Week of May 18, 2015:
Eighth Grade
English 8/Monday, May 18
Aim: How could you say goodbye to a
character from the play?
Do Now: * Read the handout…
HW: *Eulogies due tomorrow
*The Trial of Friar Lawrence this Thursday.
You MUST tell me TODAY if you know you will
be absent.
Modern day-Verona at Juliet’s
“home.” You can visit a golden statue
of the young character and wish for
luck in love, or inscribe your name on
a wall or join the thousands who
leave small love letters at the wall.
Read “Letters Of Heartbreak Find
Some Love In Verona, Italy”
What does the passage
suggest about the enduring
effect of Shakespeare’s play?
About its message about
love—have things gotten
easier?
“Our hour is marked and no one can claim
a moment of life beyond what fate has
predestined.”
--Napoleon
What does this mean?
• How would you define FATE?
• Do you know anyone who believes FATE rules
life?
• What are the advantages of believing this?
The disadvantages?
• What roles does FATE have in Romeo and
Juliet?
Let’s review: Who were the six
characters who died in the play?
Which death affected you the most?
Watch Romeo’s and Juliet’s death
scenes from another version…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GDd83IQDxw
How does it compare to the version you saw last week?
WRITE a EULOGY for one character in the play.
A eulogy is a well-crafted speech, which
a person is designated to prepare and
deliver during a funeral ceremony. It is
usually read to commemorate a dearly
departed – to celebrate the life spent
here on earth and the memories that go
with him or her.
English 8/Tuesday, May 19
Aim: How can we find someone to hold
responsible for the deaths of Romeo and
Juliet?
Do Now: * Watch the following clip about
one real-life Romeo and Juliet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wks0_aRXF4
HW: * The Trial of Friar Lawrence is
Thursday!
* Typed essays from absent students should
be emailed to me by 3PM Thursday
No one was found guilty in the deaths of Admira Ismić
and Boško Brkić. While their deaths did not end the civil
war, it did have a great affect on their families, who
became friendly in the decades after the murder despite
the fact that the families differ ethnicity and loyalties.
Unlike their real-life counterparts, much is known about the deaths of
the fictional Romeo and Juliet’s last moments. We read and watched
it all together in class. Today, we will begin preparations for bringing
one of the principal characters to trial to determine the extent to
which he was at fault for Romeo’s and Juliet’s deaths.
Is Friar Lawrence
responsible for the
deaths of Romeo
and Juliet?
TODAY’S ACTIVITIES:
*acquaint yourselves with this courtroom’s
procedures
*strategize with your teams
*plan your questions and speeches (if you are a
lawyer)
*meet with your team’s attorney and plan your
responses to at least their questions (if you are a witness)
*come up with a rubric for evaluating teams
tomorrow and get ready to run the trial (if you are a juror)
Prosecution: Friar Lawrence is guilty in the deaths of Romeo Montague and
Juliet Capulet.
Defense: Friar Lawrence is not guilty for their deaths.
Roles:
A. Lawyers
B. Witnesses
C. Jurors
D. I will serve as the judge.
E. Students who are absent the day of the trial will have a TWO page writing
assignment due to my email by 3PM Thursday if the absence is planned, by 3PM
Tuesday if it is unexpected.
Prosecutorial Witnesses: (Though both sides will have the opportunity to question the characters
during the trial, just like in a real trial.)
Lady Capulet
As you will learn in the next four years of high
Lord Capulet
school level Shakespeare, ghosts were frequent
Ghost of Tybalt
characters in his works. Elizabethan audiences had
Nurse
a healthy respect for the supernatural, inside and
Ghost of Paris
outside of the theater.
Prince Escalus
Defense Witnesses: (Though both sides will have the opportunity to question the characters
during the trial, just like in a real trial.)
Friar Lawrence
Apothecary
Ghost of Romeo
Ghost of Juliet
Ghost of Mercutio
Benvolio
Absent student assignment:
• While the others are working for the trial, you should spend the next two class days working on
the following (if you are unexpectedly absent on trial day, you may take the four day weekend to
complete the work to fill in for the missed grade):
Type a TWO page paper SEPARATELY discussing the roles of EACH of the following characters in the
deaths of Romeo and Juliet:
Tybalt
Romeo
Juliet
Friar Lawrence
Lady Capulet
Nurse
Mercutio
Apothecary
Balthazar
Paris
Responsibilities and Grading:
A. Lawyers Will handle opening and closing arguments and the questioning of
witnesses. Make sure the legal team evenly distributes responsibilities both before
and during the trial. You should know your assigned character witnesses, how they
will respond to your questions and which questions to ask to help your team’s cause.
You should prep your own witnesses and plan out questions for the other side’s
witnesses. You MAY NOT meet with the other side’s assigned witnesses before the
trial.
Grading: quality of speeches and questions, understanding of team’s goal,
preparation, etc.
EXTRA CREDIT: FIVE points for dressing your lawyerly part.
EXTRA CREDIT/TEAM GRADE: Points added for clever “gets” for
your side. (Juror/Supervisors will note these during trial analysis.)
Lawyers’ jobs Day 1:
• Work with other team lawyers to decide who will prepare AT LEAST
fifteen useful questions for ALL witnesses (though you may only
communicate with those on your team’s side before the trial):
Prosecution's team:
Defense’s team:
Friar Lawrence
Lady Capulet
Apothecary
Lord Capulet
Ghost of Romeo
Ghost of Tybalt
Ghost of Juliet
Nurse
Ghost of Mercutio
Ghost of Paris
Benvolio
Prince Escalus
* Decide which lawyer will give the opening speech and who will deliver
the closing speech.
B. Witnesses You should act as your character know what your
character knows. You must show a full understanding of the character
and will be expected to answer honestly and accurately as the character.
Grading: Understanding of character, ability to answer questions of both
sides in character, rehearsal, etc. **You will also hand in a typed ¾
page character report explaining your character’s stance on Friar
Lawrence’s guilt or innocence as revealed from his/her role in the
literature. The report should also outline how your character’s
testimony plays an important role in the success of your side.
EXTRA CREDIT: FIVE points for dressing your part.
Witnesses’ jobs Day 1:
• Look over the character speech questions and begin writing the one
page rough draft of your character’s essay statement.
• Look though the play and your study guide to review your character’s
role in Romeo and Juliet’s tragedy.
• Look for some quotes by your character to add to your statement and
your answers on the witness stand.
C. Juror/SupervisorsYou will be in charge of supervising and reporting back
to Ms. Cerulli during pre-trial day(s). Trial day will be VERY busy for you; the
success of the trail depends on the structure you provide. Jurors must each
prepare detailed analysis of the lawyers’ speeches and witnesses’ testimonies using
the forms you make up today and have copied (you must see me to find out what
basic requirements I have for you and then work together to design a form). You
will keep the points for each side and will ultimately determine the day’s victor.
Grading: Ability to juggle numerous responsibilities, smooth trial run, detailed
notes, etc.
EXTRA CREDIT: FIVE points if you prepare a ½ to ¾ page typed report detailing
what each side must do to convince you of its argument.
Juror/supervisor’s job Day 1:
• Meet with other juror/supervisors and read over the trial requirements.
Begin writing a rubric that will take into consideration all that the
lawyers and witnesses must do.
• To think about:
* How will lawyers show that they have helped their side?
* What qualities will make each lawyer successful?
* What do witness need to do? What qualities make their testimony
successful? How could they hurt their side’s case?
* Now how could you craft a rubric that will take ALL of the
necessary qualities into account? Remember, their will be four lawyer
speeches and 12 witness testimonies (and those 12 witnesses will
speak to two lawyers each!)
Questions witnesses can use to write the character assignment (Lawyers and jury members should look to see what they
are looking for in character responses):
1. What sort of person was my character at the beginning of the play? What was he/she like at the end? What caused any changes?
2. How did my character feel about and related to both Romeo and Juliet?
3. How would my character have felt about the relationship of Romeo and Juliet?
4. To what degree was my character responsible for Romeo’s and Juliet’s deaths?
5. What knowledge did my character have of the actions of Romeo and Juliet after they met at the party?
6. What should or could my character have done differently?
7. How would a change in my character’s behavior have affected Romeo and Juliet?
8. How would my character dress? What general style of clothing would suit? What colors best represent my character? Why?
9. What mannerisms would my character use? Does my character act differently when nervous? Guilty? Confused?
English 8/Wednesday, May 20
Aim: How could you finalize preparations
for tomorrow’s trial?
Do Now: * Who are the people most and
least responsible for Romeo’s and Juliet’s
deaths?
HW: * The Trial of Friar Lawrence
tomorrow!
• Romeo and Juliet books collected
tomorrow.
• District literacy test Wednesday
Lawyers’ jobs Day 2:
• Review who is doing your side’s TWO speeches (opening and closing)
and 12 witnesses).
• Write AT LEAST fifteen questions for each witness you will interview
during the trial tomorrow. Meet with your own team’s witnesses and
plan out what responses will help you. Remember what side your are
on you need to ask questions and get honest answers that will help
your side (find the friar guilty or innocent)
• If you are assigned to write the speeches, write and then practice
delivering it.
• Decide the order of witnesses and tell the juror/supervisors your
planned order of speeches and witnesses. They must know who is
asking which witness questions.
Juror/supervisor’s job Day 2:
• Type up your rubric after getting it approved by Ms. Cerulli. Then
send it to Ms. Cerulli’s email so she can print out copies for
tomorrow’s trial.
• Draw up plans for setting up the room for the trial and get it approved
by Ms. Cerulli.
• Meet with the lawyers for each side and find out the order they plan to
call witness. Type up a sheet listing the order of witnesses and which
lawyers will interview which witnesses.
• If there is time, you may start your extra credit writing.
Witnesses’ jobs Day 2:
• Meet with your assigned lawyer to find out the questions they will ask
you on the stand tomorrow. Decide what answers are both honest to
your character and what answers will help your team.
• Think about what the other side might ask you and how you will
answer honestly, but in a way that doesn’t help them too much.
• Help your lawyers prepare their case. Tell them of any lines from the
text you’ve found that will help them craft better question to help
either find the friar guilty or innocent, depending on your assigned
side.
English 8/Thursday, May 21
Aim: Is Friar Lawrence GUILTY or
INNOCENT?
Do Now: Juror/supervisors should
be getting the classroom ready
while lawyers and witness prepare
to perform!
HW: * Enjoy your Memorial day
weekend!
Be prepared to follow the following trial format:
Prosecutors: One minute prepared speech to address to jury explaining prosecution’s position
Defense attorneys: One minute prepared speech to address to jury explaining defense’s position.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Prosecution calls first witness Two minutes of questioning
Defense may question that same witness Two minutes of questioning
(This continues until the Prosecution runs out of witnesses. Both legal teams should plan out the
order of the witnesses and hand the list to the juror/supervisors in advance. The juror/supervisors
are responsible for getting copies of the list to the other side and to Ms. Cerulli by the end of Day 2.)
Defense calls first witness Two minutes of questioning
Prosecution may question the same witness Two minutes of questioning
(This continues until the Defense rests its case. Again, the order of witnesses must be handed to the
juror/supervisors in advance.)
___________________________________________________________________
Prosecutors One minute prepared speech to wrap up.
Defense One minute of prepared speech/closing argument.
(The teams should be able to refer to key events/testimony from the trial to sum up the case.)
Prosecutorial Witnesses:
Lady Capulet-Grace
Lord Capulet-Carlos
Ghost of Tybalt-Dumas B.
Nurse-Jessica
Ghost of Paris-Justin N.
Prince Escalus-Chris C.
Prosecution lawyers:
Rebecca A.
Kameron
Natiq
Jack
Garrett
Matthew
Owen
Defense Witnesses:
Friar Lawrence-Shad
Apothecary-Francis
Ghost of Romeo-Jeff
Ghost of Juliet-Paulina
Ghost of Mercutio-Shomari
Benvolio-Michael
Defense lawyers:
Jordan A.
Tori Y.
Cynthia
Meghan
Madison
Jon
Juror/Supervisor-Indali, Jack, Rida
Absent Thursday: Adrianna