Rapid Response - Crisis Management!

Hi S2

Next week you'll be given a double lesson to complete the design, script and all other preparation for the news bulletin on the hurricane in Honduras. Remember, you need to make sure that the public are informed of the facts, but also you are trying to get them to think about how they might best help.

Some statistics from the hurricane:

• 11,000 dead (that is about 13 times the total number in our school)


• 1 million homeless (that's like everyone in Edinburgh and Glasgow being made homeless at once)


• Winds speeds were 180 miles per hour


• There are over 22,000 refugee camps with no basic clean water or sewage system


• The highways have collapsed, and most major roads are unpassable


• There is no clean water supply - you can live for about 3 days without clean water. If you drink dirty water, you could get terrible diseases, and...


• ...hospitals, schools and major institutions are all destroyed, and many doctors, policemen and teachers are amongst the dead

The Last Laugh - Dictators

No, not Mr Sharpe, rather Gloria and Gilbert Grimm from Ben Payne's play, "The Last Laugh"

On Thursday, we'll be finishing the current scene and thinking about both the dicators in the play, and how we might behave if we were dictators.

If you didn't make class or you've lost your copy of the worksheet - click the picture for a full sized version.

Mr Sharpe

In class, on Friday 2nd, we marked eacher others work on the "Courtroom Climax". We were trying to see what level our classmates piece of writing would get. We also watched the Simpsons and learned a bit more about Judaism that would help us in our essay about Shylock being a victim or a villain.

aa [=

Hi S2

Those of you wishing to strengthen your essays could try exploring some of the following links. The top two are the most helpful because they are short but have a quite deep understanding. The other two are essay-length but will really help you both with ideas, and critical language:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shylock

http://nfs.sparknotes.com/merchant/characters.epl

http://www.sol.co.uk/forthvalley/larbert-hs/mag/writing/shylock.htm

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/merchant/ei_shylock.html

What we did on the 15/04/08 !!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey

Today we did some creative writing. We learned that at the time of Shakespeare men had deep feelings for each other and that they were not gay! We also learned to write as another person and to use our senses to say things like i could taste the fear...................

Mr Sharpe also introduced us to a new word.........juxtaposition-think this was it!!!!!!!

GC :)

Merchant of Venice - The Courtroom Scene

Hi Everyone,

We are fast approaching the end of MoV, and last week we watched and read the climactic courtroom scene. Shylock has the power of the law fully behind him, but it is his determination to stick to the letter of the law which is his undoing.

The scene peaks with him, beaten, facing the choice between the gallows, or disavowing his religion and losing his wealth.

It's a powerful scene, with drama, strong emotions and lots of colour throughout.

Today's Task

Creative writing task today folks, with a reflective slant. Imagine you are one EITHER of the key characters in the scene - Bassanio, Gratiano, Antonio (oh, woe is me!), Portia or Shylock OR a faceless, minor character in the crowd. Think about how they would be feeling, and write a short (max 300 words) piece of writing from their point of view. Try to include a real taste for the times - what are people wearing? What can you see, hear and smell? Is the room lit with candles, big flaming torches, or perhaps are you in an outside courtroom? How are you feeling? Do you feel sorry for Shylock, on his knees with the crowd baying for his blood? Do you feel he is harshly treated - after all, he had the law on his side? Or does he get everything he deserves? After all, he is just a Jew!

For those who asked - shakespeare's insults! Click here - but you need Adobe Acrobat

Friday 11th April (: x

Today in class we read for 10 minutes at the start of the lesson as usual, then I had to do my talk on a moment in time. I was very nervous but my audience was amazing so that made it a lot easier. After we rearranged the desks so that there was a stage at the front of the classroom. Mr Sharpe then picked volunteers to act out The Merchant Of Venice from page 147 to page 165. We learnt that Mr Sharpe is rubbish at football and let his team down badly when he scored into his own goals. This was Mr Sharpe's example of "do a little wrong and a lot a right" which is a quote from The Merchant Of Venice.

sc :) x Y

Shylock Quotes - is he a villain or a victim?

Hello S2 - hope you are having a good holiday.

You'll be delighted to learn that I've copied out loads of good quotes from TMoV about Shylock - these will be really useful to you for when you are writing your essays soon about whether Shylock is a victim or a villain.

The formatting is all wrong but I'm sure you won't mind that too much!

Enjoy!

I hate him for he is a Christian,

But more for that in low simplicity

He lends out money gratis and brings down

The rate of usance here with us in Venice.

He hates our sacred nation

Signior Antonio, many a time and oft

In the Rialto you have rated me

About my moneys and my usances:

Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,

For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,

And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,

And all for use of that which is mine own.

Well then, it now appears you need my help:Go to, then; you come to me, and you say'

Shylock, we would have moneys:' you say so;

You, that did void your rheum upon my beardAnd foot me as you spurn a stranger cur

Over your threshold: moneys is your suitWhat should I say to you?

Should I not say'Hath a dog money? is it possibleA cur can lend three thousand ducats?'

Or Shall I bend low and in a bondman's key,With bated breath and whispering humbleness,

Say this;'Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;You spurn'd me such a day; another timeYou call'd me dog; and for these courtesiesI'll lend you thus much moneys'?

Why, look you, how you storm!I would be friends with you and have your love,Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,Supply your present wants and take no doitOf usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me:This is kind I offer.

If you repay me not on such a day,In such a place, such sum or sums as areExpress'd in the condition, let the forfeitBe nominated for an equal poundOf your fair flesh, to be cut off and takenIn what part of your body pleaseth me.

If he should break his day, what should I gainBy the exaction of the forfeiture?A pound of man's flesh taken from a manIs not so estimable, profitable neither,As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats.

If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven,It will be for his gentle daughter's sake:

For I did dream of money-bags to-night.

As the dog Jew did utter in the streets:'My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter!

SHYLOCK You know, none so well, none so well as you, of mydaughter's flight.

SALARINO That's certain: I, for my part, knew the tailorthat made the wings she flew withal.

SALANIO And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledged; and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam.

He hath disgraced me, andhindered me half a million; laughed at my losses,mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted mybargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew


Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs,dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed withthe same food, hurt with the same weapons, subjectto the same diseases, healed by the same means,warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, asa Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poisonus, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we notrevenge?

If we are like you in the rest, we willresemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian,what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christianwrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be byChristian example? Why, revenge. The villany youteach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but Iwill better the instruction.

I would my daughterwere dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear!would she were hearsed at my foot, and the ducats inher coffin!

no in luck stirring but what lights on myshoulders; no sighs but of my breathing; no tearsbut of my shedding.

Never did I knowA creature, that did bear the shape of man,So keen and greedy to confound a man

Gaoler, look to him: tell not me of mercy;This is the fool that lent out money gratis:Gaoler, look to him.

Thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause;But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs:

I'll have my bond; and therefore speak no more.I'll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool,To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yieldTo Christian intercessors.

I am sorry for thee: thou art come to answerA stony adversary, an inhuman wretchuncapable of pity, void and emptyFrom any dram of mercy.

You'll ask me, why I rather choose to haveA weight of carrion flesh than to receiveThree thousand ducats: I'll not answer that:But, say, it is my humour: is it answer'd?

You will answer'The slaves are ours:' so do I answer you:The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,Is dearly bought; 'tis mine and I will have it.

My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Nay, take my life and all; pardon not that:You take my house when you do take the propThat doth sustain my house; you take my lifeWhen you do take the means whereby I live.

Two things provided more, that, for this favour,He presently become a Christian;The other, that he do record a gift,Here in the court, of all he dies possess'd,Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter.

Friday 14 March Lesson

In Fridays lesson The groups we did our poster in went out to the front and each explained there poster from Shylocks famous speech. We did some media studies. We answered a question sheet called media and moods on the Merchant of Venice. We learnt how Shylocks demeanour changed when he heard about Antoio's bad luck. The director built the tension in the scene where Bassanio chooses which box to pick by making everything slow.

After we watched an episode of the simpsons.

MD ;)

lesson on tuesday the 11th og march

today we watched shylocks speech about the how jews and christians are the same then we had to mget into groups and make a poster about the talk but without using words

Supermarkets - homework task

Hey "Other" second year class!


Welcome to Mr Sharpe's blog. This is where a lot of my teaching gets done, and homework gets set! I'd like to use this site to let you write for the world to see, so we'll be looking at different ways the internet can help me teach, and you learn.

For example, we've been reading "Johnny and the Dead" and we are setting up for our own town meeting, to discuss whether we should allow a supermarket to buy up a big park, playground and wooded area near our school.

Today, we looked at two different stories from the BBC about supermarkets, and we learnt about:

• "bias" (where people let their own opinions and feelings influence them)
• "impartial" (like a referee or a teacher, where things are treated equally)
• "balanced" (where both sides of the argument are given equal thought)
• "perspective" (a view taken by a person, such as a writer or someone at a town meeting) and finally...
• "discursive" (where topics are DISCUSSED in a balanced way)

Homework - due 19th March 2008

Look at this website - http://worldhaveyoursay.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/do-supermarkets-make-our-lives-better/ - and look at how important this issue is to people around the world!

1. Pick out two things from their comments that are in favour of supermarkets, and...
2. ...two things that suggest they are a bad thing.

MoV - The Pivotal Scene. Is Shylock a villain or a victim?

Hello all,





Lots of you missed the fun of today's lesson, where we looked at one of Shakespeare's most famous speeches, because of the music recital. The contents from the lesson will be posted by SD overnight as he is today's blogger.

Thursday's lesson will involve looking at this scene (III, i) more closely. This is because some people think it is the key to understanding Shylock's actions (which you are going to examine in an essay soon enough!)

First, look again at I iii ll 40 - 130, and remind yourself of the injustices Shylock has already suffered. If you didn't write these down during an earlier lesson, do so now.

Next, find and copy out the line in II, iv which shows that Shylock loves his daughter and would make great sacrifices for her. Hint - it's after line 30! Remember towards the end of II viii we learn Jessica has left Shylock, leaving him crying "My Daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter ... My ducats and my daughter!"

Now answer the following questions from III i:

1. How do you feel about Shylock's double loss - daughter and ducats? Copy out some of the lines which you think show his hurt, his rage, and his complete loneliness.
2. Which of his losses does he mention first? Which do you think causes him more pain?
3. Quote two further examples of his being insulted by Christians in this scene (hint- he says quite a few in his speech)
4. Quote the line where Shylock first mentions "revenge".
5. The main speech (ll 49 - 70) teaches us that we are all the same beneath our religions, that we are made from the same "flesh and blood". Do you agree with Shylock? Or is it more complex than that?
6. Shylock has been bullied, abused and now his daughter and his money is gone. To what extent do you feel sorry for him? Justify your answer with your own opinions

Today in class we read for ten minutes at the start. we then listened to some peoples talks. i did my talk so i know what it is like to be up there, i was nervous, but it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. If you are going to do your talk on wednesday, good luck!
Love, hugs and kisses
Ch :)

Thursday 28th

Today we read Act 2 Scenes 3 4 5 and 6.
We talked about the religious significance in the play so far.We talked about how the idea of changing religion has come up 3 times already in the play (note: it is always the Jews having to change to Christian never the other way round).Wea lso talked about all the "brilliant" insults in the play and how most of them are dirrected at Shylock.

Mr Sharpe also reminded us again what a brilliant and confident writer Shakespear is ashe can even make jokes about his oter plays.We then watched what we read on the DVD.

HOMEWORK for Tuesday 4th of March

Have your talk Prepared as some people will be doing them on Tuesday.

Good Luck

sh =)

21/02/08 Act 2 Scene 2

During yesterdays lesson we first arranged the seats like a theatre from the time of the Merchant of Venice with peasants at the front, standing and rich people at the back, sitting then we read Act 2 scene 2 and we seen how Launcelot played a cruel trick on his father, Gobbo, by telling him his son(Launcelot) had died. He then convinces Gobbo that he is indeed Launcelot.
Also during this scene we seen Bassanio tell Gratiano that he was far too loud to come with him on his trip to "woooo" (< Mr Sharpe's Favourite), Porchia and the scene ends with Gratiano begging Bassanio to come and Bassanio telling him maybe.

After reading the the scene we watched the same scene on the video although what we had read was an awful lot longer than the video.

cm =]

S2 - Homework - Mark your Own!

Hi S2

Remember, I am trusting you to mark your own work! But I'll still be looking in your jotters at some point soon, so don't be too generous!

1.Why does Shylock ask if Antonio is “a good man” (12)?

He wants to know whether Antonio would be able to repay the debt
And/or
He wants to know that Antonio is well respected

2.Look at lines 38 – 48. What is the first reason Shylock gives for hating Antonio?

He hates him because he is a Christian

3.Why do you think this speech is given as an aside?

Shylock is telling the audience how he feels, but he doesn’t want to let Antonio or Bassanio know

4.“I cannot tell, I make it breed as fast” (93) – what technique is this an example of, and what is being compared?

Technically this is a simile, although case could also be argued that it is a metaphor. The speed with which Shylock can make money is like the speed sheep breed, so these two thnigs are being compared.

5.Look again at lines 103 – 126.
a)Write a list of the other reasons why Shylock hates Antonio.

Antonio “rated” him(as in 'berated'), called him “misbeliever, cut-throat dog”, spat on him and kicked him

b)Of all the reasons Shylock gives in this scene, which do you think he feels is the main reason. Give reasons for your decision

He hates him for being a Christian – it is the first reason he gives, and the differences drive all the other insults. BUT answer should be based on well justified opinion.

6.How does Antonio ‘sell’ the idea of lending him the money to Shylock. Quote the lines that show this.

He tries to tell Shylock to take more pleasure in having an enemy in his debt:
“…lend it not as to thy friends …
But lend it rather to thine enemy
Who if he break, thou mayst with better face
Exact the penalty”

7.Think about the bond between Antonio and Shylock:
a)Who comes up with the idea first?

Shylock

a)Do you think they are serious?

No / Yes – judge on merit of the evidence in part (b)

b)Explain your answer with reference to the text.

No – reference to “merry sport”
Yes - Reference to hatred of Antonio

8.How does Bassanio respond to the bond?

He doesn’t want Antonio to take Shylock’s money:
“you shall not seal to such a bond for me
I’ll rather dwell in my necessity”

9. Explain the significance of the lines below: what do they mean, and what do they tell us about Shylock?
“A pound of man’s flesh taken from a man
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs or goats.” (162-164)

Shylock thinks about the flesh as being worthless – it isn’t even as valuable as beef, goat or mutton because it can’t be eaten or sold. At this point, he seems to be only interested in the money. However, it does also link back to the extended imagery of sheep that we've seen throughout the scene.

10.“The Hebrew will turn Christian, he grows kind” (176)
Where have we heard a similar but contrasting thought before?

Shylock says: “Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him” which contrasts against the idea that he is so kind to Antonio that Antonio feels he is converting to Christianity.

Tuesday's Lesson - 19th February

We watched act 1 on the movie of The Merchant of Venice. We then acted out two scenes. One of the Prince of Morroco and Portia. The other Lancelot and Gobbo.

sm

Friday 5th

On friday it was the last day term so we did something fun.

We were given a card which had a colour and the name of a dog we had to save, so we had to write a couple of paragraphs on why our dog should be saved.

Then we had to make a presentation to our group to explain why our dog should be saved, and then each group took a vote. Only 3 dogs could be saved from each group of 8.

Tuesday 5th & Thursday 7th - English

Tuesday 5th
We read to the end of act one scene two. We discussed with a partner & wrote in our jotters why Portia did not like any of the men from different countries that wanted to marry her, & if she was a racist.

Thursday 7th
We read to the end of act one. We completed questions that we on the board on Shylock & Antonio: the central conflict & discussed as a class the conflict between Shylock & Antonio.

cw =) x

S2 - Meeting Shylock

Act I scene iii today folks.

Look at how Shylock is presented, and the reasons why he hates Antonio. We know what is going to happen in the play, but how is the character built up from his opening lines?

We'll be answering this in class, plus looking at these questions, for today and tomorrow.

1.Why does Shylock ask if Antonio is “a good man” (12)?

2.Look at lines 38 – 48. What is the first reason Shylock gives for hating Antonio?

3.Why do you think this speech is given as an aside?

4.“I cannot tell, I make it breed as fast” (93) – what technique is this an example of, and what is being compared?

5.Look again at lines 103 – 126.

a)Write a list of the other reasons why Shylock hates Antonio.

b)Of all the reasons Shylock gives in this scene, which do you think he feels is the main reason. Give reasons for your decision

6.How does Antonio ‘sell’ the idea of lending him the money to Shylock. Quote the lines that show this.

7.Think about the bond between Antonio and Shylock:

a)Who comes up with the idea first?
b)Do you think they are serious?
c)Explain your answer with reference to the text.

8.How does Bassanio respond to the bond?

9.Explain the significance of the lines below: what do they mean, and what do they tell us about Shylock?
“A pound of man’s flesh taken from a man
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs or goats.” (162-164)

10.“The Hebrew will turn Christian, he grows kind” (176)
Where have we heard a similar but contrasting thought before?