HIT: SEC, Julius Caesar

[Linda Smith <ljsmith@clinton.k12.ok.us>]

Following are the suggestions for use when studying Julius Caesar:

One of our best projects is having the students research the lives of
the  famous historical people from JC and then writing the information
in the form of an obituary for that person.  The kids (10th graders) are
always very motviated by the project and usually do a splendid job! You
can make the requirements as detailed as the teacher wants depending on
the academic track of the kids.  We use it, with modification, for both
college prep and general tracks.
************************************************
I taught JC for many years and we did several things.  We had
the trial of Brutus several times.  That was an entire class
project. Then we wrote diaries one year from different
characters.  One thing they enjoyed was writing a newspaper
for the day that Caesar was killed.  Some did them like
scrolls.  One year some students videotaped their original
production of a missing scene from JC.  Many students wrote a
missing scene...i.e. how Portia found out about the plot.
*****************************************************
Write 3-5 well constructed, etc. paragraphs comparing the assassination
of JCaesar to another public figure who has been assassinated.

We gave them  a list.
We gave them a "T-chart" with J on one side and the "other" beside J

We brainstormed the kinds of questions that one might need to ask about
each assassination.

They had to research the other assassination answering these
questions...they had to think about the play and write down pertinent
facts.

They used all the info to write.
Seemed to work pretty well.
*****************************************************
There is a game available called Tic Tac Toga. If she can't find it, it
is essentially a bingo game using quotes and characters from the play.

I have also found that once the students have read Acts I-III, it is
easier to finish off the unit by showing the Heston film and forego the
torture of slogging the kids through Acts IV-V unless the kids are in an

upper level English class.
********************************************************

    I don't know if this is what you mean, but when our English
department
     is doing Julius Caesar or whatever major work that needs a ton of
     explanation, we have the students write research papers on the
aspects
     most confusing in the play.  Each student in the class has one
topic,
     researches it, writes a 3 page  paper, and is the "expert' when
that
     info is needed in the classroom.  When the class reads the play out

     loud, for example, and Calpurnia comes around, the person doing
dream
     interpretation and the person who researched Calpurnia explain the
     background to the action.
     We have been doing this for years and its works every time !

Linda Smith, Lib
Clinton High School
Clinton, OK
ljsmith@clinton.k12.ok.us

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