SHAKESPEARE IN PERFORMANCE STUDIES
Mrs. Jo Lane, teacher, jolane@pps.k12.or.us,503.916.5260 ext. 71424

Course Description:
Students will study and perform the world’s most heightened language—“Shakespearean” English through Shakespeare’s comedies, tragedies, and histories using monologues, soliloquies, scenes, and plays with a focus on interpretation and meaning. Students will be required to participate in the English-Speaking Union Shakespeare Competition. (ESUS “is a non-profit, non-political, educational organization committed to promoting scholarship and the advancement of knowledge through the effective use of English in an expanding global community.”)

Theatre Arts OR English through Credit for Proficiency OR Traditional Classroom:
At the beginning of the semester, students will select if they are enrolled to earn credit for Theatre Arts as an elective credit OR English, for either their Junior English 5-6 or Senior English 7-8 credit, when paired with a spring semester course. Also, students will select the way in which way they want to earn credit. Students will have the option of a traditional class, using a point system for grading, or Credit for Proficiency (CFP), where students demonstrate their learning proficiently to earn credit. Students selecting CFP can earn partial credits throughout the semester whereas students earning through a traditional approach must complete the entire course to receive any credit. All students learn in the same classroom with the same content presented by the same instructor; however, coursework requirements are geared toward their selections for both content and type of study, and the tools to demonstrate learning will vary.

Resources Available:
Students will have a variety of resources available to help them achieve their best performance piece, including Clues to Acting Shakespeare by Dr. Wesley Van Tassel. These resources include, but are not limited to, anthologies and files of monologues and scenes, theatre arts textbooks, theatrical videos, and in class work. For complete works of Shakespeare available online, go to http://shakespeare.mit.edu/works.html. Additionally, Mrs. Lane will provide support. English-Speaking Union paperwork describes the competition details or go to www.esuus.org for more information about the organization and competition.

Classroom Expectations (Show your Rider PRIDE!):
Personal Responsibility: Bring supplies to class daily: PENCILS, ERASER, pens, paper, theatre notebook, and any other materials required for each class. Wear clothing that is comfortable and in which you are able to move.
Respect: Treat fellow students, teachers, and others with respect. THEATRE IS A COLLABORATIVE ART THAT REQUIRES TEAMWORK. Without respect, the classroom team fails. With respect, it flourishes.
Integrity: Push yourself to work hard and cooperate in groups. Put your best work forward and be proud of what you share. THEATRE IS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPATION CLASS. Effort, cooperation, and participation will be rewarded. Attitude and cooperation warrants additional participation in showcases.
Discipline/Diligence: Be present and ON TIME daily, ready to learn. Rehearsals are not effective when you are late or absent.
Empathy: Cooperation in group activities and willingness to share work. Encourage others to share. Give and receive constructive criticism for all to become better artists.

Attendance Policy:
This course meets Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. It is imperative and expected that students attend every class, every week. If students are absent, whether excused or unexcused, during any pre-planned performances or tests, students may not be able to retake or makeup the performances or tests. Teacher discretion will be used to determine any credit awarded and makeup options. See ACT attendance policy.

Homework and Grading:
Theatre does require homework! Complete and turn in all assignments on time. Students will receive grades for daily participation, preparation and rehearsal, and performance. All work is scored with a point system (traditional) and/or with rubrics (CFP) to be distributed in class. Assessments include daily attendance, on task rehearsal, memorization by deadlines, completion of theatre arts notebook, discussion and cooperation, in class performances, and analyses of characters, scenes, and language. No late work can or will be accepted. Any late work credit, if any, is at the teacher’s discretion. Bonus points can be earned for attending additional crew days or theatre performances.

*Required Events:
All students enrolled are required to participate in two events in order to complete the course and the hours necessary to receive full credit: English Speaking Union and ACTing Showcase.
• English-Speaking Union School-wide Competition. In December, Shakespeare students compete with their 20 lines of Shakespeare to earn the privilege to represent Roosevelt for the Statewide Shakespeare competition, held in February at Fir Acres Theatre on the Lewis and Clark College campus.
• ACTing Showcase. Family and friends are invited to see students perform their competition pieces prior to the Regional Acting and English Speaking Union competitions. This is the only opportunity for family and friends to see the competition performances.

Non-participation in the Schoolwide English-Speaking Union Competition will result in a full letter grade drop per event missed. No exceptions. (i.e. If you earned an A, but miss the competition, you will receive a B.)

Additional Theatrical Optional Opportunities:
Examples: Productions, Field trips, Participation in Drama Club/Thespians, and more!
Please note: You must attend school at least one half day in order to participate in any after school opportunities. No pass, no play policy applies, too.

Curriculum is presented in a two-year cycle/rotation, allowing students to take the course two consecutive years without repeat of content.

Tentative Shakespeare Studies Calendar
The following units of study are approximate and subject to change:

CYCLE I
September: Introduction to Shakespeare’s life and times; study of heightened language
October: Focus on one of Shakespeare’s comedies (The Taming of the Shrew); application heightened language study
November: Focus on one of Shakespeare’s tragedies (Macbeth); selection and development of performance
December: Continue study of tragedy; participate in ESU school-wide competition
January: Fine-tuning Shakespeare; Final Exam
February: English-Speaking Union Competition

CYCLE II
September: Introduction to Shakespeare’s life and times; study of heightened language
October: Focus on one of Shakespeare’s comedies (A Midsummer Night’s Dream); application heightened language study
November: Focus on one of Shakespeare’s tragedies (Othello); selection and development of performance
December: Continue study of tragedy; participate in ESU School-wide Competition
January: Fine-tuning Shakespeare; Final Exam
February: English-Speaking Union Statewide Competition