The King, The Legend: Henry VIII
For the first week of our new unit, we will be discussing Shakespeare's Henry VIII. One of the most well known kings of England, Henry ruled from 1509 until his death until 1547. From having six wives to separating England from the church, Henry's reign is arguably one of the most important parts of history. This week we will be going into the culture of the Tudor reign, as well as seeing what Henry and those closest around him may have been really like, and what Shakespeare could have possibly left out for entertainment's sake.
October 19th
How has drama influenced our state of emotional perception based on current events?
In today's introduction to drama, we will begin discussing the ins and outs of theatre, and how it came to be today. Something important that we must remember is that while it is the oldest form of entertainment, there has not been too many changes to the way it is performed to the audience. Sure, we do have special lighting and more special effects than those in Shakespearean times did, but the essence of the stage has stayed relatively the same. So together we will be learning the "stage lingo" that actors are currently using today, and the uses of stage directions. Before we dive into the world of Henry VIII, you'll notice that there are stage directions still presented in the script that we are reading. I want you to be able to understand how this affects what the character is doing and how they are acting. While each actor will do this slightly different, it gives you an idea of what the stage would look like. Finally, we will read and discuss the prologue in class while looking at the background of Shakespeare and Henry himself.
For homework, you will do the following: complete the worksheet if you did not finish it in class, read Act 1 of Henry VIII and take notes of any interesting characters or other things you would like to discuss in class, and label the next section of your binder as "Dramatic Fiction". Please remember to TURN IN THE PERMISSION SLIP for you to go to the play at the end of the week :).
October 20th
How will my understanding of theatre lingo make the reading of Henry VIII more accessible?
Today we will be continuing our understanding of theatre lingo and stage directions. To do this, you will participate in an activity called Term Scramble, where you and a few team mates will compete with other teams to see who is the fastest and most accurate in vocabulary terms. We will also discuss the First Act of Henry VIII in a fishbowl fashion, where you will be taking notes about other insights that your peers may have. While I am here to guide you, I want all of you to take initiative and guide the discussion in where you want it to go. Not sure where to start? Don't worry, I will have a few prompts on the board to get you started.
For homework, you will do the following: read Act 2 of Henry VIII and take notes about any new insights you have or things that surprised you. Please don't forget, if you haven't already done so, to fill out your top three choices on the "dramatic scenes" sheet. The last day to turn this in is tomorrow. If you don't turn it in, you will be randomly placed in a group.
October 21st
How has being introduced to Henry's wives' perspective changed my outlook of King Henry VIII's ruling strategy?
Continuing on our understanding of who Henry was, we will also looking into the perspective of his wives through the musical Six. Beyond that, we will also be looking at the perception of other creators by watching their animations around this musical's soundtrack. What I really want you to get out of this is that history is typically written by the 'victor', or in this case the men that are ruling during this time. While we do know who the wives are, we essentially brush over them when looking at the British Monarchy (unless we are talking about Queen Elizabeth). While we are also looking at rather or not Henry was a great ruler, which is up for you to decide, I also want you to see if Henry is a good all around person. While some of you know about some of these queens, such as Anne Boleyn, I also want you to be introduced to his other wives as well. From here, we will look at the historical aspects of Tudor England, such as their fashion, art and culture. We will then begin a fishbowl discussion of the second act of Henry VIII.
For homework, you will do the following: read Acts 3 and 4 of Henry VIII and continuing noting anything of interest such as the divorce of Katherine and Henry, the involvement of Anne and other things you would like to discuss. I would also like for you to find three instances where Henry was referenced in a fictional sense; what is something that you are noticing about these references?
October 22nd
How does the ruling of the king change the lives of those around him?
Considering that we have read two acts, I want us to focus on each act carefully. While both of these acts did not have as many scenes in them, they are still powerful in their own right. To gage your understanding, we will continue our discussion through a debate, where you will use your active listening skills and your ability to synthesize information. Also, as practice for your unit project, you will be creating a two minute reenactment of a scene randomly picked out of a hat. What I want you to really focus on is the dialogue presented in this scene as well as stage directions. This will be performed in front of your peers, but please remember that this is just practice for when you do this at the end of the unit. I have also put your groups together for your unit project! For about 15 minutes, you will group together and begin outlining what you would like to do for your performance and giving group members tasks they should complete. Be prepared to share this with me when we have group conferences next Tuesday!
For homework, read the final act of Henry VIII. I want you to begin predicting what differences you will see between the live performance and what we have read and discussed in class this week. I also want you to begin working on your unit project, rather you do that together or complete the individual tasks. Remember that we are going to our play, so you will meet with me rather than going to your first hour tomorrow!
October 23rd
How do we use these plays to identify important aspects of history?
Today we will be going to see the live performance of Henry VIII! Before we leave to see the show, we will discuss the history behind The Buell Theater, and all the big shows that have played their before. I want you to open your mind to the possibilities that this play can show you, and even though there is a script, each actor will still do things in their own style to fit them. As a reflection, I am requiring you to do a 2-3 page analysis paper comparing and contrasting what you saw vs what you read. Be creative! Don't forget that this play can also give you ideas as you continue working on your unit project. For students who are unable to go, I have posted two documentary videos that should be about the same length of the play. Please watch those and write your paper comparing and contrasting the historical accuracies between the documentary and the play.
As homework, complete the analysis paper and have it ready to turn in by the beginning of class Monday. I would also like you to read the first act of A Doll's House and write a paragraph about a character that is interesting you the most. Be prepared to share your insights and ask any questions!.
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