone of the soliloquy?
9. What effects does figurative language have on the meaning of this text? Imagery.. personification.. Metaphor
10. What types of comparisons does Shakespeare use in this soliloquy?

Homework for Tuesday:
- Annotate the remaining soliloquies in Macbeth in your notes.
2. Macbeth’s Soliloquy in Act I, Scene vii
3. Macbeth’s Soliloquy in Act II, Scene I in seeing the dagger
4. Macbeth’s Soliloquy in Act III, Scene i after he becomes king
5. Macbeth’s Soliloquy in Act V, Scene v upon hearing of Lady Macbeth’s death

Macbeth soliloquy assignment. Macbeth Soliloquies
- You will receive your specific soliloquy assignment for memorization and presentation on Tuesday.
- Presentations will be Monday and Tuesday (April 9th/10th)