April 4/5, 2013 Lesson: Shakespearean Tableau and Puns

LEAVE YOUR SPRINGBOARD BOOK IN CLASS SO I CAN CHECK IT ( PERIODS 3,5,  &7) TODAY. I will be checking them Friday. YOU NEED YOUR LAPTOP TODAY for an online exercise.

Essential Question: What are the essential features of an effective drama and/or dramatic performance?

Period 6 Mask Monologues (10 minutes). Your “Begin Now” is to prepare your “mask monologue” to present. We will begin that a couple of minutes after the bell rings so have your written monologue out and ready to read.

I. 3rd Period, 5th Period, and 7th Period (6th Period will begin the following after their “mask monologues” presentations):  Begin Now (10 minutes ):

A recap of yesterday’s activity:

• To preview the play, you were given a yellow card with a name on it and a short description of a character in the play.
• You were to become “Become” the character, at least, temporarily, and work in a group of four to create a tableau in which each of the characters are participates in one tableau. 

*For the Begin Now (you will hand this in after today’s tableau presentations), answer the following in writing to read after you present your tableau/freeze frame and step out of character ( as described in the assignment on page 258):

1. What is your character’s name and which “House ( Capulet or Montague)” are you affiliated , if any.

  

2. What is the relationship of your character to the others in the group?

3. What body pose, facial expression, hand gesture or simple prop will you use to present your character in relationship to the other character in a “freeze frame”.

4. Identify the other characters in your tableau/freeze frame, and tell what is going on with them in this moment frozen in time?

III. Practice Your Tableaus ( 10 minutes ). Plan your freeze frame. Practice it and ready your written response that each of you will read after it.

IV. Presentations of Tableaus ( 20 minutes ).

• Everyone who is not presenting is to complete page 259 in your book, as the presentations are done pay particular attention to the character’s names and the “House” they come from. 
• Each group will set up their pose as they are directed by the teacher. 
• Our class photographer will take two photos of each tableau when they set up. 
• After the photo is taken, each group member will take a turn in stepping out of character and reading what they prepared for today’s “Begin Now.” 
• Once they have read it; they should be seated at their desk.

V. Complete page 259 ( 10 minutes )

VI. Shakespearean Pun Fun.

Mini-Lecture (5 minutes) ( Complete Exercise: 20 minutes) 

“How every fool can play upon the word!” ----The Merchant of Venice

The Elizabethans really loved word plays, especially puns. A pun may involve:

• Using a word or phrase that has two different means. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, as Mercutio dies, he says, “Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man.” The pun is on the two meanings of grave, “serious” and “dead.”
• Puns include words or phrases with the same sound (as in son and sun)

*Do to teamthunderenglishblog.blogspot.com and complete the exercise about Shakespearean puns. 

Exit Ticket (5 minutes): What does did the tableau and the exercise on puns reveal to you about the dramas of Shakespeare? How do they contribute to an effective drama?

Homework: Finish Animal Farm ( There will be an online ( the blog) exercise posted on Friday about chapters 7,8, 9 & 10 that you can complete on paper and hand-in by Wed., April 13. 

Also, online, on the class blog: teamthunderenglishblog.blogspot. com, you will find “A Shakespearean Grammar.” Complete questions 1-10. Those in the Honor Challenge only complete 11-22. If anyone wants to complete all of the questions then you can but indicate this at the top of the paper when you turn it in.