Hamlet Unit Plan
CURRICULUM UNIT:
FOCUS: HAMLET
Teacher: Mr. Blom School Term: Spring 2009 Length: 5 Weeks
NYS ELA
Standards/ Benchmarks
Produce a response to literature
Produce an inquiry essay
Produce a reflective writing/essay
Participate in group meetings/workstations
Listen to, analyze and produce a public speaking performance
Independently and habitually demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work
Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve and effectiveness
Topics
Revenge, suicide, betrayal, murder, psychological criticism
Instructional
Objectives
Students will identify and analyze the literary techniques of William Shakespeare.
Students will identify and investigate the literary elements in Hamlet (characterization, symbolism, plot)
Students will analyze and utilize directorial techniques of staging
Students will produce an analytical response to the themes in Hamlet by utilizing an organized outline of key themes.
Students will convey insights about the subtext of Hamlet through staging choices
Students will live the poetry of Shakespeare through memorization and recital
Students will utilize techniques of public speaking
Enduring Understanding
Literature and Drama capture the fundamental essences of humanity. These core characteristics do not change, are eternal. People will fall in love, grow old, die, and celebrate birth throughout the history of humanity. Because of his ability to capture these essential understandings, Shakespeare is a beautiful subject for inquiry into the eternal aspects of literature. With effort, students can uncover the eternal in Shakespeare and discover their own connection to not only 16th century England, but to humanity as well.
Essential
Questions
How can gain insight into ourselves, our lives and the lives of those around us by examining William Shakespeare?
How do we convey meaning through the techniques of dramatic performance?
How do we gain insight and understanding of a text through performance?
Regents
Related
Tasks 1-4
Task I – “Nine-Night: Jamaican Funeral Rituals”
Task III - Revenge
Writing
Assessments
Note taking[based on literature notes from book, film, and class activities]
Participation[active participation in on-going cooperative performance troups, full-class, and individual activities daily]
Writing[Inquiry essay in response to literature, free-writing, thematic narrative, response to poety]
Reading[comprehension of literature demonstrated via sticky notes and Bard Log; daily reading of independent reading novels]
Homework[daily; complete, thoughtful, and correct with standards of English]
Speaking [thematic story-telling]
Listening [note-taking of peer thematic story-telling]
Mini-Lessons:
Add’t
English Skills
Writing in Journals (reflective writings for semester and for unit topic)
Speaking/Listening: in cooperative acting troups - daily
Note taking in individual notebooks during all class activities, organization of that notebook/binder
Read Alouds & Reading Strategies
Dramatic techniques – Blocking and staging, character work, gesture, pause, inflection, etc.
Directorial Choices – movie analysis, staging productions
Freudian Criticism – The Oedipal Complex
Workshops/
Activity Type
Bard Logs
Extensive Sticky Notes
Staging scenes
Shakespeare Comic Strip
Movie Scene Comparison & Directorial Choice
Freudian Aspects of Hamlet
The Dumb Show
S.A.T. Prep
Vocab Workshop book units/ Sadlier-Oxford
Reading Shakespeare
Materials/
Texts
Texts: Hamlet
Poetry: Shakespeare Sonnets
Films: Hamlet (Ethan Hawke version); Hamlet (Mel Gibson version); Shakespeare in Love
Preparation Frontloading
Shakespeare Bio
Freudian Oedipal Complex
Shakespeare in Love scenes
Scenarios from play
