Spring 2010 – Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

In addition to completing the weekly vocabulary, syntax, and literary analysis activities, each group will construct a summary project that demonstrates how well the group has understood the material and how well the group can apply the presented concepts. Not surprisingly, your projects will have three components:

The Vocabulary Component (20%)

Choose ten words from this six week’s vocabulary lists to research and deconstruct.

Locate the ten words you chose as they appear in Romeo and Julliet. Quote the line(s) in which each word appears.

For each word, provide the following:

• An etymology (analysis of origins and parts): From what language does the word originate? For how long has the word been in use? What is the root of the word? What are the word’s affixes (that is, prefixes and suffixes, or in some cases, infixes)? What do the word’s affixes tell the reader about the word’s meaning?
• An association (what the word makes us think of): Generate a list of synonyms and antonyms for each word – the more you can find, the better.

The Syntax Component (20%)

Find as many examples of the descriptive phrase types that we have studied this year – appositives, absolutes, participials, and prepositional phrases. You must have one example of each, but you will be rewarded for multiple examples.

Present the examples in context and provide an explanation of each example’s effectiveness, that is, what does each phrase example do or what purpose does it serve? As always, circle subjects, double-underline controlling verbs, and underline the descriptive phrase.

The Literature and Analysis Component: Central Questions (50%)

The themes and motifs that run through Romeo and Juliet are timeless. They appear in literature, art, and media over and over again throughout history. For your Literature and Analysis component, find modern-day responses to the central questions brought up in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Summarize the modern-day example and its response to the central question(s). Make any other connections between the modern-day example and Romeo and Juliet (characters, settings, plot, etc.).

The Design Component (10%)

Your group has a range of options when it comes to presenting your findings – everything from posterboard to PowerPoint to a website. Obviously, my preference is for technology, but you may decide as a group how you’ll demonstrate your learning. Choose well. A strong suggestion for your design component appears below:

http://sites.google.com

Ask your specific questions about this project by posting a comment below. Use your real name.