“Murder, Love, Poison, and a Prince”
Exploring Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Prefatory Statement
Shakespeare has long been present in high school English classrooms. Many question its relevance to today’s students: can a teenager who creates their own movies, spends hours on Facebook, and organizes Halo parties, truly connect with the language that English scholars for generations held in the highest of esteem? Additionally, the circumstances of Shakespeare’s plays are so far removed from modern life that it sometimes seems silly for teachers to expect their students connect with the antiquated situations and language.
Or is it? The argument against this begins with the belief that some aspects of the human experience are universal, and that these universal elements are just as well viewed through Shakespeare as through any other literary text. Shakespeare’s works, including Hamlet, concern themselves with love, hate, betrayal, triumph, tragedy, revenge, and a host of other emotions and experiences that are universal in nature. Additionally, in a world where people are increasingly being required to work with diverse populations, it is very important for young adults to gain the ability to see the world from perspectives very different than their own. Teaching perspective through Hamlet is one way to foster this ability in students.
Additionally, Shakespearean language has the added benefit of forcing students to read critically and carefully. The ability and willingness to approach texts in this matter is very important to their future. Citizens today are quite literally bombarded by information. It is impossible to escape media and its messages. It is imperative that students learn to read texts for what they are – socially situated, variable in meaning, created by complex individuals or groups, and able to be deconstructed. Students will turn their new-found critical lenses on themselves, examining their own assumptions and their ways of being in the world.
Individuals who have these skills have always been valuable to society. They make informed decisions about voting, purchasing, and living. They examine values that they hold themselves and values that societies seem to hold. Another benefit that comes from teaching Hamlet is that the play intensely examines moral and philosophical values that help to form the backbone of social discourse in this country and in others. Hamlet can help empower students by giving them knowledge of this discourse. And empowering students is, of course, what education is all about.
This particular unit is designed to be used with the original Hamlet text, yet uses many contemporary teaching strategies. The individual, small-group, and large-group activities that are included in the unit offer many different ways for the students to engage with the play. In this unit, students read, write, discuss, debate, act, research, and complete a WebQuest as a final assessment. The unit requires students to develop their understanding of language by reading and discussing the play’s text in a variety of settings. Students must respond personally to the text and connect the themes and events in Hamlet to their own lives and to modern life in general. Students are required to develop their own artistic interpretations of the text by performing skits and/or soliloquies. Through the guided application of critical lenses, students are encouraged to examine both the social values of the Elizabethan age and those of today. The play lends itself to rich discussions of ethnicity, gender, and class, allowing a teacher to support the views of all his/her students provided the classroom is a safe one.
Class Specification
Hamlet is generally considered one of Shakespeare’s more difficult plays to understand, and as such I believe this unit should be used in an 11th or 12th grade classroom. Older students will be better able to process and relate to the numerous and complex issues present in the play. Similarly, older students will be better able to apply critical lenses in order to enrich their understanding of Hamlet.
This unit is (fairly) rigorously paced, and, as such, may be more enjoyable for a post-secondary preparation classroom such as an Advanced Placement English or College in the Schools classroom. However, the unit could be truncated or expanded in order to fit the needs of individual classrooms, especially regarding lessons on critical perspectives. At a teacher’s discretion, a certain lesson that originally was slated to take one class period could be expanded into two or deleted from the plan completely.
Due to the amount of time that this unit dedicates to the discussion and analysis of gender and class issues, “Murder, Love, Poison and a Prince” could be used with many types of students. It is true that, at first glance, Hamlet seems to present to many students an exclusively upper-class white male view of the world, in addition to one that seems to bear little relevance to modern life. However, I believe that the acts of questioning this view and presenting alternative views of Hamlet’s world, as well as examining the universality of the themes presented in Hamlet, would make the play accessible to a wide variety of students. Furthermore, teachers could easily alter the focus of a particular lesson to contain questions and themes that would be more relevant to their particular students. Later in this summary I will include a weekly breakdown of unit activities, and in this section I will indicate areas that lend themselves to such expansion.
Significant Assumptions
The basic assumptions I held while designing this unit concerned classroom culture, available resources, student engagement with literature, and students’ prior knowledge.
This unit does not include many community-building activities and requires students to already be comfortable working individually, with partners, and in groups both large and small. A teacher who has not established a classroom culture of trust, cooperation, discussion, and engagement will have difficulty with this unit, as there are many activities that require the students to work efficiently with their peers. The foundations of good classroom discussion must have already been laid, and students should feel as comfortable as possible sharing ideas about complicated and often controversial issues, such as gender roles, in a variety of settings. Additionally, the teacher should be able to trust the students to be able to stay on-task during discussions and activities that do not involve the entire class.
This unit assumes that the teacher will have access to technology. A computer lab with internet access will be necessary for the final assessment, which is a WebQuest. The students’ understanding of the play will be enhanced by viewing and discussing film versions of the play, so a television with a DVD/VCR player will be necessary. A projector or Smartboard would allow students to view other renditions of Hamlet through sites such as YouTube. Finally, this unit assumes that the teacher will have access to a large space such as an auditorium in order to enhance the students’ experiments with acting. However, if necessary, this activity could be carried out in a smaller space, such as a classroom.
Students are assumed to have had some exposure to Shakespeare in their past language arts education, for much of the unit seeks to establish comprehension of the issues and does not allocate much time to comprehension of the language. Although time could be made in the unit for the review of literary concepts, students are expected to have knowledge of concepts such as plot, protagonist, antagonist, metaphor, double entendre, and others. Additionally, students are assumed to have previously learned about literary criticism to the degree that they can, with some guidance, think about texts from specific critical perspectives. Reader-response is somewhat integrated into the unit as a whole, and specific lessons ask the students to examine Hamlet using Marxist and feminist lenses. Finally, the students would benefit if a peer-to-peer journaling system had already been established (further description is found on a handout attached to this document).
Finally, guiding the design of the whole unit is the belief that acting out drama lends to the understanding of it, and that students understand literature best when they are able to engage it socially. Lev Vygotsky supported the latter assumption, stating that humans learn new skills best in a social context (Mind in Society, 57). This implies two stipulations for the classroom. First, students should be able to use the classroom “society,” their peers and the teacher, as resources for understanding and challenging texts. Second, students should consider texts in terms of larger social relevance, not just in terms of a few isolated events and characters. These criteria will encourage students to think about Hamlet as a work that has relevance beyond the classroom, which brings us to a final assumption: that we teach literature not only to support the development of skills but the development of informed perspectives within our students.
Desired Outcomes, Standards, and Objectives to be Met
This unit is designed around the Minnesota Department of Education Language Arts Standards for grades 9-12. These standards and further resources can be accessed at:
http://www.education.state.mn.us/MDE/Academic_Excellence/Academic_Standards/Language_Arts/index.html
The overarching standards for “Murder, Love, Poison, and a Prince” are:
MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12
I. Reading and Writing
D. Literature
2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature.
13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect.
14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections
The overall objective of the play is to have students demonstrate their knowledge of the play, its plot, themes, characters, and arguments. However, in order to achieve this objective, students must first understand basics like language, plot, character motivation, historical context, and themes – these form the first objective. The second objective is to build further understanding, that is, understanding within certain frameworks. This objective includes the use of reader-response, Marxism, and feminism. The goal is to encourage students to connect what Hamlet offers to issues that affect their lives and society in general, to introduce them to concepts of great complexity, and to develop their ability to engage in formal operational thinking.
By the end of the unit, students should have learned about these specific concepts:
Possible Whole-Class Activities
Possible Small-Group Activities
Possible Individual Activities
Ongoing Activities (criteria outlined in attached handouts)
Optional Ongoing Activities
Resources Needed by Students
Supporting Materials for Teachers
Websites
http://www.shakespearehigh.com/cafeteria/ - a web forum on all of Shakespeare’s plays.
http://www.youtube.com – great for finding many different renditions of the play, some excellent, and some more ridiculous.
http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/works/work167.html# - site for Hamlet in PBS Television’s In Search of Shakespeare series. A valuable resource, but be aware that some of the clips posted on the site are rated NC-17.
http://www.boyntoncook.com/shared/onlineresources/E00645/chapter3.pdf - great article by Mary Jenell Metzger on the place of Hamlet in the modern English classroom.
http://www.folger.edu/template.cfm?cid=2782 – contains many resources for Hamlet, including additional lesson plans and Podcasts that discuss the historical context of Hamlet.
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/ham/hamtg.html - list of additional activities
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-relativism/ - explanation of moral relativism
http://www.iep.utm.edu/r/relativi.htm - on relativism in general
http://www.worldliteraturepodcasting.com/hamlet.php - Podcasts about women and Hamlet.
http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/1102355 - “The Women Who have Played Hamlet,” voice of Anthony Howard. Lengthy podcast about casting women in the role of Prince Hamlet.
Books and Articles. Articles were located on the JSTOR database.
Grades: Grading “Murder, Love, Poison, and a Prince” is a bit complicated. An A-F system is the most commonly used form of grading, and this is what this unit employs. Points are used to determine grades for the most part. Participation points are used for in-class discussions; teachers will have an additional tool for assessing participation by using writing in discussions. Note that “participation” doesn’t require students to have read, because the discussion should not necessarily be about the text itself, but about the issues and questions raised by the play. The peer-to-peer journals should be where the students demonstrate that they have indeed read the play, and ideally every PTP journal should be assessed at least once throughout the unit and also at the unit’s end. See attached handouts and task guides for more information.
Credit for completion and depth of content is given for the illustrations and for the peer-to-peer journals. The first two rounds of skits are graded by use of a self-assessment. Rubrics are used for the WebQuest for the final round of skits and soliloquies.
An overall unit grade will be reached by use of point totals, the breakdown of which may look like this:
WEEKLY GUIDE
Lesson plans for each individual day are attached.
Week 1: Students will begin the unit with an introductory activity and then move on to reading the play. Students will be expected to return their peer-to-peer journal to the designated “swapping area” before class begins each day. For the first few days of the unit, students should be given opportunities to read through the play aloud in class for practice, if necessary. Students should have read through Act II, Scene 2 by the end of the week. Aside from introductory activities and read-alouds, activities for Week 1 could include Socratic questioning, Say Something, silent reading, lecture, analyzing a video clip (remember to get parent/guardian permission) and illustrating the play.
Note: start the peer-to-peer dialogue journals on the second day of the unit.
Discussion Questions: Use these as a basis to develop questions that will allow students to connect the themes in Hamlet to ones they encounter in daily life.
Introductory Activity:
Other Questions Include:
Week 2: Students will read through Act IV, Scene 4. Activities for week 2 include discussion, the creation and presentation of group Soliloquy guides, Fish Bowl discussion, a Popcorn discussion, performance of skits, a Say Something activity, and a quiz.
Discussion Questions
Week 3: In the third week, students will read through the rest of the play. Activities include small, Fish Bowl, partnered, and large group discussions; examining the character Ophelia; critiquing the play using Marxist and feminist lenses, and a performance by the teacher.
Discussion Questions
Week 4: Students will spend one day the first two days of the week developing and performing skits or soliloquies of their choosing. The final three days of the unit, which would also include a weekend, will be spent on the final assessment, a WebQuest.
Discussion Questions:
Exploring Shakespeare’s Hamlet: Murder, Love, Poison and a Prince
Day 1: Hamlet Unit
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Introduction Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Basic themes and plot of Hamlet. 2. Tips for reading Shakespeare. 3. Significance of Hamlet.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What issues does each scene pose? 2. Since all these scenes are from the play, what do you predict the play will be about? 3. Is Hamlet still influential today? What do you know about the play? 4. Is Hamlet important? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read and perform short skits (reworked language from the play) in order to introduce them to the work. 2. Analyze the skits for content and themes. 3. Make predictions about the text. 4. Discuss the modern day importance of Hamlet.
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Acting |
Other Evidence: 1. Discussion |
Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Skits 2. Space enough to work (maybe use a common area if one exists). 3. Hamlet texts to be distributed. Learning Activities: Introduction (less than 5 minutes): Introduce students to skits and the plan for the day. - Put the students into groups. - Give them time and space to work. Work Time (20 minutes): Students will be working on their skits so they can perform them in-class. Occasionally inform them of the time and make sure they are all on-task. Performances (15 minutes): Remind students that they must move quickly. Have students perform each skit. Include very brief discussion in between skits. Discussion (5 minutes): Introduce Hamlet and briefly discuss Essential Questions. Assign Act I, Scenes 1-2 for tomorrow. Direct them to take notes on words, phrases, and events they don’t understand. Have students pick up a book on the way out of class (record numbers tomorrow).
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Day 2
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Act I, Scenes 1-2 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet selection. 2. Main themes and issues in the selection. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What’s going on in this selection? 2. What happened before the play began? 3. What are your impressions of the characters? 4. What are your impressions of Hamlet? 5. Why is the language so dense? What can we do to make it easier? Would it have the same effect if it were written like yesterday’s skits were? What were some excerpts that you liked/disliked? 6. Are the King and Queen guilty, do you think? Why? 7. Is Hamlet paranoid? 8. Was the Queen just fulfilling her duty to her country? 9. What does a “normal” court look like, anyway?
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Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selection of Hamlet aloud with class. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading aloud. 2. Discussion. |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes |
Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. Learning Activities: Introduction (5 minutes): Have students record the number of their book on a sheet. Ask students about their reaction to the beginning of the play and about any questions they may have. Ask if they recognized the scene from the skit. Reading Aloud (10-15 minutes): Have students read Act I, Scenes 1-2 aloud in class. Ask students to stop and ask for clarification if needed. Pause for paraphrasing if necessary. Participate as well to model pronunciation and tone. Socratic Questioning (20+ minutes): Refer to Essential Questions, etc. Assignment: Act I Scenes 3-5. Students should take notes as they did before.
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Day 3
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Act I, Scenes 3-5 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet selection. 2. Main themes and issues in the selection. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Use of language to form imagery and setting. |
Essential Question(s): 1. What is happening in this selection? 2. Do you notice any themes emerging? 3. What more do you know about the characters, especially Hamlet? 4. What do you think of Horatio? What is his purpose? 5. Can Hamlet trust the ghost? 6. What is Ophelia’s problem? What do you think Shakespeare thought about this? 7. What does Elsinore look like? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selection of Hamlet aloud with class. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. 5. Create a simple drawing of a setting from a scene. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading aloud. 2. Discussion. 3. Drawing |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes |
Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books, paper and colored pencils. 2. Directions for illustrations on the board (should remain there for the rest of the unit). Learning Activities: Introduction (5 minutes): Ask students about their reaction to the reading. Were any questions cleared up? Do they have new questions, impressions, or predictions? Reading Silently (10-15 minutes): Have selected potential problem areas in the text (figurative language, soliloquies, long speeches) and have the students re-read them one at a time. Ask them to describe the meaning of the passages using language and context cues after each passage. Ask students to summarize what happened in the reading after re-reading is complete. Socratic Questioning (10-15 minutes): Refer to Essential Questions. Visualizing the Setting (10-15 minutes): Have students pick a specific setting and create an illustration of that setting using the rest of class time. Due tomorrow. When illustrations are finished, they should be displayed somewhere in the room so students can refer back to them. - On the back of their illustration, students should write at least three quotes from the text that informed their visualization of the setting. - Also on the back of their illustration, students should write at least one non-visual sensory detail that they would associate with a setting such as the one they drew. For example, if Ophelia, Laertes, and Polonius were meeting in a harbor, a sensory detail may be “smells strongly of fish.” Assignment: Finish illustration (send materials home with those who need them). Read Act II, Scene I. |
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Day 4
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Act II, Scenes 1-2 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections . |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet selection. 2. Main themes and issues in the selection. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What is happening in this selection? 2. Do you notice any themes emerging? 3. What more do you know about the characters, especially Hamlet? 4. Examine the comedic relief. Is it effective? Is it all funny? 5. What does Hamlet seem to believe about life? Why might he believe this? Ask the students about the sources of their own beliefs and compare them to Hamlet’s. 6. What does Hamlet seem to believe about experience and the mind? 7. What is relativism? What is moral relativism versus epistemological relativism? What is your opinion on its hypotheses? Is this what Hamlet believes? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selection of Hamlet aloud with partner. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. 5. Discuss and respond to a philosophical concept in relation to Hamlet. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading aloud. 2. Discussion. |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes 2. Worksheets (collected tomorrow) |
Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. 2. Worksheet containing Essential Questions. Learning Activities: Introduction (5 minutes): Turn in illustrations. Ask students about their reaction to the reading. Were any questions cleared up? Do they have new questions, impressions, or predictions? Reading as a Class (10 minutes): Have students select problem areas in the text (figurative language, soliloquies, long speeches) and have the students re-read them one at a time. Ask them to describe the meaning of the passages using language and context cues after each passage. Ask students to summarize what happened in the reading after re-reading is complete. Say Something (25 minutes): Students pick a partner. Read through Act II, Scene 2 silently, stopping at designated stopping points to make a comment or ask a question of their partner. Lecture – Relativism (5-10 minutes): Introduce students to the concept of relativism and show them where Hamlet seems to be discussing it. Assignment: Hand out worksheet that contains Essential Questions. Have them finish it for tomorrow. Also – look over Scene 2 and find terms that they don’t understand, specifically obscure references. |
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Day 5
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Act II, Scene 2 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections . |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet selection. 2. Main themes and issues in the selection. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Differences between scripting for stage and film.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What is happening in this selection? Have you noticed anything in your further reading? 2. What are your opinions on Hamlet’s actions thus far? 3. What are your opinions on moral and epistemological relativism? 4. Did watching the film improve your understanding of the selection? 5. Did the film version differ from your interpretation or visualization of the selection? 6. Are there any inconsistencies between the text and film versions? Why might that be, or not be? What would be some causes of such inconsistencies between stage and film versions? Have you seen other examples of this type of discrepancy? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Watch and respond to a video clip of a performance of Hamlet Act II, Scene 2 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. 5. Discuss and respond to a philosophical concept in relation to Hamlet.
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading aloud. 2. Discussion. |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes |
Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. 2. DVD player and projector. Learning Activities: Introduction (5 - 10 minutes): Collect worksheets. Ask Essential Questions 1 – 3. Discuss unfamiliar terms that students noticed in their re-reading last night and how knowledge of these terms affects their understanding. Film (10-20 minutes): Have students watch film. Discussion (5-10 minutes): Essential Questions 4 - 6. Work time until end of class: Students can choose to read the assignment for the weekend (Act III Scenes 1-2) alone or with a partner (out loud or Say Something). Students can also choose to finish up the illustration and the worksheet, if they have not already done so. |
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Day 6
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Act III, Scenes 1-2 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections . |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet selection. 2. Main themes and issues in the selection. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Purpose and effectiveness of soliloquies.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What is happening in this selection? - “Get thee to a nunnery.” 2. Do you notice any themes emerging or being further developed? - Hamlet’s sanity, treatment of Ophelia, death 3. What more do you know about the characters, especially Hamlet? 4. What are the functions of Hamlet’s soliloquies? 5. What are the themes expressed in the soliloquies? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selection of Hamlet with class. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. 5. Analyze function and effectiveness of soliloquies in Hamlet. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading aloud. 2. Discussion. 3. Presentations. |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes 2. Poster |
Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. 2. Poster paper and markers. Learning Activities: Introduction (5 - 10 minutes): Ask students to summarize play thus far. Reading and Discussion (10-15 minutes): Review selected areas of reading that are problematic for students. Discuss soliloquies – their function, realism, common themes. (Essential Questions) Group Soliloquy Guides (20 - 30 minutes): Split students into groups by counting them off. Give them each poster paper and markers. Have them select a soliloquy from anywhere in the play thus far and analyze that soliloquy for function and content. Have them create a “soliloquy guide” that will be placed on the wall: Act/Scene, page number, a quote from the soliloquy, and list of significant ideas presented in the soliloquy. Students will present them either this day or the next (including providing context and reading the soliloquy). Everyone must contribute – have them list their contributions next to their names on the back of the poster (if there are arguments over contributions, bring them to me promptly). MUST be done by the end of the hour at the latest! Soliloquy Guide Presentations (10 minutes if left): Students present their soliloquy guides at the front of the room. Students should state the Act/Scene, page number, the context, and the significant ideas from the soliloquy. One group member would then perform the soliloquy. Assignment: Review “The Mouse Trap,” Act III Scene 2, and read Scenes 3 – 5 for tomorrow. |
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Day 7
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Act III, Scenes 2 - 4 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet selection. 2. Main themes and issues in the selection. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Purpose and effectiveness of soliloquies. 6. Unique properties of Hamlet as a tale of revenge.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What is happening in this selection? 2. Do you notice any themes emerging or being further developed? - Hamlet’s sanity, treatment of Ophelia, death, murder, guilt, revenge… 3. What more do you know about the characters, especially Hamlet? Emotional reactions? 4. What is Hamlet saying to the player? Shakespeare’s joke? What is he saying about the function of drama? Is Hamlet doing that for you? 5. What is Hamlet doing with Ophelia? 6. What happened with Polonius? Good, bad, neither? Is there evidence that Hamlet feels remorse for this? 7. What’s the queen’s role in all this? 8. Did the ghost really return? 9. What differs between Hamlet and most revenge tales? What does this have to do with what we’ve discussed already? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selections of Hamlet with class. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. 5. Discuss and respond to the function and effectiveness of soliloquies in Hamlet. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading aloud. 2. Discussion. 3. Presentations. |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes 2. Posters |
Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. 2. Students posters (completed yesterday) Learning Activities: Soliloquy Guide Presentations (10-20 minutes): Finish presentations. Display guides somewhere in the room for reference. Fish Bowl Discussion (20-30 minutes): As a class, discuss the reading and review difficult parts briefly. Focus on Essential Questions. Make sure that student’s observations and opinions are informed by the text. |
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Day 8
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Mid-Unit Review, Day 1 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet thus far. 2. Main themes and issues in the play. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Purpose and effectiveness of soliloquies. 6. Unique properties of Hamlet as a tale of revenge. 7. Development of characters. |
Essential Question(s): 1. What has happened in the play thus far? 2. What themes are present, and how have they been introduced and developed? What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the play? 3. How have the main characters changed throughout the play thus far, especially Hamlet? 4. Discuss the use of language. How is language used to set tone, develop setting, and introduce themes? 5. How have relationships between characters changed? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selections of Hamlet with class. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. 5. Discuss and respond to the function and effectiveness of soliloquies in Hamlet. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Guided writing. 2. Small group discussion. 3. Large group discussion. |
Other Evidence: 1. Teacher observation. |
Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Students must have writing material. 2. Previously selected examples of figurative language from Hamlet.
Learning Activities: Small Group Discussion (5 minutes): What has happened in the play thus far? Guided Writing (10 minutes): Present Essential Questions 2-5 to the students. Give them ten minutes to write, in list form, answers to the questions. Small Group Discussion (10 minutes): In their groups, have students share their lists and add to them as they share ideas. After about 6-7 minutes, have students switch seats randomly, leaving their papers behind. At their new seat, give them a few minutes to read the list and either (1) add something to the list, (2) ask a question, or (3) make an observation. Small Group Discussion (5 minutes): Have students return to their original seats and read over their peers’ responses. They may briefly discuss these with their small group. Large Group Discussion (15 minutes): Discuss questions 2-5. If the class has a webforum, use that for further review and discussion. |
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Day 9
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Mid-Unit Review, Day 2 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet thus far. 2. Main themes and issues in the play. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Purpose and effectiveness of soliloquies. 6. Unique properties of Hamlet as a tale of revenge. 7. Development of characters.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What has happened in the play thus far? 2. What themes are present, and how have they been introduced and developed? What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the play? 3. How have the main characters changed throughout the play thus far, especially Hamlet? 4. Discuss the use of language. How is language used to set tone, develop setting, and introduce themes? 5. How have relationships between characters changed? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selections of Hamlet with class. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. 5. Discuss and respond to the function and effectiveness of soliloquies in Hamlet. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading in groups. 2. Discussion. 3. Skits. |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. 2. Space to perform (be in auditorium if possible) 3. Handout with Essential Questions. Students will use these to guide them while working on skits, and also for a study guide. Learning Activities: Introduction (5 minutes): Discuss quiz tomorrow (essay). Will be open-book. Review for today will be in the form of skits. Students will choose one of the selected passages to discuss, describe, and perform. Skit Discussion and Practice (20 minutes): Break students into groups and assign them a selection from Hamlet thus far. Not every student has to perform the script, but they do have to be in the skit: students can be extras, sound effects, props, etc. They have to provide context before performing their skit, including: - What’s happening in the selection - The themes present in the selection - Characters in terms of development and relationships - Interesting language Skit Performance (20 minutes): If every group is not able to perform, they will be allowed to do so before the quiz tomorrow. Assignment: Study for quiz. |
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Day 10
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Mid-Unit Quiz; Act IV, Scenes 1-4 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet selection. 2. Main themes and issues in the selection as related to the rest of the play. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Development of characters.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What’s happening in this selection? 2. What themes are present, and how have they been introduced and developed? What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the selection? 3. How have the main characters developed in this selection, especially Hamlet? 4. Discuss the use of language. How is language used to set tone, develop setting, and introduce themes? 5. How have relationships between characters changed? 6. Any soliloquies? What’s presented there? 7. What is causing Hamlet’s indecisiveness? Why won’t he just off the guy? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selections of Hamlet with partner. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. 5. Complete an essay test on Hamlet. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading in groups. 2. Discussion. 3. Quiz |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. Learning Activities: Introduction (5-10 minutes): Finish up any skits from yesterday. Quick question-answer session before quiz. Discuss normal quiz procedure; give supplies to those who need them. Mid-Unit Quiz (20-25 minutes): Have students turn them in when finished. Say Something (15 minutes): Read through Act IV, Scenes 1-4 with partner through Say Something. Put Essential Questions on the board for students’ reference. The teacher should wander the room in order to monitor student’s progress. Assignment: Finish Act IV, Scenes 1-4 if necessary; read Act IV, Scenes 5. |
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Day 11
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Act IV Scenes 1-5 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet selection. 2. Main themes and issues in the selection as related to the rest of the play. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Development of characters.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What’s happening in this selection? 2. What themes are present, and how have they been introduced and developed? What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the selection? 3. How have the main characters developed in this selection, especially Hamlet? 4. Discuss the use of language. How is language used to set tone, develop setting, and introduce themes? 5. How have relationships between characters changed? 6. Any soliloquies? What’s presented there? 7. What is causing Hamlet’s indecisiveness? Why won’t he just off the guy? 8. Why is Ophelia insane? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selections of Hamlet with partner. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading as a class. 2. Discussion. |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. Learning Activities: Introduction (15 minutes): Discuss quiz and yesterday’s reading. Have students help each other over “rough spots” if possible. Small Group Discussion (20 minutes): Discuss Essential Questions (have them on the board as guidelines). Also, closely examine Hamlet’s character development. What have we seen thus far? Compare how you first saw him to how you see him now. Is he a murderer? Is he crazy? Can you condone his actions to any extent? Large Group Discussion (10 minutes): Have the small groups share their discussions, opinions, and conclusions. Discuss Ophelia’s insanity; introduce a feminist perspective. Did she go crazy because she had lost all the men in her life, or did she go crazy because crazy men controlled her life? Both? Assignment: Read Act IV, Scene 6-7; Act V, Scene 1 |
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Day 12
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Act IV Scenes 6-7 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet selection. 2. Main themes and issues in the selection as related to the rest of the play. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Development of characters. 6. Feminist interpretation of Ophelia’s death.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What’s happening in this selection? 2. What themes are present, and how have they been introduced and developed? What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the selection? 3. How have the main characters developed in this selection, especially Hamlet? 4. Discuss the use of language. How is language used to set tone, develop setting, and introduce themes? 5. Why did Ophelia kill herself? 6. How can we view Ophelia’s suicide in terms of Hamlet’s “To Be” soliloquy, and others? 7. Who do you think is the most immoral character? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Read through selections of Hamlet with group and class. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Make informed predictions about plot. 5. Read and discuss an article examining Ophelia’s suicide from a feminist perspective. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading as a group. 2. Discussion in Fish Bowl. |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. Learning Activities: Introduction (15 minutes): Briefly listen to students reactions to the reading. Briefly touch on what happened, just enough to jog students’ memories. Discuss feminist criticism (may help to briefly introduce other forms of literary criticism for contrast). Hand out article on Ophelia’s suicide. Silent Reading (10 minutes): Students will read article and take notes if desired. Fish Bowl (25 minutes): Students will discuss the merits of the article’s argument and the Essential Questions. Assignment: Finish the play! |
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Day 13
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Act V Scene 2 Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet. 2. Main themes and issues in the play. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Development of characters. 6. Feminist interpretation events.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What’s happening in this selection? 2. What themes are present, and how have they been introduced and developed? What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the selection? 3. How have the main characters developed in this selection, especially Hamlet? 4. Discuss the use of language. How is language used to set tone, develop setting, and introduce themes? 5. Are the different themes, and the questions posed by their presence, brought to a conclusion? 6. Are you satisfied with the ending? 7. How did Hamlet react to the death of Ophelia? Does this make sense? Did he love her, or not? 8. What are Hamlet’s views on life and death at this point? How has he come to this view? 9. Is Laertes justified in blaming Hamlet for all of his tragedies? 10. What was Hamlet’s “fatal flaw”? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Demonstrate ability to read through selection of Hamlet with group and class. 2. Analyze and critique plot devices, characters, events, language, and their effectiveness. 3. Form opinions and responses to the text. 4. Draw connections from Hamlet to other works of literature and real-world events.
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading as a group. |
Other Evidence: 1. Notes
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Desks, classroom, books. 2. Skull (maybe obtained from science teacher), spotlights, costume. Learning Activities: Introduction (10 minutes): Teacher performs Hamlet’s Yorick speech, preferably with a skull. Discuss the points of this speech. What are the points Hamlet makes in this speech? (Why act? Why not act?) How does it illustrate his beliefs about life and death, and what are those beliefs? Partnered Discussion (10 minutes): Discuss with a partner or two the end of the play. Provide Essential Questions as discussion prompts. Partnered Discussion (10 minutes): Switch partners and discuss the same points. Large Group Discussion (15 minutes): Discuss essential questions. Go over tomorrow’s activities (performances). |
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Day 14
Lesson Topic: Hamlet from a Marxist Lens Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet. 2. Main themes and issues in the play. 3. Ideas and events presented in Hamlet as viewed through a Marxist critical lens.
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Essential Question(s): 1. Who has power in Hamlet? What kind of power? How do we determine this? 2. Examine relationships within the play. In each binary relationship, who holds the power? Why? Are there groups within Hamlet’s society, and which groups hold power? 3. Can these power relationships change? 4. Does the power that characters hold (or do not hold) affect their decisions? 5. How does this knowledge affect your interpretation of the play? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the main issues in Hamlet (character development, themes, action). 2. Demonstrate moderate ability to analyze play from Marxist lens.
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading as a group. 2. Analyzing text as a group. 3. Reflective writing. |
Other Evidence: 1. Teacher observation
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Marxist lens guide (will have been introduced previously; used as a reminder now) 2. Previously chosen selections from Hamlet to use with discussion. Learning Activities: Introduction (5 minutes): Review Marxism Guided Discussion (25 minutes): Ask students to read selected text and consider the basic Essential Questions while doing so. Ask them to write their personal opinions down on paper, and then discuss those ideas in a small group. Students should switch groups often. Consider having students leave their written ideas at their desks/tables for other students to read and discuss. Large Group Discussion (10 minutes): Bring the whole class together and allow them to share the ideas from the guided discussion exercises. Reflection (5 minutes): Ask students to write and turn in a short paragraph answering the final Essential Question. |
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Day 15
Lesson Topic: Hamlet from a feminist lens Grade Level: 11
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet. 2. Main themes and issues in the play. 3. Ideas and events presented in Hamlet as viewed through a feminist critical lens.
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Essential Question(s): 1. How are men portrayed in Hamlet? 2. How are women portrayed? 3. Does one gender have more power in Hamlet’s world? How do we know this? Does this result in the oppression of one gender? 4. What male actions could be interpreted as oppressive? Can you argue against this interpretation? 5. What did Shakespeare think about women, as evidenced in the play? Alternate interpretations? 6. Do these views change your impression of the play overall? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the main issues in Hamlet (character development, themes, action). 2. Demonstrate moderate ability to analyze play from a feminist lens. |
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading as a group. 2. Analyzing text as a group. 3. Reflective writing. |
Other Evidence: 1. Teacher Observation
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Feminist lens guide (will have been introduced previously; used as a reminder now) 2. Previously chosen selections from Hamlet to use with discussion. Learning Activities: Introduction (5 minutes): Review feminism Guided Discussion (25 minutes): Ask students to read selected text and consider the basic Essential Questions while doing so. Ask them to write their personal opinions down on paper, and then discuss those ideas in a small group. Students should switch groups often. Consider having students leave their written ideas at their desks/tables for other students to read and discuss. Large Group Discussion (10 minutes): Bring the whole class together and allow them to share the ideas from the guided discussion exercises. Reflection (5 minutes): Ask students to write and turn in a short paragraph answering the final Essential Question. |
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Day 16
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Performances Grade Level: 11
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet. 2. Main themes and issues in the play. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Development of characters. 6. How language guides the action on stage.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What’s happening in this selection? 2. What themes are present, and how have they been introduced and developed? What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the selection? Think about the discussions we had about Hamlet, Marxism, and feminism. 3. How have the main characters developed in this selection, especially Hamlet? 4. Discuss the use of language. How is language used to set tone, develop setting, and introduce themes? 5. How do you make all these factors apparent in your acting? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the main issues in Hamlet (character development, themes, action). 2. Demonstrate ability to build action on stage from clues in Shakespeare’s dialogue.
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Reading as a group. 2. Analyzing text as a group. 3. Planning and conducting performance. |
Other Evidence: 1. Teacher observation
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Performance area 2. Props, if available Learning Activities: Introduction (10 minutes): Go over guidelines for performances: - Does not have to be memorized, but try. - Will be performed tomorrow. - If you don’t want to be in group, pick a soliloquy. - Not “graded,” but you have to do it J - Organize groups/soliloquies. Give them a few minutes to decide which part of the play they will be performing, then go about the room or auditorium and record which groups are performing which parts. Practice Time (35 minutes): Allow students to work. The teacher should circulate the groups in case the students need assistance. Assignment: Practice if needed. |
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Day 17
Lesson Topic: Hamlet Performances Grade Level: 11
Length of lesson: 45 Minutes
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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Content Standards: MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections. |
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Students will understand: 1. Plot of Hamlet. 2. Main themes and issues in the play. 3. Difficulties and purpose behind Shakespeare’s language. 4. Use of figurative language. 5. Development of characters. 6. How language guides the action on stage.
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Essential Question(s): 1. What’s happening in this selection? 2. What themes are present, and how have they been introduced and developed? What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the selection? Think about the discussions we had about Hamlet, Marxism, and feminism. 3. How have the main characters developed in this selection, especially Hamlet? 4. Discuss the use of language. How is language used to set tone, develop setting, and introduce themes? 5. What seemed to be effective in portraying all of the above issues in the skits? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the main issues in Hamlet (character development, themes, action). 2. Demonstrate ability to build action on stage from clues in Shakespeare’s dialogue.
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Perform a selection from Hamlet. |
Other Evidence: 1. Teacher observation 2. Student feedback
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials: 1. Performance area 2. Props, if available Learning Activities: Introduction (15 minutes): Review guidelines for performances: - Does not have to be memorized, but try. - Will be performed tomorrow. - If you don’t want to be in group, pick a soliloquy. - Not “graded,” but you have to do it J - Allow for practice time, as much as possible. Performances (35 minutes): Review how respectful audiences behave before beginning. Assignment: None. Final assessment begins tomorrow! |
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Day 18
Lesson Topic: The Ghost of Hamlet Grade Level:11
Length of lesson: _About 3 Days
Stage 1 – Desired Results |
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MN Department of Language Standard(s): 9 – 12 I. Reading and Writing D. Literature 2. Read, analyze and evaluate traditional, classical, and contemporary works of literary merit from British literature. 13. Read, analyze, and critique dramatic selections by comparing and contrasting ways in which character, scene, dialogue, and staging contribute to the theme and the dramatic effect. 14. Respond to literature using ideas and details from the text to support reactions and make literary connections.
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Students will understand: 1. How the human experiences of indecision, morality, revenge, duty, betrayal, and death are presented in the play. 2. How different philosophical arguments are presented in Hamlet. 3. How different schools of literary criticism view events in the play.
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Essential Question(s): 1. How have the following themes been introduced and developed? Are the different themes, and the questions posed by their presence, brought to a conclusion? Examples (refer to the rubric for grading guidelines): - Indecisiveness. What accounts for Hamlet’s continued indecisiveness throughout the play? - Life and death. How does Hamlet view life and death throughout the play, and why? - Morality. How do the characters in Hamlet make decisions regarding ethics? - Other themes: revenge, betrayal 2. What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the play? 3. How have the main characters developed in the play, especially Hamlet? How did their relationships change? |
Student objectives – students will: 1. Demonstrate their knowledge of the play, its plot, themes, characters, and arguments.
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Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence |
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Performance Task(s): 1. Webquest – research 2. Webquest task completion
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Other Evidence: 1. Webquest feedback for continuous improvement |
Stage 3 – Learning Plan |
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Materials and Learning Activities:
Materials: 1. Computer with internet access and printer 2. Paper and writing utensil for taking notes 3. Previously recorded notes on Hamlet.
Learning Activities: 1. Webquest Task: The ghost of the long-dead Prince Hamlet has been wandering the world for centuries. His soul is troubled; until he can fully understand the circumstances surrounding his death, his spirit will be doomed to walk the earth for all eternity! Fortunately for him, there exist a few individuals who know his story and circumstances well. The Ghost of Hamlet has decided that you have the necessary insight to help him interpret his story.
Task: Write a 1-2 page report on each of Hamlet’s requests (will be 3-6 pages total, double spaced). He has asked you the following three questions:
1. What factors caused my continued indecisiveness regarding my father’s revenge? In other words, why did I keep changing my mind? 2. How do I view death? 3. How did the perspectives of the people in Elsinore’s court differ from mine?
The Ghost of Hamlet is no less thorough than his living form. He has asked you to find and evaluate information from many sources so that he can be reasonably sure where the truth lies (for once). While you should include in your report information from a variety of sources of your choosing, you should ultimately refer to William Shakespeare’s Hamlet as it is the definitive record of Hamlet’s tragedy. Remember to provide evidence (such as quotes) from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Note: since sources are provided through the WebQuest, students do not need to cite their sources for their paper UNLESS they use additional sources. In that case, students should use a bibliography to identify these additional sources. However, their paper should be as free from punctuation, usage, and grammatical errors as possible.
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The Ghost of Hamlet WebQuest
Rubric for Final Assessment
Category |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3+ |
Questions
Each question will receive an individual rating on this scale. |
Paper presents answers to the questions that identify basic concepts from the WebQuest and class. |
Paper presents more complex answers to the questions and begins to address ambiguity within the play. |
Paper presents complex answers to the questions, addresses multiple interpretations within the play, and mentions many concepts clearly mentioned in the WebQuest sources, classroom discussions, and Hamlet itself. |
In addition to requirements for a 3, influences and information from sources not provided by the WebQuest or class are evident in the writing. |
Writing |
Paper can be read easily. Few grammatical or punctuation errors are present. |
Paper is easily read and contains minimal grammatical or punctuation errors. |
Paper is engaging and contains no grammatical or punctuation errors. |
Paper sparkles with original thinking. Leaves your reader wanting more. |
“Murder, Love, Poison, and a Prince”
Worksheet: Act II, Scenes 1-2; Relativism
Task: Answer the following questions, using a few complete sentences per question. By all means, you may (and should!) refer back to your notes from class, Hamlet itself, and other resources such as dictionaries or the internet to guide your answers.
The goal of this worksheet is to assess your understanding of a few things: Shakespeare’s language, the themes in Hamlet, the relationships between the characters in the play, and the philosophical concepts present in Hamlet.
1. What happens in Act II, Scenes 1-2?
2. What themes do you notice emerging? Look at the dialogue closely!
3. What do you know about Hamlet’s relationship with other characters? Pick one relationship to examine (examples: Hamlet and Gertrude, his mother; Hamlet and Horatio; Hamlet and Ophelia). Describe this relationship.
4. Examine the comedic relief (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern). Is it effective? Did you think it was funny? Why or why not?
5. What does Hamlet seem to believe about life? Why might he believe this? Look at lines 240-386, when Hamlet is speaking to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; also look at Hamlet’s soliloquy at the close of Act II.
6. Do your opinions about life resemble Hamlet’s in any way? Do you disagree with his views at all, and how so?
7. What does Hamlet seem to believe about experience and the mind? See the section in Scene 2 where Hamlet is speaking to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; also examine Hamlet’s soliloquy at the end of the scene.
8. What is relativism? What is moral relativism versus epistemological relativism? What is your opinion on these concepts?
“Murder, Love, Poison, and a Prince”
Peer-to-Peer Journals on Hamlet.
Task: Write about Hamlet to an anonymous classmate in a dialogue journal. You may ask questions or make comments about the play and about what we discuss in class. However, remember – this is where you’re expected to demonstrate that you’ve been reading, so your “conversations” should refer to your reading, and do so often!
You will be writing in your journal every other day, so you will have to exchange journals daily. However, to make sure everyone’s identity remains private, these exchanges are going to be executed like this:
If you wrote in the journal on Monday, you will bring it to class on Tuesday. When you walk in the door, bring it to the “swapping cabinet” and leave it there. At the end of class, your anonymous partner will pick it up, take it home and write, and then bring it to class the next day so you can pick it up again.
Things to remember:
Example Entry:
“12/4/08: I can totally understand why Hamlet is so frustrated with his mother remarrying so quickly. My parents divorced a while ago, and my dad did something similar. It was terrible, and I was really angry. Actually, I still am a bit. But Hamlet’s situation is more complicated, because his father and mother are the King and Queen. Could the Queen have waited any longer? Doesn’t the kingdom need a king? What do you think?”
This person’s partner would respond to their question, and then make a comment or ask a question of their own.
Assessment
I (your teacher) will be looking over your journals occasionally during our unit on Hamlet to make sure you and your partner are on the right track (obviously, I’ll know who your partner is). I will assess them overall at the end of the unit using the following rubric. I will grade you and your partner separately.
Category |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3+ |
Frequency and Amount of Writing |
About half the daily entries are present. Most entries consist of a few sentences, and a few entries are well-developed paragraphs. |
Most daily entries are present; some entries consist of multiple paragraphs and most contain at least one well-developed paragraph. |
Every entry is present; many entries exhibit more than one lengthy paragraph of writing. |
|
Content of Entries |
Most entries tend to consist of thinking on the “knowledge and comprehension” levels. Most entries focus on just seeking out clarification about what was discussed in class or presented in the reading. Example: “Who is Hamlet’s best friend again?” Some entries question or comment upon ideas/events that are not explicitly laid out in the play. Example: “How do we really know Horatio is Hamlet’s best friend?” |
Most entries that seek out clarification contain additional material. Writing indicates thinking on “comprehension and application” levels. Review of content is minimal, and many entries build upon what was discussed in class or contained within previous journal entries. |
All entries that seek out clarification contain additional material. Writing indicates thinking on “application and analysis” levels. Most entries build upon what was discussed in class or contained within previous journal entries – new ideas are presented. |
|
“Murder, Love, Poison, and a Prince”
Final Performances of Hamlet
Task: With the rest of your group, plan out the dramatic action and perform a selection from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. All the following questions must be addressed as you create your performance:
1. What’s happening in this selection?
2. What themes are present, and how have they been introduced and developed? What are some of the philosophical arguments present in the selection? Think about the discussions we had about Hamlet, Marxism, and feminism.
3. How have the main characters developed in this selection, especially Hamlet?
4. Discuss the use of language. How is language used to set tone, develop setting, and introduce themes?
5. How do you make all these factors apparent in your acting?
After your group chooses a selection, individually (not with your group) please take these questions and write out your answers on a separate sheet of lined paper. I want to know the thinking that went into your acting. Ideally, your audience (and your teacher) should be able to see, through your acting, that you have considered questions 1 – 5. But if acting is not among your many talents, I’d still like to know what you thought about the selection.
Tips and Directions:
“Murder, Love, Poison, and a Prince”
Soliloquy Guides
Task: You and your group members are to analyze one of Hamlet’s soliloquies that you’ve encountered thus far in the play. In Hamlet, soliloquies serve to illustrate Hamlet’s thoughts and emotions, his plans, and aspects of his character. You’ll then create a poster for the rest of the class to use for reference. Your poster should contain the following:
Each person in your group should complete the Group Work Checklist when you’ve completed your poster.
STUDENT CHECKLIST
Hamlet Group Work Assessment Sheet
Circle One: Skit Soliloquy Guide Final Skit
Name__________________________________ Group Members___________________________
Date__________________
______1. I contributed my ideas and information.
______2. I asked others for their ideas and information.
______3. I summarized all our ideas and information.
______4. I shared my materials.
______5. I asked for help when I needed it.
______6. I helped the other members of my group learn.
______7. I made sure everyone in my group understood how to do the school work we were studying.
______8. I helped keep the group studying.
______9. I included everyone in our work.
Student Skit #1 - 3 Players
(Harrison is standing by himself in a classroom, looking frustrated by something. Randy and Gustavo walk into the room, seemingly in a merry mood.)
Gustavo: Heeey, Harry!
Randy: What’s up, killer?
Harrison: Hi Gustavo. How’re you doing? Hey Randy – nothing much. How are you both?
Randy: No better than anybody else…but no worse.
Gustavo: Thankfully, Lady Luck doesn’t hold us in her arms, but also doesn’t squish us with her stilettos.
Harrison: The higher she brings you, the harder you fall when she lets go?
Randy: Yep.
Harrison: Well then, I knew it - Luck’s no Lady at all. So, did you bring me any news by chance?
Randy: Well, let’s see. Oh, yeah. The world’s gone honest!
Harrison: Get to the bomb shelter! The end of the world is coming! Y2K! Martians! But anyways, I don’t believe you. Why has your Luck brought you to this prison?
Gustavo: Prison? It’s a classroom…close, but not quite.
Harrison: School is a prison.
Randy: Well, I’d bet everything else is then, at least for you.
Harrison: Yep, there are many prisons. But school is the WORST.
Gustavo: I cheerfully disagree.
Harrison: Well, then, maybe it’s not, for you. Nothing is good or bad in and of itself, but the way we think about it changes it to one or the other. I think school is prison – therefore, it is prison.
Randy: Maybe it’s just that your thoughts are too big for the school.
Harrison: Good one…
Student Skit #2 - 4 Players
(Benny, Horatio, and Mark are security guards at a large mansion. Usually only one of them guards at a time; however, this night Benny asked Horatio and Mark to keep watch with him because he’s been seeing some weird things lately. Mark has also seen it, and now they’re trying to convince Horatio. It’s nighttime, and cold.)
Mark: (whispering) Ben! Hey, Ben!
Benny: Mark! Get over here – I hear something – Horatio, is that you?
Horatio: Yeah, I’m here.
Mark: Have you seen it yet?
Benny: I haven’t even seen a blade of grass move until you two got here.
Mark: Horatio doesn’t believe us, by the way. I brought him along so he can see it with his own eyes, since that’s the only way we can prove we’re right.
Horatio: And you won’t prove me wrong if you don’t STOP TALKING.
Mark: It won’t matter, the thing will come either way. Let’s hear the story again, Ben.
Benny: So last night, and the night before, at about one’ o’clock I saw it. And it came the night before that, too. It came floating around the corner of the mansion over there –
Mark: Wait - here it comes again!
Enter Ghost
Benny: See it, Horatio? Doesn’t it look exactly like Harrison’s old man?
Horatio: Sure does…I don’t like this at all. At. All.
Benny: I bet it wants to speak to someone. Isn’t that what all ghosts want?
Mark: Horatio, go talk to it!
Horatio: Me? Why…(they shove him towards the ghost). Hey, sir…are you Harrison’s father? What are you doing out here? Why are you haunting the mansion?
Ghost: no answer – floats past
Mark: You made it mad!
Benny: It’s floating away…
Horatio: Hey! Hey! Wait – come back!
Student Skit #3 – 3 Players
(Lance is going on a mission. In this scene, he is saying goodbye to his father, Perry, and his sister, Odessa. He gives his sister some advice about dealing with her boyfriend before he leaves.)
Lance: Well, everything’s in order. You are going to write to me, right?
Odessa: Of course I will.
Lance: Good. Be careful about that Harrison kid while I’m gone. I guarantee that he’s not as serious about you as you are about him – I hate to say it, sis, but you’re just a fling.
Odessa: Oh…do you really think so?
Lance: Absolutely. Guys are all the same. Maybe he “loves” you now, really loves you, but give it time and that will change. Besides, he’s way too busy to really pay you any attention. He has so many responsibilities. So take anything he says into consideration, but don’t do anything rash. Don’t let him convince you to do anything you’ll regret later.
Odessa: I’ll keep that in mind, Lance. But don’t you go out and be frivolous after lecturing me like this. You’d be a hypocrite like so many other men out there. ‘Don’t sleep around, now,’ they scold, ‘no man likes women like that,’ while they spend all their own time trying to – well, you know.”
Lance: Oh, don’t worry about me. Here’s Dad.
(enter Perry)
Perry: Well, son, you’re off today. To France. Are you all set to go?
Lance: Yes, I’m ready.
Perry: My goodness, you’re going to be gone such a long time. Some words of advice: think before you speak, and even more before you act; hold on tight to your proven friends, and don’t waste your time trying to impress everyone; try to stay out of fights, but hold your own when you’re in one; listen often, but speak seldom. Oh, and don’t spend your money unless it’s on quality items. Avoid loaning or borrowing from your friends, because that can often ruin friendships. And of course, above everything else, be true to yourself.
Lance: Thanks, Dad. It’s time for me to go.
Perry: Yes – your plane is boarding.
Lance: Odessa, remember what I said!
Odessa: Oh, don’t worry about me. I’ll remember.
Lance: (hugs) ‘Bye!
Student Skit #4 – 4 Players
(Randy and Gustavo have been asked by Harrison’s parents to figure out what’s bugging him, since he’s been acting very strangely. Harrison has just traumatized his mother by ruining a theater experience with his bad behavior.)
Harrison: So, what did you say about my mother?
Randy: She says your behavior has shocked her completely.
Harrison: Well, well! Anything else that she had to say?
Randy: She wants you to talk with her before you go to bed.
Harrison: Of course, I will do that. Any other business you need to discuss?
Randy: Well…Harrison, weren’t we friends, once?
Harrison: We still are, as far as I’m concerned.
Randy: Then can you at least tell me why you’ve been acting so crazy lately? You don’t talk to anyone – it’s not healthy.
Harrison: Well, it’s because I’ve no way to advance my position.
Randy: What? Haven’t you been promised all your parents’ estate by your stepfather and your mother?
Harrison: Well, yes, promised, but... (looks around) Look at this, a flute! Gustavo, why don’t you play for a while? It will soothe my nerves, which you’ve wound up completely.
Gustavo: I would, but I don’t play the flute.
Harrison: Sure you can.
Gustavo: No, really, I can’t play.
Harrison: Just give it a shot.
Gustavo: I’ve never learned how.
Harrison: So, you can’t play the flute, but you expect to be able to play me like an instrument? Just press the right buttons and the sounds you want to hear will just float on out? Really. Do you think I’m easier to manipulate than an instrument, telling me that you’re my friend when you’re just asking me questions because my mom told you to?
(Enter Perry)
Perry: Harrison, your mother wants to see you now.