#20 - "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow..."

As you reach the top of the hill that is ninth and tenth grade and begin your descent towards graduation, please comment on your hopes, aspirations, and goals for the next two years.

#19 - "Strutting and Fretting..."

Macbeth says that "Life is... a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more... a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."  Do you agree with Macbeth?  Explain.

#18 - "Plenty to go around..."

Whom do you blame for Macbeth's downfall?  Is he a victim of his wife's manipulative words and proddings, or is his own "vaulting ambition" ultimately the cause of his demise?

#17 - "God/Country or Family?"

Lady Macduff is upset with her husband over his decision to leave Scotland to seek help from England in overthrowing Macbeth.  Does she have a case?  Is Macduff justified in leaving his family in order to pursue this "bigger" cause?  What about the American soldier who is married, perhaps with children, who goes off to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan?  Should (s)he go?  Why do you think this?

#16 - "Much Ado About Nothing Perhaps..."

Why do you think the plays of Shakespeare persist even to today?  Should he even be taught in high schools of the 21st century?  What are some themes from Macbeth or Romeo & Juliet that relate to today's audience?  Make a case for or against him.

#15 - And off you go...

Well, you made it... most of you anyway.  Some of you have trumpeted the benefits of the research process we've done in class, including the bibliography, introduction, note cards, and outline.  Do you feel these steps were helpful in writing your paper?  Can you see yourself utilizing these tools in the future whether or not they are a requirement of the paper?

#14 "Slip-slidin' Away..."

You have been given an inordinate amount of time in the computer lab to research your topic and begin your paper.  Is this structure worthwhile?  Would you rather be given the framework and then go work independently (ie outside of school, at home, etc.)?  The "opportunity cost" of such time could possibly be another piece of literature, a more extensive poetry unit, or perhaps further grammar study.  What are the disadvantages to this setup, knowing that in college these types of projects will be solely independent?

#13 - There's Got to Be an Easier Way...

Please discuss your frustration with the traditional methods of research presented to you in class.  What tools have you found online that might make the project easier and/or more "21st Century"?  For example, have you used an online organizer for research papers?  Or perhaps an MLA formatter like NoodleBib or Citation Machine?  Or do some of you prefer the traditional pen/paper outlines and other organizational methods?

#12 - Topic vs. Thesis...

What is the difference between a "topic" and a "thesis"?

#11 - Researching the World...

What have you chosen to write about for your research paper?  Why did you choose this topic?