This Week in Language Arts...

Over the next few weeks, we'll be working critically and creatively with Shakespeare's Macbeth.  Students will complete a creative project of their choice, and they will write a five-paragraph literary analysis essay.  We'll be working on both the project and the essay in class.  Here are links to both assignments: the Macbeth Project and the Literary Analysis of Macbeth.
Here's a link to the version of Macbeth we read in class (with narrations for some scenes and the "During Reading" questions in the margins.
Here's a link to the full original version of the play.

New Contest for Novelists

Here's another writing contests for teens I discovered: The PUSH novel contest.
From the website:
"The PUSH novel contest is open to submissions! All entries must be postmarked by January 15, 2013. Happy writing!
Submissions must contain at least three and no more than five chapters from an original novel (excerpt minimum 15 pages, maximum 50 pages), as well as an outline/summary of the rest of the book, not to exceed two pages in length. All entries should be double-spaced and in 12-point font. The award is given inconjunction with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and all rules andregulations can be found on www.artandwriting.org. For more specific information about the PUSH novel writing contest, please visit www.artandwriting.org/Awards/Categories#NOVEL. This contest is only open to students in grades 7 through 12. The gold medal winner will win a Scholastic Art & Writing Award, and the manuscript will be worked on with PUSH editorial staff, with the hope of eventual publication."

Shakespeare Links

I've been having a great time reading and discussing Macbeth with my language arts students.  Every year a student makes a comment that makes me look at the play in a new way, which is why I never tire of Shakespeare's writing.  For students who would like to look deeper into Macbeth, Shakespeare's life, or his work, here are some links to sites:
Folger Shakespeare Library (includes things like "How To Be a Shakespeare Expert" and "Discover Shakespeare's World" amongst other resources)
Two articles about the curse of Macbeth here and here
An article from The New York Times about "How Shakespeare Invented Teenagers"
The complete works of William Shakespeare can be found online here.
Explore and enjoy!

Shakespeare's MACBETH

Today in language arts, we'll begin reading and discussing William Shakespeare's Macbeth.  We'll study the play in the original language, for the richness of that original provides much depth to the story, but we'll also read summaries of some scenes.  For my language arts classes, I've put together a version of the play that combines the original language with narrations of certain scenes.  (Here's a link to a PDF of that version.)  Also, the text is peppered with analysis and comprehension questions (in sidebar boxes).  Those questions will guide our in-class discussion.  Here's a link to the version of the play we'll be reading in class.  As I mentioned in class, the thing I love about Shakespeare is that no matter how many times I read a play, I always discover something new.

Writing Contests!

I often mention writing contests for students, as I think entering a contest is a great way to gain a wider audience for one's writing.  Even if a writer doesn't win a contest, his or her work is still being read by a broader audience, which is pretty exciting.  And sometimes, a student does win, as Katherine Johnston did earlier this year with her story "Beyond," which won Write Young AK's "Ghosts and Legends" contest.  (Here's a link to Katherine's story, as well as the other winners' stories.) 
Here are some other current writing contests (click on the links for more information):
Write Young Alaska's "My Alaska" Contest (enter by February 14)
UAA/ Anchorage Daily News 2013 Creative Writing Contest (Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry; enter by February 13)
The Requiem Writing Contest (Write a story in which love is dangerous; contest is judged by Lauren Oliver, entries due by March 3)
Good luck to all who enter!