Starting "Much Ado About Nothing"

Image taken from http://www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/much-ado-about-nothing-DVDcover.jpg September 14th, 2009

Using the Library’s resources and/or the internet, complete the following:

1. Find out when the play, “Much Ado About Nothing”, was written and describe the storyline.

2. Identify some of the main characters, dividing them into two groups: ‘good’ and ‘evil’.

Do some of them change for better or worse (give an example or two)? Do they change back?

3. What seem to be the play’s messages? List below. Do you think the play is relevant today?

4. What is the difference between classical tragedy and comedy? Into which category (if either)does this play seem to fit?

Closing activity:

Design a poster advertising the play, using some of the techniques of advertising that we studied in class. Include details such as where/when the performance is being staged, cost of tickets, cast, name of play, name of playwright ...

Researching Elizabethan England

Next term we will be study William Shakespeare's comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.

To prepare you for this new unit, the rest of this term will be spent researching the Elizabethan period in England in order to gain a better understanding of the world in which Shakespeare was writing.

As you research you should be presenting your findings, in your own words, onto your blog. Please do not simply cut and paste the information that you find.


Use the following as a guide for your research:

Brief facts about Sir William Shakespeare

• The role of women in Elizabethan England


• Class distinctions in Elizabethan England


• Entertainment in Elizabethan England


• Education in Elizabethan England


• Fashion in Elizabethan England


• The monarchy in Elizabethan England


• Love, Marriage and Courtship in Elizabethan England


• Social etiquette in Elizabethan England


• Any other area that you are interested in.

Book Report

A gentle reminder girls that by now you should have at least two (2) 100 word book reports posted on your blogs :)

Reflection Task

Your homework tonight (September 3rd) is to write a reflection on some co-curricular activity in which you’ve been involved this year that could be included in this year's ammonite.

You can use the following guidelines:

· Name of activity

· Why you ‘signed up’?

· What were your fears/expectations?

· Did it live up to your expectations – what benefits/enjoyment, did you derive from the activity?

· Would you recommend it (why)?

Creating your own advertisement

Homework Thursday 27th August

Over the weekend you need to develop an advertisement (on word, publisher, photoshop, etc) that could be used as part of an anti-bullying campaign.


Once you have designed your advertisement you need to write a summary of the ad, addressing the following things:


1. What message you hope the ad will deliver.

2. Why did you make certain choices regarding colour schemes, graphics and words?

3. How effective do you think this ad will be?

4. Who is the target audience of your ad? I.e which age group, boys or girls, etc.


Once you have finished, the ad and the summary need to posted on your blog.

Viewing and Responding to Advertisements

The following selection of advertisements have been designed to raise awareness of environmental issues.

The questions accompanying the ads should assist you to analyse the choices made by the designer and allow you to speculate on how effective each advertisement is in getting across it's message. In your answers aim to create a response that is well structured, has depth and utilises supportive evidence from the stimulus.

You should aim to complete the questions for at least 3 ads during the lesson and 1 for homework - meaning that by Wednesday you must have at least 4 sets of answers for your blog.
I look forward to seeing your responses on the blogs :)

Questions:

1. Provide a brief description of what you see in this advertisement.
2. Explain what you think the purpose of this advertisement is. Support your answer by referring directly to the stimulus.
3. What sort of audience do you think this advertisement is aimed at? Support your answer by referring directly to the stimulus.

4. Why do you think the creator of this advertisement has chosen to use particular graphic features? Consider things like pictures used, colours, size, etc. Explain your answer in depth.
5. Why do you think the creator of this advertisement has chosen to use particular language features? Explain your answer in depth.
6. Do you think the advertisement achieves its purpose? Explain and support your answer.

Advertisements:

Week 7/8 Spelling List

Spelling List: Week 7 Term 3

1. absolutely
2. immediately
3. necessarily
4. carefully
5. obstinately
6. voluntarily
7. sensibly
8. efficiently
9. frantically
10. optimistically
11. scientifically
12. temporarily
13. unbelievable
14. irretrievable
15. inflammable
16. charitable
17. irresistible
18. resignation
19. autonomous
20. receivership

As always, you must find a definition for each of these words and write a sentence for each.
The 20 definitions and 20 sentences must be completed by Tuesday on a word document so that you can then cut and paste the work into your blog when it is created on Wednesday. You should also include sentences for the words you got wrong from the Week 6 list.

Real Cost of Posh's Locks

This file can be found in Blackboard for viewing, along with a document that provides a guide for the letter to the editor genre.

The task accompanying the article is as follows:

The article we have looked at in class from The Courier Mail is attached. You will need this article to complete the homework for this weekend.
Your task is to write two (2) letters to the editor of The Courier Mail in response to this article. One letter needs to be in support of the way the paper addressed the issue, while your second letter needs to disagree with the paper's interepretation and representation of the people involved and the issue itself.

Introduction

In this blog you will find the homework tasks for English, along with copies of any resources that you will need to complete the tasks. The site will also include any class activities that should be uploaded onto your English Blogs.

All work that is completed must be done on a word document so that you can cut and paste your work onto your blog for teacher monitoring or be typed directly into your blog.

Along with individual tasks I will also include the weekly spelling list, with reminders that you must complete the list (with definitions and sentences) for your own blog, no later than Tuesday of each week. Also relating to spelling, you any incorrect word(s) from your test on the Friday must be corrected and used in a sentence (or sentences depending on how many you have gotten wrong) by the Tuesday of the following week.

Remember, you must also post a minimum of 100 words per week addressing the novel that you are currently reading.

Your blogs will be checked regularly by teachers, and if need be, your blog address with be supplied to your parents so that they can also monitor your work. With this in mind, you should strive to ensure that all tasks are completed to a high standard.