Sonnet 7: Headlines and Performances

Sonnet 7

Lo! in the orient when the gracious light
Lifts up his burning head, each under eye
Doth homage to his new-appearing sight,
Serving with looks his sacred majesty;
And having climb'd the steep-up heavenly hill,
Resembling strong youth in his middle age,
Yet mortal looks adore his beauty still,
Attending on his golden pilgrimage:
But when from highmost pitch, with weary car,
Like feeble age, he reeleth from the day,
The eyes, 'fore duteous, now converted are
From his low tract, and look another way:
So thou, thyself outgoing in thy noon
Unlooked on diest unless thou get a son.

-William Shakespeare

The headlines say it all:

• "Learning the rules for a sonnet, and digging deeper into Shakespeare"
• "Laws of poetry need to be broken"
• "Music making sun and it's journey"
• "Interpreting through sounds, acting, and drawing; another step to understanding"
  

After our second day of experiencing William Shakespeare's Sonnet 7, the 6th graders saw the structure and the rules governing sonnet writing, and showed solid understanding and thinking of Bard's words. The took writing implements, hand percussion instruments, and a collection of props to convey their interpretation of the sonnet through art, music, and movement. After each class, students wrote headlines on the wall to summarize and document their thinking for the day. This will be a stepping stone through their experience with Shakespeare from initial "look at this gobaldigook" to a final writing piece that shows their understanding.

Students have pointed out that I have not told them anything, but simply have offered learning opportunities for them to grasp and grow.

Great stuff!