Introduction        

You are a newspaper reporter assigned to review the current production of the Shakespearean play "A Midsummer Night's Dream".  The McNiel Hoofbeat has asked Mrs. Chases's Pre-AP classes to each write a feature article for the next school paper.  Prizes will be awarded for the best and funniest article.  Each student will also have to fill up a 11 X 14 sheet of paper with their article and one or more of the following:  an advertisement, a cartoon, coupons, crossword puzzle, a review of the play performed in class, and pictures. Good luck!

The Task            

Here are the requirements for this project:

• Write a feature article for your newspaper page after researching it on the net.
• Fill up the rest of the page with another article(s), a cartoon, crossword puzzle, coupons, advertisements, a review of the play, or pictures you draw or print off the internet.
• The feature article can be about any of the following:
• Shakespeare's life
• Hairstyles during the Elizabethan Period
• Elizabethan Society
• The Globe Theater and it's history
• The make-up or "paint" of the ladies during this time period
• Staging and scenery in the play or other plays of the time
• Queen Elizabeth I
• Type, or print neatly, your feature article
• "Layout" the rest of your newspaper page

Resources          

http://www.renfaire.com/costume/
 http://www.rdg.ac.uk/globe/         (Globe Theater
 http://www.britannia.com/travel/globefacts.html   (Globe Theater)
 http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/         (Shakespeare's life)
 http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/schools/springfield/eliz/hairstyles.html   (hairstyles)
 http://www.libby.org/~eurimc2/eliza.htm     (Elizabethan Period links)
 http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/home.htm  (Globe Theater)
 http://www.everreader.com/evaclark.htm         (Stage & Scenery)
 http://www.gananda.k12.ny.us/library/mshslibrary/9th.htm     (Elizabethan period links:  costumes, drama, Queen Elizabeth,
                                                                                                Shakespeare's life, Elizabethan society)
 http://www.ask.com    (Search engine)
 http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/timeline/timeline.htm         (Timeline of Shakespeare's life)
 

        The Process                                   

You have to fill up a whole page for the school newspaper with feature articles, stories, cartoons, a review of the play performed, pictures, coupons, or advertisements that have something to do with the Shakespearean or Elizabethan time period.

1.  Research your information for the feature article.  Print only the things you need.  Take notes from the net whenever possible, instead of printing.
2.  Decide what else you are going to use on your newspaper page and research, draw, or print out those items.
3.  Write neatly, or type out your article.  Make sure you include a "by-line" at the top of your article along with the title.
4.  Layout all your page before pasting.  Then, paste the article on your page, along with your other items to fill up the 11 X 14 page.

Evaluation  (DUE DATE: ________)

You can make a possible 100 on this project by doing the following:

• Good use of space on your page - 10 pts.
• Appropriate Title of the newspaper page - 5 pts.
• Feature article:  Mechanics - 15, Content - 20, Organization - 10, Title - 5, By-line - 5
• Neatness - 10 pts.
• Creativeness - 10 pts.
• Turned in on time - 10 pts.

Conclusion

You will have the opportunity to study William Shakespeare throughout your education.  There is so much interesting information in the history of this time period.  I hope this project has given you some insight into him and his works.