Before we begin - LOTS OF YOU did not turn in your sonnets! They are individual grades and will be an ugly chunk out of your grade if you don't turn them in! PLEASE take care of this!

Today we started off with a review of some of the basics about Shakespeare by taking a trivia quiz/pop quiz. You can see the questions and answers on the slides, attached below (along with the notes). Afterward, we took a few notes in preparation for Hamlet and went over the requirements for the unit.

YOU WILL HAVE A QUIZ OVER ACT I OF HAMLET ON THE DAY YOU RETURN FROM THANKSGIVING!!! Make sure that you download a copy of the packet (attached below) so that you have the calendar.

Today we checked out copies of Hamlet. If you were absent, please make sure to go by the library and get a copy of Hamlet before Thanksgiving.

We talked about the Elizabethan world view and the chain of being. The (long) PowerPoint show is attached below; please make sure that this is in your notes.

In the last 20-30 minutes of class, we worked on finishing our sonnets while watching the end of the Plague video. Your sonnets, printed on the sonnet flags, are due today.

Today we learned about stresses, feet, meter, and the three common forms of sonnets. To close off the day, we wrote our own sonnets - one of each type - and copied them to "flags" for a banner. If you were absent you will need to see me for your flags. All of the notes, the assignment, and the helpful handout are attached below.

Today we briefly discussed the test results from Thursday.

Following this, we viewed a documentary about the Black Plague - a major historical event that punctuated the period bridging the end of the Medieval Era and the beginning of the Renaissance.

If you were absent, you need to watch the documentary on YouTube (links below) and write down 5 things that were new or interesting to you from the documentary. It is fairly lengthy, so set aside about an hour and a half to view the entire movie.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Today you turned in your graphic organizer about medieval history/culture.

Following this, we took a test over early and medieval English literature. If you were absent, it is your responsibility to schedule a make-up time. Tests may be made up after school on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays and MUST be scheduled with me beforehand. Test make-ups will not be offered during class (with the exception of 3A, if you have a free period) or during lunch (the test is too long). If you cannot make one of the possible make-up times, see me ASAP to arrange an alternative.

Today we will be researching medieval culture and history, and reviewing our notes (and other reseach sources) in preparation for a test over early English and Medieval literature. The test will be on Thursday. Below, please find the assignment as well as a study guide. Please note that the study guide contains information about which notes are usable on the test.

Today we met in the computer lab to take a virtual tour of Dante's Inferno!

In order to complete this assignment, you will need the instructions, the Inferno Questions, and the website located at http://foxtwin.com/inferno. This website is built using Flash and may not work on older computers or those with slower internet connections. If you have trouble using the website at home, please try a school computer - it should work just fine on campus.

This assignment is due on Tuesday. Have fun in Hell!

Today's essential vocabulary word is BALLAD. We listened to some examples of contemporary(ish) ballads, including the Ballad of Davey Crockett and the "Robin Hood and Little John" song from the Disney Robin Hood cartoon.

We then read several ballads and tried our hands as balladeers. See the attached notes for information on the reading and assignment.