Tuesday, December 18 ... EXAM REVIEW

• Continue working on the "Character Analysis Essay - Letter to Santa"
• MAKE SURE YOU POST IT TO CANVAS - IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IN ANY OTHER FORMAT!
• Remember is is due by midnight tomorrow (Wednesday, December 19); but this is the last day of classtime you will have on it.
• Canvas is set up to accept it until midnight on Friday, December 21.  However, anything submitted after the Wednesday deadline will be considered late and will have points deducted per the district grading policy.
• The essay will not be accepted after midnight on Friday.

• EXAM REVIEW... ours will be a CBA/STAAR style exam with cold reads and questions from them as well as some questions over editing and revising.  You may want to review the following
• WORDS TO REVIEW: Rectitude, Sophisticated, Elegant, Candid, Ponderous, Refined, Plausible, Forthright, Transparency, Desperation, Decisiveness, Uprightness, Induced, Retinue, Savor, Piety, Clemency
• LITERARY CONCEPTS TO REVIEW: Figurative Language, Symbol, Tone, Theme, Conflict, Summary
• REVISING/EDITING REVIEW: Capitalization Rules, Using Hyphens, Writing Numbers in a Sentence, Comma Rules, Using Colons and Semicolons... 

Monday, December 17 ... Character Letter to Santa and EXAM REVIEW INFO

• Choose any character from our readings thus far this year, and think about the 4 things that character most valued or wanted (and what motivated that character to want or value those things), then ....
  
  
• TYPE THE FOLLOWING IN THE ASSIGNMENT "Character Analysis Essay - Letter to Santa" on CANVAS
  
• Write a letter to Santa from that character's perspective and in that character's voice.
• Ask for 4 things
• Be very specific as to why you want those things
• Stay true to your character's personality and sense of self
• 250-400 words
• Due by Wednesday, December 19
• TEST GRADE (even if I signed your exemption forn, you are not exempt if you faill to turn this in)

• EXAM REVIEW ... ours will be a CBA/STAAR style exam with cold reads and questions from them as well as some questions over editing and revising.  You may want to review the following
• WORDS TO REVIEW: Rectitude, Sophisticated, Elegant, Candid, Ponderous, Refined, Plausible, Forthright, Transparency, Desperation, Decisiveness, Uprightness, Induced, Retinue, Savor, Piety, Clemency
• LITERARY CONCEPTS TO REVIEW: Figurative Language, Symbol, Tone, Theme, Conflict, Summary
• REVISING/EDITING REVIEW: Capitalization Rules, Using Hyphens, Writing Numbers in a Sentence, Comma Rules, Using Colons and Semicolons,

Wednesday, December 12 ... Act IV of Macbeth

• Read Act IV of Macbeth in class using the Wordplay Shakespeare video/reading of the play as an additional resource.

Check your findings for the study questions from your reading below ... 

A IV; S 1

1. How has Macbeth's attitude toward the witches changed since his first meeting with them?

When he first met the witches, he regarded them with as odd/weird figures and did not trust them or believe what they say could even be possible.  Now he consults with them and seeks their advice over that of his wife and others.  A once good man now openly conspires with these supernatural figures.

2. What 3 apparitions rise from the witches' cauldron?

An armored head (as a symbol of war), a bloody child, and a child wearing a crown and carrying a tree in his hand

3. What does each warn/predict?

The Head - Beware Macduff

The Bloody Child - Macbeth cannot be killed by any man who was born of woman

The Crowned Child - Macbeth will remain kind until Birnam Wood (a forest) comes to Dunsinane (his castle now as king)

4. What does Macbeth decide to do to Macduff and his family?

He decides to have them murdered - all of them ... Macduff, Lady Macduff, and their son.

A IV; S 2

1. What does the murder of Lady Macduff and her son show about the descent of Macbeth's character?

While Macbeth has done evil things previously, there was at least a reason/motivation for doing so.  He killed Duncan to become king.  He had Banquo murdered to protect his throne.  However, the murder of Lady Macduff and her son is truly the murder of innocents who pose no threat to him.

A IV; S 3

1. What is Macduff's plan of revenge?

Macduff plans to return to Scotland with Malcolm and an army of 10,000 soldiers in order to overthrow Macbeth - and to confront him directly and avenge the murder of his wife and son himself.  He will kill Macbeth.

Tuesday, December 11 ... Macbeth Test, Acts I-III

• The Macbeth: Acts I-III test is on Canvas and should be available to you.  You can review for as long as you would like - but once you get a laptop out, your desk must be clear of all other items (no phones, no paper, no writing utensils, etc.).

• You will be allowed one chance to retake the test today - you may review your notes/etc. before you attempt the retake.  You do NOT have to retake it during class, but it must be completed before 3:00pm today.  You will receive the higher of the scores if you take advantage of the second attempt.

• If you do not pass either attempt, you will have an opportunity to retest this week to recover up to a 70.

Monday, December 10 ... Macbeth, Reflecting on Acts 1-3

• Consider the essential question of this unit of study ... Can you ever be too ambitious? ... and the events of the play through Act III.
• Today in class ... 
• Write a journal (250-400 words) within the time allowed.  It is due by the end of the period, so manage your time accordingly. Quiz grade.
• Can you ever be too ambitious?  Who is more ambitious, Macbeth or Lady Macbeth (Explain.)?  Who is more evil, Macbeth or Lady Macbeth?  Do you think that if Macbeth had let chance run its course that he would still have become king - or was his over-reaching ambition an unspoken part of the witches' prophecies?
• Tomorrow - Objective Test over Acts I-III ... be familiar with the events of our reading so far.  Study questions should guide your review - as well as being familiar with the characters (who they are ... what they do ... etc.)

Friday, December 7 ... Macbeth, Act III

Read and discuss Act III of Macbeth in class using the Wordplay Shakespeare: Macbeth video as a supplementary reference.  As we read and discuss, work on the Act III Study Questions.

• Act III begins on P. 383 in your literature books.
• The Study Questions are on the side table.

Thursday, December 6 ... Act II of Macbeth

• Read and discuss Act II of Macbeth in class using the Wordplay Shakespeare: Macbeth video as a supplementary reference.  As we read and discuss, work on the Act II Study Questions.
• Act II begins on P. 368 in your literature books.
• The Study Questions - if you did not get a copy on Thursday - are on the side table.

Monday, December 3 ... Wrapping up Act 1 .. beginning Act 2

• Today, we will analyze and summarize key elements of Act One using the Say, Mean, Matter Summary Chart provided.  For each scene, I will provide you with the key event ... you (working with the folks around you in your pod) will provide the most important quote from the act that emphasizes the key event to the reader - then you will paraphrase what it means and why it is important.
• Due Today.

• After you complete the chart, you may begin (individually) reading Act II and working on the study questions - you can find them on the cart at the front of the room.

• WEDNESDAY ... I will be proctoring a STAAR test ... this class will meet in the Cafetorium.