Romeo, Juliet, and Testing (again...)

Shakespeare is marked as one of the exemplars in Common Core, which NM has adopted (much to the chagrin of some educators here in the land of enchantment). As such, and really even before that I think because I wasn't in school in the Age of Common Core and we were still required to read Shakespeare. But anyway, (probably) because it's an exemplar in the standards (code name CCSS), I am now two weeks in to teaching Romeo and Juliet to my two classes of freshmen. The main question I've asked them from the beginning of this unit has been "Why Romeo and Juliet? If this play was written over 500 years ago, why do we still read it?" I think it's important students think about those things, even if they don't come up with an answer right away. In fact, I don't think they should be able to come up with an answer to that question immediately. It's a big question that takes some thought.

How is it going, you ask?
Fairly well, I think. I'm taking a different approach to it than my teachers did when I was in high school. Back then, we watched the film version after completing reading the play from our 9th grade textbook. My class did the reverse: we watched the film first, and now are diving in to the text of the play. But even then, we won't be reading the entirety of the play. Mainly, I don't have enough time left in the school year to do so. But also, what's the point in dragging them kicking and screaming through language they don't understand? Just to say "Oh hey, I read Romeo and Juliet freshmen year. I don't remember anything we learned during it, but I read most of it." Shakespeare was meant to be heard and watched, not read from a page in a book. I even struggle with simply reading Shakespeare, and I'm a Shakespeare nerd with a theatre degree. So, I figured I'd try to help them create the picture in their minds of what goes on in the story before we dive in to the text. They watched the film last Wednesday-Friday, with me pausing after major events to recap the story and what led up to that point.
Today we read Act 1, sc. 1, in class after testing and for the most part, it went well. It was mostly driven by me asking questions that they answered with small, monosyllabic answers. I hope 4th period does better, but maybe it's my fault. I might be jumping on their answers. I'll try to be more aware of not doing that tomorrow. I think, too, instead of writing sonnets on Thursday, we'll read Act 1, sc 2. But since class is still two hours long, thanks to PARCC testing, we may have time to do both.

That's all for now. I'll try to be better about reporting back as the year draws to a close.
Ciao!

First day of Romeo and Juliet!

Today was the first day of my Romeo and Juliet unit with my 9th graders. I think it went pretty well, but I did end up with about 15 minutes of extra time at the end of my lecture about the history/biography of Shakespeare. I also am a bit worried on how to make the info more exciting for them. I wonder if it's just this class period (which, to be honest, it might just be them and their lack of care for anything related to school) or if it was my information, or the way I presented it.
Hmm... probably should ask my CT what she thinks.

Friday I get to spend 2 whole hours with them! Yay...
We're going to do a Shakespearean insult challenge, after they get basic information regarding the structure of Shakespeare. You know, iambic pentameter, sonnets, soliloquies, etc.

Like I said, I think that the lesson went pretty well. Better than I was expecting, to be honest. I know it's hard to lecture. And it's hard to be a student sitting through lecture. I did tell them that it was important that they know some of the biography/history of Shakespeare, but I don't think that's the most important thing for them to learn about Romeo and Juliet.

So I'm a bit stumped, but have some things to try for tomorrow. Talk then!