(above photo): Lainie as Lucille Ball's "Vitameatavegamin" skit from "Lights, Camera, Comedy!"
Week of February 4th
SHIRLEY TEMPLE - GIFTED CHILD ACTOR, DANCER, SINGER!
Visit Shirley's biography at: http://www.biography.com/people/shirley-temple-9503798
Visit Shirley's biography at: http://www.biography.com/people/shirley-temple-9503798
- Baby, Take A Bow
- The Blue Bird
- Bright Eyes
- Captain January
- Curly Top
- Dimples
- Just Around The Corner
- The Little Colonel
- WEE Willie Winkie
- Heidi
- Stowaway
- Young People
- The Little Rebel
- Stand Up And Cheer
- Susanna Of The Mountains
- The Little Princess
- Little Miss Broadway
- Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm
Week of January 28th
JERRY LEWIS!!! THE ART OF PANTOMIME!
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He is also known for his work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He is also known for his work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Meet Charlie Chaplin!
"A picture with a smile-and perhaps, a tear."
The Kid is a 1921 American silent film written by, produced by, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin. In December 2011, The Kid was chosen to be preserved in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. This activity is designed to: help students develop the fundamental tools of film literacy which will enable them to more critically "read" or analyze the films they view and to enjoy the films they view on a more complex level.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. Discuss the use of EXAGGERATION in silent film. Is it effective?
2. How did you feel about viewing a "silent film?" What was different? Is there anything about watching a silent film that you found "BETTER" than a "talkie?"
3. What can be learned, if anything, from Chaplin's film as you prepare your own skits?
4. Discuss the composition of the story --how was it laid out?
The Kid is a 1921 American silent film written by, produced by, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin. In December 2011, The Kid was chosen to be preserved in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. This activity is designed to: help students develop the fundamental tools of film literacy which will enable them to more critically "read" or analyze the films they view and to enjoy the films they view on a more complex level.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. Discuss the use of EXAGGERATION in silent film. Is it effective?
2. How did you feel about viewing a "silent film?" What was different? Is there anything about watching a silent film that you found "BETTER" than a "talkie?"
3. What can be learned, if anything, from Chaplin's film as you prepare your own skits?
4. Discuss the composition of the story --how was it laid out?
January 18th
Lucille Ball – What’s So Funny
PURPOSE: The purpose of today's session is to consider factors that may cause inhibitions, keeping us from being and doing what we desire to do.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: In this activity you will look at images of women in the media (earlier in this century) to uncover what society valued and how that may have "controlled" who people were. You will also consider if creating physical comedy might, in some way, help you reach your potential in other areas of your life now and in the future?
What can you tell what Hollywood expected of female actresses, just by looking at the pictures?
- Do you think it was hard for a woman to break the mold and be different from other women in those days? Why or why not?
- What is "physical" comedy in your opinion?
- Think of today's favorite comedy movie and TV stars. Do women or men do more physical comedy? Discuss.
- Have images of women in movies and on TV changed today since the 40s and 50s? How have they stayed the same? How have they changed?
- Why do you think today's lesson focused on women and not men?
- Do the restraints of society's expectations of women in the media transfer over to other careers? Explain.
- What important lesson, if any, can we learn from Lucille Ball that will make our play better? What important lesson, if any, can we learn from Lucille Ball that can make your life better?
The Ballet
Lucille Ball - Master of physical comedy and the courage to be different!
QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS AFTER VIEWING -
1. What makes this scene effective?
2. What ideas do you have for helping our actors master physical comedy? Be specific.
3. In what ways, if any, might creating physical comedy help you reach your potential in other areas?
QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS AFTER VIEWING -
1. What makes this scene effective?
2. What ideas do you have for helping our actors master physical comedy? Be specific.
3. In what ways, if any, might creating physical comedy help you reach your potential in other areas?
January 14th
Effective VIDEO SHOOTING for moviesVideo is a series of actions or shots that come together to tell a story. But how are these shots created? Even though movie makers make it look easy, video shots are carefully planned. This week we will learn about the different types of shots used to enhance video production.
Video 101 Scavenger Hunt
Assignment:
In this activity you will break up into two to three groups. Each group is to shoot a series of video shots. Using the "List of Shots," you will use your creativity to shoot stellar video clips that effectively demonstrate the "shots" in the time allowed. Each student MUST video one of the video clips; you are to utilize the members in your group as the "subjects" in your video. The same type of shots can filmed more than once to allow for everyone to use the camera.
Procedure: AS A TEAM WORK TOGETHER TO DO THE FOLLOWING. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU MEET AND "PLAN" WHAT, WHERE, AND HOW YOU WILL ADDRESS THE SCAVENGER HUNT BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
Remember:
1. Do not interrupt a class when filming --use the members of your group as subjects, if needed, in the video.
2. Take care of the camera --dropping a camera can cause serious damage.
3. Read your rubric carefully and follow the directions. Be sure and DOCUMENT your shots.
4. Be quiet in the hallways.
5. Practice effective group work skills: listen to each other, do not "boss" --make decisions together, share responsibilities.
6. BE CREATIVE! THINK OF WAYS TO MAKE YOUR VIDEO SHOTS UNIQUE. BAN THE ORDINARY!
In this activity you will break up into two to three groups. Each group is to shoot a series of video shots. Using the "List of Shots," you will use your creativity to shoot stellar video clips that effectively demonstrate the "shots" in the time allowed. Each student MUST video one of the video clips; you are to utilize the members in your group as the "subjects" in your video. The same type of shots can filmed more than once to allow for everyone to use the camera.
Procedure: AS A TEAM WORK TOGETHER TO DO THE FOLLOWING. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU MEET AND "PLAN" WHAT, WHERE, AND HOW YOU WILL ADDRESS THE SCAVENGER HUNT BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
- Become familiar with the controls on the camera you will be using for the activity (you can use the manual if needed). Think of a location to record the footage that is in the building or on the playground.
- Record a video based on the list described in the assignment.
- Document each shot with the name of the shot and the name of the shooter on your rubric.
- Review the footage through the viewfinder.
- Show your video to the class
Remember:
1. Do not interrupt a class when filming --use the members of your group as subjects, if needed, in the video.
2. Take care of the camera --dropping a camera can cause serious damage.
3. Read your rubric carefully and follow the directions. Be sure and DOCUMENT your shots.
4. Be quiet in the hallways.
5. Practice effective group work skills: listen to each other, do not "boss" --make decisions together, share responsibilities.
6. BE CREATIVE! THINK OF WAYS TO MAKE YOUR VIDEO SHOTS UNIQUE. BAN THE ORDINARY!
Pan Right & Left |
Frame Action |
Zoom in
|
Zoom Out |
MEET THE THREE STOOGES - January 7th
http://www.threestooges.com/bios/
HOW THEY GOT STARTED --
http://www.neatorama.com/2008/10/09/the-origin-of-the-three-stooges/
Do you see anything in their background that indicates their draw to comedy?
HOW THEY GOT STARTED --
http://www.neatorama.com/2008/10/09/the-origin-of-the-three-stooges/
Do you see anything in their background that indicates their draw to comedy?
WELCOME TO 2013!!! AND "LIGHTS, CAMERA, COMEDY!"
Few inventions have had as much effect on contemporary American society as television. Before 1947 the number of U.S. homes with television sets could be measured in the thousands. By the late 1990s, 98 percent of U.S. homes had at least one television set, and those sets were on for an average of more than seven hours a day. The typical American spends (depending on the survey and the time of year) from two-and-a-half to almost five hours a day watching television. It is significant not only that this time is being spent with television but that it is not being spent engaging in other activities, such as reading or going out or socializing.
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 26TH
SECONDARY: "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" commentary
Week of November 19
analyze the questioning techniques used in TWENTY QUESTIONS
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 12
Blackwood Hall Jeopardy - 1
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 5
ELEMENTARY MEET "NANCY DREW!"
LOOK AT ALL THE VOCABULARY!!!!!!!!accentuate - to make something more noticeable
adjoining - a room, building, or piece of land that adjoins something is next to it and connected to it.
ammonia - a clear liquid with a strong bad smell that is used for cleaning or in cleaning products.
armpit - the ugliest or worst place in a particular city or area.
broadcaster - someone who speaks on radio or television programmes.
brutality - cruel and violent behaviour, or an event involving cruel and violent treatment.
caustically - a caustic remark criticize someone in a way that is unkind but often cleverly humorous.
chanting - ...
chattered - informal talk, especially about things that are not serious or important.
commemorate - to do something to show that you remember and respect someone important or an important event in the past.
commissioner - the head of the police department in some parts of the us.
cordially - in a friendly but polite and formal way
crestfallen - looking disappointed and upset
defendant - the person in a court of law who has been accused of doing something illegal
duplicate - to copy something exactly
errand - a short journey in order do something for someone, for example delivering or collecting something for them.
haltingly - if your speech or movements are haltingly, you stop for a moment between words or movements, especially because you are not confident
hoarsely - if you are hoarse, or if your voice is hoarse, you speak in a low rough voice, if example because your throat is sore.
huddled - if a group of people huddle together, they stay very close to each other, especially because they are cold or frightened.
hyphotic - a drug that helps you to sleep
imitation - when you copy someone else's action
implementing - a tool, especially one used for outdoor physical work.
incriminate - to make someone seem guilty of a crime
indignity - a situation that makes you feel very ashamed and not respected.
jurisdiction - the right to use an official power to make legal decisions, or the area where this right exists.
lynching - if a crowded of people lynches someone, they kill them , especially by hanging them, without using the usual legal process.
mansion - a very large house
mastermind - someone who plans and organizes a complicated operation, especially a criminal operation.
nonchalant - behaving calmly and not seemingly interested in anything or worried about anything
overpowering - very strong
pertaining - to relate directly to something
premonition - a strange feeling that something, especially something bad, is going to happen.
proposely - to suggest something as a plan or course of action.
quagmire - an area of soft wet muddy ground
quaver - if your voices quavers, it shakes as you speak, especially because you are nervous or upset.
quicksand - a bad situation that keeps getting worse, and that you cannot escape from. 2. wet sand that is dangerous because you sink down in bit it if you try to walk on it.
reluctantly - slow and unwilling
reprisal - something violent or harmful which you do to punish someone for something bad they have done to you.
repudiating - to refuse to accept or continue with something
scarcely - almost not or almost none at all (hardly)
steadily - continuing or developing gradually or without stopping, and not likely to change.
summoned - to order someone to come to place
tenant - someone who lives in a house, room, etc and pays rent to the person who owns it
torrent - a large amount of water moving very quickly and strongly in a particular direction.
tramp - to walk somewhere slowly and with heavy steps
trifle - something unimportant or not valuable
unscrupulous - behaving in an unfair or dishonest way
surmised - to guess that something is so true and using the information you know already.
grimy - covered with dirt (filthy)
mesmerizing - if you are mesmerizing by someone or something, you cannot stop watching them or listening to them because they are so attractive or have such a powerful effect.
racketeers - someone who earns money through crime and illegal activities.
surveillance - when the police, army, etc watch a person or place carefully because they may be connected with criminal activities.
inconspicuous - not easily seen or noticed
marauder - a marauding person or animal moves around looking for something to destroy or kill.
commotion - sudden noisy activities
remainder - the part of something that is left after everything else has gone or been dealt with (the rest)
cajoled - to gradually persuade someone to do something by being nice to them, or make promises to them.
flimflamming - information or ideas that are not true or seem very stupid
boastfully - talking too proudly about yourself
queried - to ask a question
hypnotizes - to be so interesting or exciting that people cannot think of anything (mesmerizing)
dissuade - to persuade someone not to do something
simultaneously - things that are simultaneous happens to exactly the same time.
luminous - shining in the dark
brutally - 1. very cruel and violent
haste - to pay attention to someone's advice or warning
scant - not enough
LOOK AT ALL THE VOCABULARY!!!!!!!!accentuate - to make something more noticeable
adjoining - a room, building, or piece of land that adjoins something is next to it and connected to it.
ammonia - a clear liquid with a strong bad smell that is used for cleaning or in cleaning products.
armpit - the ugliest or worst place in a particular city or area.
broadcaster - someone who speaks on radio or television programmes.
brutality - cruel and violent behaviour, or an event involving cruel and violent treatment.
caustically - a caustic remark criticize someone in a way that is unkind but often cleverly humorous.
chanting - ...
chattered - informal talk, especially about things that are not serious or important.
commemorate - to do something to show that you remember and respect someone important or an important event in the past.
commissioner - the head of the police department in some parts of the us.
cordially - in a friendly but polite and formal way
crestfallen - looking disappointed and upset
defendant - the person in a court of law who has been accused of doing something illegal
duplicate - to copy something exactly
errand - a short journey in order do something for someone, for example delivering or collecting something for them.
haltingly - if your speech or movements are haltingly, you stop for a moment between words or movements, especially because you are not confident
hoarsely - if you are hoarse, or if your voice is hoarse, you speak in a low rough voice, if example because your throat is sore.
huddled - if a group of people huddle together, they stay very close to each other, especially because they are cold or frightened.
hyphotic - a drug that helps you to sleep
imitation - when you copy someone else's action
implementing - a tool, especially one used for outdoor physical work.
incriminate - to make someone seem guilty of a crime
indignity - a situation that makes you feel very ashamed and not respected.
jurisdiction - the right to use an official power to make legal decisions, or the area where this right exists.
lynching - if a crowded of people lynches someone, they kill them , especially by hanging them, without using the usual legal process.
mansion - a very large house
mastermind - someone who plans and organizes a complicated operation, especially a criminal operation.
nonchalant - behaving calmly and not seemingly interested in anything or worried about anything
overpowering - very strong
pertaining - to relate directly to something
premonition - a strange feeling that something, especially something bad, is going to happen.
proposely - to suggest something as a plan or course of action.
quagmire - an area of soft wet muddy ground
quaver - if your voices quavers, it shakes as you speak, especially because you are nervous or upset.
quicksand - a bad situation that keeps getting worse, and that you cannot escape from. 2. wet sand that is dangerous because you sink down in bit it if you try to walk on it.
reluctantly - slow and unwilling
reprisal - something violent or harmful which you do to punish someone for something bad they have done to you.
repudiating - to refuse to accept or continue with something
scarcely - almost not or almost none at all (hardly)
steadily - continuing or developing gradually or without stopping, and not likely to change.
summoned - to order someone to come to place
tenant - someone who lives in a house, room, etc and pays rent to the person who owns it
torrent - a large amount of water moving very quickly and strongly in a particular direction.
tramp - to walk somewhere slowly and with heavy steps
trifle - something unimportant or not valuable
unscrupulous - behaving in an unfair or dishonest way
surmised - to guess that something is so true and using the information you know already.
grimy - covered with dirt (filthy)
mesmerizing - if you are mesmerizing by someone or something, you cannot stop watching them or listening to them because they are so attractive or have such a powerful effect.
racketeers - someone who earns money through crime and illegal activities.
surveillance - when the police, army, etc watch a person or place carefully because they may be connected with criminal activities.
inconspicuous - not easily seen or noticed
marauder - a marauding person or animal moves around looking for something to destroy or kill.
commotion - sudden noisy activities
remainder - the part of something that is left after everything else has gone or been dealt with (the rest)
cajoled - to gradually persuade someone to do something by being nice to them, or make promises to them.
flimflamming - information or ideas that are not true or seem very stupid
boastfully - talking too proudly about yourself
queried - to ask a question
hypnotizes - to be so interesting or exciting that people cannot think of anything (mesmerizing)
dissuade - to persuade someone not to do something
simultaneously - things that are simultaneous happens to exactly the same time.
luminous - shining in the dark
brutally - 1. very cruel and violent
haste - to pay attention to someone's advice or warning
scant - not enough
Secondary begins the most popular ghost story of all time, Dickens "A Christmas Carol"
In keeping with the title of his work, A Christmas Carol, Dickens has divided his story, not into chapters, but into "staves"-that is, verses of a song.
This week we will read STAVE 1: "Marley's Ghost"
AS YOU READ:
1. Compare the physical death of Marley to the emotional/spiritual death of Scrooge.
2. In one of the defining themes of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge's nephew states that Christmas is: "the only time . . . when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."
3. As Scrooge's nephew exits, two other gentlemen enter. They seek donations to charitable work: "We choose this time," they explain, "because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices." Why does Dickens capitalize want and abundance?
4. THE TITLE OF A BOOK IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT!!! A young boy begins to sing a Christmas carol outside Scrooge's door. The moment may deserve attention because, after all, the title of the work is A Christmas Carol, and this boy's song is the only actual carol specifically quoted. Find out what the words in the verses of this song say and speculate why Dickens may have chosen it. Notice anything else about the verses?
5. The fireplace in front of which Scrooge sits is lined with tiles illustrating stories from the Bible. While every tile may not carry symbolic significance for the story,one tile depicts Cain and Abel, figures in the story of the human race's first murder, and one tile is of Belshazaar. Discover the story of Cain and Abel and Belshazaar and determine their significance to Scrooge. Another Bible reference is insinuated when Scrooge notes that he can see straight through Marley's body and remembers that he "had often heard it said that Marley had no bowels." What is this talking about?
6. "We know who we are only in relationship with others." How does this saying relate to Scrooge in the first stanza?.
7. Marley states: "...the true business given to all human beings: charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence." What is the difference between those words? Words that appear to be synonyms.
This week we will read STAVE 1: "Marley's Ghost"
AS YOU READ:
1. Compare the physical death of Marley to the emotional/spiritual death of Scrooge.
2. In one of the defining themes of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge's nephew states that Christmas is: "the only time . . . when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."
3. As Scrooge's nephew exits, two other gentlemen enter. They seek donations to charitable work: "We choose this time," they explain, "because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices." Why does Dickens capitalize want and abundance?
4. THE TITLE OF A BOOK IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT!!! A young boy begins to sing a Christmas carol outside Scrooge's door. The moment may deserve attention because, after all, the title of the work is A Christmas Carol, and this boy's song is the only actual carol specifically quoted. Find out what the words in the verses of this song say and speculate why Dickens may have chosen it. Notice anything else about the verses?
5. The fireplace in front of which Scrooge sits is lined with tiles illustrating stories from the Bible. While every tile may not carry symbolic significance for the story,one tile depicts Cain and Abel, figures in the story of the human race's first murder, and one tile is of Belshazaar. Discover the story of Cain and Abel and Belshazaar and determine their significance to Scrooge. Another Bible reference is insinuated when Scrooge notes that he can see straight through Marley's body and remembers that he "had often heard it said that Marley had no bowels." What is this talking about?
6. "We know who we are only in relationship with others." How does this saying relate to Scrooge in the first stanza?.
7. Marley states: "...the true business given to all human beings: charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence." What is the difference between those words? Words that appear to be synonyms.
Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express" 7th & 8th Grade
Agatha's Biography
Agatha Christie is the bestselling mystery novelist of all time. Beginning in 1920 with the publication of the stunning The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Christie set new standards for mystery writers. Cleverly plotted, with casts of characters drawn with an impeccable eye and a shrewd understanding of human nature, her novels gave the world two of the most enduring characters in detective fiction: Hercule Poirot, the eccentric, obsessively tidy Belgian detective who relies on his “little gray cells” to work out the complexities of a crime, and Miss Jane Marple, the elderly spinster in the quaint English village of St. Mary Mead, who knows a great deal about what drives people to commit crimes.
1. BLOG ENTRY: Find out information about the Orient Express train. When did the first Orient Express run? Where did it travel from and to? What was the train like? What could you eat? How is it different today? How has the Orient Express been important in books, film and television? Develop a blog entry about the Orient Express. DO NOT COPY AND PASTE - PLAGERISM!!!!
1. BLOG ENTRY: Find out information about the Orient Express train. When did the first Orient Express run? Where did it travel from and to? What was the train like? What could you eat? How is it different today? How has the Orient Express been important in books, film and television? Develop a blog entry about the Orient Express. DO NOT COPY AND PASTE - PLAGERISM!!!!
orient_express_questions.doc | |
File Size: | 91 kb |
File Type: | doc |
WEEK OF HALLOWEEN!!! booooooooo!
All About Halloween
FUN ONLINE HALLOWEEN GAMES!
LET'S MEET MR. EDGAR ALLAN POE!
Oh yes, tales of horror and mystery have been around a long time. In fact, the horror genre is one of the most popular at movie theaters, especially for teens...
View the video below to see some of the real scary guys from horror past and present. The world of imagination conjures up some really ugly characters who are in desperate need of a "make-over."
This week we will begin a mini-study on the work of Edgar Allan Poe, the Father of the American Mystery Story. Have fun and look out for ravens!
SECONDARY: EDGAR ALLAN POE SOCIETY
BLABBERIZE
Tonybee Tiles
more & Q and A
Tell Tale Heart JEOPARDY
Oh yes, tales of horror and mystery have been around a long time. In fact, the horror genre is one of the most popular at movie theaters, especially for teens...
View the video below to see some of the real scary guys from horror past and present. The world of imagination conjures up some really ugly characters who are in desperate need of a "make-over."
This week we will begin a mini-study on the work of Edgar Allan Poe, the Father of the American Mystery Story. Have fun and look out for ravens!
SECONDARY: EDGAR ALLAN POE SOCIETY
BLABBERIZE
Tonybee Tiles
more & Q and A
Tell Tale Heart JEOPARDY
Week of October 22nd
THE VOCABULARY OF THE DETECTIVE
WALLWISHER
THE GAMES AFOOT
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/Vocabulary.html
http://www.myvocabulary.com/word-list/detectives-vocabulary/
dispel - to scatter; drive away
harass - to persistently bother or torment
wary - cautious, watchful
despondently - in a very discouraged or depressed manner
sullen - showing irritation or unhappiness by gloomy silence; moody
enigmatic - mysterious; puzzled
egotistical - conceited; proud
inexplicable - difficult or impossible to explain
brevity - the quality of being brief in time; shortness
skewed - distorted or slanted in a particular direction; inbalanced
langourous - creating a dreamy, lazy mood
hospitable - welcoming; cordial
absurd - ridiculios; nonsensical
fathom - to understand; comprehend
suitor - a man courting a woman
slacken - to slow down
foreboding - a feeling that something bad is about to happen
resolutely - with firmness or determination
lull - a temporary period of calm or quiet
impersonally - in an emotionally distant manner
abashed - embarrassed or ashamed
comprehension - awareness and understanding
preoccupied - absorbed in thoughts
covert - concealed; secretive
WALLWISHER
THE GAMES AFOOT
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/Vocabulary.html
http://www.myvocabulary.com/word-list/detectives-vocabulary/
dispel - to scatter; drive away
harass - to persistently bother or torment
wary - cautious, watchful
despondently - in a very discouraged or depressed manner
sullen - showing irritation or unhappiness by gloomy silence; moody
enigmatic - mysterious; puzzled
egotistical - conceited; proud
inexplicable - difficult or impossible to explain
brevity - the quality of being brief in time; shortness
skewed - distorted or slanted in a particular direction; inbalanced
langourous - creating a dreamy, lazy mood
hospitable - welcoming; cordial
absurd - ridiculios; nonsensical
fathom - to understand; comprehend
suitor - a man courting a woman
slacken - to slow down
foreboding - a feeling that something bad is about to happen
resolutely - with firmness or determination
lull - a temporary period of calm or quiet
impersonally - in an emotionally distant manner
abashed - embarrassed or ashamed
comprehension - awareness and understanding
preoccupied - absorbed in thoughts
covert - concealed; secretive
Yeah, I know it's not reliable, but explore the Blue Man Group using: Wikipedia
Check out their official site as well! Develop a blog entry, using your imagination that is worthy of their's!
RISK TAKING QUOTATIONS
BLUE MAN GROUP
Week of October 15
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow for 4th-8th Grade &
9th-12th
9th-12th
Week of October 15th
Find out how wax figures are made!
Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum
Meet your second famous fictional detective --Charlie Chan.
Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers. Loosely based on a Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers created the kind and heroic Chan as an alternative to Chinese stereotypes like the fictional Fu Manchu who was a criminal, evil genius.
Some people didn't like Charlie Chan, saying the character reinforced a negative stereotype. One complaint was the way he talked in a broken English as did many Chinese immigrants new to America during that time. Those critics failed to acknowledge the challenge they, themselves, would have if they tried to master a new language.
Access your Diigo account to read the Charlie Chan Daily Comics --these appeared in newspapers across the country and always ended in a "cliff-hanger," making readers anxious for the next day's paper. After reading the series write an article for your blog about either one of the following choices and select an image to accompany your article:
1. Charlie Chan says "words of wisdom" or "wise sayings" as he thinks aloud and talks with others. Select five of his bits of wisdom and explain in detail what they mean and how they can serve to help you think better or make wiser decisions.
2. Today, comic strips are called graphic novels. What is their appeal? Discuss the "mental" differences between, viewing film, reading a book, and reading a comic strip/graphic novel. Which do you prefer? Why? Which do you think helps you better understand the character? Why?
Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers. Loosely based on a Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers created the kind and heroic Chan as an alternative to Chinese stereotypes like the fictional Fu Manchu who was a criminal, evil genius.
Some people didn't like Charlie Chan, saying the character reinforced a negative stereotype. One complaint was the way he talked in a broken English as did many Chinese immigrants new to America during that time. Those critics failed to acknowledge the challenge they, themselves, would have if they tried to master a new language.
Access your Diigo account to read the Charlie Chan Daily Comics --these appeared in newspapers across the country and always ended in a "cliff-hanger," making readers anxious for the next day's paper. After reading the series write an article for your blog about either one of the following choices and select an image to accompany your article:
1. Charlie Chan says "words of wisdom" or "wise sayings" as he thinks aloud and talks with others. Select five of his bits of wisdom and explain in detail what they mean and how they can serve to help you think better or make wiser decisions.
2. Today, comic strips are called graphic novels. What is their appeal? Discuss the "mental" differences between, viewing film, reading a book, and reading a comic strip/graphic novel. Which do you prefer? Why? Which do you think helps you better understand the character? Why?
2nd & 3rd - THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE - BASED ON SHERLOCK HOLMES!
The first Disney animated feature to make extensive use of computer technology, The Great Mouse Detective was based on the children's novel Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus. The titular hero is Basil, a Holmes-like rodent (complete with deerstalker) who solves crimes in the company of his friend and chronicler Dr. Dawson. Basil and Dawson are retained by the daughter of a mouse toymaker who has been kidnapped by the diabolical Ratigan.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN THE FILM. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE PERSONALITIES OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS --YOU WILL CREATE A CHARACTER ANALYSIS ON YOUR BLOG THIS WEEK.
Main Characters:
Basil of Baker Street
Professor Ratigan
Dr. David Q. Dawson
Olivia Flaversham
Hiram Flaversham
Fidget
Queen Moustoria
Toby
Felicia
WE WILL ALSO BE USING THE FOLLOWING RESOURCE: THE GAME'S AFOOT!
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN THE FILM. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE PERSONALITIES OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS --YOU WILL CREATE A CHARACTER ANALYSIS ON YOUR BLOG THIS WEEK.
Main Characters:
Basil of Baker Street
Professor Ratigan
Dr. David Q. Dawson
Olivia Flaversham
Hiram Flaversham
Fidget
Queen Moustoria
Toby
Felicia
WE WILL ALSO BE USING THE FOLLOWING RESOURCE: THE GAME'S AFOOT!
SECONDARY - "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is presented as if it were a true account taken from the papers of a missing historian. Irving took out adverts in newspapers, pretending to be an innkeeper who the historian owed money to, and threatening to publish this manuscript unless he paid up, as a way of publicising the book. Can you think of any similar attempts to create buzz around a book or film?
WEEK OF OCTOBER 8TH
READ AND SOLVE THE FOLLOWING MYSTERIES WITH A PARTNER, DISCUSSING THE SOLUTION "BEFORE" YOU CHECK TO SEE IF YOU ARE CORRECT -
http://kids.mysterynet.com/solveit/solveit024/
http://kids.mysterynet.com/solveit/solveit025/
http://kids.mysterynet.com/solveit/solveit026/
Write an article on your blog (based on what you and your partner learned solving the above 3 mysteries) giving advice the thinking necessary for solving a mystery; select an image to accompany your article.
WEEK OF OCTOBER 1ST
For those who are finished --http://www.mathplayground.com/logic_sugarsugar.html
SECONDARY - http://www.history.com/topics/historical-ghost-stories
Watch the videos of haunted places at the above address. Select one to research further and then develop the information into an animoto, selecting "creative" images that serve to draw in the viewer --accompany the animoto with an blog entry that educates your viewer (do not copy and paste!)
11th and 12th - CHECK OUT the Glossary of Literary Gothic Terms in Diigo
How would you respond to the argument that an interest in horror is sick and perverted--the sign of a twisted society and mind? That gothic tales are not serious literature but a waste of time at best and at worst an actual danger to society? Is there any "redeeming social value" in horror, or is it a peculiar (and even sick) indulgence? Is "Goth" culture responsible for the massacre at Columbine High School (Littleton, CO, 20 April 1999) and other atrocities?
SECONDARY - http://www.history.com/topics/historical-ghost-stories
Watch the videos of haunted places at the above address. Select one to research further and then develop the information into an animoto, selecting "creative" images that serve to draw in the viewer --accompany the animoto with an blog entry that educates your viewer (do not copy and paste!)
11th and 12th - CHECK OUT the Glossary of Literary Gothic Terms in Diigo
How would you respond to the argument that an interest in horror is sick and perverted--the sign of a twisted society and mind? That gothic tales are not serious literature but a waste of time at best and at worst an actual danger to society? Is there any "redeeming social value" in horror, or is it a peculiar (and even sick) indulgence? Is "Goth" culture responsible for the massacre at Columbine High School (Littleton, CO, 20 April 1999) and other atrocities?
WHAT'S THE CAPTION?
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 24TH
QUESTION FOR BLOG: Discuss the point of view of a narrative. Why did Conan Doyle choose this angle? How does it affect the reader's response? How would the story change if told from a Different point of view? Choose one of the main characters, other than Doyle's narrator, and rewrite a section of the story, just long enough for your reader to see how the narrative changes with a change in perspective.
"The Speckled Band" ANIMOTO --as you read and annotate, use one color for "important" and another color for IMAGE that could be included in your Animoto.
Freeplaymusic.com
Animoto
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17TH
4th - 8th grade --. YOUR COMPLETED LOCH NESS MONSTERS STORIES AND YOUR VOKI SHOULD BE POSTED TO YOUR BLOG THIS WEEK!
"The Speckled Band" for 2nd-3rd --
"The Speckled Band" for 4th-7th --
The Speckled Band -video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SoFr_j3aok
The STRAND Magazine - "The Speckled Band"
THE SPECKLED BAND
SECONDARY: The following is a 1930 interview with Sherlock Holmes writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Believed to be the only filmed interview with Conan Doyle, he talks about Holmes and Spiritualism.
"The Speckled Band" for 2nd-3rd --
"The Speckled Band" for 4th-7th --
The Speckled Band -video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SoFr_j3aok
The STRAND Magazine - "The Speckled Band"
THE SPECKLED BAND
SECONDARY: The following is a 1930 interview with Sherlock Holmes writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Believed to be the only filmed interview with Conan Doyle, he talks about Holmes and Spiritualism.
Sherlock Holmes, like each of us, was a product of the time period he lived in --Victorian England. Read about that time, using your Diigo account and annotating information that might explain the draw to spiritualism of many in that time period. Find a topic to discuss on your blog.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's belief in spiritualism connected him to Harry Houdini, the Fox Sisters, and a belief in fairies. Use your Diigo account and annotate information you find intriguing. Discover a topic to address in your blog.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's belief in spiritualism connected him to Harry Houdini, the Fox Sisters, and a belief in fairies. Use your Diigo account and annotate information you find intriguing. Discover a topic to address in your blog.
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 10th
11th & 12th - http://www.history.com/topics/historical-ghost-stories
Watch the videos of haunted places at the above address. Select one to research and develop into a PHOTOSTORY to be posted on your blog.
CREATING A BANNER OTHERS WILL NOTICE -- (utilize the 5 suggestions "wisely")
1. COLOR: Some colors work well together, and some do not. All color combinations create an impression. The colors in your image should coordinate with the colors in your text. Bright and light colors require a dark font while dark images require a light font.
2. IMAGE: Your image is a reflection on who you are, but also should "match" the intent of the blog. Random images that are difficult to connect to the reason for blogging are pointless --it is better to have one or maybe two WOW images than an assortment that look unprofessional and distracting.
3. FONT: The font choice should go along with the image and the title you choose. Some images look bold and require a bold looking font --some images need a softer looking font, or an edgy font, or a modern looking font. The image drives the font selection and the colors used in the font. The font should be big enough that it is easy to read.
4. SPELLING AND GRAMMAR: It is crucial for everything to be spelled correctly and grammatically correct. Visitors to your blog judge what type of person you are by the content and design of the blog.
5. INTEREST: every banner decision you make must be an attempt to make the content of your banner interesting/attractive/eye catching to the people for your audience
STORY FOR BLOG --
"I SAW THE LOCH NESS MONSTER --I REALLY DID!"
1. Your story must begin with the preceding sentence; however you may do what you wish with that sentence. Use your creativity to write something that is imaginative, different --not the typical.
2. Your story should draw in your reader --it should make them want to know more as they read. Don't let your story be "predictable."
3. Make your ending "open ended..."
4. Meet with Miss Hesse to edit your story. Remember... anything on the web must be pristine!
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 4TH
voki
1. Your VOKI should sound like a professor (feel free to put some "personality" into your creation!) and "teach" the listener about the Loch Ness Monster while also entertaining.
2. It is important that your spelling and punctuation be accurate. The computer reader does not recognize misspellings and pays close attention to punctuation as it reads.
3. When you listen to your VOKI if there is a word or words that don't sound right, you may have to use phonetic spelling.
4. When you are finished you will need to copy the "imbed" code os it can be saved to your website.
FIRST PROMPT FOR YOUR BLOG --Write a story that starts with the sentence: "I really did see the Loch Ness Monster!"
a. Make sure your story is something you are proud of --after all, it will be part of your blog and be on the web for the world to see!
The YELLOW WALLPAPER
BLOG TOPIC HELPERS?
Why is writing such a central activity in this story? Why does the husband think that writing is bad for the narrator? How could writing be dan
Who is the woman behind the wallpaper? Why does the narrator think that the number of women behind the wallpaper increases as the story progresses?
Is this a supernatural story, a realistic story, or a metaphoric story? --support your opinion by referring to details.
WEEK OF AUGUST 27TH
Loch Ness Monster http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/08/scottish-sailor-claims-to-have-best-picture-yet-of-loch-ness-monster/
ABC News - August 2012 siting! Building professional relationships with colleagues
official NESSY hompage
HOW STUFF WORKS - Crop Circles
THE LOCH NESS MONSTER
The Loch Ness Monster—sometimes called Nessie—is a creature or group of creatures said to live in Loch Ness, a deep freshwater loch (lake) near the city of Inverness. Nessie is generally considered a lake monster. Along with Bigfoot and Yeti, Nessie is perhaps the best-known mystery in cryptozoology.
Most scientists and other experts do not believe Nessie is real.
History of sightings
Tales of Nessie have been around for several hundred years. Many people who live around the Loch say she is real. Some skeptics suggest that this may be because the area depends on the Nessie story for tourism money.
"Monster" sightings have occurred as far back as 1,500 years ago. The earliest known reference is from the Life of St. Columba; it describes how in the year 565 Columba saved the life of a Pict who was being attacked by the monster in the River Ness.
The first modern sighting occurred on May 2, 1933. The newspaper Inverness Courier carried a story of a local couple who reportedly saw "an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface." The report of the "monster became a media sensation, with London papers sending reporters to Scotland and a circus even offered a reward of 20,000 pounds for capture of the monster.
Theories
Most accounts of the monster's appearance, including historical ones, indicate a creature resembling the long-extinct plesiosaur. Actual fossil evidence for this Mesozoic creature shows it to have been physically large, with a long neck and tiny head, with flippers for propulsion. The alleged connection of this creature with the Loch Ness monster has made it a popular topic in the field of cryptozoology. However, most scientists suggest that the idea that the Loch Ness Monster is alive is highly unlikely — there would need to be a breeding colony of such creatures for there to have been any long-term survival; it is also true tha plesiosaurs need to surface to breathe --this would result in far more frequent sightings than have actually been reported. Many biologists also argue Loch Ness is not large enough to support even a small family of these creatures.
In July 2003, the BBC reported that an extensive investigation of Loch Ness by a BBC team, using 600 separate sonar beams, found no trace of any "sea monster" in the loch. The BBC team concluded that Nessie does not exist.
The famed "Surgeon's Photo" was confirmed a hoax, based on the deathbed confessions of Chris Spurling, son-in-law of Marmaduke Wetherell. Spurling claimed that this photo, which inspired much popular interest in the monster, was actually a staged photograph of clay attached to a toy submarine. Wetherell, a big game hunter, had been tricked into searching for an imaginary monster around the loch based on evidence which turned out to be the result of a children's prank. He was publicly ridiculed in the Daily Mail, the journal which employed him. Marmaduke Wetherell set this hoax up in order to take revenge, and worked on this with Chris Spurling who was a specialist in sculpture.
The Loch Ness Monster and local culture
Regardless of whether anything is actually in the loch, the Loch Ness Monster has some significance for the local economy. Dozens of hotels, boating tour operators, and merchants of stuffed animals and related trinkets owe part of their livelihood to this monster, although people visit the loch for many reasons other than to see the monster. Hence, the legend is likely to endure for quite some time.
The Loch Ness Monster—sometimes called Nessie—is a creature or group of creatures said to live in Loch Ness, a deep freshwater loch (lake) near the city of Inverness. Nessie is generally considered a lake monster. Along with Bigfoot and Yeti, Nessie is perhaps the best-known mystery in cryptozoology.
Most scientists and other experts do not believe Nessie is real.
History of sightings
Tales of Nessie have been around for several hundred years. Many people who live around the Loch say she is real. Some skeptics suggest that this may be because the area depends on the Nessie story for tourism money.
"Monster" sightings have occurred as far back as 1,500 years ago. The earliest known reference is from the Life of St. Columba; it describes how in the year 565 Columba saved the life of a Pict who was being attacked by the monster in the River Ness.
The first modern sighting occurred on May 2, 1933. The newspaper Inverness Courier carried a story of a local couple who reportedly saw "an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface." The report of the "monster became a media sensation, with London papers sending reporters to Scotland and a circus even offered a reward of 20,000 pounds for capture of the monster.
Theories
Most accounts of the monster's appearance, including historical ones, indicate a creature resembling the long-extinct plesiosaur. Actual fossil evidence for this Mesozoic creature shows it to have been physically large, with a long neck and tiny head, with flippers for propulsion. The alleged connection of this creature with the Loch Ness monster has made it a popular topic in the field of cryptozoology. However, most scientists suggest that the idea that the Loch Ness Monster is alive is highly unlikely — there would need to be a breeding colony of such creatures for there to have been any long-term survival; it is also true tha plesiosaurs need to surface to breathe --this would result in far more frequent sightings than have actually been reported. Many biologists also argue Loch Ness is not large enough to support even a small family of these creatures.
In July 2003, the BBC reported that an extensive investigation of Loch Ness by a BBC team, using 600 separate sonar beams, found no trace of any "sea monster" in the loch. The BBC team concluded that Nessie does not exist.
The famed "Surgeon's Photo" was confirmed a hoax, based on the deathbed confessions of Chris Spurling, son-in-law of Marmaduke Wetherell. Spurling claimed that this photo, which inspired much popular interest in the monster, was actually a staged photograph of clay attached to a toy submarine. Wetherell, a big game hunter, had been tricked into searching for an imaginary monster around the loch based on evidence which turned out to be the result of a children's prank. He was publicly ridiculed in the Daily Mail, the journal which employed him. Marmaduke Wetherell set this hoax up in order to take revenge, and worked on this with Chris Spurling who was a specialist in sculpture.
The Loch Ness Monster and local culture
Regardless of whether anything is actually in the loch, the Loch Ness Monster has some significance for the local economy. Dozens of hotels, boating tour operators, and merchants of stuffed animals and related trinkets owe part of their livelihood to this monster, although people visit the loch for many reasons other than to see the monster. Hence, the legend is likely to endure for quite some time.
Do we want to go here?...http://www.playscripts.com/plays/nightfallpoe.pdf
about "The Castle of Otranto" --the very first Gothic Ghost novel
The plot of Walpole's story involves a bunch of attractive youths (Theodore, Isabella, and Matilda) running around a spooky castle and trying to thwart the grandiose criminal schemes of an older bad guy (Manfred, who also happens to be Matilda's dad). Ghostly paintings come to life, skeletons utter dire warnings, and giant people parts appear and disappear all over the place. There's a curse, naturally, and a lot of scenes involving dark passages, mistaken identity, and secret doors. The only things missing are the stoner dude and the dog, and the whole thing would work great as an episode of Scooby Doo, which is, of course, actually authentic Gothic in the sense that it basically follows the plot directives of Walpole's immediate heir, Ann Radcliffe. Radcliffe always explained away the apparent supernatural at the ends of her novels ("...and the Creepy Creature is really just Old Man McGrumpus!"), but Walpole goes for the full supernatural effect as well as an impressive body count. Still, he's setting up the conventions that later Gothic texts of various kinds, from The Mysteries of Udolpho and Jane Eyre to Dark Shadows and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, are going to employ, albeit in sometimes altered and even ironic forms.