Group discussion prompt: the characters and stories from the canterbury tales probably seem vastly different from those you are familiar with in your own life. but are they? don't most people tell stories when they are with other people? when you get home from an outing, you probably tell someone at home about it—where you went, whom you saw, and what happened. these are the fundamentals of storytelling. think about the kinds of stories you have heard from other people. how do stories indicate who people are, what they value, what scares them? points: 20 directions: use the threaded discussion board to begin this activity. be sure to check back regularly to participate in the discussion with your teacher and fellow students.

Activity construct an argument about a topic, theme, or idea that you read about in william shakespeare's romeo and juliet, act ii or act iii. make sure you create a central claim for your argument that is debatable. provide textual evidence from the play to support your argument. here are some ideas for your essay. notice how each topic is focused and specific. you may write about one of these topics or choose your own focused and specific topic: discuss juliet's level of maturity and compare it to romeo's. compare how the two characters react to the events after their marriage, when romeo is banished from verona. discuss the balcony scene. does the knowledge of romeo and juliet's final fate influence the meaning of the balcony scene or the audience's interpretation of it? discuss the characters of tybalt and romeo as they relate to the theme of family and the theme of love. explain how the character of tybalt develops the theme of family and how the character of romeo develops the theme of romantic love. discuss the character of friar laurence. what motivates him to romeo and juliet to defy their parents? part a choose a topic based on what you read in act ii or act iii of romeo and juliet. then write a thesis statement. part b identify two or three short excerpts from the play as textual evidence to support your thesis statement. part c write a 300-word essay arguing the thesis of your analysis. (i mainly need on part b and c)