NHS Course Syllabus: 

NHS COURSE SYLLABI |NHS HOME | NPS HOME

SHAKESPEARE

COURSE OUTLINE

2007-2008

The mission statement of Norwell High School is to provide an engaging, supportive environment where students strive for excellence, practice respect and contribute to society.

Integrity ¨ Learning¨Respect¨Responsibility

Course:

Shakespeare, Grade 12, College Preparatory

Course Description: 

This course will expose students to a selection of Shakespearean sonnets and plays.  The main goal is for students to gain an understanding and appreciation of his prodigious achievement as the most famous poet and playwright in history. Students will respond to their Shakespeare studies in a variety of ways, including written assignments, class discussion and debate, and oral presentations with a dramatic focus.

Student work will focus on the following NHS student expectations for learning:

• Effective writers
• Effective readers
• Effective speakers

Students will acquire knowledge of:

• Historical background of Shakespeare’s life and times
• The nature of Shakespeare’s language and his mastery of it
• Elements of drama and poetry

Students will develop skills in:

• Crafting well-structured written responses to Shakespeare’s works
• Reading for understanding and responding with evidence
• Participating in group discussion and debate
• Performing and reading in front of an audience
• Considering universal and specific themes in Shakespeare’s works
• Analyzing/comparing various media-  text versus film production

Texts:

Since Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets, we could not possibly cover them all in a short year.  We do have some flexibility in deciding which plays to read- Hamlet is the only requirement.  As a class, we will choose from the following:

Hamlet

Othello

King Lear

Macbeth

Romeo & Juliet

The Winter’s Tale

The Tempest

As You Like It

Taming of the Shrew

The Merchant of Venice

The Comedy of Errors

Twelfth Night

Julius Caesar

Henry V

Richard III

Various sonnets

Grading System:

• Grading will be done on a point system, where each assignment is worth a certain number of points depending on the importance and effort required (for example, a quiz could be worth 50 points while a test could be worth 100 points).  All points are added up at the end of each term and then divided by the total number of possible points, resulting in the percentage for the term.  Graded assignments include the following:
  • Announced and unannounced quizzes
  • Exams
  • Written responses-  both formal essays and shorter pieces
  • Oral presentations
  • Projects
  • Attention to homework responsibilities
  • Frequency and quality of class participation

• Late work of any kind will be deducted 10% for one day, and thereafter will only be worth half-credit (except for late work due to excused absences). 

SHAKESPEARE

COURSE OUTLINE

2007-2008

The mission statement of Norwell High School is to provide an engaging, supportive environment where students strive for excellence, practice respect and contribute to society.

Integrity ¨ Learning¨Respect¨Responsibility

Course:

Shakespeare, Grade 12, Honors

Course Description: 

This course will expose students to a selection of Shakespearean sonnets and plays.  The main goal is for students to gain an understanding and appreciation of his prodigious achievement as the most famous poet and playwright in history. Students will respond to their Shakespeare studies in a variety of ways, including written assignments, class discussion and debate, and oral presentations with a dramatic focus.

Student work will focus on the following NHS student expectations for learning:

• Effective writers
• Effective readers
• Effective speakers

Students will acquire knowledge of:

• Historical background of Shakespeare’s life and times
• The nature of Shakespeare’s language and his mastery of it
• Elements of drama and poetry

Students will develop skills in:

• Crafting well-structured written responses to Shakespeare’s works
• Reading for understanding and responding with evidence
• Participating in group discussion and debate
• Performing and reading in front of an audience
• Considering universal and specific themes in Shakespeare’s works
• Analyzing/comparing various media-  text versus film production

Texts:

Since Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets, we could not possibly cover them all in a short year.  We do have some flexibility in deciding which plays to read- Hamlet is the only requirement.  As a class, we will choose from the following:

Hamlet

Othello

King Lear

Macbeth

Romeo & Juliet

The Winter’s Tale

The Tempest

As You Like It

Taming of the Shrew

The Merchant of Venice

The Comedy of Errors

Twelfth Night

Julius Caesar

Henry V

Richard III

Various sonnets

Grading System:

• Grading will be done on a point system, where each assignment is worth a certain number of points depending on the importance and effort required (for example, a quiz could be worth 50 points while a test could be worth 100 points).  All points are added up at the end of each term and then divided by the total number of possible points, resulting in the percentage for the term.  Graded assignments include the following:
  • Announced and unannounced quizzes
  • Exams
  • Written responses-  both formal essays and shorter pieces
  • Oral presentations
  • Projects
  • Attention to homework responsibilities
  • Frequency and quality of class participation

• Late work of any kind will be deducted 10% for one day, and thereafter will only be worth half-credit (except for late work due to excused absences).