Wordplay

After reading Much Ado About Nothing, we met for discussion.  Everyone was supposed to write down two vocabulary words that the footnotes didn't define.  Riley said he didn't find any that he didn't know, lol.  Victoria and I couldn't resist asking him about those on our list.  We got a sheepish grin :)  It is interesting some of the words that the footnotes choose to define and the ones they choose not to.  We discussed favorite scenes and favorite characters.  Shakespeare's Dogberry character provided us with much discussion.  He is such a ridiculous character with ridiculous logic.  Tori, especially, found him humorous.  Some time was spent reading some of his scenes out loud.  We also spent some time discussing Hero and those who were so ready to accuse her of wrong doing, and her ability to quickly forgive them.  Skyeler really likes Hero.  Calleigh really likes Kate Beckinsale who plays Hero in the movie version we watched :)   Beatrice and Benedick's feisty banter really leapt off the page, so to speak, and we all enjoyed reading it.  We all, also, lamented the fact that we missed the opportunity to go to London and see David Tennant and Catherine Tate perform Much Ado About Nothing on stage as Benedick and Beatrice.

After they shared their favorite quotes and their blog projects (which are already posted), I had an activity for them to do.  The Wordplay activity (found here) is based on the characters in the play and the witty remarks that are bantered between them.  Nine compliments and nine insults, quoted straight from Much Ado, were written on separate pieces of paper.  The kids had to choose a strip of paper and then say their lines to one another with feeling.  First we did it with all compliments, then with all insults, then we mixed them up so you didn't know which phrase would be coming back at you.  We ended up doing it several times because it was hilarious!  Samples are provided under the pictures...

Compliments

"Speak low if you speak love."

"I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes."

Insults

"Scratching could not make it worse an ‘twere such a face as yours were."

"Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher."

Both

"I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."

"I wonder that you will still be talking, nobody marks you."

Shakespeare - fun - who knew?  Next up, right on time for Halloween:  "Double, double, toil and trouble...Something wicked this way comes!"  Macbeth!

~~Angel