Notes+for+Division+Heads

Notes for Division Heads Meeting on 2/18
1. **Cross-divisional Shakespeare Festival on Monday, April 20th:**

2. **8-4-1 Triads: 8-4-1 Dream Performance on Thursday, April 16th 8:15-9:30 a.m. in Theatre** 8th grade adapting play for 4th and 1st grade audiences; writing scenes to perform for 4th and 1st graders. 4th grade preparing costumes for performance. 1st grade making simple sets for performance.

4th grade: read and synthesized Dream for 1st grade audience. Rewrote entire piece and read to a first grade class. Created original artwork to go along with one of the main events.

3. **5-9 Pairs:** Romeo and Juliet 9th graders will, after workshop with actors, present the "party" scene to the 5th graders. Then, in a "talk-back" session, the 5th graders will ask the players about their motivations and feelings. The 9th graders will respond in character.

5th and 9th graders will learn stage combat for the street fighting scene from the professionals. They will perform a scene at the festival assemblies.

4. **6-10 Pairs:** Macbeth 10th graders met with an actor to stage the witches opening scene from the play. Plan for 6th graders to come.

5. **12th grade**...still waiting for the monologue work to happen. Teachers are focusing on soliloquies of Hamlet.

Teachers have learned already: techniques to use for other scenes, a new way of addressing the play. Improved teacher/student understanding of Shakespeare as performance. Continuing professional development opportunity. Students have already developed the familiarity with Shakespeare: books, posters. Community building.
 * Benefits:**

-- Middle School Outcomes for Shakespeare Studies