Fourth period began Romeo and Juliet, looking at the prologue in detail.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;
Whole misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents’ strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love,
And the continuance of their parents’ rage,
Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

The students read it aloud, in a variety of ways, probably close to ten times, with the obvious effect: the language doesn’t feel so foreign in their mouth. After a little group work, we also had the meaning worked out fairly clearly.

First, second, and seventh periods worked on their persuasive essays. Second period will be turning their essays in tomorrow, and they will be evaluating their essays according to the rubric.

Homework

• First period: complete persuasive essay.
• Second period: complete persuasive essay and have it in electronic form for turn-in and evaluation tomorrow (Friday 8 January 2010).
• Fourth period: answer question 1 from the “Romeo and Juliet Discussion Forum.”
• Seventh period: complete persuasive essay.