1. Shakespearean Sonnets Group Work

2. Sub-divide your group so that everyone has a job… Requirements: (Must be completed today) The actors or singers in your group will arrange and present a dramatic reading of the sonnet The scholars in your group will present a summary and analysis of the sonnet The artists in your group will create a visual depiction of the sonnet.

3. The dramatic reading… Readers must practice reading the sonnet out loud. The reading must be smooth and professional-sounding. The performance must be engaging. Suggestions: Read the sonnet using an accent. Blend two or more voices into a choral reading. “Rap” the sonnet and add beat-boxing. Sing the sonnet in whatever style fits the content: country, rock, jazz, etc. Be sure to: Pronounce all words correctly. Convey the sonnet’s rhythm and sound. Pay attention to punctuation, inflections, and emphasis. Convey the emotion and meaning of the poem. The poem will be presented on Monday. Be ready!!

4. The analysis… Answer the questions (from the textbook) in writing. This will help you unlock meaning. Paraphrase the poem, line by line. Put it into modern language. Explain what the sonnet says about… What love is… What love does to us… What love does for us… You will present your analysis on Monday!

5. The art work: Create an emotionally suggestive illustration of your group’s sonnet. Decide on your medium—PhotoStory, drawing, painting, tear-art, collage, etc. Include at least one visual image from the sonnet. The image may be a real object, such as a lark, or an abstract pattern, such as a heart shape. Use color to suggest the feelings you find in the poem. Add a quotation from the poem that relates to the image you have depicted. Your art work is due Monday!

6. Homework… Write a poem inspired by your group’s sonnet. The poem may be a parody of the sonnet The poem may be a modernization of the sonnet The poem may be a response to the sonnet. For further suggestions look through the textbook. See especially “Extending the Text,” “Quickwrite” exercises, and the Creative Writing ideas on page 230 To get an “A,” write a Shakespearean sonnet, following the proper rhyme and metrical patterns. To get a “B,” write a poem of at least 14 lines