Below is the booklet I will try to have handed out in class by tomorrow. Please complete the questions for the seven phases as you read through.
If you have been absent, you must read the novel and complete the same tasks.
The questions can be a bit open-ended and there is not always a right or wrong answer.
A good way to work through it would be to set up a small reading group of three or four friends, agree to meet regularly to talk through, and write answers for, the questions.
It will also be worthwhile reading through the sections at the back.
I appreciate there is a lot of holiday work but you have to push yourself very hard all year to do well - one year of hard work is small commitment for a good Higher which will last a lifetime.
For those of you who are having a go at memorising the soliloquy (I'll upload the other one - my favourite - as soon as I can) this sheet may be of use.
For the rest of you it will be a good reference when thinking about the major themes of the play.
Here is a link to an article in today's Guardian about women's football. It's fascinating to read the history of the game, and some of the footage is really memorable.
And anyone who doubts the quality of the women's game should have a look at the video below.
Naturally gifted with either foot, creative, skillful, pacy, strong, great finisher... To my mind that's better than the entire England national team.
Below are trailers for three of the most acclaimed film adaptations of "Hamlet". Each has their own qualities and failings. Each, however, for different reasons, is worth watching.
For example, the 2009 version starring David Tennant is a filming of the stage version. Consequently, the performances are as you would see them in a top-drawer theatre production. The whole cast is excellent. However, becuase of the theatre performances, some critics felt the whole thing was a bit OTT.
They're wrong, mind, but that's what they said.
The next is a production by one of Britain's most famous Shakespearian actors, Kenneth Branagh (his version of Henry V is very good).
Filmed in 70mm, the film looks glorious; production of sets, lighting, sound is all absolutely top-notch, and Branagh's performance as Hamlet is exceptional.
The film also uses some cunning techniques and interpretations (for example, the idea of Hamlet's soliloquy being witnessed...) which add real life to the text.
Be warned, though, the film runs the full length of the script to FOUR HOURS. Thank goodness it's as good as it is.
This final recommendation is for the adaptation by famed Italian director, Franco Zeffirelli, and featuring Mel "Lethal Weapon/ Braveheart/ Etc." Gibson.
The film is visually exactly what most people imagine the drama to be and, as such, is probably a good first version to see. It is a shortened script, though, to get the film in at just over two hours. Despite the Hollywood cast and production values, this version rips along and gives the viewer a really strong impression of the play.
Below is the first of SEVEN parts of Al Pacino's documentary, "Looking For Richard".
Many of you will remember Al Pacino from a number of films, not least his portrayal of Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice".
The film is an attempt to look into how Shakespeare has become such an enormous cultural force, even though many people would say they didn't know or understand his plays.
It's well worth watching right through to Part Seven. Pacino is as engaging a narrator and commentator as he is an actor.
Enjoy.
Oh, ignore the French subtitles. Unless you want to practise your French at the same time.
Due to a couple of factors, communication through the website has been a bit wobbly recently. The email address has changed and there are some teething troubles there; more annoying is the blog comment updates, which are not being sent to my phone as they should be.
Please bear with me while I try to sort these out.
The easiest way to contact me is via Twitter. Please get an account - even if you only need to use it once in a blue moon.
The following are the question titles I have allocated to the class.
You may SWAP titles amongst yourselves but NOBODY may use the same question as another.
Any swaps made must be cleared by me by the end of this week.
EA - Are celebrities entitled to a private life? JC - How old is “too old” for parenthood? RD - Does Britain need public schools? GD - Should Britain have become involved in the current conflict in Iraq? AH - Should film censorship be banned? BH - Why should we remember the Holocaust? ZH - Is there still too much discrimination against women? JJ - Should Britain get rid of its nuclear weapons? NM - Cloning - a tremendous medical advance or an ominous development? LM - What are the benefits of a gap year? GM - Arranged marriages should be banned worldwide. Discuss. CM - What place does the Church have in modern society? DM - Should children of different faiths be educated separately? RM - "Rap music is misogynistic!" Discuss. TM - Should Youtube be exempt from censorship laws? BM - Is marriage an outdated institution? SM - Should animal organs be used for human transplantation? CM - Has Britain had enough immigration? BN - Ancient cultures are being destroyed by tourism. Discuss. AR - Should gay couples be allowed to have children? RS - CCTV is an intrusion on our privacy. Discuss. LS - Has genetic engineering gone too far? IS - No man is born evil. Discuss. DS - Should clergymen comment on government policies? GT - The Royal Family: are they a luxury we can no longer afford? SY - What is the purpose of reality television?
In the recent Scholastica Teacher Blog of the Year competition, http://www.misterconnor.com/ has been awarded third position.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and put the site into the final ten. This was from a field of more than three-hundred.
Please remember, though, that much of the site's content comes from discussions and work we do in class, so this is really an award for the pupils I teach at Golspie High School.
Here's the info taken directly from the competition's site:
Judges were looking for:
A willingness to share resources and ideas
Responsiveness to the blog’s audience
Regular and timely updates
Posts that provoke comment
The winning blog in this category is David Rogers who invited a lot of comment from the judges. “David Rogers encapsulates what edublogging should be about – A documentation of your own professional and personal learning through a blend of thinking, ideas, sharing, collaboration and challenge”. Another judge said “Loved this blog for many reasons but the main one was because David introduced me to Dream Teachers YouTube. Will definitely be visiting again.”
Technostories pushed David to the limit here with one judge commenting “a wonderful resource sharing blog full of practical advice and tips for teachers – I must read for all those interend in primary education”.
Third in this category was Mister Connor – judges said that this was “a great example of a teachers blog to support the learners at their school” and “there’s some excellent accessible content on Mr Connor’s Blog”.
