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1 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Readers Workshop Unit of Study 12th Grade – Narrative Reading
Comparative Reading: Multiple Interpretations of a Text (Shakespeare)
ELA
Common
Core
Standards
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Readers Workshop Unit of Study 12th Grade – Narrative Reading Table of Contents
Preface Learning Progression, Grades 6-8 ........................................................................................................... 1 Learning Progression, Grades 9-12 ......................................................................................................... 2 Background Section Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Standards ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Overview of Sessions – Teaching Points and Unit Assessments ................................................................... 7
Resource Materials Section Resource Materials needed for each session follow the table of the Overview of that Session
Session 1........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Session 2...................................................................................................................................................... 15
Session 3...................................................................................................................................................... 17
Session 4...................................................................................................................................................... 18
Session 5...................................................................................................................................................... 19
Session 6...................................................................................................................................................... 20
Session 7...................................................................................................................................................... 21
Session 8...................................................................................................................................................... 22
Resources .................................................................................................................................................... 25
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Readers Workshop Unit of Study 12th Grade – Narrative Reading Preface The following unit supports and aligns to the Common Core State Standards. This research-based work is the outcome of
a collective effort made by numerous secondary teachers from around the state of Michigan. Michigan Association of
Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) initiated a statewide collaborative project, bringing together educators
from around the state to create and refine a K-12 English Language Arts model curriculum. The Narrative Reading unit is
situated as the second reading unit of study within a yearlong sequence of reading units. The unit emphasizes students’
recognizing reading comprehension, reader independence, and reader identity. Each unit within the MAISA yearlong
model curriculum presents a string of teaching points that scaffold and spiral the content and skills. Units of study are
structured to be student-centered rather than teacher-driven. Sessions emphasize student engagement and strive to
simultaneously increase critical thinking and writing skills. Sessions are designed as a series of mini-lessons that allow
time to read, practice, respond, and conference. Through summative and formative assessments specific to each unit,
students progress toward becoming independent thinkers and readers.
Significant input and feedback was gathered both in the initial conceptualizing of the unit and later revisions. Teachers
from around the state piloted and/or reviewed the unit; their feedback and student artifacts helped in the revision
process. Special thanks go to lead unit writers Linda Denstaedt, Leah Barnett, and Laura Mahler, who closely studied the
CCSS, translated the standards into curriculum and practice, and revised with a close eye to classroom teacher feedback.
Throughout the yearlong collaborative project, teachers who are reviewing units are finding how students’ habits of
mind have shifted from task-oriented to big-picture thinking, utilizing a critical literacy lens.
1 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Middle School Learning: Narrative Reading 6th 7th
Developing the Identity of the Reader
Participate in reading community
Engage in thoughtful discussions about stories
Prepare to talk and share with others
Engage in community-building activity
Continue conversations about reading and being readers
Immerse in the culture of a particular text (historical time period)
Become researchers
Interacting with Texts and Self-Monitoring
Analyze the impact of specific word choice on meaning and tone
Analyze how an author develops the point of view of the narrator
Analyze how a particular section contributes to meaning
Identify the narrator(s) within a text
Track text to develop theories about text’s meaning
Define elements of narrative text
Discuss author craft, decisions, and intents while noting repetition
1. Identify and contrast points of view from different characters within a text
Analyze the different points of view (perspective) of the characters and the reader with the creation of irony and humor
Analyze how character development in a historical story occurs through the details.
Track the scenes and how they create tension and drama in historical fiction
Identify the various character perspectives within scenes and events and their creation of drama.
Exploring Genre—Elements and
Structures
Notice the different effects of reading vs. listening to texts
Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres
Analyze how story elements contribute to meaning while evaluating individual chapters, time segments or narrators
2. Analyze and track literal text to track conflicts and make inferences
Compare and contrast a film version of the text or some other aspect of the time period and the development of character and storytelling in that piece
Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts written about the same time period, addressing author’s decisions, dialogue, theme
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High School Learning Progressions: Narrative Reading
9th
Grade 10th
Grade 11th
Grade 12th
Grade
Text Short Fiction World Literature: Comparative Reading of Multiple Texts
Genre Study: Analytical Reading of Multiple Texts - Satire in American Literature
Comparative Reading: Multiple Interpretations of a Text
Analyzing Genre: Craft and Structure
Analyze an author’s choice on structure—order of events
Use knowledge of narrative structure to predict plot while reading and summarize a text after reading
Use three basic truths (they want something, they change or do not change, and there is a cost) about characters to analyze character development
Develop a framework for reading narrative texts with the universal theme of the hero’s journey
Develop and use background knowledge of the universal structure of narrative texts based on the hero’s journey
Develop critical reading habits through use of genre knowledge
Analyze the cumulative impact of diction on meaning and tone by determining the connotative and figurative meaning of words and phrases
Develop a framework for reading a genre (satire)
Develop critical reading habits through use of genre knowledge
Establish multi-draft reading to focus the study of satire and to examine and compare the decisions authors make
Analyze cumulative impact of diction on meaning and tone by examining words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful
Develop a framework for reading a genre (drama)
Develop and use background knowledge of the Aristotelian structure of dramatic text
Develop critical reading habits through use of genre knowledge
Establish multi-draft reading to read complex text of a different historical period and to compare the decisions of writers and producers who interpret canon text
Analyze cumulative impact of diction on meaning and tone by examining words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful
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Developing Strategies for Close Reading: Key Ideas and Details
Identify and connect important details to determine the central idea
Build meaning by identifying story elements (setting, speaker, character(s), problem and want, character relationship, and back story)
Build meaning by examining how characters deal with problems
Analyze the representation of a subject or key scene in two different artistic mediums: What is emphasized in each treatment? And what is absent in each treatment?
Use genre knowledge to track and connect events and details, in order to identify the central idea and the author’s slant on the universal theme of the hero’s journey
In a close rereading of a narrative text, use the literary point of view to study development of the main character
Research background information on an author, the culture of the author’s country, and/or the historical period of a text to reread a narrative text from the cultural or historical point of view
Analyze a key scene in two different artistic mediums: What is emphasized or what is absent in each treatment?
Use genre knowledge to track and connect events and details to identify the central idea(s) in a satire
In a close rereading of a narrative text, examine the characterization in order to determine the author’s point of view
Identify important details and connect those details throughout a story to understand the theme(s) or central idea(s) of a story
Use genre knowledge to track and connect events and details to identify the author’s intent about the characters in a drama
In a close rereading of a drama, study, through soliloquy, development of the main character
Analyze and compare the original text and its various interpretations to determine the author’s intent
9th
Grade 10th
Grade 11th
Grade 12th
Grade
Text Short Fiction World Literature: Comparative Reading of Multiple Texts
Genre Study: Analytical Reading of Multiple Texts - Satire in American Literature
Comparative Reading: Multiple Interpretations of a Text
Applying Context: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Apply knowledge of a particular point in history to clarify the central idea and context of the story
Consider the story as a whole to identify a central idea or theme
Make connections to other texts, genres, and world experiences
Establish multi-draft reading to compare authors and works from different countries and/or historical periods.
Through analysis and comparison of different world texts, form claims about the struggles a hero faces and conquers based on the historical and/or cultural point of view of the author.
Make connections between texts (historical, biographical, literary, cultural) in order to more clearly understand central idea(s) or theme(s).
Read a range of texts in a genre in order to establish reading preferences.
After gaining an initial knowledge of the craft and structure of a genre, apply skills to analyze longer and/or more complex texts from the same genre.
Research background information on the playwright and his times, to experience drama from cultural and/or historical point(s) of view
Through analysis and comparison of different world texts, form claims about how the characters are universal and reveal something important about human life
4 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Readers Workshop Unit of Study 12th Grade – Narrative Reading Abstract ASSESSMENT Assessment will include both formative and summative tasks that provide a range of evidence that students create across the unit. Formative Assessments: Growth of students as readers will be assessed in two ways: 1) Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook or annotated readings; and 2) metacognitive reflections and exit slips. Students will begin the unit reflecting upon their skills as readers. Periodically, they will stop and write brief metacognitive reflections on changes in their reading strategy use and the impact on comprehension. Summative Assessments: Students will create a final product that asks them to apply skills and knowledge from the unit. In addition, they will write an analytical reflection that asks them to identify and explain the decisions they made in creating a final product.
STUDENT OUTCOMES This unit requires students to apply their understanding of narrative concepts to do strategic and extended thinking in a genre. In this unit, students will read and enact various scenes of a Shakespearean tragedy. They will view multiple film adaptations as they analyze the directors’ decisions made about language, staging, set design, tone, and other elements and compare them to the clues Shakespeare gave us about his intent about the characters. They will collect important lines and passages, track character relationships, and explore pop-culture references to the play. They will write and perform an updated version of a scene from the play to show a lesson learned about human nature in the play. TEACHER DECISIONS FOR UNIT IMPLEMENTATION This unit serves as a single model of a narrative reading unit. We recommend that teachers study and understand the intent of the lesson series. The lessons have a purposeful sequence, but it may require that teachers make adjustments in pacing or decisions about extension activities. Please see the resources section for other sources to deepen your understanding of narrative reading instruction. The following sessions use Hamlet as a model, but any Shakespearean tragedy will work. In fact, many five-act plays that follow the Aristotelian dramatic structure will work. The Common Core State Standards call for the use of Shakespeare, so if teachers decide to use another playwright, they should be sure to use Shakespeare at some other point in the Grade 11-12 band. Also, it should be noted that close reading strategies are used in parts of the play. (Shakespeare uses soliloquies to reveal important thoughts and feelings of the characters, so they may be the perfect sections of text to use multiple-draft reading techniques.) We suggest that students collect important text, view various film clips of the play, conduct research about context, and perform some scenes. This requires preparation on the teacher’s part. See the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist, which is attached after session 1. UNIT ORGANIZATION The unit weaves three concepts that accelerate narrative reading. The concepts are interrelated and recursive rather than appearing as separate parts of the unit. Students continually reflect on their thinking and interactions with texts and with other readers as they set goals and monitor their reading. The three concepts are:
Analyzing genre: craft and structure
Developing strategies for close reading: key ideas and details
Applying context: integration of knowledge and ideas The work in this unit is vertically aligned and extends prior learning with the expectation that students can apply the repertoire of decisions taught in previous grades. Instructional Sequencing, Scaffolding, and Pacing: Daily pacing of the unit’s sessions is based on a 50-minute class period. Individual teacher pacing will change based on duration of the class period, student population, and familiarity with content, process, and/or instructional practices. Instruction scaffolds students through a four-tiered process.
1. Teaching Point: Teacher models the strategy, process, skill, or habit of mind using a mentor text written by the teacher, students, and/or published writers or other materials.
2. Active Engagement: Students rehearse the writing, thinking and/or critical reading or viewing just modeled by the teacher. 3. Independent Practice: Students complete a mini-task independently or in small collaborative groups. During independent
practice, the teacher confers with individuals or small groups to assess student performance to differentiate the lesson and
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task. Teacher may stop the independent practice to adjust the mini-task and/or session teaching point or for planned teaching points that extend or deepen student performance.
4. Share: Students share to read, examine, analyze and/or reflect on the range of responses created by other students. Sharing also enables students to self-monitor effective strategy use. The teacher may also share an exemplar to reinforce or enhance the session’s teaching point(s) and student enactment.
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Standards
Number CCR Anchor Standards for Reading: Literature
1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
4 Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
9 Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Number CCR Anchor Standards for Reading: Information
7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Number CCR Anchor Standards for Writing
2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Number Speaking and Listening
1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric
Number Language
6 Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
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Overview of Sessions and Teaching Points Unit Title: Comparative Reading: Multiple Interpretations of a Text
Unit Description (overview): In this unit, students will read and enact various scenes of a Shakespearean tragedy. They will view multiple film adaptations as they analyze the directors’ decisions made about language, staging, set design, tone, and other elements and compare them to the clues Shakespeare gave us about his intent about the characters. They will collect important lines and passages, track character relationships, and explore pop-culture references to the play. They will write and perform an updated version of a scene from the play to show a lesson learned about human nature in the play. Essential Questions:
How does Shakespeare develop characters that reveal something about us as humans?
How does understanding the genre help in comprehending a centuries-old text?
How do visual versions of the play differ from the written one? How do the subtext cues (e.g., props, volume, tone, staging) help or hinder our understanding of the character?
Pre-Unit Performance Task
Complete a survey on what skills and strategies work for you, anticipated problems in the reading of the play, and what you already know about the genre. The three concepts include: identity, skills and strategies, genre.
TEACHING POINTS 1. Readers apply what they know about an author and the time period in which a piece was written to comprehend fiction and predict story details. 2.1. Readers use their understanding of the genre as a strategy to comprehend text. 2.2. Readers explore multi-draft reading strategies and collecting text methods. 3.1. Readers of Shakespearean dramas use their knowledge of Aristotelian dramatic structure to discover how tone, characters, setting, and conflict create the exposition, the foundation of the play. 3.2. Readers notice key lines and phrases that reveal the author’s intent. 4. Readers of Shakespearean drama use close reading strategies to follow the rising action of the plot and to consider the character’s motivations.
Mid-Unit Formative Assessment Task
Throughout this unit, collect key lines and phrases from each act of the play that will prepare you for the writing unit that follows this unit. Also, complete reflective exit slips that help you consider the impact of each of the acts.
5.1. Readers know that the climax of a five-act (Shakespearean) drama will be a place where the situation goes from bad to worse. (In comedy, up until this point things have gone badly for the protagonist and now the tide will turn.) They make predictions about the outcome of the play. 5.2. Readers know that soliloquies offer important insights into the character’s thoughts and feelings. They engage in close reading of soliloquies to analyze the character. 6. Readers know that the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist unravels, with the protagonist winning or losing against the antagonist. They analyze the protagonist’s fatal flaw. 7. Readers know that dramatic tragedy ends with a catastrophe in which the protagonist is worse off than at the beginning of the narrative. They imagine alternate endings or the inevitability of the written ending. 8. Readers see connections between canon pieces and contemporary life and culture.
Post-Unit Assessment Task
“Narrative is a kind of backdoor into something very deep inside us.” –Ira Glass How does Shakespeare develop characters that reveal something about us as humans? Write and perform a contemporary rendition of a key scene from this play that reveals a basic issue of human nature examined in the play. Write a short reflective essay in which you explain your choices in language, costume, staging, contemporary context, etc., and the connection between those decisions and what you were trying to reveal about the character and human nature in general. Use the pre-unit assessment survey as a way to ground your reflection in this summative assessment task.
Teaching-Point Alignment with Concepts
Developing strategies for close reading: key ideas and details
Analyzing genre: craft and structure Applying context: integration of knowledge and ideas
4, 5, 6, 7 2, 3 1, 8
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Teacher Resource CALENDAR
Session 1: Shakespeare’s Life and Times
Session 1: Shakespeare’s Life and Times
Session 1: Shakespeare’s Life and Times
Session 2: Aristotelian Structure/ Collecting Text
Session 2: Aristotelian Structure/ Collecting Text
Session 3: Exposition: Discovering Tone, Characters, Setting, and Conflict (Act 1)
Session 3: Exposition: Discovering Tone, Characters, Setting, and Conflict (Act 1)
Session 3: Exposition: Discovering Tone, Characters, Setting, and Conflict (Act 1)
Session 4: Close Reading of the Rising Action (Act 2)
Session 4: Close Reading of the Rising Action (Act 2)
Session 5: The Turning Point (Act 3)
Session 5: The Turning Point (Act 3)
Session 5: The Turning Point (Act 3)
Session 6: Falling Action (Act 4)
Session 6: Falling Action (Act 4)
Session 7: Denouement (Act 5)
Session 7: Denouement (Act 5)
Session 8: Pop Culture
Session 8: Pop Culture
Post-Unit Assessment
Post-Unit Assessment
Post-Unit Assessment
Planning for the Three Phases of Literature: Comparative Reading of Multiple interpretations of Texts (Shakespeare) Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
Goal Develop a framework for studying Shakespearean drama
Shakespeare’s life and times
Aristotelian structure
Analyze and compare text and adaptations of the text
tone
setting
conflict
decisions writers and directors make to capture the author’s original purpose and breathe new life into the work
Apply knowledge of complex text to contemporary life and culture
multiple interpretations of a text
tracking and developing theories across a text and its adaptations
Session 1 and 2 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 8
Texts Required Variety of books and websites (see bibliography)
Common text (any Shakespearean drama)
Various film adaptations
Common text (any Shakespearean drama)
Various film adaptations
Various contemporary texts with Shakespearean allusions
Mid- and Post-
Unit Assessments
Digital presentation Reading logs/handouts Exit slips
Key scene rewritten and performed
Reflective essay
Skill, Strategy and
Knowledge
Outcome
Students will use the knowledge and strategies gained in reading a range of accessible texts to develop a framework for critical reading of more complex texts.
Students will use the framework to analyze and compare a range of world literature by doing multi-draft close reading. The variety and complexity of the texts increases across the required readings.
Students will use the framework, multi-draft close reading, and tools for tracking a character and/or ideas through a text. This collection and analysis work will prepare students to write a literary essay.
9 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 1 (2-3 days)
Concept Applying Context: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Teaching Point Readers apply what they know about an author and the time period in which a piece was written to comprehend fiction and predict story details.
Preparation BEFORE THE UNIT: Prepare the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist (attached after this session) to familiarize yourself with the play you are about to teach and the strategic moves you are about to initiate with your students. *Remember: the model will show thinking on preparing to teach Hamlet, but this could be adjusted to teach another play. We use Hamlet because it is commonly taught in high school classrooms and Shakespeare is required reading in the Common Core State Standards. However, this unit would work with other five-act plays that follow the Aristotelian dramatic structure.
BEFORE THIS SESSION:
Prepare copies of and have students fill out the Pre-unit Assessment Task. (Survey is attached after this session.)
Research various websites that tell about Shakespeare’s life and times.
Prepare copies of the handout Shakespeare’s Life and Times. (Attached after this session.)
Arrange for computer lab time.
Create groups of students who will focus on one of each of the topics from the handout Shakespeare’s Life and Times.
NOTE: You may decide that your students will not work in groups or that your students will do an in-depth study on one sub-topic or a more cursory study of all of the sub-topics. Also, you need to decide how students will present information (e.g., using technology or not). Finally, you may want to alter the number of required resources your students should cite. Adjust the handout accordingly.
Suggested Materials http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html (Aristotle’s theory of tragedy)
http://www.bardweb.net/man.html (Shakespeare biography)
http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-biography (Shakespeare biography)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcwSLtSW44Q (Life of Shakespeare video) Essential Question(s)/
Lesson Framing Quotes How does knowledge of the historical and cultural context of the play and playwright affect meaning? “There Shakespeare, on whose forehead climb The crowns o’ the world; oh, eyes sublime With tears and laughter for all time!” - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861), A Vision of poets
Active Engagement Teacher models and thinks aloud: Using a projector to show research found on the computer, think aloud as you read and evaluate websites that show important information about William Shakespeare, the Elizabethan times, and language of the times. Model your thinking as you write down notes about significant details. Think aloud as you find the pertinent bibliographic information to use for a citation. Students peruse and bookmark websites or online encyclopedias to find sources for the topics listed on the handout Shakespeare’s Life and Times.
Independent Practice
Mini task: Students research and record information about the topics listed on the handout, while citing the sources they use. (You should decide ahead of time if students will work in groups or not. Also, you need to decide if students will do an in-depth study on one sub-topic or a more cursory study of all of the sub-topics. Adjust the handout accordingly.)
Share Students present their findings about the various sub-topics. Classmates record the information as it is presented in their readers’/writers’ notebooks.
Assessment Students complete the pre-unit assessment task—the survey included after session 1.
Exit Slip
Students write three facts they learned from their classmates about Shakespeare and his times that they found most interesting. They make predictions about how the new knowledge they have gained might give them insights into the play they are about to read.
10 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Narrative Reading 12: Session 1
Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist *MODEL-Hamlet *The same planning work can be done with another play. Shakespearean drama follows the Aristotelian dramatic structure. Consider the focus for each act in terms of what types of text they will collect and what type of strategic reading lesson you will teach with each act.
Purpose of Collected Text Strategic Reading Focus
Act I (Exposition)
Students find key lines and passages that reveal setting, tone, characters, conflict
Multi-draft reading to: (1) get the gist, (2) become acquainted with Elizabethan language, and (3) notice elements of dramatic exposition
Act II (Rising Action)
Students find key lines and passages that reveal the building conflict
Close reading of soliloquies/comparative text (view or listen to various soliloquies to make judgments about author’s purpose)
Act III (Climax)
Students find key lines that reveal the turning point in the play
Close reading of soliloquies/comparative text (view or listen to various soliloquies to make judgments about author’s purpose)
Act IV (Falling Action)
Students find key lines that reveal the complications that will lead the character to the final tragedy
Comparative text (view or listen to various soliloquies to make judgments about author’s purpose)
Act V (Denouement)
Students find key lines that reveal the character’s tragic flaw
Comparative text (view or listen to various soliloquies to make judgments about author’s purpose)
Soliloquy is an important feature of Shakespearean drama. Identify and prepare copies of the soliloquies in the play you will teach.
Act 1, scene 2 “O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt” Act 1, scene 5 “O all you host of heaven” Act 2, scene 2 “O what a rogue and peasant slave am I” Act 3, scene 1 “To be or not to be…” Act 3, scene 2 “’Tis now the very witching time of night” Act 3, scene 3 “ Now I might do it pat now he is praying” Act 4, scene 4 “How all occasions do inform against me”
There are myriad ancillary texts and resources available to supplement the reading of Shakespeare. Identify resources that you will use to support the unit. <www.YouTube.com>
<www.reducedshakespeare.com> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/References_to_Hamlet> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet_on_screen> <http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html> <http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/timeline/timeline.htm > <http://www.bardweb.net/man.html> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcwSLtSW44Q> <http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-biography> http://hunbbel-meer.hubpages.com/hub/Hamlets-Synopsis-Analysis-and-Soliloquies
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This unit requires students to view multiple interpretations of the play. Identify movies, cartoons, book adaptations of the play you are teaching. Consider the scenes you will use in class.
Scene(s) Adaptation(s)
3.1 “Nunnery” scene Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier) CHOOSE 3-4 Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson) Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh) Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott) Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
3.2 “The Mousetrap” scene
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier) CHOOSE 3-4 Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson) Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh) Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott) Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
3.4 “Mother’s Closet” scene
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier) CHOOSE 3-4 Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson) Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh) Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott) Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
4.5“Ophelia’s Mad Scene”
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier) CHOOSE 3-4 Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson) Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh) Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott) Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
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Characteristic of a Reader
(1=Never 2=Rarely 3=Sometimes 4=Frequently 5=Always)
1 2 3 4 5
Developing strategies for close reading: key ideas and details
1 I can use strategies to help me identify important lines or passages.
2 I can identify the relationship between important lines or passages.
3 I can track an idea across a text.
Applying context: integration of knowledge and ideas
4 I can use what I know about the author or time period to help identify and
analyze central idea(s) and theme(s) of a text.
5 I can make connections within a text and between multiple texts to identify
and analyze central idea(s) and theme(s) of a text.
6 I can evaluate a text by exploring the central idea(s), theme(s), style, and point
of view of a text.
Analyzing genre: craft and structure
7 I can use what I know about the genre to help me comprehend a text.
8 I can name the essential characteristics of various narrative genres.
9 I can evaluate each text I read based on the anticipated characteristics of a
genre.
Metacognitive Skills
10 I can set personal reading goals that propel my growth as a reader.
11 I can use strategies to stay engaged while reading difficult or uninteresting
texts.
12 I can self-monitor when I read and apply fix-up strategies to help me
comprehend the character(s), plot, and central idea(s).
PRE-UNIT SURVEY
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Narrative Reading 12: Session 1 Shakespeare’s Life and Times Applying Context: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Sub-topics As a class, we will discover William Shakespeare and the times in which he lived. You will be assigned a sub-topic to explore and prepare for a short presentation to inform your classmates. The following subtopics will make for interesting reading and will help you access the Elizabethan language and culture of Shakespeare.
Shakespeare’s Early Years (Family and Education)
Shakespeare’s Later Years (Marriage and Career)
Queen Elizabeth and the Arts
The Globe Theatre
Shakespeare’s Literary Accomplishments (and the inspiration for most of his tragedies)
The Authorship Debate
Other________________________ Research Requirements You will need to find __5__ online sources. Be sure to evaluate them for accuracy and select the best sites for your information. Presentation Requirements You will be presenting this information to your classmates, using PowerPoint or Prezi. You must have a minimum of 5 slides and be prepared to talk for 3—5 minutes. Bibliography You are required to submit a Works-Cited sheet with your presentation. See www.easybib.com for directions. Due Date You will have __2_ days to research and prepare your bibliography. Presentations will be ________________.
14 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 2 (2 days)
Concept Analyzing Genre: Craft and Structure
Teaching Point Readers identify various purposes for their reading. They explore multi-draft reading strategies and collecting text methods.
Preparation Review Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html
Prepare copies of opening scene of the play, deleting characters’ names o EXAMPLE: Use 1.1.1-80 for Hamlet. * A version of this activity can be found in Shakespeare Set
Free: Teaching Hamlet and Henry IV, Part 1 (1994).
Prepare pages in your own Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook to share with students. (They will set up pages to collect text, make predictions, track character relationships, etc.) You may want to write the following headers on 2-page spreads in the notebook: Act 1: Collecting Text, Act 2: Collecting Text, Act 3: Collecting Text, Act 4: Collecting Text, Act 5: Collecting Text, Character Web. (You and the students will record important lines and passages in your notebooks, as well as draw a web that helps them track the complex relationships between characters.)
Prepare copies of Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy (or plan to project for students to view and copy in their notebooks). This link contains the theory: http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html can use the adapted version, too, that follows this session
Essential Question(s)/ Lesson Framing Quotes
How is the structure of a drama important to revealing character? "The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place. It is the place people come to see the truth about life and the social situation. The theatre is a spiritual and social X-ray of its time. The theatre was created to tell people the truth about life and the social situation." - Stella Adler
Teaching Point 2.1 Readers use their understanding of the genre as a strategy to comprehend text.
Active Engagement Teacher models and thinks aloud: Think aloud as you read an excerpt about Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy. Using a projector, draw the five acts and the function of each. (Students record the information about the 5-act structure in their readers’/writers’ notebooks.) Students consider how knowing the 5-act structure will affect how they read the Shakespearean play. What do we predict we will learn in Act 1?
Independent Practice
Using the copies of the opening scene, students will do a round-robin reading. Remembering that their strategic reading foci, they will engage in inquiry methods to figure out what is happening and get accustomed to the Elizabethan language. They should be able to figure out the tone and make predictions.
Share Whole-class discussion: What is happening here? What is the tone?
Teaching Point 2.2 Readers explore multi-draft reading strategies and collecting text methods.
Active Engagement Teacher models and thinks aloud: Think aloud as you review the opening lines of the play. Choose a line or passage that seems especially important in revealing the setting, tone, characters, conflict (which Aristotelian structure suggests is the function of Act 1). Using your Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebook to demonstrate, record the line or passage, including the act, scene, and line numbers. Explain to students that they will be collecting important text in their notebooks throughout the play and that the text they collect will be related to the act and its function. (Since the function of Act 1 is to reveal setting, tone, characters, conflict, the text they will collect will show those elements.)
Independent Practice
Students will review the opening lines that they read aloud and determine which seems most important in revealing setting, tone, characters, or conflict and record it in their notebook in the section labeled Act 1: Collecting Text.
Share
Turn-and-Talk: Students will turn and talk to a partner about which line they chose and explain which element of Act 1 their choice reveals.
15 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Narrative Reading 12: Session 2
Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy
“According to Aristotle, tragedies where the outcome depends on a tightly constructed cause-and-effect chain of actions are superior to those that depend primarily on the character and personality of the protagonist.” His ideal plot structure for tragic plays followed a very predictable five-act structure. (Many modern playwrights reject this prescriptive structure, but Shakespeare’s plays definitely follow this pattern.) The following illustrates the function of each act. Readers of Shakespeare should use their knowledge of this Aristotelian dramatic structure as a strategy to comprehend his plays.
Act 1
Exposition
Act 2
Rising Action
Act 3
Climax/ Turning Point
Act 4
Falling Action
Act 5
Denouement
The first act establishes the characters, setting, tone, and conflict.
The second act establishes the building conflict.
The third act reveals the climax of the play. The protagonist’s situation goes from bad to worse. (In comedy, up until this point things have gone badly for the protagonist and now the tide will turn.) The protagonist’s tragic flaw(s) become obvious.
The fourth act typically includes a series of events that lead the protagonist to the tragic end.
The fifth act of a dramatic tragedy ends with a catastrophe in which the protagonist is worse off than at the beginning of the narrative.
Adapted from: http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html
16 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 3 (2--3 days)
Concept Analyzing Genre: Craft and Structure
Teaching Point Readers of Shakespearean dramas use their knowledge of Aristotelian dramatic structure to discover how tone, characters, setting, and conflict create the exposition, the foundation of the play.
Preparation Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide what will be read aloud (performed) and what section(s) of Act 1 will be used for a multi-draft read. o EXAMPLE:
If using Hamlet, you might select Hamlet’s soliloquy “O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt” (Act 1, scene 2) and Polonius’ advice “Yet here, Laertes? Aboard, aboard, for shame” (Act 1, scene 3) for multi-draft reads. You might select Act 1, scene 5 (Hamlet’s encounter with the ghost of his father) to perform.
Select a few key lines from Act 1 to record in your Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebook to model with your students.
Suggested Materials Shakespeare Set Free: Teaching Hamlet and Henry IV, Part 1 (1994)
Essential Question(s)/ Lesson Framing Quotes
How is the structure of a drama important to revealing character? “Fiction reveals truths that reality obscures.” -Jessamyn West
Teaching Point 3.1 Readers of Shakespearean dramas use their knowledge of Aristotelian dramatic structure to discover how tone, characters, setting, and conflict create the exposition, the foundation of the play.
Active Engagement Teacher models and thinks aloud: Think aloud as you read a section of Act 1. Stop and wonder aloud what tone you should take as you read. Consider the clues the text offers as you decide how the text should be read. You might purposely read it in a tone that seems wrong (e.g., light-hearted, while the words suggest something serious is going on). Ask the students to use the clues from the text as evidence (i.e., stage direction, setting, choice of language) of how the lines should be read. Students practice determining how the text should be read aloud (performed). With partner, they find a section of the text where a particular tone seems especially evident. (You may select the scene, if you prefer, for their practice.) They should engage in multi-draft reading. First, they should read the scene to get the gist of what is happening. Secondly, they should look up unfamiliar words and reread, gaining a deeper understanding of text. Third, they should read marking words and phrases that seem to have particular importance or that seem to have a connotative meaning that is different than their denotative meaning. Finally, they decide which lines should be emphasized with dramatic movement, change in volume, or use of props.
Independent Practice
Students read Act 1 for the basic story. They perform multi-draft (close reads) of a few key scenes to gain a deeper understanding of Shakespeare’s intent and perform at least one scene for the class.
Share Performance: Students perform key scenes, after annotating the text to show what textual evidence they have found that leads them to perform the scene in a particular way.
Teaching Point 3.2 Readers notice key lines and phrases that reveal the author’s intent.
Active Engagement 3.2
Think aloud as you select a key line from Act 1 that reveals tone, characters, setting, or conflict. Students review Act 1 and consider a line that reveals tone, characters, setting, or conflict. They discuss with a partner which Act 1 characteristic the line reveals.
Independent Reading
In their readers’/writers’ notebooks, students record 5--10 key lines that reveal tone, characters, setting, and conflict. They annotate their text collection, indicating which of these Act 1 elements each collected line or passage reveals.
Exit Slip
Students consider how the knowledge of Aristotelian dramatic structure contributed to their understanding of Act 1. They make predictions about what will happen in Act 2, based on their understanding of the 5-act dramatic structure.
17 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 4
(2 days)
Concept Developing Strategies for Close Reading: Key Ideas and Details
Teaching Point Readers of Shakespearean drama use close reading strategies to follow the rising action of the plot and to consider the character’s motivations.
Preparation Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide what will be read aloud (performed) and what section(s) will be used for a multi-draft read.
o EXAMPLE: If using Hamlet, you might choose the scene where Polonius is trying to discern whether or not Hamlet is crazy (Act 2, scene 2, lines 187—574) to perform and the soliloquy “O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I?” (Act 2, scene 2, lines 576—634) to engage in a multi-draft close read.
Suggested Materials http://hunbbel-meer.hubpages.com/hub/Hamlets-Synopsis-Analysis-and-Soliloquies: Analyses of all seven soliloquies.
Essential Question(s)/ Lesson Framing Quotes
How does knowledge of dramatic structure influence the reading of the play? “Drama is life with the dull bits cut out.” -Alfred Hitchcock
Active Engagement Teacher models and thinks aloud: Using your Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook, think aloud as you review your notes about the function of Act 2 (rising action, leading to the climax). Review some of the exit slips from the last session. What are some predictions we made about Act 2? Read the beginning of Act 2 aloud and think aloud about the how the character is dealing with the deepening problem. Students read Act 2 independently with the purpose of discovering the deepening problem being established.
Independent Practice
Students engage in a multi-draft read of a key scene. First, they read for the gist. Second, they look up unfamiliar words. Third, they re-read to notice the character’s attitude. Finally, they read to clarify the author’s intent.
Students prepare to perform a key scene, marking the dramatic movements, changes in volume or intonation, and props that will enhance their portrayal of the scene.
Students collect 5—10 key lines or passages in their notebooks that reveal the deepening conflict.
Students begin drawing their character webs in their notebooks, starting with the main character in the middle. (Branches lead to other characters, with descriptions of their roles.)
Share Students perform a key scene from Act 2 and explain their decisions in the portrayal.
Assessment Mid-unit assessment: Throughout this unit, collect key lines and phrases from each act of the play that will prepare you for the writing unit that follows this unit. Also, complete reflective exit slips that help you consider the impact of each of the acts.
Exit Slip Write a one-page response: What seems to be the worst problem the main character is dealing with? How could this possibly be resolved? Cite key lines that show the deepening problem.
19 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 5 (3--4 days)
Concept Developing Strategies for Close Reading: Key Ideas and Details
Teaching Point Readers know that the climax of a five-act (Shakespearean) tragedy will be a place where the situation goes from bad to worse. (In comedy, up until this point things have gone badly for the protagonist and now the tide will turn.) They make predictions about the outcome of the play.
Preparation Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide what will be read aloud (performed) and what film adaptations you will use to show key scenes in Act 3.
o EXAMPLE: If using Hamlet, you might choose multiple film versions to show the “nunnery” scene (Act 3, scene 1, lines 99-175) to determine whether or not Hamlet knows he is being watched and to consider how Shakespeare would have staged the scene. You might also show film versions of “The Mousetrap” (the play within a play) (Act 3, scene 2, lines 98—321) and, finally, film versions of the “mother’s closet scene” (Act 3, scene 4).
Also, you should locate and review the soliloquies from this act.
Suggested Materials Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier) Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson) Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh) Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott) Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
Essential Question(s)/ Lesson Framing Quotes
How does knowledge of dramatic structure influence the reading of the play? “The quality of a play is the quality of its ideas.” - George Bernard Shaw
Active Engagement Teacher models and thinks aloud: Using your Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook, think aloud as you review your notes about the function of Act 3 (climax). Review some of the metacognitive exit slips from the last session. What are some predictions we made about Act 3? Students read a key scene of which you have selected to show film clips. Before viewing, they write a theory about what the character is and what this reveals about the author’s intent. (You may do this for a few parts of Act 3, since it is the climax.)
Independent Practice
Students view then respond to these questions in writing: Which film version depicted the scene the best? Why? What evidence do you have from the text to support your opinion? How does the theory you created before viewing compare to your opinion of how the character feels after viewing the film versions?
Teaching Point 5.2
Readers know that soliloquies offer important insights into the character’s thoughts and feelings. They engage in close reading of soliloquies to analyze the character.
Active Engagement
Teacher models and thinks aloud: Think aloud as you read the first few lines of one of the soliloquies. Read multiple times: 1. to get the gist; 2. to clarify unfamiliar words; 3. to determine the character’s thoughts. EXAMPLE: If you are using Hamlet, you will want to choose “To be or not to be” (Act 3, scene 1, lines 63—98) and “’Tis now the very witching time of night” (Act 3, scene 2, lines 419-432). Students practice this multi-draft reading approach as they read a few more lines from the chosen soliloquy(ies).
Independent Practice
Students use a multi-draft reading approach to read the soliloquies.
Students collect 5—10 key lines or passages in their notebook that reveal the events that constitute the climax.
Students update the character web in their notebooks.
Share
Turn-and-Talk: Students talk with a partner about the implications of the soliloquy. In partnerships, they choose a key line that best captures the character’s thoughts and emotions. They write the line on the board and explain what the character is thinking and/or feeling.
Exit Slip
Write a one-page response: The third act of a Shakespearean tragedy shows us a buildup of the conflict that cannot be undone. What does the main character know now that s/he will have to act on? Predict what s/he will do with this knowledge. Cite evidence from the text that helps you build this prediction.
20 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 6 (2 days)
Concept Developing Strategies for Close Reading: Key Ideas and Details
Teaching Point Readers know that the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist unravels, with the protagonist winning or losing against the antagonist. They analyze the protagonist’s fatal flaw.
Preparation Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide which scene(s) will be viewed. o EXAMPLE: If using Hamlet, you might choose the multiple film versions of “Ophelia’s Mad”
scene (Act 4, scene 5).
Suggested Materials Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier) Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson) Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh) Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott) Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
Essential Question(s)/ Lesson Framing Quotes
How does knowledge of dramatic structure influence the reading of the play? “Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.” -Tom Stoppard
Teaching Point Readers know that the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist unravels, with the protagonist winning or losing against the antagonist. They analyze the protagonist’s fatal flaw.
Active Engagement Teacher models and thinks aloud: Think aloud as you review your notes from your Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebook. The function of Act 4 is to create a series of events that lead to the tragic denouement. This means Act 4 is usually a series of short scenes that will lead the main character to the final tragedy in Act 5. It becomes obvious what his/her tragic flaw is. Think aloud as you remember a children’s movie where a character’s flaw leads to his/her downfall (i.e., The Little Mermaid’s Ursula whose selfishness leads her to be banished). Remember aloud how in tragedy, even the protagonists are led to a downfall because of a flaw in their character. Invite students to consider your main character’s flaws (i.e., Hamlet has trouble acting on his instincts, he is afraid, and he is conflicted about a mother he both hates and loves). Students consider the flaws in characters they know from other plays, books, movies, etc. They discuss the repercussions of these flaws.
Independent Practice
Students read Act 4 to find the various story lines that are leading to the tragic outcome.
Students view multiple film versions. (In Hamlet, they might view of the “mother’s closet” scene (Act 4, scene 4), as well as multiple film versions of “Ophelia’s Mad” scene (Act 4, scene 5)).
Students collect 5—10 key lines or passages in their notebooks that reveal the events that constitute the falling action.
Students update their character webs in their notebooks.
Share
Turn-and-Talk: Students discuss the various film versions and their opinions about which one(s) best capture(s) the author’s intent. They discuss the main character’s tragic flaw(s).
Exit Slip
Write a one-page response: The fourth act of a Shakespearean tragedy provides a series of events that leads to the ultimate tragedy. What character flaw will ultimately lead to the main character’s downfall? How do the events from Act 4 support your response? Cite evidence from the text that supports your thinking.
21 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 7
(2 days)
Concept Developing Strategies for Close Reading: Key Ideas and Details
Teaching Point Readers know that dramatic tragedy ends with a catastrophe in which the protagonist is worse off than at the beginning of the narrative. They imagine alternate endings or the inevitability of the written ending.
Preparation Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide which scene(s) will be viewed.
Essential Question(s)/ Lesson Framing Quotes
How does knowledge of dramatic structure influence the reading of the play? "I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being." -Oscar Wilde
Active Engagement Teacher models and thinks aloud: Using a projector, display the character web from your notebook. Think aloud as you recall some of the events from Act 4. How are the characters linked? How do the actions of the characters lead to the catastrophe the main character is about to face in Act 5? Students read Act 5 and write a list of the final events. (Typically, there are several, quick actions that lead to the end. With Hamlet, students should “follow the poison.”)
Independent Practice
Students consider how the ending of the play might have been different by writing an alternate ending. They create a theory about why Shakespeare wrote the ending he did.
Share
Turn-and-Talk: Students read their alternate endings to a partner. As a class, create a tally of how many people believe Shakespeare’s ending was a good one and how many felt unsatisfied by the ending.
22 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 8
(2 days)
Concept Applying Context: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Teaching Point Readers see connections between canon pieces and contemporary life and culture.
Preparation Prepare copies of the post-unit assessment task and rubric, the latter of which is attached after this session. Select film clips, songs, TV shows, cartoons, etc. that make reference to the play your class has studied.
See the following site for the myriad Hamlet interpretations:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/References_to_Hamlet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet_on_screen
Suggested Materials www.YouTube.com (variety of short skits, songs, videos related to Shakespeare plays)
www.reducedshakespeare.com
The Simpsons episode "Tales from the Public Domain”
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990 film)
The Lion King (1994 animated film)
Strange Brew (1983 film)
To Be or Not to Be (1983 film)
Essential Question(s)/ Lesson Framing Quotes
How does knowledge of the historical and cultural context of the play and playwright affect meaning?
Active Engagement Teacher Model/ Think-Aloud: Think aloud as you share your own experiences viewing/reading pop culture versions of a well-known canon piece. What did you discover about the canon piece after viewing the modern-day interpretation? What seemed especially humorous or clever about it? How did knowing the canon piece help you appreciate the interpretation? View one short video together (e.g., The Simpsons episode "Tales from the Public Domain") together and think aloud as you jot down the scenes briefly depicted in a 5—8 minute version of a long play. Why did the writer/director choose those scenes in this shortened version? Students share their experiences with modern-day interpretations. (For example, they may have noticed that The Lion King is a modern-day Hamlet interpretation or they may know of TV episodes that reference a classic story.)
Independent Practice
Students view and rate alternate versions. They consider what details the writers/ directors chose from the original work and consider their reasoning.
Share
Turn-and-Talk: Why have so many writers and directors chosen to remake Shakespearean plays? What about the stories appeal to a modern-day audience? What are the reasons writers and directors tend to change or modernize the play?
Post-Unit Assessment Task (2--4 days)
“Narrative is a kind of backdoor into something very deep inside us.” –Ira Glass How does Shakespeare develop characters that reveal something about us as humans? Write and perform a contemporary rendition of a key scene from this play that reveals a basic issue of human nature examined in the play. Write a short reflective essay in which you explain your choices in language, costume, staging, contemporary context, etc. and the connection between those decisions and what you were trying to reveal about the character and human nature in general. Use the pre-unit assessment survey as a way to ground your reflection in this summative assessment task.
23 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Narrative Summative Assessment Rubric
Highly Proficient Meets Expectations Attempting to Meet Expectations
Claim (what the
updated scene reveals about
human nature)
Establishes a clear claim about human nature that closely
relates to the Shakespearean play.
The updated scene/skit makes a claim about
human nature that relates to the Shakespearean play.
The updated scene/skit does not reveal a clear claim about
human nature or does not relate to the Shakespearean
play.
Evidence (skit details)
Clearly supports the claim about human nature and
shows a close connection to the original play.
Supports the claim about human nature and shares
similarities with the original play.
Skit details do not support the claim about human nature
and/or do not share similarities with the original
play.
Written Reflection
Presents a thoughtful reflection about choices made in language, costume, staging,
contemporary context, etc. and reveals a clear connection between those decisions and
your claim about human nature.
Discusses choices made in language, costume, staging, contemporary context, etc. and shows the connection between those decisions
and your claim about human nature.
Discusses some choices made in creating an updated scene,
but does not clearly show how those choices relate to your claim about human nature.
Performance Demonstrates evidence of rehearsal and planned staging;
projects voice; uses physical movement, props, and costumes to enhance
performance.
Demonstrates evidence of rehearsal; projects voice; uses physical movement,
props, and/or costumes to enhance performance.
Demonstrates little evidence of rehearsal or staging; volume is not sufficient;
subtext cues, such as physical movement, props, and/or costumes are not evident.
Conventions Demonstrates a well-developed command of
standard English conventions and cohesion; employs
language and tone appropriate to audience and
purpose.
Demonstrates a command of standard English
conventions and cohesion; employs language and tone
appropriate to audience and purpose.
Demonstrates a weak command of standard English conventions; lacks cohesion;
language and tone are inappropriate to audience and
purpose.
Teacher Comments:
24 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Resources
WEBSITES <www.YouTube.com> <www.reducedshakespeare.com> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/References_to_Hamlet>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet_on_screen> <http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html> <http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/timeline/timeline.htm > <http://www.bardweb.net/man.html> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcwSLtSW44Q> <http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-biography> http://hunbbel-meer.hubpages.com/hub/Hamlets-Synopsis-Analysis-and-Soliloquies
FILM Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990 film) The Lion King (1994 animated film) Strange Brew (1983 film) To Be or Not to Be (1983 film) Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier) Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson) Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh) Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott) Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke) PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE
Fisher, Douglas, Fret, Nancy, and Diane Lapp. Text Complexity: Raising Rigor in Reading. Newark, DE: International
Reading Association, 2012. Gallagher, Kelly. Readicide: How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About it.” Portland, ME:
Stenhouse Publishers, 2012. Newlin, Nick. The 30-Minute Shakespeare: Hamlet, Including Stage Directions for All Levels of Experience.
Brandywine, MD: Nicolo Whimsey Press, 2010. O’Brien, Peggy, Ed. Shakespeare Set Free: Teaching Hamlet and Henry IV, Part 1. New York, NY: Washington Square
Press, 1994. Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. “You Gotta BE the Book” Teaching Engaged and Reflective Reading with Adolescents.New York,
NY: Teachers College, 1997.
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