TODAY IN CLASS
This week we have been proceeding through Act I at a very slow pace, generally having students read sort sections (shorter than entire scenes) and then piecing out meaning just a few lines at a time.  We have also tried to keep everyone focussed on the bigger picture of what's happening in the play, remembering to look at everyone's motivations, frame of mind, expectations about both the "world around them" (in general) as well as about what other people may be thinking or doing.

There was some written work (to go over and keep/not handed in) on Claudius' "Agenda Speech" at the start of Act I, Scene 2.

Today students received study questions that pick up later in Scene 2 (about line 163) with the meeting between Hamlet and Horatio.  Students answered study guide questions 1-6 over material we'd read but hadn't really discussed, and then answered 7 concerning the list of "precepts" that Polonius gives to Laertes. People were encouraged to collaborate on this. I then shuffled rows so that students could cross-check their responses (esp. about the nine pieces of advice) with a different set of students

In 1st/2nd we went on to Polonius's conversation and "orders" to Ophelia AND to a bit of the Scene 4; in 5th we did not start Scene 4 at all.

HOMEWORK
You've been advised for several days to keep reading Act I.  Now answer the study questions for Scenes 4 and 5--you may be wrong or confused on some, but do your best.  Part of learning how to read Shakespeare is TRYING, and writing down what you think--then you'll have a chance to improve your responses as we discuss this.

We may read a couple of short segments in class (students in front of the room style), but mostly we will not be reading the rest of this act  in class.

I will check the study guide for completion at the start of class tomorrow.