1. Lisa Rampton Halverson IPT 560: Dr. Rich Winter 2011
Project Blueprint
Lisa Rampton Halverson
IPT 560: Dr. Rich
Winter 2011

2. Purpose
Goal: To help users better understand a text, in this case, the “Quality of Mercy” speech by Portia from The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare.
Audience: Advanced high school or university students of Shakespeare.
The tool, using Flash animation, will help users pay closer attention to patterns and motifs in a text.

3. Approach Technologies:
Flash for animated text activities. In addition, within Flash, the product will include
Video clips for users who want to see the passage acted out
Audio for users who want to hear the passage read
Paradigm: The learning tool will provide an instructional experience that has different layers depending on what the user wants
Some choices will be driven by the design.
Some choices will be user driven.

4. Flow & Function
Flow: a story-board of how users will progress through the learning product
Function: the way different aspects of the program will work when clicked on or through other interactions
See ensuing slides for both flow and function.

5. Layer by Layer: Beneath the Surface of a Literary Text Opening Page
This will be animated, the one which users should click to move forward
Layer by Layer:
Beneath the Surface of a Literary Text
Opening Page
Function: Captures interest. When they click on the gold casket, the users are taken to “Introduction to the Text.”

6. Introduction to the Text
Audio option
The passage itself (with mouse-over options for difficult vocabulary)
Video option
Context/ Plot Summary
Passage (MoV, Act 4, Sc 1):
The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown; His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; But mercy is above this sceptred sway; It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea, consider this, That, in the course of justice, none of us Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy.
Introduction to the Text
Function: Gives reader the text to read, and offers additional options to hear and/or view it. Also offers vocabulary assistance and basic plot summary.

7. Layers/Analysis Splash Page
Sometimes from her eyes / I did receive fair speechless messages”
Notice
Exact Repetitions
Strands of Related Repetitions
Binaries (organizing contrasts)
Anomalies
My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!
Salario & Solanio? Wordle w/ strands?
Antonio vs Shylock, or justice vs mercy
Thus ornament is but the guiled shore / To a most dangerous sea
Video clip with passage that could fit the
“notice”
Portia noticed B
exact repetitions
My daughter, my ducats
strands of related repetitions
S & S
binaries
represented by Antonio & Shylock?
anomalies
hath not a Jew feelings?
Layers/Analysis Splash Page
Function: Users may choose between a variety of ways to analyze the text. Each option will feature a video clip (or an image?) of a single line that fits the pattern featured, which plays as the option is clicked/chosen. Once users click into an option, the type of analysis will be explained briefly. Then the passage will appear with highlighting featuring that type of patterning in the text.

8. Analysis: Strands of Related Repetitions
The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown; His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; But mercy is above this sceptred sway; It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea, consider this, That, in the course of justice, none of us Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy.
An audio (textual?) explanation can explain the concept of “strands”
Analysis: Strands of Related Repetitions
Function: After a very brief explanation (audio?) of what “strands of related repetition” are, the text will feature animated highlighting of a couple of different possible strands in the passage. At the end, students must select what they think are the 3 most significant strands, and are then encouraged to write a paragraph about what they have found important.

9. So what? Have students draw conclusions about most interesting/overarching insights.
Function: I just want to include a place for students to write about their more overarching / most interesting insights *** PER IN CLASS DISCUSSION – MAKE ALL WRITING STEPS SHOW ON THIS PAGE ***

10. On Your Own So may the outward shows be least themselves…
students do on their own with a new text
Hath not a Jew eyes? (3.1) DROPS OF BLOOD APPEAR?
Bassanio at caskets (3.2) STRAND WORDS RISE FROM CASKET?
On Your Own
If you prick us, shall we not bleed?
Function: Here users may choose between two other important passages in The Merchant of Venice. They will then be prompted to use the steps of analysis covered before, though without all the highlighting provided them.