Shakespeare in the 21st Century (in honour of April 23rd)

Its Shakespeare's B-DAY!? A colleague of mine brought up throwing a birthday party as we had the uncanny beginning of Romeo and Juliet in our ENG2D class through this past week, "why not throw a birthday?". I am all for starting traditions and celebrating international "blah blah blah days", let's do it!

This post is going to talk about some of the things we did in our B-day parties for Shakespeare and if you like, you can head over to my TPT store front and purchase some of the resources with lesson plans built for the ON Curriculum of Grade 10 Academic English.

Check out a Poem called, :"Masquerade Ball" by Special K.

This was key in setting a more comfortable and welcoming tone to the Shakespeare Webquest/Intro week that leads to his birthday.

NOTE: In my resource bundles you will find oddss and ends-PPT's and worksheets that scaffold literary devices; and student communcation.

Masquerade Ball is a great intro text for pairing with RNJ because of the quick injection into that scene that the story gets into (or that teachers may jump scenes to)

Students painted pulp paper masks (I acutally wanted to have paper mache masks made but time wasn't permitting. Students painted, discussed, cleaned up-it was a nice class climate building acitvity that led to a journal reflection (in a particular three paragraph structure) that was submitted for formative communication, knowledge, and application feedback. 

These masks would be worn on Friday during the acitvities and could be included in an activity if the teacher made it such.

Students will then be participating in a webquest that requires them to ifll in information about a timeline of Shakespeare's life (scavebger hunt around the room style)-based off some activities as shared by onestopenglish.com; I had to make them more ELL appropriate as the tasks were too mundane and yet too difficult to concenstrate on as actively with the amount of translation needed to access the materials in the way they weren't to be.

Note, Romeo and juliet is often done with grades 9 and/or 10, feel free to amend resources accoridngly.

If you like those teasers for the introduction price-keep an eye out for full unit plans in regards to Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet  

Recently came across a great and easy to use Shakespeare Classic Play Study tool (no VPN needed)!

Hamlet

https://myshakespeare.com/hamlet/act-1-scene-1

Macbeth

https://myshakespeare.com/macbeth/act-1-scene-1

Romeo and Juliet

https://myshakespeare.com/romeo-and-juliet/act-1-scene-1

When you are cleaning out Teaching Resources and Harddrives...

A Little Me

            My name is Carmelo Bono, I am twenty-two years old and have been in Thunder Bay for the past five. I am originally from the rural areas outside of Hamilton where I grew up on a farm in a traditionally Italian family. I am heterosexual and have not practised anything that would make people think otherwise, however when I was younger my friends and family were unsure at times (as much as they were reluctant to say it to me). I do not have anything against being a homosexual, but I think it just really hurt that they were thinking I was a homosexual, and were not openly willing to ask me about. It is really quite silly to think that from being a young male who can’t keep a relationship, hangs out with just as many girls (who are friends) as he does guys; wears slim fit button up collared shirts; and likes the colour pink; people automatically assume the boy is gay. I know I am a little guy, I am small, short, I don’t have the deepest voice and I certainly do not have the muscle mass that most of my friends are blessed with; but does this give people the right to make their presumptions, not only about who I am but what my likes and dislikes are before evening learning my name? I was insulted by my family, my friends and teachers, yet I never said a thing.

            I let people think what they want, if they were my friends, it wouldn’t matter and if the girl I liked, turned around and liked me back, I would try to kiss her. I actually once had a girl who I went in for a kiss with and she asked me “Aren’t you gay?” I laughed, got up to walk away, she stopped me quickly and said “Oh hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that, I just really like you and I didn’t expect that from you.” I ended up dating her, but people still had their doubts which were because of how I dressed which by today’s standards now is pretty damn good!

            I played football all through high school and near the tail end of my time I began to adopt a rougher look. I was convinced that maybe if I didn’t seem so prim and proper; if I came across as a little tougher by wearing plaid, backwards hats, band shirts, and etc. that this stigma of my fashion would come to an end. Unfortunately I lost a lot of the look I used to appreciate, but I can still clean up damn good when I like or need to. I don’t think I can spend a week without saying I am happy with the way I look if I do not get some plaid into my fashion some how. I identify strongly with how I dress, whether it is comfortable, “hot” or professional, etc. I wish I didn’t but it was just such a heavy impact on my self-image that I am aware of it, but it still makes me uneasy when stepping out of my “comfort clothes”. I don’t ever allow anyone to make those judgments of me nor do I judge people based on the way they dress either. I do not like it, I do not appreciate it and as much as I dislike uniforms in schools, I feel that they are a food thing to have to stop such confusing matters of identity in youth.

            Self-policing is best described and analogized as Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon. The Panopticon is a prison structure in which reinforces self-policing within the cells of inmates. The prison structure is characterized by the main building encircling the recreation yard and a guard tower that stand tall in the middle of the recreation yard. The inmate cells would be facing the inside of the recreation yard open to be seen by all within the circle. The tower would be many two way mirrors so that the inmates could not see into the tower but the guards can see out of the tower. This idea is to create constant psychological paranoia; this is because the inmates do not know when the guards are watching them. This paranoia is used to make the inmates worried about being caught for something wrong they do. Without knowing when and who is looking, will they risk do something wrong. We see this constant surveillance of self or self-policing, everywhere today. Our technological age also heavily reinforces this through “random” Youtube videos, Vine, Facebook, America’s Funniest Home Videos, etc.

            In current day media this self-policing is exemplified by through the reinforcement of what is male culture versus that of what is considered female culture. The music video by for the song “He Can’t Even Bait a Hook” by Justin Moore is a video that speaks strongly out about what features in a man attract a woman, which features are manly to have and how having these features do not make you a real man somehow, thus the “He Can’t Even”. The song is a country song which holds a stigma in itself as it is normally associated with blue collar, boring/too crazy of people; also says to its audience that not wearing plaid is unmanly, and that if you are an academic you must be a fool because they do not do anything with their hands. The song tries to associate “manly” activities with life experience and that you can only have life experience if you are a hard working blue collar man. I personally do not associate with the video myself, however in the end the man who can’t even bait a hook, does get the woman. The reason I still do not appreciate the course of the music video is because the video was making

            It is hard to believe that teenagers and adults alike can be so easily fooled into thinking that a person’s personality can be so easily determined based on such a superficial analysis. Parents do it to teenagers just as often as teenagers do it to other teenagers. This could be understood as a consequence to television show stereotypes or even one’s own schematic knowledge. Schematic knowledge is a term regarding the cognitive functioning of the human brain. It is the ability to read things around one and draw conclusions/presumptions regarding results and pretences as to the context of the object or event. Most schematic knowledge comes from or is influenced over consistent occurrence after a long period of time. In some modern cases it is safe to say that a lot of television shows have influenced people’s schematic knowledge regarding social cues and personality traits that are stereotypically associated with each other. These stereotypes can come from a number of different sources but the most common ones are evidently from drama genre television shows like 90210, Gossip Girl, and The O.C. For example, on a show called One Tree Hill a character who no one expected was gay turns out to be gay and the justification given by a character is “Oh! Well it all makes sense now. Why he was so quiet, why he was so withdrawn and so friendly towards the girls…No wonder he was so nicely dressed.” We are given forcefully without any solid factual evidence, the classic attributes that are associated with a closet homosexual male. It is not fair to the individuals who are categorized as such that do not actually act that way, nor is it fair to those that act in a similar manner but need not be classified as such an individual.

            We may never be able to return to a neutral self-image; but then again after some time we might be able to. It is hard to say and impossible to know, however which way one argues, it is undeniable that it will be a long and controversial transition from conservative to liberal, to whatever may come of the synthesis between this thesis and antithesis.

            So in my future teaching career, regardless of where it will be, I will support the choice for uniforms in a school. I think this is a great idea because even though it can still be manipulated, it is relatively gender neutral, aside from the Kilts; but even those are really gender neutral. If the kilts were meant for just girls, they would have actually been called skirts. When I am out in the teaching realm, and I am up in front of thirty or twenty eager students to pick apart their new supply teacher for wearing hot pink shirts or white jeans; I will not only be sure to prove to them that a personality is a personality and fashion is a fashion. I mean when I say personality is personality, fashion is fashion; is that one does not have to reflect the other even if they sometimes do.

The Teacher Candidate: "Assignment from Integrated Technology Class" (Lakehead Universiity)

Find the list of technologies and the assignment resources described here:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Technologies-PLC-Activity-6865490

(yes its a free resource) 

All the best!

This is an assignment I worked on while studying instructional technologies while I was enrolled in Teacher's College.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Assignment 1.

One goal of this assignment is to give you time to explore and review the many technologies, software, apps and resources that are currently available to educators. A second and in my opinion  more important goal is to give you opportunity to consider how you might use these things in the classroom. The hope is that you will generate a review that you can use as a starting point to guide your use of technology as you begin your life as ateacher. The product you submit for assignment 1 shou ld contain the following :

1. A review of contemporary educational technologies

2. A review of presentation, screen capture and movie production technologies.

3. A review of mobile education al applications for Apple iPAD or Android or Google or Web 2.0 applications or for a mix of operating systems

4. A review of the many educational technology resources that are now available (blogs, web sites, repositories, li nkedin groups, facebook groups, etc to guide your use of technology or to elsewise guide your professional development when you are teaching

Notes on points 1 above :

Use the List of Technologies file I provide in D2L as a st arting place for your research for this component of Assignment 1. In addition to technologies in the list you may wish to review :

Tablet technology for classroom use

None

Software technologies used in the classroom*

Gaming for classroom use

Virtual reality for classroom use

Enhanced reality for classroom use

Future educational technologies

Notes on point 2 above :

The list of technologies file provides links to presentation software to start you on this section of Assignment 1.

Assignment 2 requires that you demonstrate proficiency with a presentation technology (other than PowerP oint ). Optimal use of your time for assignment 1 wo uld include a review of SMART and/ or Prezi as preparation for assignment 2.

Note:

SMART Notebook can be downloaded fromNotebook can be downloaded from::

http://smarttech.com/us/Support/Browse+Support/Down

http://smarttech.com/us/Support/Browse+Support/Download+Softwareload+Software

Click on "Choose a version" Under SMART Notebook collaborative

Click on "Choose a version" Under SMART Notebook collaborative learning software and select your operating systemlearning software and select your operating system

Here is your product key. I. If you do not enter a key the software f you do not enter a key the software will will not not be fully functional for 30 days, and you will be be fully functional for 30 days, and you will be prprompted for the key after that timeompted for the key after that time. .

NB--AECA8AECA8--CSEMHCSEMH--NFHQVNFHQV--QYCAPQYCAP

For the review, click help/tutorial. There you will find a lick help/tutorial. There you will find a

Nice and very accessible and very accessible introduction introduction to some of the more to some of the more popular functions of popular functions of SMART. If at any point SMART. If at any point you get stuck you get stuck in in your review of SMART iew of SMART email me to make an email me to make an appointment to review appointment to review of this technology. technology.

Note too that Assignment 2 requires that you produce screen

Note too that Assignment 2 requires that you produce screen capture files and a movie as part of a virtual lesson. In recent capture files and a movie as part of a virtual lesson. In recent years I cannot recall one student who could not creayears I cannot recall one student who could not create and edit te and edit a movie. That said, if the task is new to youa movie. That said, if the task is new to you,, be sure to review be sure to review screen capture, movie capture and production technologies screen capture, movie capture and production technologies carefully as part of assignment 1. If screen capture and movie carefully as part of assignment 1. If screen capture and movie production will be problematic for you please refer to theproduction will be problematic for you please refer to the tutorials I generated and placed in D2L and/or arrange to meet tutorials I generated and placed in D2L and/or arrange to meet me for a quick review. me for a quick review.

Notes on point 3 above: :

You are free to investigate any mobile mobile app you think fit. app you think fit. However, given the number of apps out thHowever, given the number of apps out there ere I suggest I suggest you would you would do welldo well to to begin ybegin your review by visiting the our review by visiting the Bloomin Apps page Bloomin Apps page at Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everythingat Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything: :

http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin

http://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin--apps.htmlapps.html

Kathy has found some of of the the more tried, true and popular more tried, true and popular appapps s out thereout there and and providedprovided them inthem in charts that organizecharts that organize them by them by operating sysoperating system and tem and by ways of by ways of the the stagestage of Bloom’s digital of Bloom’s digital taxonomytaxonomy to which they can be appliedto which they can be applied. .

No doubt you are familiar with a good number of apps already and are familiar with a good number of apps already and have them on your device. have them on your device. PPerhaps erhaps though you have never though you have never considered how best to considered how best to use them in the classroomuse them in the classroom? Now is your ? Now is your chance. chance.

Note on point 4 above:

The list of technologies file

The list of technologies file provides links you can use to provides links you can use to start your research for this section of assignment 1. start your research for this section of assignment 1. There are far too many out there for me to provide a comprehensive many out there for me to provide a comprehensive listing. listing. That said you ought to be able to find a set of That said you ought to be able to find a set of resources that will serve you well when you begin teaching.resources that will serve you well when you begin teaching. You You may choose to review resources that will serve you as you seek may choose to review resources that will serve you as you seek to improve your knto improve your knowledge of technology use in the classroom and owledge of technology use in the classroom and too you may choose to review resources that will supplement and too you may choose to review resources that will supplement and support your professional development support your professional development elsewiseelsewise(your knowledge of (your knowledge of class management, lesson design etc)class management, lesson design etc)

What information do you need to place in your to place in your rreviews?

Each review for for points 1 through 3 points 1 through 3 above above should:should:

1. Name the technology

2. Provide a lProvide a link to ink to an official or other web site that sells (or provides) the technology

3. Describe the technologythe technology (what is its nature, how do the how do the links you provide suggest it be used. please don’t just copy the text in the links)

4. Describe known and known and potential* classroom uses for each technology reviewed 

*Potential uses would be those uses that you feelyou feel you can adapt you can adapt the technology toward. the technology toward. In regard to potential uses be as e as creative as you wish just make sure youjust make sure you clearly indicate which uses are known (provided by the company) and which are potentialand which are potential (imagined and designed by you) .

Note,

Note, marking against the Faculty of Education rubric requires marking against the Faculty of Education rubric requires consideration of consideration of the professional look of your workthe professional look of your work so please so please feel free to addfeel free to add multimedia multimedia to your submission to your submission as yoas you see fit.u see fit.

Each review for point 4 should:

1. Name each resourceresource

2. Provide a link to each resource

3.Describe the resource resource

4. Indicate ways and means byIndicate ways and means by which you canwhich you can/will/will use the use the resource to increase your knowledge of technology use in the increase your knowledge of technology use in the classroom or indicate how you will use the resource toyou will use the resource to enhance enhancenother aspects of your your professional development professional development when you are when you are teaching

http://education.lakeheadu.ca/undergraduate/uploads/Microsoft_Word_--_Faculty_of_Ed_Grading_Policies.pdf

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