How to start the Macbeth paper

Hey Class,​

I hate starting papers. Right now, I have three papers that I need to start, and I keep putting it off. The sad thing I've come to accept is that if you were a procrastinator in high school, you'll be one for the rest of your life. It's like lime disease, once you get it you've always got those antibodies in your system. ​

Yes, I did just compare procrastination to lime disease! (And also subtly diagnosed all of us with it...)

​One way I start a paper is by forcing myself to write something boring/generic. The quality writing comes through on the second go around, but the first draft is all about getting something on paper.

Here's a video example of how I'd start the first draft:​

Filming Macbeth Example

Hey class,​

​Here's how the video files I give to you on Monday will look. As you notice, it's simply one big video file with all of your takes combined into one. The only thing I've done is added the green screen effect that you group choose.

​On Monday, I'll set you up with a video explaining how to use Windows Movie Maker, and your group will have to edit your footage into a sleek looking movie clip.

What the heck is an analytical paper!?

Good question! It's a torturous process designed as ritual hazing for students by teachers. Oh, wait I wasn't supposed to share that with you. Forget you read that!

​In all seriousness, an analytical paper is quite simple. It examines a specific issue and interprets the issue. Take a look at the video to see a more through explanation of the analytical paper.

Macbeth - Analytical Paper

Hey Class,​

I'm sure you have a dozen questions about the Macbeth paper! Hopefully, this video will answer most of them.​​

​As for due dates...lets try for a solid rough draft by next Wednesday, peer-review on Wednesday, and final papers due on the Friday before spring break.  

​If need be we can push it back to the Monday we return from spring break...but lets be honest, no one wants something hanging over them during spring break, right?

3-19 Class Macbeth Trailer & Stock Footage

Hey Class,​

One of the challenges we will face when filming our adaption of Macbeth is filming landscape scenes, castle scenes, battle scenes, etc. One way to get around this problem is to utilize stock footage from the internet. Here's an example of how to build a Macbeth trailer using such footage:

Now, we cannot just grab videos at random, recombine them, and post them online. That's plagiarism. What we need to do is create a works cited page of the sources we used. Remember, we use MLA style formating in our class.

​The first step is to document where you found the clips you used. I keep this simple and use a format like this:

The next step is to realize that several of these clips on YouTube  come from movies and are not  shot by the people who uploaded the clips. For example, take the last item on the list above "Lady Macbeth.mov" This is a scene from the Rupert Gold's version of Macbeth ​(2010), ​and we need to cite the original film in our Works Cited page. 

Once we know where the clip comes from, we need to find information about that original source. In this case, it's relatively easy to find thanks to IMDB.com. Here's the link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1570337/​

So, the entry for the Works Cited page would come from the IMDB link, but we would list at the very end the URL for the YouTube video. Here's what the entry would look like:​

Gold, Rupert, dir. "Macbeth." Great Performances. ​PBS, 2010. Film. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d_paIkhBr>​

​I hope that makes sense! We'll work on works cited pages towards the end of this project.​

3-18 English 12 CP - Macbeth

Hey Class,​

Hope ya'll had a good weekend! Here's the lecture for tomorrow's class. The main things to remember:​

  • ​Submit a video log by the end of class on what act/scene your group will be acting and how ready you are to act tomorrow.
  • Read Macbeth Act V, Scenes 1-3 in class. ​
  • Continue working on your Macbeth projects.
  • Submit your papers to the sub.​

​

2-20 English 12 CP - The Pardoner's Tale

Respond with video log updates on how your Canterbury Tales project is coming along.​

  • Touches on Thomas Beckett and Henry II, who made Beckett the Archbishop of Canterbury.
  • Brief overview of Beckett and Henry II's relationship and quick movie trailer preview of the film Beckett.
  • Introduction to the Pardoner's Tale and a short BBC cartoon rendition of the Pardoner's Tale. 

Student Homework: Respond with video log updates on how your Canterbury Tales project is coming along. 
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