"My friends are my estates." - Emily Dickinson

Summer is in full swing already with temperatures here reaching in the mid-90s. School is out for the kids, but I'm here in a class with other devoted teachers who are trying to travel into the 21st century by taking a Classrooms for the Future course. We're here June 9-12 soaking up some knowledge to prepare us for another stellar year here at the Fort.

I'm happy that I'm in with a pretty entertaining group of "kids" - Kevin Center, Ben Maxin, Mandy Gordon, Chris Hallowich, and Mike Slates. Jodi Kioalicas is our ever-patient facilitator/teacher. We as teachers do not make the best students. Just like our teenage students, we teachers talk when we're not supposed to, get easily frustrated with something doesn't work (computers!) and don't listen when we should. Jodi is SO patient. We are all creating a blog to be used for educational purposes. As it stands, if you're interested in visiting any of these amazing teachers' blogs, I'm making a list of their links:

http://kccenteroftheuniverse.blogspot.com/

http://mslates.blogspot.com/

http://mrsgordon.blogspot.com/

http://maxinsenglish.blogspot.com/

Right now most of the teachers are fooling around on youtube to find funny video clips to include on their blogs. So that I may keep up, I'm including a link that I find so funny that I tend to laugh so hard I snort. Take a look if you dare: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzRH3iTQPrk

I can't think of much that is educationally relevant to post at this point, so this is the end of my blogging today.

"The best is yet to be" - Robert Browning

There are only 20 days left before summer break!

Now that you have finished reading Romeo and Juliet, it's time to assess what you've learned. This is no easy task because I can ask you questions based on the reading, such as those below, but does that really tell me what you've LEARNED? So, let's get started.

Answer these "review" questions based on Act 5 of the play (you do not have to write in complete sentences unless that's your preference). Please put the answers in your notes, NOT your blog.

1. What is the cause of Romeo's failure to receive Friar Lawrence's message about the "big plan"?

2. Who delivers the bad news of Juliet's death to Romeo?

3. How does County Paris die?

4. How does Romeo come to have such a potent, deadly poison if it is illegal to sell in Mantua?

5. In the play, what is the result of Romeo's and Juliet's suicides?

6. What is your interpretation of the message being sent from this play?

You should be able to finish answering the review questions in class. You should also get a good start, if not finish, posting your answer to the following:

What role has FATE played in William Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet?

I want you to first type the question in your blog and then answer it in a minimum of two paragraphs. However, an intelligent, well-thought out and expressed answer cannot be given in just two paragraphs, in my opinion. It will require you to ponder the meaning of the question, and come up with strong, logical examples as proof. If you are unable to finish it in class, please complete it as homework.

Just a reminder: your culminating project on this play is due Wednesday, May 7th. Good Luck!

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." ~ St. Augustine

Surprise! Your quiz is postponed until tomorrow!


From our literature book we know that Romeo and Juliet takes place in the 14th-15th century. During class today, I want you to do a little investigative research on Verona, Italy. Not just the city and country, but Verona, Italy during the time period in which Romeo and Juliet took place.

Using the search engine of your choice, look up information about the city itself during the 14th-15th century. How did people make a living, the class system, who was ruling, the religion of the time, etc. Paint a general picture of what life was like in Verona. This won't be a very easy assignment. You have to read through several websites to get specific information, so it will probably take you the entire class, possibly even into homework tonight.

Please don't forget, before you publish your post, check it for errors. Most of you have no problems with this, but a few are posting with punctuation, capitalization and grammatical errors. I'm going to start counting off more for this.

Finally, you may pair up to work on the research for this posting. However, each person is responsible for writing their own summary. I expect a minimum of three paragraphs. Please include a link(s) to the site(s) you used as a source.

This is meant to be challenging. Good luck!

"Resolve never to quit, never to give up, no matter what the situation." - Jack Nicklaus

Now that you've blogged and made some changes to your personal space, I hope you feel comfortable enough to tackle this next assignment. Due date: by class time on Wednesday, March 26th.

Romeo and Juliet: "Parting is such sweet sorrow."

Since this week is so short - hooray for Easter break!!! - we will be laying the foundation for reading Romeo and Juliet. Most of you have finished your last assignment to critique a website based either on the play or William Shakespeare so you should have an idea of what we are about to embark upon. Several of you chose a Sparks Notes site to critique, which I have no problem with whatsoever. Use it as a guide ONLY. Trust me, you will have to read the play itself in order to participate in the class discussions and complete the assignments. On to the first assignment:

Read Act 1, scenes 2-5 on pages 739-753. Choose any scene within these scenes from Act 1 to interpret into your own words. To clarify, you should translate each character's lines into your own, present-day language. You may use slang as long as it's understandable. You must interpret an entire scene. Below is an example of part of scene 1, Act 1 such as what I want from you. Post it on your blog:

from Act 1, scene 1, page 732-733, lines 30-45 ~

SAMPSON: I have my sword right here. Start a fight with them! I've got your back.

GREGORY: You'll run off...

SAMPSON: Don't worry, I won't.

GREGORY : Are you sure, I don't trust you.

SAMPSON: The law is on our side if they start the fight.

GREGORY: I'll give them a rude look when we pass to insult them.

SAMPSON: No, I'll bite my thumb at them, which is a serious insult if they back down.

ABRAM: Did you just flip us off!?

SAMPSON (to Gregory): Is the law on our side if I say yes?

GREGORY (to Sampson): No way.

SAMPSON: No, dude. I didn't flip you off, but I did bite my thumb.

GREGORY: Are you trying to start something?

I will be checking these over the break and hope to have any early posts graded before we return from spring break. Have a great break and Happy Easter!!!

Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers. - Homer Simpson

Okay people, you've created your blog, posted your first assignment and received your score. The purpose of creating a blog is not just to expose you to blogging and new technology, but to introduce our next unit: Romeo and Juliet. Or, as I like to call it: What's Love Got To Do With It?"
There are numerous websites out there dedicated to Romeo and Juliet, some legit, some not so much. Beware of sites based on opinion versus fact. In these times of massive information exchange, validity can be difficult to prove. Be sure to check the source of the website. Is it a student doing a report? Is the information here say or based on historical fact? Is it...a blog? Although Wikipedia holds a plethora of information, it can altered, added to or taken from. Even YOU can submit something to Wikipedia.
On to your next assignment. Part one of your "mission" is to add something new to your blog. Some of you have added photos of yourself to your profile - GREAT! Be creative. If you haven't added a photo of yourself, give it a try. Have a knowledgeable friend help you. If you can't add a photo, try finding clip art or a photograph from the web, like I did. I WISH that was a picture of me in my profile! The point is, chose something that you feel represents your personality to show the world wide web. (Must be school appropriate.) If you have already posted an image in your profile, change your blog up a bit. Try something new and creative.
The second part of your assignment will be to research and critique a website that deals with either William Shakespeare or Romeo and Juliet. So, get on the web, look at several different sites which deal with your topic and then post an entry on your blog critiquing your chosen website. Be sure to post a link to your website. Note: a critique is a review or commentary on a specific topic. With this in mind, you will have to view a few and read a few different sites to find one you like. Along the way I hope you learn some things about our upcoming play. Please do not critique www.romeoandjuliet.com as I have already used portions of that site and it is a bit outdated.
If you have any questions, first check with another student in class for clarification. If you still have questions, post them on my blog. I'll try to get back to you before Monday, which is when this assignment is due (end of class).
Have a great weekend!

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. ~Attributed to Harry S. Truman

To My Students:

This blog is not just for you, but for me as well. You will need to know how to navigate the road of advancing technology for the 21st century workplace. This means it is my responsibility, as well as the school's, to prepare you to be successful not just to get a good job in the future, but to be able to think on your own, learn on your own. You have to be able to LEARN TO LEARN! This is our first step, together.

You will need to record the name of this blog in your agenda or wherever you know you can locate it for future use. http://knightsenglish9rocks.blogspot.com. NOTE: we will not always use the "my blog/your blog" format each day. I will indicate on the Promethean board when you are to get a computer and use the following procedures:

1. log onto your computer and open the internet.
2. go to my blog site to get the day's objectives and assignment.
3. in a new window, open your blog and post your response to the day's assignment.

For this first day, you will create your own blog site for the purposes of this class only. So, let's get started!

• To create your own blog for this class only, log onto www.blogger.com. Follow the steps for creating your own blog. I don't think I need to remind you that all information used and posted on your blog site should be appropriate and clean at all times. This includes the name of your blog.
• Once you've created your own blog, respond to the following survey question:

Do you feel Fort Cherry is preparing you well for being successful as a college student, and later, as a working professional in the 21st century? Explain your answer by giving an example or two from your educational experience here to prove your point. Don't forget to proofread and edit your work before you publish your post. If there isn't enough time to finish this in class today, we will complete this assignment tomorrow. I have allowed two days to complete this assignment. GOOD LUCK!

If you finish this assignment early, feel free to check out this link to Romeo and Juliet: www.romeoandjuliet.com.