Posted by tom on April 05, 1998 at 21:52:32:
This past week I have started a unit teaching eighth graders Merchant. I plan to teach a case study of the holocaust in late May and June so the anti-semitic and us vs. them issues in the play are important pieces for me.
I plan to listen to the read a scene then listen to the scene on audio tape.
At the conclusion of an act we will view the Laurence Olivier production.
We will act out scenes and at the conclusion of the play students will choose their own abridged scenes to act out for their cl.
The best scenes will be selected to be performed in the auditorium in front of my eighth grade team of 100 students.
I also enjoy working with the drama teacher in my middle school who has been helpful to encourage me to teach with a performance atmosphere
My goal is to make reading a shakespearean play and enjoyable experience that my students would later be interested in reading another.
Also the goal is to dissect the issues surrounding Shylock's torment and his revenge on the gentiles. Why is he persecuted? or picked on and link this to how middle schoolers pick on kids in the hallway.
Why Shylock needs or decides to take his revenge? Is he justified?
What has he done to receive the hate of the gentiles?
Is Banio or Antonio worthy characters? Banio demonstrates very little qualities befiting a gentle or noble man. So why is he considered
a good man or a gentlemen by Lancelot and Antonio?
I need help and suggestions as well. I need advice on how to keep these 13 and14 yearold kids engaged
during the weeks we read the play.
In the week of introduction, I stressed the relaxed atmosphere of the Globe theatre and the seedy area it was located on the other side of the thames than London.
I believe the kids will enjoy hte play when they begin to understand the language.
any suggestions would be helpful.