KHS English Rocks - Ms. Bienfang
Johns Hopkins University has created a Strategic Reading course for average English students who are interested in improving their reading comprehension and vocabulary. Writer's Craft exercises and focus lessons teaching information and evaluation skills combine to provide students with improved research and writing skills. My site will be updated weekly for students to access and review our progress. In the near future, my site will have a recorded reading portion for audio learners who would like to review what has been read in class. Vocabulary for the current reading assignment may also be viewed here.
Feb 18
Jan 28
“ There’s matter in these sighs, these profound heaves. You must translate: ‘tis fit we understand them.
— (Hamlet, 4.1.1-2)
Romeo and Juliet - Fear Not.
- Greetings my KHS English fans! As we enter into Shakespeare's world, we must first understand some things about the man "Shakespeare." Last week, we discussed what little is known about his life and we read about his life's work to build a theater and to put together a theater company "Lord Chamberlain's Men". This week, we begin reading Romeo and Juliet. Because the language is tough to translate into today's terms, we have been given the book "No Fear Shakespeare" that contains the play of Romeo and Juliet with a translation that we can all understand. I look forward to seeing you all enter into the world of drama through literature this week as we explore Romeo and Juliet. You'll notice the big heart on our classroom door that says "Welcome to the dark side of love." Enter now...and let us find our starcrossed lovers, their families in an ancient fued and their pitious overthrows...
Welcome to Fair Verona, where we lay our scene...
The Prologue of Romeo and Juliet (in words we can all understand)
In the beautiful city of Verona, where our story takes place, a long-standing hatred between two families erupts into new violence, and citizens stain their hands with the blood of their fellow citizens. Two unlucky children of these enemy families become lovers and commit suicide. Their unfortunate deaths put an end to their parent’s feud. For the next two hours, we will watch the story of their doomed love and thier parents’ anger, which nothing but the children’s deaths could stop. If you listen to us patiently, we’ll make up for everything that we’ve left out in this prologue onstage.