---When the students return from Spring Break, they will be assigned a 5-paragraph essay discussing comparisons and contrasts between the novel Great Expectations and the ‘70s movie based on their abridged version of the book. While the students watched the movie prior to Spring Break, they were to have taken notes on the comparisons and contrasts.
---The classes will complete this year’s study of the three major literary genre with a unit on Drama. They will study Romeo and Juliet and receive background information on William Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Period of history. The students will listen to an oral presentation of the play while they read along in their literature texts. Study guides for each of the five acts of the play will be filled in and due for credit on a specific date. There will be a packet of materials to be filled in as the action of the play proceeds; this will help the students keep tract of a time line and of the actions of the characters. They will also observe the novel plot line applied to a play. This packet will also have a due date for credit.
---Oral reports pertaining to Shakespeare, the play, or the Elizabethan Period will be presented by individuals or groups to their classmates when the study of the play has ended. Time will be allotted in class for research in books from the library and web sites. An important component of the reports will be some type of audio/visual support.
---Students will read the modern novel The Alchemist and write a paper on a topic that will be presented at a later time. Class time will also be made available for work on this novel and the required paper. The topic of the paper will tie into the over-all theme of this year’s work: “…helping students focus on their emerging independence as individuals….”

Approximate dates for work and assignments/changes will be noted verbally and in writing on the classroom bulletin board………………

4/2-5…...Assign G.E. 5 paragraph due 4/13; vocab 23-24 due 4/13; intro Drama,
Shakespeare, Eliz. Period; The Alchemist novel, paper 5/14
4/6……..Good Friday/no school
4/9-23.....Hand out R&J work packets due 4/27; begin play: Act I study guide 4/11;
Act II s.g. 4/13; Act III s.g. 4/18; Acts IV & V s.g. 4/23;
4/13……G.E. 5 paragraph essay due; vocab 23-24 due and quiz
4/23-5/8…Oral report work; The Alchemist work;
4/27…….R&J packets due; vocabulary 25-26 and quiz
5/9-11….Oral Report presentations
5/14….....The Alchemist paper due
5/15-18…Romeo and Juliet video and support materials for continued discussion
5/21…….Study for semester test
5/22-25....Semester Tests