Drama Journals/ English update

 Drama 8:

Are you good at working with a group?  On a scale of 1 - 5, with 1 meaning very bad and 5 meaning perfect, where would you rate yourself?  Explain.  How could you improve?  Are you a good leader?  Describe your "leadership" style.  Write about a time you worked in a group and what you learned from it.

Senior Drama:

Describe a time you were really scared.  Provide details, like time, place, what happened, how you felt (like clammy hands, breathless, etc.)

English 9:

Your book report is due on Tuesday!

I collected your narrative essay based on the poem, "Jamie" on Monday.  

We wrote a precis about the turtle article on Tuesday.  We wrote a concrete poem with a partner on Wednesday.

You should be looking at poems in Poetry and Language that you can use for your poetry project.  Choose a theme that interests you.

English update -- September 20/Drama info

 Answer the questions on the poem, "Say Not the Struggle Nought Availeth".

Work on your book report (due October 3) and your narrative essay on the poem, "Jamie" (due September 25).  Keep up with your reading log.  The last prompt was advice that you would give to one of the characters.

Drama classes -- there will be no journal this week because Friday is a professional day.

Make sure you tell your parents that on Thursday evening, we will be holding "Meet the Teacher" in the evening.  There will be a welcome in the Shark Tank at 6:45 and A Block will begin at 7.  Each "class" will last about ten minutes and parents will go through their child's full rotation -- B Block at 7:15, C Block at 7:30 and D Block at 7:45.

English 9 - Friday, Sept. 15

 Make sure you understand what irony is.

The Narrative Essay (handout) -- based on the poem "Jamie" on page 136.

Journal for Sept. 15 -- What does it mean? (Senior Drama)

 Speculate on the following questions:

1.  The set of a play called "Happy, Innocent Picnic in the Park" has two trees, neither of which has any leaves.  There is a blanket centre stage.  There is a javelin piercing the blanket.  "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" is playing in the background.  There are no actors on the stage.  What does it mean?

2.  Sheryl stands upstage right and looks directly at the audience.  Three other people are on stage but they are facing away from the audience.  They are dressed in red and black.  Sheryl says, "I'm so glad you were able to come" to the audience.  What does it mean?

3. Talbot enters stage left.  He begins by juggling three yellow balls in silence.  He juggles them for a minute and then changes them to red balls.  There is the sound of a gun going off.  He doesn't react.  After five seconds, the lights go out.  What does it mean?

4.  The play is "The Fall of the House of Usher".  The audience walks in and is surprised to see the lady, Madeline, standing centre stage.  She is absolutely still.  She is dressed in white, in what looks like bandages but might be rags of cloth.  There is the distant sound of wind.  What does it mean?

5.  The play is "Waiting for Godot".  Two actors, dressed rather shabbily, stand on stage.  Vladimir says, "we should go."  

Estragon agrees.  They don't go.

What does it mean?

You can describe what the play would be like or what you think the story is about or why the set, costumes and props look the way they do or what the actor is trying to get across.  Make sure you answer each question.  Use your imagination.  Don't be too prosaic.

Update for English 9

Reading Logs -- from Sept. 6 to Sept. 12

Paragraphs -- The Dark Basement, I do/do not want to live forever

Poems from Poetry and Language

Irony (know what it is):  Birth (p. 164) and "On the Birth of His Son"  (p. 165)

Lyric (know what it is):  "Quiet Water" and "Eight Puppies"

-- answer questions

Written book report (see handout) -- due October 3

First Journal of the 2023 - 2024 School Year! (September 8)

 Drama 8:

What should Ms. Kosar know about you?  Please include if you have ever done Drama before (in elementary school, at your youth group, at Arts Umbrella or Gateway or anywhere).  If you have, explain what you've done.  Do you do any performing (dance, music, public speaking)?  Do you have stage fright?  What pronouns do you use? (she, he, them?). You can share anything that might help me work with you in Drama Class!

Senior Drama:

You have been asked to create a scenario for a horror movie.  The film company has asked you to include four characters (you must name them).  There is a serious conflict between two of them.  One of them is a successful writer.  One is an old friend of the writer.  Another one is the friend's cousin, who the writer doesn't know.  The last character "is not what they seem".  The movie has two locations -- a school and a farm.  The studio wants to see two props used -- an old violin and a sack of hammers.  Your scenario should be no longer than half a page.  You can work with a partner, if you like, or do this on your own.

JOURNALS ARE DUE THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY.