Last year, teachers had to make the most of the less than 60 minutes they were given each day. This year they are taking advantage of the extended amount of time they now have. Science teachers especially felt last year’s time crunch once labs came into play, so this year’s block schedule has offered much benefit.“Now we can introduce a topic in one hour and do the lab in the next,” biology teacher Marcus Sherman said.

Though science teachers are obligated to conduct labs in order to, according to Sherman,“reinforce the material and concepts for studying,” students find them more as enjoyable learning strategies than as work.

Chemistry teacher Bill Lorentz explains that some students become really interested while others avoid work. Whether or not an assignment is perceived as fun depends upon the lab and the student.“Some people are just visual,” junior Katie Estepp said.“Seeing the process helps you understand it.”

It’s typical for science classes to get out of their seats and learn through interaction. But with a subject like English, it is expected for students just press their noses into books and conduct discussions. That may be effective for some forms of literature, but for works such as Shakespeare’s plays, learning takes more than reading and discussion.

“Have we eaten on the insane root that takes the reason prisoner?” Most likely, someone who has hardly touched Shakespeare’s work would find this quote difficult to understand. But what if it were explained that this line is spoken by Banquo of the play “Macbeth” questioning three witches supposedly predicting his future? Recite it aloud in a skeptical tone. Now it should make more sense.

When English teacher Thongthip Duangsawat visited The Globe Theatre in London, England, she realized that having her students simply read Shakespeare was not enough.”I just had an epiphany,” said Duangsawat.”Seeing students at The Globe so enthused, actually wanting to perform Shakespeare just made me think that this is the way to teach it.”

Right after experiencing The Globe Theatre, Duangsawat brought what she learned to her classroom.”It took awhile for them to get used to the idea.” said Duangsawat.”They got participation points for it but hopefully they had fun as well.”

Though it took some time for them to get comfortable with pretending to be fools and villains, students found getting out of their seats a fun activity.

To reassure her students grasp of the plot The Tragedy of Macbeth, Duangsawat had them work with air broadswords to coincide with Act V in the main gym. As students were pressed to execute the lines of the play with full emotion, they charged one another in “battle.”Students afterwards were asked how they felt. “Some actually said that they forgot they were in the gym,” Duangsawat said.

Students in Duangsawat’s class have even been assigned in groups to perform entire acts. Instead of dreading this assignment, the students look forward to their performances. “Shakespeare is the truth,” senior Kariana Jenkins said.”He’s got a way with words.”