Hamlet: Overview

Dear 12th graders,

Congratulations on reaching the home stretch of high school. The only thing left for you in English is something I've been saving for you all year. The next 5 weeks will be an opportunity for you to choose your own fate in finishing high school - I look forward to helping you and encouraging you on your final project!

What and Why? 
As one of the most significant texts in the English language, Hamlet has been acted, rapped, condensed, spoofed by the Simpsons, and made into countless movies. You may or may not realize it, but quotations like 'to be or not to be,' 'not a mouse stirring,' and 'I doubt some foul play' all find their origin in this play. At least once in your life, you should read this play and judge for yourself - I'm excited to help you! In addition, as you know, our final class project will be a condensed version of Hamlet filmed in a lip-dub style. We will be working on this video on Senior Project Fridays (just to make sure we have enough time).

You and you alone: 
You have a unique opportunity to choose your own grade for the rest of the semester. You will choose a blog and I will share authorship with you. This is a school-owned blog, and any misuse will result in immediate administrative action (don't slip up just before graduation). Other than that warning, consider your blog your own to design and construct. Your blog will be followed by everyone in the class, other English classes, and next year's seniors (one of them will take over your blog, and so on for years to come). You can earn up to 10pts a blog entry, and may do as many as you like (so if you're feeling like you need to pad your grade, go ahead and do more than the required 10!).

What do you write in your blog? 
Your goal is to understand your role inside and out. If you are Hamlet, Ophelia, or any other character, you can write a journal from their perspective, choose music they would listen to, pick out clothes they would wear, ask questions they would ask, etc., all attempting to construct your own interpretation of the role. If you are part of the production - filming, costumes, etc - then your job is to look up that craft in other Hamlet movies and adaptations, read closely for clues in the text, and research/reflect on your choices that will affect our film. On each of your blogs, I will provide individualized questions and ideas to help you write. The more interesting your blogs are to read, including adding polls and asking questions, the better you will understand the play, and the better our film will be!

So the blog's the thing - nothing else right?
You're almost there! Each of you has one scene of the play to edit. This whole scene will probably be condensed into a few lines (more about this later). Think of your two tasks as a double helix - you really understand one role in the play and one scene - in this way you intertwine an overview and a specific reading of the play! How brilliant you are!

So it seems we're doing all the work - what is Ms. Kennett doing?
Don't worry! I'm going to be reading your blogs and providing you feedback, posting helpful ideas and clarification on this blog, and working with each of you to build the film itself. I will help encourage you to pare down the text for your scene, and touch base with costuming/setting/props people. I will also direct our walk-throughs each Friday so that we will be well-practiced by the time we film. Each of you will be an important link in undertaking this project - if you need help, make sure you ask for it!

Final Note
As you know, I have been excited about this project since the first day of school. But this is the time for your enthusiasm to drive this project. We have almost a whole year under our belts, you all are about to dive into the 'real world,' and besides graduation, we will never be in the same room again. I believe this is the perfect group to make the first ever video of this kind, and I can't wait to work like crazy for the next 5 weeks and watch it on our last day, become viral on YouTube, and generally rule the world :) Plus, if it's really good, I will make bagels for you all...

-Ms.K