Vacation Dues

Hey guys,

Is anyone out there!?! I hope your vacations are merry and bright, and that you're all working on finding perfect quotes for each source (yeah right, I won't hold my breath).

But if anyone's out there at all, you should know that you can now log onto the portal and view your grades for the group project. I will hand out the rubrics when we get back.

Also, for any group that did a video, could you please email me the file? I would like to have all the projects available that way I may reference them if I need to. If emailing doesn't work, you can try iMessage or any other way of getting it to me.

Rest up and enjoy the rest of your vacation! See you all when we get back!

Group Presentations

Today you presented your group projects. I must say, I was incredibly impressed with some groups' presentations. I could really see the effort that some groups put into their costumes, performances, and context. Some of you could have used some more organization and effort. Performances lacked the vigor and spice that was needed for that extra spectacular performance and overall creativity points.

For the rest of the class period (as well as tomorrow's class) we'll be taking the next step towards our research paper. Now that you've found the main idea of each article (whether the article viewed social networking as a positive or negative thing), it's time to decide which side you will be arguing for. Are you for social media? Or are you against social media?

Once you decide, it's time to start pulling evidence. You need to pull three quotes from EACH source that defends your stance.

Here are the articles as they stand:

Source A--Negative
Source B--Positive
Source C--Negative
Source D--Negative
Source E--Positive
Source F--Positive

So, if you are arguing that social media is POSITIVE, you will ONLY be using Sources B, E, and F. However, if you are arguing that social media is NEGATIVE, you will ONLY be using Sources A, C, and D. Then, you must find three quotes to completely and fully support your stance. If you're stuck on which quote to pick, read the quote. If the quote answers questions 4 and 5 on the front side of your sheet, it will be a successful quote. If it successfully explains WHY social networking is a positive/negative thing or what is the EFFECT of this social networking as a positive/negative thing, then you have a great quote.

Again, run your quotes by me and Mr. Hannah if you're still unsure.

DEETS:
--Group Analysis
--Group Project Presentations
--Quote/Evidence Search

HW:
--None

Research Paper Cont'd...

Today we finished reading the rest of the articles we'll need to complete our research paper. You should have read and understood the main idea of sources A-F. If you were absent or missed some of the work, please grab a worksheet from me or Mr. Hannah and read the sources that are posted here in the last post.

As you can see, there is an even number of sources. There are three pro-social media articles and three con-social media articles. Start thinking about what side you want to argue. Do you think that social media is a positive or a negative? If you've already made up your mind, take a second look at the articles that support you and look at quotes that will help your argument. That's what we'll be working on for the rest of the week and throughout winter break.

As for your projects due tomorrow, I'm still worried about some of you. Tomorrow is not the day to be scrambling for last-minute fixes. All of you need to be prepared to present tomorrow. As me and Mr. Hannah told you before, this is a complete group effort. If one person isn't pulling their weight, the entire group fails. Do your best to work and collaborate together in order to get this done.

Do work!

DEETS:
In-class:
--Article Carousel
--Group Project

HW:
--Group Project!

Research Paper Beginnings

We had a lot on our plate today. After DEAR time, I gave you guys another 20 minutes to work on your group projects. Unfortunately, I am very nervous for some of these projects. A lot of you are incredibly far behind in terms of progress. I can see that a lot of you are beginning to blow this project off just like you did with the TKAM projects. I guess the two test grades are not enough to convince you? Please do your best to get this project done and do it well. It will affect your grade dramatically. As for everyone else, keep doing what you're doing and knock our socks off on Thursday. Your grade will seriously boost because of it.

Today, we started the research paper. DUH! DUH! DUH! This will be a long process, as I and Mr. Hannah explained to you earlier in class. However, it can go by painlessly if you listen and focus on each individual part Mr. Hannah and I present before you. Do not go ahead, do not daydream, and do not slack off. If you do, Mr. Hannah has seen past students fail the semester because of this one unit. We are not only teaching you how to write a longer piece of writing, but we are teaching you the essential research skills you will need later in life, especially if you decide to go to college. These are foundational skills that will help you in the long run. It will be frustrating now, but I assure you, it will all be worth it in the end.

Here are ALL the articles that we will be covering within the next coming days:

Source A

Excerpt from “‘Defriending’ Facebook: When Social Networking Starts to Get in the Way of Real Life, Some Teens Are Deciding to Log Off” by Katie Hafner as published in New York Times Upfront.

Facebook has 350 million members worldwide who, collectively, spend 10 billion minutes there every day, checking in with friends, writing on people's walls, clicking through photos, and generally keeping up with who's doing what at any given moment. Make that 9.9 billion and change.

Recently, Halley Lamberson, 17, and Monica Reed, 16, juniors at San Francisco University High School, made a pact to help each other resist the lure of the login. "We decided we spent way too much time obsessing over Facebook, and it would be better if we took a break from it," Halley says.

The two friends now allow themselves to log on to Facebook on the first Saturday of every month—and that's it.

They are among the many teens who are recognizing the huge distraction Facebook presents—the hours it consumes, to say nothing of the toll it takes during exams and college applications.

In fact, while "Internet addiction" is not really an official medical diagnosis, spending excessive time online is a growing problem worldwide, not only with social networks but also with gaming and other online activities. As many as 1 in 8 Americans suffer from problematic Internet use, according to researchers at Stanford University in California. The numbers are higher in some Asian countries, especially for teens: Up to 30 percent of South Koreans under 18, for instance, are at risk of Internet addiction, according to researchers at Hanyang University in Seoul.

Treatment centers for Internet addiction have sprung up not only in Asia but in the U.S. as well. They range from military-style boot camps to residential treatment centers similar to those used for drug and alcohol addiction.

When it comes to staying off Facebook, some teens, like Monica and Halley, are forming support groups. Others deactivate their accounts or ask someone they trust to change their password and keep control of it until they feel ready to have it back.

Facebook, launched in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, then a 19-year-old sophomore at Harvard, won't say how many users have deactivated service. But Kimberly Young, a psychologist who is the director of the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery in Bradford, Pennsylvania, says she's spoken with dozens of teens trying to break the Facebook habit.

"It's like an eating disorder," says Young. "You can't eliminate food. You just have to make better choices about what you eat." She adds, "And what you do online."

At its worst, Facebook addiction can lead to a loss of perspective about what's important, or even to a loss of a person's sense of self, according to Sherry Turkle, director of the Initiative on Technology and Self at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Turkle recalls that one 18-year-old working on a college application was burned out from trying to live up to his own online descriptions of himself. "Facebook wasn't merely a distraction," Turkle says, "but it was really confusing him about who he was."

Source B

Excerpt from “Study Suggests Benefits of Social Media in the Classroom” by Jason Thomaszewski on Educationworld.com

An educational theory gaining momentum in the literature may open the door to increased use of social media in schools.

            Dr. Richard J. Light (Harvard School of Education) is a proponent of social constructivism, an aspect of social learning theory. This theory—supported by research identifying factors leading to college students’ success—says that people learn most effectively when they interact with other learners. According to Light, the strongest determinant of students’ success in college is their ability to form or participate in small study groups. He suggests that this is more important than their instructors’ teaching styles. Student research participants who studied in groups, even only once a week, were more engaged in their studies, were better prepared for class, and learned significantly more than students who worked on their own.

            These outcomes have led some to tout social media—and its opportunities for “virtual study groups”--as an excellent way to increase student learning. Many routinely use Twitter hashtags and Facebook pages to discuss specific topics. Social media sites such as EdMoto and Saywire may be safer options for students, since they are closed to individuals outside of class and allow teachers to closely monitor interactions. For a discussion of additional free, secure collaboration tools such as brainstorming and chat platforms, seeFree Tech Tools for Tough Times.

            Light’s report added that social media, as a technology that is deemed “cool,” can attract younger learners. Social media platforms enable many engaging classroom activities, including “communities of practice” where learners can interact and share ideas. “This group learning format appeals to younger, socially conscious learners and is built around the notion that 'many minds are better than one,' " the report stated.

            For example, the paper The Instructional Power of Digital Games, Social Networking and Simulations and How Teachers Can Leverage Them describes how one high school literature class used the Ning platform to promote discussion and share resources related to a book they were reading.

            Studies suggest that approximately 70 percent of all organizations engage in structured collaboration using online social learning tools such as blogs, wikis and podcasts. The rise parallels the increased use of online tools like social media sites in schools.

            Experts remind us, however, that there are clear “do’s and don’ts” for integrating social media in the classroom. According to the report Technology in Schools: What the Research Says, the choice to implement any classroom technology should be based on sound learning theory and should support a specific aspect of the curriculum. Teachers should have the backing and support of school leadership and have received prior training in use of technology tools to facilitate student learning. In addition, they should gather data to ensure that use of the technology is having the intended positive effects on students.

            Finally, schools should update their Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) to include proper use of social media on the part of both educators and students.

Source C

Excerpt from “Social Networking Increases Risk of Teen Drug Abuse” by Molly O’Toole on Rueters.com

            On a typical day, 70 percent of teens ages 12 to 17 -- 17 million teenagers -- spend from a minute to hours on Facebook, Myspace and other social networking sites, according to The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

            But for this same age bracket, social-network-savvy teens are five times more likely to use tobacco; three times more likely to use alcohol; and twice as likely to use marijuana than teens who do not spend any of their day on social networking sites.

"The results are profoundly troubling ... the anything goes, free-for-all world of Internet expression, suggestive television programing and what-the-hell attitudes put teens at sharply increased risk of substance abuse," CASA Founder and Chairman Joseph Califano Jr said in a statement.

Knowledge Networks surveyed 1,037 teens ages 12 to 17 and 528 parents of these teens over the Internet. QEV Analytics, Ltd. conducted the annual telephone survey of 1,006 teens 12 to 17, asking questions CASA has used to track trends.

Results revealed that half of teens who spend any time social networking in a given day have seen pictures of kids "drunk, passed out, or using drugs on these sites."

But even beyond the daily teen social networkers, 14 percent of teens who reported spending no time on such sites in a given day said they have seen pictures of drunk, passed out, or drug-using kids on the sites.

Teens who had seen such pictures were four times likelier to be able to get marijuana, three times likelier to be able to get prescription drugs without a prescription, and twice as likely to be able to get alcohol in a day at most.

Teens who had seen such pictures were also more than twice as likely to think they would try drugs in the future, and much more likely to have friends who used illegal drugs.

"Especially troubling-- and alarming-- are that almost half of the teens who have seen pictures ... first saw such pictures when they were 13 years of age or younger," the report said. "These facts alone should strike Facebook fear into the hearts of parents of young children."

But the surveys, which also questioned adults, found that nine of 10 parents do not think teens spending time social networking are any more likely to drink or use drugs.

Only 64 percent of parents said they monitor their child's social networking page.

The authors of the report called for parents -- still the greatest influence on a teen's decision whether to smoke, drink, or use drugs -- to present a consistent and unified front against substance abuse.

"In the cultural seas into which we toss our teens, parents are essential to preventing their substance abuse."

The report also urged operators of social networking sites to curb such images and deny use to adolescents who post them.

"Continuing to provide the electronic vehicle for transmitting such images constitutes electronic child abuse," it said.

Source D

Excerpt from “Consumer Reports: Facebook privacy problems are on the rise” by Rose Golijan as published on NBC News.com

            Consumer Reports released its annual report on Internet privacy and security Thursday, placing Facebook front and center. Issues covered by the influential consumer watchdog group included updates on data leaks, hacks, scams, and the like, while featuring a separate report focusing entirely on Facebook and how the social network deals with privacy, security and the very personal information we so willingly share.
            The "State of the Net" research and statistics from Consumer Reports suggest that there is an overall increase in certain digital problems — such as ID thefts, phishing schemes, and security breaches — in the past year, while issues related malware and unauthorized credit charges are occurring neither more nor less frequently than in the prior 12 months. The most startling findings however, involve how much Facebook knows about its nearly 900 million members, and how much we freely offer — information mined by employers, insurers, the IRS, divorce lawyers, as well as identity thieves and other criminals.
            While U.S. legislators speak out against employers requesting Facebook passwords from employees, the following information — much of it sensitive and potentially damaging — doesn't require special access to uncover: 

- 4.7 million “liked” a Facebook page about health conditions or treatments (details an insurer might use against you).
- 4.8 million have used Facebook to say where they planned to go on a certain day (a potential tip-off for burglars)
- 20.4 million included their birth date, which can be used by identity thieves
- 39.3 million identified family members in their profile
- 900K discussed finances on their wall
- 1.6 million liked a page pertaining to racial or ethnic affiliations
- 2.3 million liked a page regarding sexual orientation
- 7.7 million liked a page pertaining to a religious affiliation
- 2.6 million discussed their recreational use of alcohol on their wall
- 4.6 million discussed their love life on their wall

            For its study, Consumer Reports "queried Facebook and interviewed some two dozen others, including security experts, privacy lawyers, app developers, and victims of security and privacy abuse." It "dug into private, academic, and government research, as well as Facebook’s labyrinthian policies and controls." It also "surveyed 2,002 online households, including 1,340 that are active on Facebook" and projected the resulting data to estimate national totals. Among its other findings, Consumer Reports noted these problems connected with the information we share: Some don't use privacy controls. Almost 13 million users said they had never set, or didn’t know about, Facebook’s privacy tools. And 28 percent shared all, or almost all, of their wall posts with an audience wider than just their friends.
            Facebook collects more data than you may imagine. For example, did you know that Facebook gets a report every time you visit a site with a Facebook “Like” button, even if you never click the button, are not a Facebook user, or are not logged in?
            Your data is shared more widely than you may wish. Even if you have restricted your information to be seen by friends only, a friend who is using a Facebook app could allow your data to be transferred to a third party without your knowledge.
            Legal protections are spotty. U.S. online privacy laws are weaker than those of Europe and much of the world, so you have few federal rights to see and control most of the information that social networks collect about you.
            And problems are on the rise. Eleven percent of households using Facebook said they had trouble last year, ranging from someone using their log-in without permission to being harassed or threatened. That projects to 7 million households — 30 percent more than last year.
            In response to the Consumer Reports study, Andrew Noyes, Facebook's manager of Public Policy Communications, gave msnbc.com the following statement:
            We believe more than 900 million consumers have voluntarily decided to share and connect on Facebook because we provide them options and tools that place them in control of their information and experience. As part of our effort to empower and educate consumers, we always welcome constructive conversations about online privacy and safety.
            Consumer Reports does note Facebook's efforts to simplify privacy settings and improve security — as well settle allegations from the Federal Trade Commission and submit to independent audits for the next 20 years. But the watchdog outfit also calls out Facebook's support of the controversial Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (HR 3523), which would allow the social network to share your information with the government without judicial oversight, and states that the social network needs to do more. 

Source E

Excerpt from “Social Networking Benefits Validated” by Karen Goldberg Goff as published in The Washington Times.

Researchers in the study, titled the Digital Youth Project and conducted primarily at the University of Southern California and the University of California at Berkeley, found that in our increasingly technological world, the constant communication that social networking provides is encouraging useful skills. The study looked at more than 5,000 hours of online observation and found that the digital world is creating new opportunities for young people to grapple with social norms, explore interests, develop technical skills and work on new forms of self-expression.

“There are myths about kids spending time online — that it is dangerous or making them lazy,” says Mizuko Ito, lead author of the study, which will be the basis of a forthcoming book, “Hanging Out, Messing Around, Geeking Out: Living and Learning With New Media.” “But we found that spending time online is essential for young people to pick up the social and technical skills they need to be competent citizens in the digital age.”

Co-author Lisa Tripp, now an assistant professor at Florida State University, says technology, including YouTube, iPods and podcasting, creates avenues for extending one’s circle of friends, boosts self-directed learning and fosters independence.

“Certain technical skills in the coming years are not going to be just about consuming media,” she says. “It is also going to be about producing media. It is not just about writing a blog, but also how to leave comments that say something. Learning to communicate like this is contributing to the general circulation of culture.”

That means anything from a video clip to a profile page is going to reflect the self-expression skills one has, so teens might as well practice what will say who they are.

Social networking also contributes greatly to teens’ extended friendships and interests, Ms. Tripp says. While the majority of teens use sites such as MySpace and Facebook to “hang out” with people they already know in real life, a smaller portion uses them to find like-minded people. Before social networking, the one kid in school who was, say, a fan of Godzilla or progressive politics might find himself isolated. These days, that youngster has peers everywhere.

“This kind of communication has let teens expand their social circle by common interests,” Ms. Tripp says. “They can publicize and distribute their work to online audiences and become sort of a microexpert in that area.” The study found that young people’s learning with digital media often is more self-directed, with a freedom and autonomy that is less apparent than in a classroom. The researchers said youths usually respect one another’s authority online, and they often are more motivated to learn from one another than from adults.

Source F

Excerpt from “Social Media Makes Teens Aware of Others’ Needs, Says Study” as published on Huffingtonpost.com           

            Here's something worth liking: Social media usagemakes teens more aware of others' needs.

            About 55 percent of teens ages 13 to 17 said Facebook and Twitter have opened their eyes to what others are experiencing, according to an online study conducted by Harris Interactive. And 91 percent felt it was important to volunteer in the community.

            In addition, 68 percent of respondents said they felt the benefits of social media outweigh the risks of being on these sites, the press release states.

            Teenage presence in online discourse has recently been seen online in video campaigns raising awareness about important issues, including suicide.
            Jonah Mowry, for example, took to YouTube in December to share his personal struggle with bullying.
            Now, the 14-year-old gay teen and his mother are preparing to speak at The Monster March Against Bullying event in San Francisco on Feb. 19, after reaching millions of viewers with his clip, theOrange County Register reports.

Charitable organizations have apparently seen the light, and have begun integrating fundraising tools into their social networking profiles to promote their causes and rally support.
            Nonprofits that combined this technique with more traditional promotional methods, such as mailed pamphlets, have reported a 40 percent increase in their fundraising, USA Today noted in a 2011 report.
            Social media sites other than Facebook and Twitter have also been known to bring users together for a good cause.
             In December, a Reddit user reached out to the online community by posting an image gallery of his girlfriend's nephew, who needed a bone marrow transplant.
            Along with the photos, he asked for donations to help out his family. Within hours, the Internet community had pitched in $31,000 for the cause. Just six days later, the total had risen to about $55,000.

Source G

Infographic accompanying article titled “Social Media, Social Life: How Teens View Their Digital Lives” as published on Common Sense Media.org*

(Picture to be uploaded)


I hope you all take this research paper as seriously as Mr. Hannah and I ahve explained it to be. Please recognzie that this is a PROCESS and along the way we will be collecting and grading certain components that comprise it. Please do your best. I know it's in there somewhere.

DEETS:
In-class:
--DEAR
--Group Project
--Article Carousel

HW:
--Group Project!

Triumph over Tragedy

Today's class was a very somber one. After watching the news all weekend long, I know I, as I'm sure all of you, feel sympathy in your hearts for the community of Newtown, CT. I, and the rest of the faculty at RHS want to assure you that you ARE safe at RHS. Today, the entire faculty went over procedures and protocols about what to do in times of distress. I hope you all feel safe coming to school, because I know I do with the added security measures the school has prepared in order to enforce school security policies. Also, I hope you realize how seriously I take my job when I say my first and only priority when it comes to an alarm is your safety. I, and the rest of your teachers and administrators, are well-prepared to handle each and every situation.

With that being said, thank you for taking the time to freewrite about this experience. I know it isn't easy, and I know it's difficult talking about such an emotional issue. As a writer, I feel writing is a very cleansing experience and enables you to think through the issue. I hope this helped many of you process what happened in CT and figure out a better way to understand this awful tragedy.

The rest of the period was yours to work on your group projects. Remember, this is worth TWO test grades. Please utilize the time you have in class and get together as often as you can outside of class in order to get this done. The more creative you are, the better. Look once more at the rubrics I handed out today in class in order to get a better look at what "ingredients" are the most important and count for the most points.

You will not have as much time in class from here on out. Project is due Thursday!

Get working!

DEETS:
In-class:
--Freewriting
--Research Paper Info
--Group Project

HW:
--Group Project!

Othello Final Assessment

After DEAR time, I introduced the final assessment for Othello. The one thing I will say about these group projects, as I said in class today, is this: this is a group project, which means everyone is accountable for the material. As we saw before with your TKAM projects, if one member failed, the entire group fell apart. This project will be worth two test grades so this is NOT something that you can slack off on. Each project will be a lot of work and Mr. Hannah and I are prepared to give you the time in class to work on this. However, that will not be enough. You need to find time to meet together before or after school to complete this project and do well on it. As I've said a thousand times before, Mr. Hannah is available before school and I am available afterschool. We are here to help. Ms. DeRousi will also be popping in to assist us.

With that being said, here are the requirements for each option again:

1. Monologue Translation: For this option, you will choose one of the monologues in the play (Iago’s three soliloquies, Othello’s monologue about Brabantio and Othello’s final speech, Emilia’s speech to Desdemona) and translate it into a modern context.

Requirements:

                                                              i.      Must write two paragraphs about the context of your translation, including the setting, time period, and choice of costume. For example, in O, Odin’s final speech is based upon his experience as an African American high school basketball star and the events that lead him to his suicide.

                                                            ii.      Must translate the monologue in AT LEAST twenty lines/sentences.

                                                          iii.      One person (IN COSTUME) from the group must perform the translation on the day of the project’s due date.

2. Video Montage: For this option, you will create a video (with whatever app you see fit) to recreate a teacher-approved scene.

Requirements:

                                                              i.      Must write two paragraphs about the context of your video, why you chose the shots you did, and the lines you used.

                                                            ii.      Must use AT LEAST two camera angles.

                                                          iii.      All group members must be in the video.

                                                           iv.      The video will be watched on the day of the project’s due date.

3. Rap Montage: For this option, you will create a rap song that covers the plot of Othello.

Requirements:

                                                              i.      Must write two paragraphs explaining why you chose the music you did, the lines written, and the rhyme scheme.

                                                            ii.      Rap must cover the major events in the play.

                                                          iii.      Rap must be AT LEAST twenty lines long with some type of definitive rhyme scheme. For example, AA, BB, CC or AB, AB, CD, CD or AA, AA, BB, BB.

                                                           iv.      Some type of music (beats or beat boxing) must be playing in the background.

For each option, there is a required two paragraph reflection about context and the ideas that went in to the creation of your project. Also, as you can see, creativity is a major component of each option, so please, think wisely about what you want to do.

We have gone over plenty of examples in class about each option. Here is the clip of the rap song I showed today in class:

Here are the groups:

Period 2:
--Xandria, Frank, Meliza, Alex
--Dennis, Dara, Jessica, Anita
--Oscar, Major, Shawn
--Asmir, Eliseo, Leighanna, Joe
--James, Manuela, Fatima

Period 3:
--Cassandra, Michael, Ewnidsha, Ivan
--Andy, Adeboye, Samah, Melenie
--Daniel, Stephanie, Desiree, Gil
--Cynthia, Marty, Gianni, Reinaldo
--Laurie, Griselda, Hanaa, Adanna

Period 4:
--Annaliz, James, Aouli, Anthony
--John, Seth, Marisela, Caroline, Darlene
--Olivia, Jaden, Alyssa, Santiago
--Eduardo, Antonio, Jasmin, Gabriela
--Lucas, Tuyen, Jessica, Melanie

Get together over the weekend if you can and get things rolling!

DEETS:
In-class:
--DEAR
--Project examples
--Group Project Meeting

HW:
--Work on your group projects!

"But I do think it is their husbands' faults if wives do fall" -- Emilia

Today's class went well. Like I said in class, I didn't want to pass by Emilia's speech because it is so progressive and advocating of women's rghts. Shakespeare gives his female characters few chances to express themselves amongst their male counterparts. In this speech, Emilia describes why she would abuse her husband for the price of all the world. She believes it is a man's fault if a woman does fail him. If men are jealous, strike their women, or give all their money to foreign affairs, then it is their own fault. She wants husbands to know that wives are much like them. They see, smell, and taste as they do. And they feel the bitterness of revenge and the desires that men do. So let them do what they will, but if a woman wrongs her man, it is only because he has taught her so. (Snaps to that. You go girl!)

After that, we watched both film versions and filled out a Venn Diagram for comparison and contrast. Here are some of the clips we watched in class:

In both films, Iago chooses silence in the end, and our main characters (Othello, Desdemona, Emilia, and Roderigo) die in the end. Both films used suspenseful music to heighten the drama of the action, but used different techniques (camera angles, character tone and devlopment, and language) to demonstrate this.

Tomorrow, we'll be working on our final assessment.

DEETS:

In-class:

--Emilia's soliloquy

--Film Compare and Contrast

HW:

--None

"From this time forth I never will speak word." -- Iago

 We finsihed the play today! I told you guys it would be a blood Act V and I wasn't kidding. But first, we wrote a paragraph about why Othello thought it justice that Desdemona be strangled in her bed. Here's one of the paragraphs that you came up with:

      In William Shakespeare’s play Othello, Othello thinks there is justice in strangling Desdemona in her bed. Iago tells Othello, “Do it not with poison; strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated” (23). This shows that Othello will strangle Desdemona in her own bed. This is an example of justice because he is going to kill her where she committed her crime. Therefore, Othello thinks there is justice in strangling Desdemona in her bed, because her crimes destroyed his mind.

This is an example of a well-developed paragraph. The structure is perfect, and the analysis is strong. Please use this paragraph as another model for you to emulate.

After that, we breezed through the rest of Act IV because you were supposed to read that for homework. Lodovico brings a letter to Othello stating that he is supposed to be sent back to Venice. Desdemona is excited with this news, but Othello thinks it's because she'll have more time with Cassio. He strikes her, and she has no idea why. She leaves and Othello agrees to go back to Venice. Afterwards, Iago convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio.

We role played all of Act V and I was very impressed with how many actors we have in the room! A lot of you stepped up to the plate and really gave your peers a show. Here's a quick synopsis:

--Roderigo and Cassio get in a fight. Cassio stabs Roderigo. Iago comes and stabs Cassio, without him knowing.

--Othello thinks Iago has done his job of killing Cassio, so he goes off to kill Desdemona.

--Iago comes in, pretending like he didn't do anything, and asks Cassio what happened. Cassio points to Roderigo and Iago then goes and kills Roderigo. Roderigo realizes, right before he dies, that Iago played him.

--Othello comes to Desdemona's room to kill her. She swears she's innocent and asks to call Cassio in so he can prove she's telling the truth. Othello says Cassio is dead, and then smothers Desdemona with a pillow.

--Emilia comes in and finds Desdemona dead, and screams for help. She finally reveals the truth about stealing the handkerchief, and Iago kills her because he's furious she told the truth.

--Iago swears never to speak ever again and not explain why he did the things he did.

--Othello gives his final soliloquy and then kills himself with a final kiss upon Desdemona's lips.

For homework, you need to chunk and summarize Othello's final speech. Tomorrow in class, we will go over it, but, remember, you need to figure out how to do these things on your own.

Happy reading! And thanks for such a great class today! =)

DEETS:

In-class:

--Justice paragraph

--Act IV summary

--Act V Role play

HW:

--Chunk and summarize Othello's final words

Get me some poison, Iago, this night. -- Othello

I'm glad to see that most of you are finally capable of reading directions. Unfortunately, I still cannot say that for all of you. You guys need to practice active listening. I don't know how many times I can put things in the directions to make you believe that reading directions are incredibly important. They give you information on what you're supposed to do and they may even include hints. Please remember to do so.

After the quiz, we sped through Act III creating a brief summary of what happened. If you're still lost, please refer to the post prior to this one for more information. I map out exactly what happens in the Act.

Today we briefly started Act IV. In the beginning, Iago finally admits to Othello that Cassio told him that he's been with Desdemona. Othello is in a rage and seizes once again. Iago takes the opportunity to trick Othello further. He has Othello hide where he can't be seen, and then calls Cassio over. In a whisper, Iago asks Cassio about Bianca. Cassio starts laughing hysterically because he can't get enough of her. Othello hears this and thinks he's talking about Desdemona. Then, to add more drama, Bianca walks in and throws the handkerchief back at Cassio. She feels used because Cassio didn't know where he got it from and she doesn't want to feel like a second choice. She storms off. Cassio follows her before she makes a public scene because he's worried about ruining his reputation. Finally, Othello comes out from hiding and begs Iago to find some poison to kill Desdemona with. Iago counters. He suggests Othello strangle Desdemona instead to bring her to justice.

For homework, you must read and annotate the rest of the Act. It is very straight-forward and you shouldn't have any trouble reading it. If you do though, there is the Shakespeare Lexicon up here on the blog for your assistance. Or, of course, you can always email me or Mr. Hannah with any questions.

Happy reading!

DEETS:
In-class:
--DEAR
--Act III Quiz
--Act III Summary
--Act IV Role Play

HW:
--Finish reading and annotating Act IV

Why did I marry? -- Othello

Today's class ran more like a Film Lit class than an ELA class, but in this technological age, you guys need to understand how to analyze media. We analyzed Act III of Othello. Here are the main things to remember:

--Cassio is talking Desdemona up because he thinks by doing so, she'll talk to Othello and get his job back.

--Iago finally tells Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. Othello's brain is wracked by this new information. He can't stop thinking about it and it literally makes him go insane.

--Iago says, "Beware, my lord, of jealousy: It is the green-eyed monster." He means that jealousy is like a monster that will destroy your soul. This is irnoic because Iago is the one who's jealous of Othello's position.

--Emilia finds Desdemona's handkerchief and steals it for Iago. She may do this because she hopes he will then show her the same affection Othello shows Desdemona.

--Iago plans to plant the handkerchief in Cassio's bedroom.

--Iago gives Othello two pieces of "proof" that Desdemona is cheating on him. He says Cassio has been talking in his sleep of Desdemona. He also says he saw Cassio wipe his beard with Desdemona's handkerchief.

--Othello asks Desdemona where his handkerchief is. She cannot find it, because Emilia stole it. Othello is so upset she can't show him the handkerchief because now he believes Iago is telling the truth.

--Iago agrees to kill Cassio.

--Othello plans on killing Desdemona.

--Cassio gives the handkerchief to Bianca, because he may want to show her a token of affection. He also wants her to copy the embroidery on the handkerchief because he likes it.

Here are some of the video clips we watched today in class:

Notice the differences in time period, language, costume, and general adaptation. Which scene is more convincing? Which Iago do you believe?

Study for the quiz tomorrow by going over the worksheet we completed in class and reading the entirety of Act III.

DEETS:

In-class:

--Do Now

--Film Analysis

HW:

--Read Act III and study for the quiz!

How am I then a villain? -- Iago

Today's word for the day--THINK. After DEAR time, Mr. Hannah and I split you up into the same pairs you worked in yesterday to deconstruct Iago's third soliloquy. This one was a bit more difficult to figure out, I know, but you cannot get so easily frustrated with the text and just give up. Remember, it's about breaking bigger sections into chunks, and then into ideas, and then into sentences, and then into phrases, and then into words, in order to figure things out. Use the online lexicon to help you match unknown vocabulary words to their definitions. It WILL help you.

As for Iago, we learned that he is INDEED one of Shakespeare's most complex, interesting characters. Iago is struggling with the idea of being a villain. His first line reads, "And what's he then that says I play the villain?" Iago sees all the great advice he has given to others--to Roderigo, he has came up with a plan to help him win Desdemona's heart because he loves her; to Cassio, to talk to Desdemona so she can talk to Othello to get his position as lieutenant back. He sees all the good he has done, so he can't justify himself as a villain. Can you? Is the end worth the means? For example, we never find out why Othello chooses Cassio as his lieutenant over Iago. Supposedly, Othello and Iago have goen to war together. Is that not enough that he would choose Iago over Cassio? Does Iago not have a reason to be angry? To me, he does. I sympathize with him in that sense.

Think about it. How many of us have done something awful to someone? I bet everyone has. Yet, do we then look at ourselves in the mirror and call ourselves evil? No. It's human nature. Iago is struggling with the same idea. He sees his evil plan in action, but he also sees all the good he's doenf or others. In the end, he can't rationalize why he's the villain.

Keep this in mind as we jump into Act 3 on Monday. We'll see that Iago slowly becomes drunk with power and drives him to do things, I don't think, he would have done otherwise.

Have a great weekend!

DEETS:
In-class:
--DEAR
--Iago's third soliloquy breakdown
--Share out
--Video clip of soliloquy

HW:
--NONE

NOTE: Remember, although there is no homework over the weekend, there will be a quiz on Tuesday on Act 3 that we'll go over on Monday. Be prepared!

ZOUNDS!

Today's Iago soliloquy jigsaw went really well. After a second go at it, I think most of you got the hang of breaking things down into smaller parts and really analyzing the text that's there. This second solilquy of Iago's really taught us a lot. Iago is extremely paranoid and insecure. He suspects that not only has Othello been with his wife Emilia, but that Cassio has as well. In order to play out his revenge, he will use Cassio against Othello. Iago will tell Othello that Cassio has been with Desdemona and that she is no longer faithful to him. This will drive Othello mad and he will then take out his revenge upon her and Cassio. How will this work out in iago's favor?

The next scene shows how...

We got up and acted out this next scene because it is a dramatic one filled with action. Iago gets Cassio drunk because he knows he has a short temper. Roderigo then did his job of tempting him. But there was another man, Montano, who tempted him, unbeknowingly, as well. Cassio then got into a fight with Montano and Othello was called to break it up. Othello was furious. "Zounds, give me to know/How this foul rout began!" he exclaims. When Iago tells him the "truth" that Cassio started it all, Othello thanks Iago and then fires Cassio. Iago is now able to step in as his lieutenant. Cassio is so hurt, both physically and emotionally. He cannot believe he let this happen. Iago has a plan. He tells Cassio to become close with Desdemona that way she can persuade Othello to give him back his place as lieutenant. Cassio thinks it's a brilliant idea and is on his way. Here is a clip of the scene that we didn't get to watch in class:

For homework, you must annotate and translate Iago's third soliloquy. You should be able to do this on your own now that we've done it twice in class. To help you, here is a clip of the soliloquy from the movie. Watch Iago's body movements, his tone, and the camera angles for clues as to what he's saying:



I hope this helps. Remember, use your iPads for the dictionary app to help you out! We WILL be checking this tomorrow. Mr. Hannah is feeling a little "poppy."

DEETS:

In-class:

--Iago's soliloquy jigsaw

--Share out

--Act 2, Scene 2

HW:

--Read and annotate Iago's third soliloquy

"I hate the Moor" -- Iago

Today we began to uncover just how maniacal Iago is. After going through the different stations summarizing Iago's soliloquy, we begin to understand more of Iago's motivations. We figure out that Iago suspects Othello to be sleeping with his own wife, Emilia. He doesn't know if it's true, but he's going to go on like it is. He's going to also use Cassio against Othello. He's going to feed Othello lies about Cassio being close with Desdemona so that Othello will become self-conscious about their relationship. You have to hand it to him, Iago may be very twisted in the head, but he's a mastermind at constructing an intricate web of lies.

In actually watching the soliloquy be performed by one of the most famous Shakespearean actors, Kenneth Branaugh, we got to see even more. Here is the clip in its entirety:

Here we see various choices being made in terms of lighting, camera angle, composition, and tone. When the soliloquy begins, the camera is at a medium shot of Iago. Iago faces the camera and talks directly into it. This shows his true emotions about his evil plan. As he talks, the camera angle gets tighter and the picture comes closer and closer on his face. He then averts his eyes back to camera when he says, "I hate the Moor," adding a serious dramatic effect to the message. His tone is anguished, especially when he talks about suspecting Othello in his bed with his wife. But then it turns evil. He is going to concoct his plan into full effect, and uses the chessboard as a symbol for the game he is playing. The black king chess piece symbolizes Othello, while the white Queen piece symbolizes Desdemona, and the white Knight piece symbolizes Cassio. He will play his game with all his pieces in line so that he may become the most powerful one in the end.

After that, we jumped right into Act 2. The war has been averted! A giant storm has drowned the Turkish fleet and everyone has returned safely to Cyprus. Desdemona and Othello are reunited and they share many passionate kisses, displaying their true affection for one another. Roderigo is torn once again as he witnesses this, so Iago tells him of another plan he's made. Roderigo will get Cassio angry because he has a short temper. Cassion will more than likely hit Roderigo. Once he does, Iago will run off and get Othello to break up the fight. He will find Cassio the villian and fire him as his lieutenant. Iago will then step in for him, getting him one step closer to completing his evil plan.

For homework, you are to read and annotate Iago's second soliloquy like we did in class today. See if you can chunk it into smaller, more manageable pieces in order to understand what's going on.

DEETS:
In-class:
--Iago's Soliloquy Jigsaw
--How to Read Film Powerpoint
--Iago's Soliloquy Video Clip
--Act 2, Scene 4

HW:
--Read and chunk Iago's second soliloquy

"She has deceived her father, and may thee."--Brabantio to Othello

After DEAR time, we took a "pop" quiz. I put "pop" in quotes because had you done the homework from last night, this should have been an easy A. A lot of you are so apathetic about Shakespeare and I'm trying to figure out why. Is it because you can't figure out the language? Is it because it's structured as a play? Is it because you don't understand what's going on in terms of the drama? Most of the time, I think it's a matter of feeling overwhelmed with the language and not knowing what's going on. But as I told you yesterday, Shakespeare is the great equalizer. Everyone reading Shakespeare is a "first-time reader." I have read Othello many times by now, and each and every time I read, I interpret something differently or come across a new meaning I hadn't thought of before. That's the beauty of it. I hope you all find that as we read this play. In getting back to what I was saying, the "pop" quiz shouldn't have been a difficult one. As I breezed through the grades, I saw a lot of 100's and grades in the upper 90's which I was glad to see. For those of you who didn't do as well as you'd hoped, let this be a reminder to actually DO your homework. We don't assign homework just as "busy work." Homework is assigned so we can either move further along in the text we're reading or as an extension of what we had been working on in class so we can make sure you've mastered the concept. So bottom line, DO IT. It will benefit you in the long run. 

When we jumped back into the text, there was a lot going on. Brabantio insisted that Othello go see the Duke at once about him marrying Desdemona. Remember, this is his little girl and she just went and married herself to Venice's one and only biggest bad boy. He's not too happy. But what we come to find is that Othello has lived a rough life. Not only has he been in countless wars, but he was actually enslaved and then earned his freedom. Desdemona fell in love with his stories and thus, fell in love with him. And he, in turn, fell in love with her because she was the one person who really understood him. Perfect match, no?

Trouble is brewing. As soon as the Duke says it's okay for Desdemona to join Othello when he goes off to war, Brabantio gives Othello a chilling message: "She has deceived her father, and may thee." He tells Othello that she tricked him, so there's no telling that she may do the same to him. FORESHADOWING. We'll have to keep reading to see if this comes true or not. 

For tonight's homework, see if you can summarize the four chunks of Iago's soliloquy we'll be reading and watching a clip of tomorrow. This speech gives us an inside to Iago's mind and what motivates him to do the things he does.

DEETS:

In-class:

--DEAR

--"Pop" Translation Quiz

--Read and annotate Act 1, Scene 3

HW:

--Read and annotate Iago's soliloquy at the end of Scene 3

Watch your tone!

Today's class was packed with information about author's tone. The Do Now served as a reminder about what tone is--an author's attitude about a specific subject. Tone, we learned, is based on word choice. As readers, we can determine an author's tone by the words (positive and negative) that he/she uses. We also learned that stressing certain words in a sentence can greatly change the meaning of a sentence. The example we used in class was the famous theatrical line, "I didn't say he beat his wife." If you were to stress a different word each time, this sentence would take on a new meaning each and every time.

This is important when reading Shakespeare because Shakespeare is the great equalizer. Everyone is a "new" reader when reading Shakespeare. I have read Othello, Hamlet, and Macbeth many, many times and each time I read it, I learn something new or have a new interpretation that I didn't think of before.

Before reading, we went through the 6 basic human emotions to determine tone. The main emotions are anger, fear, hatred, joy, love, and sorrow. After brainstorming some, we came up with so many synonyms for these "tone" words that differed in their level of intensity. As you can see, there IS a reason for NOT using the words good, bad, happy, sad, mad. Yes, these words touch upon the "tone" words that we talked about today. However, look at how much more specific we were able to describe our feelings when we were able to use such rich, vivid words. Use them! Use them always!

In watching the clip from the modernized version of Othello, we got a sense for Iago's character's motivation. We saw the contrast between light and dark--blurring the lines between good vs. evil. We then saw a collection of doves in a spiraling space. Doves, we discussed, are symbols of innocence, peace, and love. We then heard a man's voice say how he wished he were a hawk so he could soar above all he other birds and be free. The next shot is a sharp image of a black hawk. What does that tell us about Iago's character? What motivates his jealousy?

In reading the text, we see Iago and Roderigo outside Brabantio's (Desdemona's father) house. They wake him up in the middle of the night to tell him that Desdemona is out with Othello. He's in shock that she's not in her bed and decides to take action. Your job is to figure out how his plays out.

I know most of you will be struggling with reading the text, but that's okay. If you're struggling with what you're reading, look for clues in tone. Look for words that are either positive or negative and then measure the level of intensity to determine the mood of the scene.

For your paragraphs, be detail-specific! The topic sentence and evidence is already done for you. It goes like this: In Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago shows that he is two-faced/fake/disloyal. He states, "I am not what I am." This shows that...

For your analysis, explain what this quote means. Explain why Iago is this way. Predict what this will do to the drama of the play. Remember, you need at least 2 sentences. And make sure your concluding sentence both summarizes AND adds a new idea.

DEETS:
In-class:
--Do Now in Tone
--Stressed words sentence activity
--Tone activity
--Read Act 1, Scene 1
--Write paragraph

HW:
--Finish writing your paragraph
--Read and annotate Act 1, Scene 2

DRAMA

Sorry for the late post. Here's a recap of what went down on Friday:

After DEAR time, we did some role playing to get a better feel for what Othello will be about. After watching some of your performances, I think it's really clear how dramatic this play is going to be. A lot of you had fun with this and I appreciate the support you gave your classmates if you were not acting. Well done.

As you can see, this play is filled with love triangles and multiple stories weaving in and out of each other. The Powerpoint slide gave you guys a better idea of just how dramatic this play will be. Our main triangle is between Othello and his lover Desdemona, and then his friend, the evil Iago. We don't know why Iago is as dark and twisty as he is, but as we read, we'll soon find out. This play is FILLED with conflict and tension so hopefully you all enjoy it.

After that, we did some peer reviewing on your paragraphs that you were supposed to write for homework. Your paragraph needed to analyze ONE specific element (composition, color, lines, light, setting, mood, tone) on your favorite movie or video game poster. Remember, on Monday, Mr. Hannah and I are going to be looking at both your revised paragraphs AND your critique of your partner's work. You cannot be "nice" to your partner either because of your own laziness in editing or because you feel "bad" for that person. As in Mr. Hannah's own words, "Be cruel to be kind." Remember, as your teachers we like all of you, but that doesn't distract us from grading you critically in order to help you succeed. We wouldn't be doing our jobs as your teachers if we didn't grade you critically. Try to do the same with your partner's work. As for revision, remember what I said in class. Revision isn't just taking out a word and adding another, or adding one more sentence. Revision is a serious reconstruction of your entire paragraph. That may mean you scrap your entire paragraph and start again. That's okay! Don't be discouraged! You can't imagine how many pieces of writing I've written and then thrown out completely. It's all part of the writing process. Keep at it.

DEETS:
In-class:
--DEAR
--Role Play
--Character Map
--Peer Review

HW:
--Revise your paragraphs that you did for homework according to your partner's edits and rubric.

NOTE: Please make sure to bring your iPads in fully charged on Monday. There is a free version of the play on iBooks so we will be reading (and annotating!) the play on our iPads.