Ah, Love! Romeo and Juliet at AFHS

Earn up to 10 points of extra credit by attending the American Fork High School production of Romeo and Juliet and writing a brief review of the play.  Also, I have  available a few coupons for 2 for 1 admission.

The dates and time for this play are November 17, 18, 19, 22, and 23 at 7 pm.

The Giver, Dramatized

The Giver, Dramatized
BYU is presenting a play based on the YA novel, The Giver. My daughter and I went to see it today. First we went to a free "brown bag" workshop, preparing to see the play. That was fun. Then (after we had finished eating lunch) we went to our front row seats (we just bought the tickets today) for the play. Barta Heiner plays the old Giver. She is a marvelous and well-respected actress. Jonas is played by a sophomore from Orem High School; his parents by BYU students; Lily by a fourth grader from Springville; Asher, Fiona, and Rosemary by middle school students (7th, 8th, and 6th graders). All do a fine job.

If you get to go, notice how set design portrays the community, and the transfer of memories is shown.

Watch for similarities to and differences from the novel, and notice how the playwright sometimes worked in information without using a whole scene from the book.

I wish I could have take all my seventh graders to see this play.

[Photo from http://byunews.byu.edu/archive09-May-thegiver.aspx ]

December 12, 2007

December 12, 2007
Student Targets:
* I'll consider --and contribute to a discussion about -- a major issue addressed in the book, The Giver.
* I'll better understand plot and climax.
* I'll prepare to write my essay about The Giver by collecting details to use. (The exercise for this was just handed out, and we'll work on it more next time.)

1. Self-Starter: On a piece of the lined paper in your binder under "Reading" for The Giver, respond to this prompt:
"In The Giver, individual rights and choices have been given up for the safety and comfort of the whole community. Which is more important, the good and the rights of the individual, or the good (safety, comfort, security) of the many (the whole community)? Explain.

2. We read, or started reading, a short play by Ray Bradbury titled "The Flying Machine." It also deals with the issue of whether one person's rights (or a few people's rights) should be sacrificed to protect the safety of many people. Who has the "right" to decide?

3. Three of the classes received a list of quotations from The Giver. Next time in class students will mark each quotation as representing an advantage or a disadvantage of Jonas's community.


A1 -- Students finished the play and received the quotation list.
"Academy Awards" for the play were received by Chyler, Zach N., Kora, Calea, and Ian.
A2 - Students finished the play. Students will receive the quotation list next time. (Did we present our "academy awards?) "Academy Awards" for the play have been earned by Tanner D., Billy, and Loriel.)
A3 -- Students read the play up to "Act 5." Students received their quotation list. (We need to do our "academy awards.) "Academy Awards" for the play so far were earned by Brittany, Dalton, Caitlin, Jessica, and Dallin.
A4 -- Students read the play up to "Act 4." Students received their quotation list.
"Academy Awards" for the play so far were received by Austin L., Brittany, Aubree, Jordan, Benson, Shayne, and Garron.