Course Description:
Nature of the Arts courses will provide students with an understanding of the fundamental language and concepts to confidently observe anddiscuss works of art and communications from the three key strands of Encore: visual arts, performing arts, and communications. Through hands-on activities, discussion, research, and writing assignments, students will learn a great deal about the various forms of visual art, performance art, and communications.
This particular strand of Nature of the Arts focuses on exploring literature, most notably the works of William Shakespeare, through rehearsal room practices and Dramatic Inquiry. This course requires daily, active participation and collaboration with fellow students. We will also focus on building and maintaining an Ensemble, through which we will explore literature and drama.
This course is designed in conjunction with the Stand Up for Shakespeare America program, supported by The Ohio State University and the Royal Shakespeare Company. It is a unique opportunity for students to explore the world of drama and Shakespeare in an active, creative way. Throughout the course, students will dramatize scenes, analyze the language, interact with the text, discuss themes, and become a part of the world of the play. Additionally, we will strengthen skills such as vocabulary development, perspective taking, making inferences, understanding plot and sequencing, and the relationship between characters and setting.
During the school year, two professors from Ohio State University, Dr. Patricia Enciso and Dr. Brian Edmiston, as well as other OSU graduate students will be in the classroom to support learning with Shakespeare and other texts.
This course is a twelve-week trimester. In order to encourage trial and error by the student in a primarily laboratory-based course, this course is graded pass/fail.
Course Materials:
Students must be prepared to work each day with the following materials. These materials will be checked on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12th for credit.
§ Student agenda (provided by RHS)
§ 1 flash drive (for use in all classes)
§ 1.5” three-ring binder (1” – too small! 2” – too big!)
§ 1 subject spiral notebook (with three holes so it can be snapped into binder)
§ Dividers (sold in packages of 5 or 8)
§ 1 two-pocket, three-hole folder (to put in binder)
§ #2 pencils
§ Blue and/or black ink pens
§ Several colored pens for revising and editing (purple, green, red, etc.)
- Highlighters
Course Topics
Over the course of the trimester, we will study portions of several works by William Shakespeare, but we will focus on one major work for the majority of the course (most likely Macbeth, Othello, or Hamlet). We will also study the basics of staged drama, theatre, and rehearsal room techniques.
All strands of Nature of the Arts will share come common terminology, though the specific ways the terms are defined may differ across disciplines. We will be focusing on four elements of texts: Purpose, Audience, Voice, and Style.
Purpose – An author/artist always has a reason for creating a work. His purpose may be to inform, persuade, entertain, or express an opinion. This goal influences the ways in which he presents his text. However, it is not just the job of the author to create a text. The audience of any text must actively participate in the text (literature, drama, film, painting, song, etc.) in search of the artist’s purpose, seeking answers to:
· What is it the communicator is attempting to say?
· What is it the communicator is attempting to get me to do or think?
Audience – Each artist/communicator creates for a specific audience. This is often influenced by the author/artist/communicator’s time period, culture, available knowledge or language of the people that will see their work. For these reasons, it is crucial that we examine a work from the intended audience’s viewpoint as well as from our own. We seek to answer these questions:
· Who was the intended audience for this piece? How might the intended audience have responded?
· How do I, an audience that may or may not be intended, feel and think about the work?
· What separates me from the intended audience and change the way I view the work?
· In what ways am I included as a member of the intended audience; how does this help me offer insight into the artist’s motives?
Subject – An artist may choose to accomplish his purpose through the use of the subject he is interested in (sculpture, poetry, film, etc.). However, he may also choose to accomplish his purpose through the use of a subject that at first appears completely unrelated. It is our job as readers/viewers/audience to examine the tools the artist uses and determine how this might relate to his message. For example, the spoken word can convey the speaker’s attitude and help impart meaning through tone of voice. However, with the written word, tone extends meaning past the literal. To do this, we need to ask ourselves:
· What emotional sense(se) do you perceive from the text?
· How has the author crafted his message? Why/how has he chosen to use elements such as language, imagery, structure?
· How does the use of the author’s chosen subject influence or relate to his message? To our response(s) to the text?
Voice – When an artist/communicator approaches a subject, he can present his work in many, many voices. The ways in which he chooses to express himself influences the audience’s response to the text. In other words, it’s not just what the author says, but how he says it. To examine the voice of an artist, we need to ask:
· What makes this text unique?
· How does the author/artist tell the “story”?
· What does he choose to reveal? What does he leave unsaid? Why?
Essential Questions
As a major component of Dramatic Inquiry is creating questions to guide us through our study, there will be many Essential Questions over the course of the trimester. However, the following will guide us through almost every element of our course.
· How does a dramatist (in particular William Shakespeare) tell a story? What elements does he use to express his ideas?
· What role does the audience play in drama?
· How does the work of Shakespeare relate to our modern times and/or your personal experiences?
Policies and Procedures
Grading
Assignments will be graded on a point-based system. The amount of points each assignment is worth varies depending on the level of difficulty, time commitment needed, and the type of assignment (for instance, projects are worth more points than homework). The final grade each grading period is based on an average of all projects, written assignments, tests, quizzes, homework, in-class work, and class participation for the grading period. The majority of the work for this course will be in the form of performance-based assessments, in-class participation, and written reflection. Students will keep a Learning Log, reflecting daily on the activities and learning experiences from class. Daily reflection in the Learning Log will be essential to earning a passing grade.
Make-up Work
As this course is almost exclusively collaborative, participatory work, regular attendance is ESSENTIAL to passing. We will be staging scenes, discussing text, and working together within the world of the play every single day. These experiences cannot be replicated or made up. If you miss class, you will miss a unique experience that cannot be replaced. Additionally, reflection on the day’s learning will be a large portion of your grade. If you have not participated in the learning events, it will be difficult for you to effectively reflect on the experience. Thus, your grade will suffer. In short, YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
Any written assignments which need to be made-up will be handled in accordance with school policy (see the Student Handbook).
If you have an EXCUSED absence from class, you will have the number of days you were absent to complete and turn in your make-up work. When you return from your absence, you must check the agenda board from the day(s) you missed, collect any work which was handed out, and turn in any assignments which were due while you were absent. All of this information and work can be found in the classroom. It is your responsibility to obtain your make-up work, complete it, and turn it in! In-class work such as tests and quizzes will need to be completed during study hall, lunch, or after school. Make an appointment to complete this work as soon as possible. You will not be permitted to turn in any work missed due to an UNEXCUSED absence. Papers and other large assignments will be docked 10% per day late, EVEN WITH AN EXCUSED ABSENCE, since the due date will be know well in advance. In-class work such as tests and quizzes will need to be completed during lunch, study hall, or after school. Make an appointment to complete this work immediately upon your return.
Late Work
In general, late work is not an option. I am always open to answering questions about assignments, and I do give partial credit, so it is worth turning in an assignment even if it is not totally complete. Assignments that are submitted late without permission may not be accepted and/or will lose significant points. Generally, assignments (other than projects and papers) will receive only one point. Extensions may be granted for large projects or papers if we have a discussion and make arrangements before the designated due date. Any project or paper handed in after the due date without prior permission will lose one letter grade per day it is overdue. Students will have one week to make up any tests or quizzes missed due to an excused absence. Tests or quizzes which are not made up or which are missed due to an unexcused absence will receive zeroes.
Missing Assignments
Missing assignments will NOT be accepted for full credit in MOST circumstances. Generally, missing assignments will be treated as “Late Work” and will receive the appropriate credit as indicated above. Any exceptions to this rule will be detailed in writing in class and/or on Progress Book.
Grading Disputes
If you disagree with a grade you have earned, please put your thoughts in writing and turn them in, along with the original assignment (with the error circled), so that I may review it. You must bring this issue to my attention on the day the assignment is returned to you, not at the end of the grading period in an effort to boost your grade.
Cheating and Plagiarism
Using another’s thoughts, ideas, or words as your own is not acceptable. This includes (but is not limited to) copying from another student’s work or pasting text from the internet into your own work. Choosing to cheat or plagiarize will result in a zero for the assignment. A second offence may result in out of school suspension (see student handbook for more information).
Expectations
You are expected to be a READY, RESPONSIBLE, and RESPECTFUL Encore student at all times.
I expect you to be on time and prepared to work in class every day. Additionally, hold yourself accountable for your own learning.
Extra Help
The most important thing about extra help is that you need to ASK FOR IT! You can make an appointment to meet with me or you can email me at . I can’t know you need help if you do not ask for it.
Confirmation
Please email me confirmation of receipt and understanding of this syllabus. Include your name, your student’s name, and any important information you think I need to know about your child.