Cassandra Ganzak

Cassandra Ganzak
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1. Learning Environment/Context

Students: I am teaching in a Senior-level classroom at Henry Ford Academy-Dearborn
Campus where the students ages range from fifteen to eighteen. I teach three sections of Senior
English and one section of Advanced Placement Literature. The lesson for this unit only pertains
to the A.P. level class. The students in this classroom are all seniors and range in age from
seventeen to eighteen years old. They are called ACE Students because they have been taking
advanced courses since their ninth grade year at Henry Ford Academythis status is determined
by their entrance exams they take before they enter the academy. Once you are deemed an ACE
Student, it is common to drop-out of the program if grades are not meeting expectations;
however, it is very difficult for others to gain ACE status after the existing students have been
chosen. The students in our classroom are an even mixture of Caucasian and African-American
ethnicities with one student with an Arabic background and one student with a Latino
background. There are twenty-one students total in the class. One student was previously eligible
for Special Education, but no longer receives services. These ACE students current coursework
includes two to three courses on the HFA campus as well as one to two courses at Henry Ford
Community College where they are duel enrolled. Many of them also take Independent Study
courses where they explore a topic of interest with an advising teacher.
Classroom: The classroom is an usually narrow roomthis is because the classroom is
within an old train car, though it doesnt resemble a train from the inside. There are four
rectangular tables on each side of the room (eight total) with three to four students at each
tablein some classes there are five students at a couple tables due to size issues. There is a
projector and white board near the back of the room where the agenda is found every day. The
front of the room is where the cabinets, inbox/outbox, and Mr. Graves desk are. Students very
rarely pick up materials on their ownthey are passed out to themso they usually only
approach the counters when they turn things in. Because of the layout, student learning mostly
takes place within their assigned seat with little movement during the class period.
School: The school has around 400 students300 of which are on the Greenfield Village
campus (grades 10 through 12). The ninth graders remain on the museum campus. Though the
ninth graders rarely move to the village for anything, the other students often go to the museum
for Town Hall meetings, for work, to speak to administration, and more. The campus of the
school is very largethe Greenfield campus location includes 4 buildings plus the bathrooms
(which is its own building). The students get an open- or college-campus type experience
because most of them have to walk outside to switch between classes. The parking lot for the
students is near the parking for the museum visitors, so the students have to walk through the
village to reach class. There are four main teachers per grade level, with one teacher as team
leaderthis means they take the lead of all activities, meetings, disciplinary action, etc. Museum
workers and grounds keepers keep up the school campuses, so it is nearly always cleaned to
perfection. It is not uncommon to see museum-goers, geese and other animals walking around,
old cars driving through campus, and other unusual sights within the school campus. Once or
twice an hour, the village train comes directly next to the senior classes (Graves included).
Many of the students are used to it, but some of them will wave or stop to watch it go by. The
students have constant access to technology and Wi-Fi. They are also allowed to use their phones
at certain times throughout the day. There is a computer lab, office computers, classroom sets of
laptops and chrome books, and every teacher has both a computer and laptop. The support
personnel for the school also come from the museum, like the IT support. In the time that I have
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been at HFA (since January 2013), I have never seen an incident with a student, a teacher,
technology, etc. not having been handled immediately, professionally, and with fast results.
Community: The students that attend Henry Ford Academy do not necessarily belong to
the same surrounding community. Students come from all over Wayne County, so that means
Detroit, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, etc. Out of all the schools that we work with in the Detroit
Teacher Project, the students at HFA have the highest overall SES. However, they still have
students on free-and-reduced lunches and in other programs that help them afford school-related
things. The students are required to buy a uniform each year (which includes khaki pants and at
least one, if not several, HFA shirts) and have a certain amount of duesthis year, the senior
dues were over $200, and that did not include their senior sweatshirts, shirts, dance tickets, and
more. The ethnic and cultural make-up of the school does not reflect the community with which
the school resides in (Dearborn). Most of the students at HFA are African-American, and the
next largest group is Caucasian. Other minority groups (Latino, Arabic, Asian) exist at the
school, but make up a small percentage of the schools demographics. SES plays a large factor in
student learning at HFA.


2. Instructional Goals & Rationale
This unit has several overlaying goals for the Advanced Placement students that are being
taught simultaneously. The first, and biggest, goal is to increase students performance and
scores on the A.P. essay. This involves responding to a specific prompt that includes an excerpt
from a novel, play, or poem. Because the A.P. courses curriculum is strict and expects teachers
to teach to a test, so to say, students are expected to practice writing these types of essay and
show improvement over the course of the year. The secondary goal within that broader idea is
creating stronger thesis statements. Because students are responding to a piece of literaturenot
a debatable topic or global issuetheir thesis statements can sometimes read more like
summaries or are too obvious to be considered theses. Thirdly, this unit strives to introduce 17
th

century literatureprimarily Shakespearethat is not only considered vital to the A.P.
curriculum, but also very commonly found on the A.P. exam. Students have varying exposure to
Shakespeare and older-style literature, so we (Mr. Graves and I) wanted to make sure students
feel comfortable reading and interpreting this kind of writing upon entering the A.P. exam and
college-level English courses. By the end of the unit, the ideal result would be that students have
increased their average A.P. essay score. Key questions that students might take up during the
unit include: What more can I do to increase my score (which is out of 9)? How should I read
and/or analyze a play differently than a piece of poetry or a novel excerpt? What vocabulary do I
need to know for analyzing a play and/or Shakespeare? How can a piece of literature be
arguable?
The student learning that will be measurable is their ability to improve upon their writing
from their pre-assessment until the end of the unit. Students will be asked to respond to various
prompts throughout the unit, sometimes writing paragraphs, sometimes writing just theses,
sometimes in classroom and/or small group discussion, and at the very end writing a full essay.
The small assignments in between the pre- and post-assessment will allow me to check student
understanding and progress without burning them out by writing too much every class period.
Through reading, interpretation, analysis, and thesis and essay development, students will be
able to meet the following Common Core ELA standards throughout the unit:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4Determine the meaning of words and phrases
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as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze
the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with
multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.
(Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5Analyze how an author's choices concerning
how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a
story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall
structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7Analyze multiple interpretations of a story,
drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or
poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one
play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.DEstablish and maintain a formal style and
objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.EProvide a concluding statement or section
that follows from and supports the argument presented.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9Draw evidence from literary or informational
texts to support analysis, reflection, and research
The goals for this unit stem firstly from the A.P. curriculum, which is set by a board, and
secondly from the Common Core Standards for grades 11-12. Developmentally, the ACE
Students need to challenged more than the regular Senior English classes, so the standards set by
the A.P. rubric, as well as Mr. Graves and myself, are a little more strict than other classes we
teach. For example, in order to get a 9 on the A.P. essay (a perfect score), students must show a
flawless argument with superior textual support and near perfect grammar and structure. A 9
cannot be achieved by mere intention or a good idea alone. Because of this, a 9 score is
infrequent. Though this tough grading seems a difficult obstacle to obtaining a high grade in the
course, most students meet the high expectations and do very well.

3. Prerequisite Skills
Students must already know how to write a working essay in the style of A.P. Literature.
They must also be familiar with the A.P. grading scale. This is a scale that differs greatly from a
normal or average rubric in a high school English class. Because the A.P. class is not only in
preparation for college, but also in preparation for an exam to earn college credit, the scale and
requirements of an A.P. Literature essay are vital to academic achievement within the classroom.
Within the idea of writing a working essay, students must be able to identify the argument within
a prompt and/or piece of writing and create their own stance translated into a thesis statement.
Essays at the A.P. Literature level are responses to prompts that most often work off of an
excerpt or poem. So, students will also have to be able to analyze a piece of literature. Analyze,
in this case, being defined as working out the deeper meaning at the sentence- or word-level.
Students will be expected to have a working productive vocabulary of literature-based
terminology that they utilize when speaking or writing about prose and poetry. Finally, students
will be required to draw on their prior knowledge of poetry scansionfinding the meter and
rhythm in poetry. This is something we covered immediately before this unit, so students should
be familiar with scanning poetry.
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The prerequisite skills required for this unit are skills that Mr. Graves and myself have
been working toward for the past two trimesters. Because of this, we have been assessing these
skills over the course of several weeks, and believe, upon the start of the unit, that students meet
these required skills. However, I will be able to assess the presence of the prerequisite skills by
asking students to produce a writing sample during a class period. This writing sample, which
will ask students to analyze a short excerpt from Macbeth, will become their pre-assessment.
Within their response, students will be expected to analyze the passage, develop a thesis, utilize
expert vocabulary, and produce a mini-essaycapturing all the necessary skills for the following
unit.

4. Pre-Assessment
The pre-assessment is an in-class writing assignment. To gauge their immediate skills,
students will not be told about this pre-assessment in advance, nor will it be called a pre-
assessment. The students are used to writing in class, so this activity will seem like a average daily
activity with the exception that the prompt will be vague. Normally, students have a very specific
prompt attached to an excerpt of writing; however, because I want to assess their prerequisite skills,
students will be given an excerpt from Macbeth and simply asked to analyze the passage in a
paragraph-long response.
What I want to achieve by implementing this type of pre-assessment is a gauge of how my
students are analyzing Shakespeare and how they are developing their ideas (mainly their theses) on
paper. By not giving them a prompt, the students will be forced to think on their ownit will put
them in a state of disequilibriation. Though a prompt-less essay is uncommon for the A.P. course, I
believe it will allow me to see their true thinking in a more pure and intellectual light.
This pre-assessment is appropriate for the A.P. students because entire course is based on
these two ideas: deep analysis of literature and turning that analysis into a well-supported essay with
a strong, clear thesis. In making the pre-assessment a miniature version of their normal A.P. essays,
they are forced to offer a snapshot of their existing skills, which I can quickly gauge and make
adjustments for.


5. Post-Assessment
The post-assessment comes in two partsthe first is writing a full-length A.P. essay that
responds to a prompt and an excerpt, which includes what they have learned over the course of
the unit. The second is a revision of the post-assessment, which allows students to reflect on their
receptive vocabulary and make changes to the post-assessment in terms of their terminology only
(not content).
The reason for the full-length essay is clear: we want students to be able to produce a
high-scoring A.P. essay that persuasively interprets a piece of a literature using adequate support
and effectively answers the prompt. The second part to the post-assessment allows students to
think deeper about what they know. The students have heard the same literature-specific
vocabulary over and over throughout the course of the year; however, very few of them utilize
this vocabulary in their own writing. By forcing students to reflect on this, they will have the
opportunity to enhance and elevate their diction. This assessment, though different from the pre-
assessment, will gauge how students are retaining specific vocabulary as well as how they are
utilizing their receptive vocabulary.
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The end-all of the A.P. course is the A.P. examan $80 optional exam that allows
students to gain college credit if they receive a score 4 or 5 (sometimes even 3). These post-
assessments will allow students to practice for this exam, and also gauge their own strengths and
weakness as a literary writer of scholarly material.

6. Instructional Plan: Class activities are based on 60 minutes. At Henry Ford Academy, classes
switch from 60 to 70 minutes based on what letter day it is. To account for the fact that Im not
sure which lesson will be taught on which letter day, I have made them all so they fit the 60
minute time frame; however, the lessons can easily be drawn out and expanded upon to
accommodate the 70 minute class days.

Note: The five expanded lesson plans include Days 6-10. Because this is a unit with duel
objectives and goals, the pre- and post-assessment that are attached with essay writing come
after the students have been introduced and familiar with the play Macbeth.

I. Day I: Introduction to 17
th
Century Literature & Macbeth
a. Objectives:
i. Students will be able to identify common themes and motifs that span the
work of Shakespeare and other 17
th
century authors.
b. Activities
i. Bell Work (10 min): In their table groups, students compile a list of what they
know about life, history, people, etc. during the 17
th
century.
ii. (40 min) Primary Research Stations: Each table group will spend 10 minutes
at 4 different stations to learn about major events and people that influenced
writing in the 17
th
century (specifically Shakespeare and Macbeth) using
primary documents. Students will be required to keep track of their findings
and must be prepared to discuss each station.
iii. (10 min): Class-wide discussion of findings. Each group must present a piece
of data in order to be excused from class.
c. Accommodations:
i. No accommodations needed
d. Formative Assessment:
i. Note-taking for each station (to be checked upon weekly journal check)
ii. End of class discussion

II. Day II: Translating Macbeth
a. Objectives:
i. Students will be able to interpret the language of Macbeth in order to read
the play fluently.
b. Activities:
i. Bell Work (10 min): Students are given a copy of Macbeth and asked to
read the introduction on their own (written by a contemporary author).
ii. (15 min): The first two scenes of Act I are shown acted out by professional
actors on video. The language of the text is the same language used by the
actors.
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iii. (25 min): With their table groups, students work on reading and translating
the first two scenes of Act I into modern-day English. This may include slang
or colloquial language. To be handed in by the end of class.
iv. (10 min): 2-3 groups are asked to present their translated scenes. All groups
work are collected before leaving.
c. Accommodations:
i. Students with accommodations may receive a No Fear version of
Macbeththis is a version that uses modern-day English to convey the
dialogue of the play. These texts are usually used in grade levels 6-9 and can
range in difficulty depending on the version (many are found online).
d. Formative Assessment:
i. Group assessmentthe teacher visits each group as they are working during
class
ii. Translated scenes that are collected at the end of the hour

III. Day III: Reading Macbeth
a. Objectives:
i. Students will be able to identify the main events and themes in Macbeth
b. Activities:
i. (50 min): Students read Macbeth out loud in class. A different student
portrays each character. Readers must stand in the middle of class during their
parts and act out (as much as they can) the scenes (i.e. entering rooms, sitting,
conveying emotion, etc.).
ii. (10 min): Students ticket out the door is writing 3 major events that
happened in the reading and 2 major themes of the play thus far (can be from
the scenes read the previous day).
c. Accommodations:
i. No Fear texts
ii. For speech-impaired students: Not required to read out loud
iii. For hearing-impaired students: May read to themselves or with a small group
in the resource room
d. Formative Assessments:
i. Ticket out the door

IV. Day IV: Macbeth Posters & Predictions
a. Objectives:
i. Students will be able to identify & explain the literary elements within
Macbeth, including theme, diction, and indirect characterization.
b. Activities:
i. Bell Work (10 min): Students are handed back their ticket out the door from
the previous day, and every table group gets one piece of poster paper.
ii. (40 min): Students make a poster for Macbeth that includes 4 things: (1)
Themes & Motifs, (2) Passages that convey indirect characterization, (3)
Specific diction that conveys deeper meaning, and (4) Make 3 predictions for
what is to come next in the play with justifications for why. Students may
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base their posters off of what we have read thus far and/or continue reading
with their group from where we left off.
iii. (10 minute): Groups present their posters. These are collected at the end of
class.
c. Accommodations:
i. No Fear texts
ii. Students with accommodations may be placed in groups with non-IEP
students, OR students with accommodations may all work together on one
poster.
d. Formative Assessments:
i. Posters

V. Day V: Play (Field Trip)
a. Objective:
i. Students will be able to utilize their translation skills to observe and interpret
Macbeth live.
b. Activities:
i. Field Trip (1/2 day)students leave at 8:30am to arrive to the Hillberry
Theatre on Wayne State campus. The duration of the play is 2 hours.
ii. Students who choose not to attend the play will watch a professional
production on DVD on the HFA campus.
c. Accommodations:
i. Visual- and hearing-impaired students receive accommodations by the theatre
to sit closer to the stage.
ii. Physically-impaired students needs will be met by both the school and the
theatrea wheelchair accessible bus will be provided and the theatre is
equipped with ramps and appropriate seating.
iii. Students who need chaperones on filed trips will be accommodated
appropriately.
d. Formative Assessments:
i. Students homework is to write a 1-page review of the play. This must include
whether his/her predictions from the previous class were correct.

VI. Day VI: Review of Macbeth & Pre-Assessment
a. Introduction:
i. The purpose of beginning Macbeth was not to read it thoroughly for its
literary merit. Instead, students were introduced to the basics of 17
th
century
literature (mainly Shakespeare) and the themes and motifs that come along
with it. Secondly, students were given the opportunity to witness and interpret
a living text without the prior knowledge of what happens or what is to come.
To begin the writing portion of this unitthe main purpose of beginning
Macbethstudents are asked to reflect on the play they saw (mainly, the
emotions that were conveyed by the actors) and analyze a brief passage that is
one of the most poignant and memorable scenes of the play.
b. Objective:
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i. Students will be able to determine the meaning of a passage from Macbeth
through identifying and interpreting the main idea(s) conveyed by the author.
c. Materials:
i. Macbeth film, directed by Roman Polanski
ii. Macbeth text/No Fear version
iii. Student Journals
iv. Macbeth excerpt assignment
v. Projector and/or whiteboard
d. Activities:
i. Bell Work (20 min): Watch the last scene in the film version of Macbeth &
discuss as a class their final thoughts on the play. Questions should include:
Did the play end as you predicted? What went wrong for Macbeth? Did the
themes you identified in the beginning continue as the play went on? What
other themes arose? Is there a moral or lesson in Macbeth? Are there any
stories or movies today that have similar plots or themes as Macbeth?
ii. Macbeth as a poem (20 min): In their table groups, students are asked to
scan Macbeth to find the meter in Shakespeare. Students may already know
that Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter, but they must show this in their
journal by finding 2-4 lines and scanning them (finding stressed and
unstressed syllables, attributing the pattern to a meter, and counting how many
feet per linethis will all add up to 10 syllables iambic meter broken down
into five feet). After about 10 minutes, have 1-2 groups model their lines of
scansion on the whiteboard. Ask students (class-wide) how this meter effects
Macbeth as a whole.
iii. Excerpt (20 min): Project Macbeth excerpt and give students hard copies.
Students will be asked to analyze excerpt (intentionally vague prompt) in ! -
1 page of writing. Ask students what part of the play this is (right after
Macbeth finds out his wife is dead). Tell students, Write what you think
Macbeth is saying here. Give students time in class to annotate by hand and
write analysis. They may hand to you when finished. If not finished at end of
class, they may take it home for homework.
e. Accommodations:
i. Students with accommodations may use their No Fear versions to analyze
the passage
f. Formative Assessment:
i. The analysis of the excerpt will serve as the students pre-assessment. This
will gauge students prerequisite skills as well as what objectives from the unit
need to be emphasized
g. Standards:
i. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh,
engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
ii. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5Analyze how an author's choices
concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where
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to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution)
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

h. Literacy:
i. Shakespearean close reading; analysis development
i. Numeracy:
i. Poetry scansionmeter and scheme (iambic pentameter, etc.)
j. Technology:
i. Smartboard (projection only)




































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Name: _____________________

Analyze the following passage from Macbeth. In !-1
page of writing, explain what Macbeth is saying to his
audience. Utilize necessary vocabulary. Be sure to
annotate first. (You do not need a specific thesis.)

She should have died hereafter.
There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time.
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle.
Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
--Macbeth (5.5,16-27)










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VII. Day VII: Excerpt Battle, part I
a. Introduction:
i. Now that students have completed the pre-assessment, it is important to
discuss the excerpt as a class. Students should not only see the excerpt as
presented by the instructor, but how other students are interpreting the writing
as well.
b. Objectives:
i. Students will be able to develop and revise a well-supported and direct thesis
statement based on a Shakespearean excerpt and prompt.
c. Materials:
i. Student Journals
ii. Projector and/or whiteboard
iii. ELMO, if available
iv. Shakespeare passage
d. Activities
i. Bell Work (15 min): With table group, share analysis of yesterdays excerpt.
Come up with a list of what your group said that was similar to each other and
how your group differed in analysis. Take volunteers at the end of 10-15
minutes to discuss their response.
ii. Annotate excerpt as a class (15 min): Project the excerpt again and have
students come up and write down things they wrote when annotating. These
can be specific word choices, alliteration, imagery, tone, figurative language
(esp. comparisons), etc. It should be noted that this is a soliloquy and/or
dramatic monologue (the author is on stage by himself, offering his thoughts
to the audience). Things to ask if the students dont point them out: What is
the tone of this passage? How do you know? How does Macbeth feel about
life at this point? What does player refer to? The stage?
iii. Excerpt Battle (30 min): Students are familiar with this thesis-driven game. A
prompt and excerpt are projected onto the board. Students are given 5-10
minutes to create a 3-sentence thesis in response to the prompt. Students then
compete against one another for the most effective thesis statement. The
judges are myself and Mr. Graves (but can be just one). The winners of the
first round compete against one another while the students that did not
continue must aid the judges in round twostating why one thesis may be
more effective than its competition. Ultimately, there will be 2-4 finalists
(depending on the theses) that are projected on the board anonymously.
Students will read each thesis and vote for the winner.
iv. Homework: Students will revise their original thesis.
e. Accommodations:
i. No Fear versions of excerpts
f. Formative Assessment:
i. In-class thesis
ii. Revised thesis (homework)
g. Standards:
i. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative
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meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh,
engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
ii. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5Analyze how an author's choices
concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where
to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution)
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
iii. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7Analyze multiple interpretations of a
story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded
novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text.
(Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American
dramatist.)
h. Literacy:
i. Close reading; thesis development
i. Numeracy:
i. Poetry scansion (if student included in annotation or thesis)
j. Technology:
i. Smartboard (and ELMO)projection only




























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To project for Excerpt Battle:
How does the author use elements such as allusion,
tone, and figurative language to convey Prosperos
complex response to remembering there is a plot
against his life?
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air;
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.
--Prospero, from The Tempest (4.1,148158)

















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VIII. Day VIII: Excerpt Battle, part II
a. Introduction:
i. Because students seemed a little rusty in their thesis development from the
previous class period, I decided to extend the excerpt battle another day. This
will give students the opportunity to continue practicing responding to
prompts with this level of difficulty.
b. Objectives:
i. Students will be able to develop and revise a well-supported and direct thesis
based on a Shakespearean excerpt and prompt.
c. Materials:
i. Student Journals, excerpts from previous class
ii. Projector and/or whiteboard
iii. ELMO, if available
iv. Shakespeare passage
d. Activities:
i. Bell Work (15 minutes): At table groups, students share original and revised
thesis from previous class day. In journals, students write what they felt was
strong about their thesis and what they needed to change and/or add.
ii. (Excerpt Battle (30 min): Students are familiar with this thesis-driven game. A
prompt and excerpt are projected onto the board. Students are given 5-10
minutes to create a 3-sentence thesis in response to the prompt. Students then
compete against one another for the most effective thesis statement. The
judges are myself and Mr. Graves (but can be just one). The winners of the
first round compete against one another while the students that did not
continue must aid the judges in round twostating why one thesis may be
more effective than its competition. Ultimately, there will be 2-4 finalists
(depending on the theses) that are projected on the board anonymously.
Students will read each thesis and vote for the winner.
iii. Class Discussion (15 min): Facilitate a discussion about the thesis-writing
process. Ask students: What was difficult about responding to these prompts?
What was easy? What did you do differently from yesterday?
e. Accommodations:
i. No Fear version of excerpt
f. Formative Assessments:
i. Bell work in journal
ii. Thesis
iii. Class discussion
g. Standards:
i. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh,
engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
ii. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5Analyze how an author's choices
concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where
to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution)
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contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
iii. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7Analyze multiple interpretations of a
story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded
novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text.
(Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American
dramatist.)
h. Literacy:
i. Close reading; thesis development
i. Numeracy:
i. Poetry scansion (if student included in annotation or thesis)
j. Technology:
i. Smartboard (and ELMO)for projection only


































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To be projected for Excerpt Battle:

How does the author use diction, figurative language
and syntax to show Hamlet s conflicted state of
mind?

To be, or not to be, that is the question
Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die, to sleep
No more; and by a sleep, to say we end
The Heart-ache, and the thousand Natural shocks
That Flesh is heir to? 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep,
To sleep, perchance to Dream.




















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IX. Day IX: Post-Assessment Essay
a. Introduction:
i. After spending three days on thesis writing and excerpt analysis, students are
asked to respond to a prompt in an in-class essay. This style of essay is
something that theyve frequently done over the course of the yearabout 2-3
times a month. This essay will serve as the units post-assessment.
b. Objective:
i. Students will be able to analyze a Shakespearean excerpt in response to an
A.P. prompt, which includes developing an effective and supported thesis.
c. Materials:
i. A.P. prompt
d. Activities:
i. (60 min) Students are given prompt. Teacher may read prompt out loud, but
not the excerpt. Students are given the rest of class to work on their essay.
They may not take the essay home to finish and must turn in whatever they
have written at the end of class. Students should take all hour to complete.
e. Accommodations:
i. Students who receive testing accommodations may take the test in the
resource room.
f. Summative Assessment:
i. In-class essay
g. Standards:
i. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.DEstablish and maintain a formal style
and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the
discipline in which they are writing.
ii. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.EProvide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
iii. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research
h. Literacy:
i. Excerpt analysis and essay development
i. Numeracy:
i. Poetry scansion (if student included in annotation or analysis)
j. Technology:
i. None










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Question 1
(Suggested time40 minutes. This question counts as one-third of the total essay section score.)
In the following speech from Shakespeares play Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey considers his sudden
downfall from his position as advisor to the king. Spokesmen for the king have just left Wolsey alone on
stage. Read the speech carefully. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how
Shakespeare uses elements such as allusion, figurative language, and tone to convey Wolseys complex
response to his dismissal from court.

So farewellto the little good you bear me.
Farewell? a long farewell to all my greatness!
This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hopes, to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;
A third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely
His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,
And then he fall as I do. I have venturd,
Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders
1
,
This many summers in a sea of glory,
But far beyond my depth. My high-blown pride
At length broke under me, and now has left me,
Weary and old with service, to the mercy
Of a rude stream that must for ever hide me.
Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye!
I feel my heart new opend. O how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes favors!
There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire to,
That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin,
More pangs and fears than wars or women have;
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer
2
,
Never to hope again.

1
air-filled sacs
2
Satan, the Fallen angel








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X. Day X: Essay Critiques & Self-Revision
a. Introduction:
i. Because this is the first in-class essay that students have done in a few weeks,
and because this was an extremely difficult prompt, I felt it necessary to look
at some example responses to this prompt that were both successful and
lacking. Also, because the students are nearing the end of the trimester, I
wanted them to review their vocabulary and attempt to strengthen it using
literature-specific vocabulary as well as elevated terminology.
b. Objective:
i. Students will be able to identify the components of a strong AP Essay (one
that would score a 9 on the examstudents are already familiar with this
scoring system) by analyzing and critiquing sample essays, and then apply the
identified components as well as their critiques to their own essays for a
revision.
c. Materials
i. Sample Essays
ii. In-class essay from previous class
d. Activities:
i. (5 min) Put students into pre-planned groups. Because the size of this class is
small, students must be rearranged from their normal seating chart into larger
groups. To avoid similar groupings, students are randomly placed in groups of
4-5.
ii. (5 min) Instruction and example. Groups will be given a set of four sample
essays on the same prompt (see attached). They must critique each essay
according to four standards (response to prompt, structure of essay, language,
and another one chosen by the students) and score the essay 1-9 (the AP
scoring rubric). Students will be shown an example of the critique chart
they must create for each essay.
iii. (25 min) Students work on assignment. Teacher visits each group to discuss
their progress, questions, etc.
iv. (10 min) Discuss student findings. Students will largely lead discussion with
teacher facilitating. Discussion should revolve around what was
strong/lacking in each essay. How can we constantly be improving and raising
the bar for our writing?
v. (15 min) Students are given their essays from Monday. Without adjusting
what they previously wrote, students are asked to identify their strengths and
weaknesses and may make changes to the vocabulary within the essay (in a
separate color pen/other sheet of paper).
e. Accommodations:
i. If necessary, students with accommodations may receive a list of vocabulary
words to help with their revision.
f. Formative Assessment:
i. Discussion, group activity (what they hand in), revised essay with identified
strengths and weaknesses.
g. Standards:
i. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7Analyze multiple interpretations of a
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story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded
novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text.
(Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American
dramatist.)
h. Literacy:
i. Essay development and revision
i. Numeracy:
i. Attributing essay standards to a numeric value
j. Technology:
i. None




































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Sample A

Cardinal Wolsey expresses in the soliloquy following his dismissal a sense of indignation,
that the king did not appreciate him. After a careful introspection, Wolsey blames his own pride
and aspirations. Wolsey develops two strong comparisons in his speech to describe the sense of
injustice and the folly of his own pride. In Cardinal Wolseys speech, Shakespeare develops the
sense of injustice and the recognition of pride by relying on the two comparisons as well as the
mood, as developed by the tone and diction of the soliloquy.

The first comparison Shakespeare employs, a metaphor, reveals Wolseys indignation at the
injustice dealt to him. He has put forth the tender leaves of hope (3-4), seen them blossom;
however, nature comes in the form of frost to nip[] his roots (8). Wolsey compares his fall to
being frozen by frost at the climax of potential. To compare the king to a force of nature,
Wolsey recognizes that the action was beyond any mans control, thus ceding a potential
argument that the king was at fault and should have been stopped. The impending nature of the
forces of nature make it seem that Wolseys fall was fate, thus cementing the injustice he feels.

The second comparison Wolsey makes is a simile to air-filled sacs on which little wanton
boys swim. This simile expresses the Cardinals recognition of pride and subsequent contrition
in two ways: The first derives its strength from the subject of comparison. That an important
cardinal would liken himself to little wanton boys (10) shows a level of humility. Second is
the meaning of the comparison itself: My high-blown pride/At length broke under me (12-13).
He compares his pride to the bladder used for swimming, noting that his pride had kept him
afloat, but no longer. The Cardinals new-found humility expresses itself in the cleverly crafted
simile.

Ultimately, Shakespeares diction builds Wolseys response to his dismissal by contributing
to a tone of contrition. While in the second line Wolsey expresses anger for not being
recognized for all my greatness! (2), Wolsey follows later with apostrophe: Vain pomp and
glory of this world, I hate ye! (16). This contradiction is given meaning by the word, this in
describing world. This wording is a reference to his religious nature and belief in a humble
earthly life leading to a happier afterlife. He also describes himself as wretched later, showing
the self-criticism in which he engages.

Shakespeares use of figurative language and then tone show how Wolsey blames the
injustice on his pride.









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Sample UU

King Henrys VIIIs reign was a turbulent time for England. Spurned by his desire for an
heir, the King of Catholic England asked the Pope to annul the marriages he had entered into
when they did not bring him a male heir. The Popes refusal sparked the separation of England
from catholic doctrine and gave rise to the Church of England. Virtually overnight, those in
positions of religious authority in England were no better than the commoner. This sort of
downfall is depicted by the character of Cardinal Wolsey in Shakespeares Henry VIII. As the
spokesman for the King exit from the scene, leaving Wolsey to contemplate his downfall, the
Cardinal reacts to his dismissal from the court in a speech that use figurative language and
biblical allusions to convey the regret Wolsey feels in this lamenting response to his dismissal.
Cardinal Wolsey uses figurative language pertaining to the gardens and the sea to illustrate
the fickleness of greatness & influence. In lines 3-9, Cardinal Wolsey uses a sequence of events
with reference to gardening to illustrate how the favor and honor he has culled from the King
over the span of years has now come to nothing. When he was first developing his relationship
with the King, he put forth the tender leaves of hopes, and as he began to gain favor with the
King, he allowed these hopes to blossom. Ostensibly, the rest of the Cardinals relationship
with the King was comprised of the blossoms bearing his blushing honors thick upon him. At
this point in time, the Cardinal is experiencing the killing frost that, just when the Cardinal had
become secure of his sense at greatness, nipped the plant of hope at the root, resulting in his
downfall.
Shakespeare also uses the sea, the age-old archetype of instability, in Wolseys speech. This
reference occurs from lines 10-15. By comparing himself to the boys that swim on bladders in
the glory of youth and the calm summer sea, Shakespeare draws a contrast between these young
boys and the Cardinal. Wolsey admits that he behaved like this, resting on his laurels and glory
until he was carried far beyond [his] depth. The winds of his pride carried him farther on a
wave of influence that, at length broke under [him]. Wolsey seeks to convey through the use
of these metaphors that greatness is a fickle and transient thing, sensitive only to the slightest
of shocks adversely, but also to the over-reliance of an individual upon it.
In this time of religious upheaval, Shakespeare utilizes biblical allusion in Cardinal Wolseys
response to being dismissed in order to demonstrate the dangers of power and pride, as well as to
convey a sense of regret and a lamenting tone in the Cardinals speech. This largely occurs in
the second half of the speech, which begins by the Cardinals epiphany about life and position.
In line 16, Wosley exclaims, Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye! Thus showing that
the Cardinal believes himself to be deluded by the vagaries of his elevated position and standing.
In lines17-18, the Cardinal exclaims O how wretched/Is that poor man that hangs on princes
favors! This statement expresses the regret the Cardinal feels for becoming a figurehead,
someone who power, influence, and greatness were solely derived from the power, influence,
and perceived greatness of another, in this case, King Henry VIII. These epiphanies set the stage
for the main biblical allusion in the speech, where the Cardinal states, in line 22, And when he
falls, he falls like Lucifer,/Never to hope again. The Cardinal regards himself as Lucifer, the
fallen angel of heaven, who only derived his own power form that of God, yet had the gall to
question God, instead of simply being content with that smile, we would aspire to. Lucifers
fall is seen as analogous to his own situation because there is no hope for redemption for him in
any way. Unlike Lucifer however, the Cardinals harsh opinion of himself shows that he
experiences profound regret and is lamenting his situation.
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Thus, we can see that Shakespeare utilizes a lamenting tone, metaphors to the sea and to
gardens, as well as biblical allusions in Cardinal Wolseys response in order to convey the
emotional upheaval the character is experiencing in this time of turmoil. The overall effect
achieved by these elements is a stern warning to the audience that pride and the pursuit of glory
are vain exercises, and that it is important for an individual to strive for a more substantial
existence than to pursue such a transient and fickle concept.


Sample WW

In Shakespeares Henry VIII, Cardinal Woolseys unexpected relegation to a position of
negligible importance forces a reconsidering of whether his life holds significant any longer.
The Cardinals response is complex: though he initially blames times beyond his control for his
current predicament, he must eventually confront his failure and its accompanying implications.

The Cardinal expresses his outrage at being dismissed through figurative language hiding a
larger truththat his own complacency may have been the true cause of his downfall. He begins
by generalizing the state of man in an attempt to universalize the experience of failure, and
compares his early work to tender leaves of hope. (4) This symbol of springtime and rebirth
bears hopeful connotations; yet Wolsey goes on to say that the third day comes a frost, a killing
frost (6) to suggest his cold and merciless casting from heights. His claim that his pattern is the
inevitable state of man, in essence, that his removal was indubitably doomed to occur, places
the blame for his unfortunate position on a different party. Unable to come to terms with the
present, the speaker uses a form of psychological rationalization and symbolism to excuse his
circumstances and detach himself from the truthhis claim that it is the unfortunate and
inevitable truth that man falls as I do (9) holds little weight and reveals the cardinals
distraught persona.

The monologue then takes a dramatic turn when the Cardinal grapples with the idea that his
own ability to trust may have facilitated his fall from power. Through a metaphor, Wolsey
explains that his inflated ego may have been a liability. He speaks of himself as little wanton
boy afloat on bladders (10)imagery that suggests his self-exaggerated importance, and
hence vulnerability. He then recognizes his high blown pride (12) as contributing to his
feelings of failure. As the speaker confronts how his self-aggrandizing in the past may have
yielded his unfortunate situation, the Cardinal nevertheless makes a significant turnaroundno
longer casting blame on outside forces but shedding light on his own faults.

This enlightenment, however, only exacerbates the difficulty Wolsey has in coming to terms
with his dismissal. Last, Wolsey attempts to understand the implications of what has transpired,
ultimately suffering from feelings of ignobility and impotence. The Cardinal bemoans his
vulnerability to the pomp and glory of this world (16), which he realizes caused him to hang
for a time successfully, albeit precariously, on princes favors. Suffering from crushing
feelings of impotence at his predicament, he realizes that he must for ever hide. Moreover,
these themes of impotence and the ignobility of his demiseomnipresent within the soliloquy
are the unfortunate ultimate consequence that the Cardinal undergoes.

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Wolseys response runs the gamut from self-righteous justification to ignoble helplessness
through psychological detachment, symbolism, metaphor, and theme, the Cardinal eventually
reaches the nadir of his experience, falling, as he claims, like Lucifer, never to hope again.


Sample X

Cardinal Wolsey is clearly upset by the loss of his job. Along with the job, he loses all of his
power and greatness. The result is an understandable feeling of despair and regret. However,
instead of straightforwardly declaring sorrow, Shakespeare uses an elaborate series of images
and metaphors and allusions to explain the situation. These techniques emphasize Wolseys
despair at his present state of affairs and the change it has caused in his view of the world.

In the first 15 lines, Wolsey uses two extended metaphors/similes to describe his situation.
The first describes him as a plant, shooting up leaves and blossoming before being killed in his
prime by a frost. The language in the first part of the metaphor features positive, hopeful diction,
such as blossoms (4) and blushing honors (line 5), reflecting the state of the man at that
time. When the frost comes, it is not merely a frost, but a killing frost that immediately wipes
out all the hope of growth. And in the end the plant falls, just as Wosley does. The next piece of
figurative language is a simile in which, in which he compares himself to small children that
swim out too far. The boys ride on bladders, but Wosley rides on his pride. When it bursts, he is
stranded. As before, the language quickly switches from positive to negative; with the sea of
glory (line 11) he was becoming a rude stream (line 15) that he is at the mercy of. The visual
imagery of a dead flower and a drowning man clearly represent Wolseys current state, and the
rapid transitions in language reflect the shock that he is feeing immediately after losing his job.
Together, these passages offer a vivid image of Wolseys state of mind.

Line 16 marks a shift. Wolsey is no longer describing his own situation but lamenting it and
the system that he relied upon. The pomp and glory that he was not long ago a part of have
become objects of his hate. The language is again negative, with words like vain (line 16)
wretched (17) and ruin (20) that convey Wolseys newfound anger at his situation. The
allusion to Lucifer and the fallen princes who can never hope again casts doubt on his future
prospects for a return to glory. He is dependent on a prince or king to give him a job, and if they
are as fallen as Lucifer he will be unlikely to ever get one again.

Shakespeares language provides a vivid insight into Wolseys mind. The imagery and
figurative language gives the reader a sense of the tragedy that has befallen Wosley. The last
third of the speech is a decleration of anger. Together, they form a beautiful picture of a troubled
state of mind.






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AP English Literature Essay Scoring Rubric
GENERAL DIRECTIONS: The score you assign should reflect your judgment of the quality of the
essay as a whole. Reward writers for what they do well. The score for an exceptionally well-written
essay may be raised by one point from the score otherwise appropriate. In no case may a poorly
written essay be scored higher than a 3.
College Board Score: 9-8
Grade: 97/93
Explanation: These well-written essays clearly demonstrate an understanding of the topic and have
chosen an appropriate work of literature and appropriate element(s) (character, theme, tone, plot
device, etc.) within that work. They address the topic convincingly with apt references. Superior
papers will be specific in their references, cogent in their explications, and free of plot summary that
is not relevant to the topic. These essays need not be without flaw, but they must demonstrate the
writers ability to discuss a literary work with insight and understanding and to control a wide range
of the elements of effective composition.

College Board Score: 7-6
Grade: 87/83
Explanation: These essays also choose a suitable work of literature and analyze the appropriate
elements. These papers, however, are less thorough, less perceptive or less specific than that of 9-8
papers. Though they are not as convincing in their discussion, these essays are generally well-
written; however, they have less maturity and control than the top papers. They demonstrate the
writers ability to analyze a literary work, but they reveal a less sophisticated analysis and less
consistent command of the elements of effective writing than essays scored in the 9-8 range.

College Board Score: 5
Grade: 75
Explanation: Superficiality characterizes these essays. They choose an appropriate element from a
suitable work, but the explanation is vague or over-simplified. The discussion may be pedestrian,
mechanical, or inadequately related to the topic. Typically, these essays reveal simplistic thinking
and/or immature writing. They usually demonstrate inconsistent control over the elements of
college-level composition and are not as well conceived, organized, or developed as the upper-half
papers; the writing, however is sufficient to convey the writers ideas.

College Board Score: 4-3
Grade: 68/58
Explanation: These lower-half papers may not have chosen an appropriate element or suitable text,
or they may have failed to address the topic. Their analysis may be unpersuasive, perfunctory,
underdeveloped, or misguided. Their discussion may be inaccurate or not clearly related to the
chosen element. The writing may convey the writers ideas, but it reveals weak control over such
elements as diction, organization, syntax, and grammar. These essays may contain significant
misinterpretations of the text, inadequate supporting evidence, and/or paraphrase and plot summary
rather than analysis.





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AP Essay Checklist

Name:_______________________________________________________


_______ Has an engaging and direct introduction that is not formulaic



_______ Answers the prompt question clearly in introduction, but doesnt repeat prompt



_______ Adequately summarizes the excerpt while the focus remains on analysis



_______ Uses direct quotes to summarize and support points, and quotes are explained



_______ Has an engaging and thoughtful writing style



_______ Has sufficient detail and coherent paragraphs



_______ Has quality vocabulary and word choice



_______ Entire essay is focused on proving the point made in thesis, which answers the prompt
question







Score: _________________


End Instructional Plan
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--Instructional Plans and Assessments: These instructional plans will guide me through student
learning throughout the 10-day unit. I will first be able to assess where the students are in their
essay writing and thesis development on day one. After taking a closer look at the Shakespearean
excerpt, practice thesis writing, discussions, and activities that go along with the unit will show
me how they are taking in the information, how they are using it, and how they are implementing
it into their writing. The group discussions for bell work will allow students to review their own
and each others progress, but their work that they turn in and the discussions that follow will
help me understand what they took away from the assignments. The post-assessment will be
relevant to both myself and the students in seeing how they progressed over the unit.
--Promoting Student Learning: This unit promotes student learning because the students are
constantly asked to improve their work. It is not so much a unit where we keep moving on from
different things; we are really working on similar pieces of writing and prompts and continuing
to improve, rework, revise, and revisit it. By the end of the unit, the students will have a finished
essay that shows what they were able to professionally and effectively say about a piece of
literature.

6. Presentation of Data and Explanation/Analysis of Results
A. Results of pre- and post-assessments for entire class
Because the pre- and post-assessments were graded on much different scales, I did not make a
comparative graph of the scores. I graded the pre-assessment on whether or not it was completed,
which every student managed to do. The comparison of the pre- and post-assessments were
much more subjective. According to the graph below, the students stayed within the 5 to 8-point
range, with most scores between 6 and 7. This is an average grade for the A.P. class, but
considering the difficulty of a Shakespeare prompt, they did rather well. No one scored above an
8, though, which has happened before on previous in-class essays.


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B. Results of formative assessments for the individual students I am following

Student 1: Excerpt analysis

















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Student 2: Excerpt analysis and annotation








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Student 3: Excerpt analysis











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C. Explanation of Student Growth
Throughout this unit, students tackled Macbeth, interpreted 17
th
century English, and
analyzed famous excerpts that are still debated by scholars today. I believe that every student met
the learning objectives presented my myself and Mr. Graves, but more work needs to be done on
our part to raise their essay scores even more. The students would benefit from spending more
time closely reading Shakespeare, rather than glazing over different pieces of work. The area that
needed improvement on the scores were mostly in their analysisnot in any of the formatting or
vocabulary areas. The students seem to have a good grasp of the idea of the AP essay, and now
just need to perfect the art of the analysis. I believe spending more time examining poetry
together (rather than individually) would benefit the students. After seeing the results of the in-
class essay, both of us were impressed that the students scored highly on the given prompt
relative to its difficulty; however, the students still require more practice and in-depth work with
Shakespearesomething that may have been better situated closer to the beginning of the year
when we did Greek plays. The artifacts of student growth include all of the written activities we
did in-class: their journal work, theses, annotations, etc. The growth in their work can be seen in
the vocabulary used in their writing; in Student Bs work, she uses terms such as tone,
repetition, and soliloquy to describe the excerpt. Student B and C also made extensive
annotations attached to the handoutsomething that took many students a while to get used to.

D. Gaps in Student Learning
Gaps in student learning can be seen in the student work above. While two students
annotated their excerpts and wrote in narrative form, Student A did not offer any annotations and
listed the response in bullet points. Because this was such a short unit, any absences put students
behind their peers and they needed to play catch-up while simultaneously working on what was
introduced in class. The range of scores on the post-assessment also show clear student gaps
while many students stayed within a 1-point range, this is the difference between passing and
failing on an A.P. scale (because the scale is so condensed). There was also one outlier who
received a 5 on the essaythe lowest in the class. This puts this student at a direct disadvantage
moving forward in any other essay-related coursework.

E. Unexpected Student Learning
Though the unit was more focused on analysis, interpretation, and thesis-driven writing,
many students expressed an interest and appreciation for Shakespearean literature. This was
quite unexpected, knowing that Shakespeare is a difficult and often groan-inducing subject.
Many class discussion were side-tracked because students were asking questions about
Shakespeares intentions, and the characters development, and what was happening in the play
(especially for The Tempest excerpt). Though it took us off-course for a few minutes, I was
glad to see the students interest sparked. This will alter how I approach this unit in the future.
Another unexpected student learning incident came after the unit when I handed back the essay
with their final scores. Students were curious as to how they could have written about allusion
more effectively in their essay. So, I decided to put the days lesson to the side and we went over,
as a class, how to approach allusion. Students had several different interpretations of Lucifers
appearance in the excerpt, and it was incredible to see how they bounced off of each others
ideas in a discussion. The appearance of allusion was low while I was grading their essays, but
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seeing how deeply they thought about it in class made me realize that they werent skimming
over itthey were unsure of how to verbalize their ideas in a formal essay.


7. Evaluation of Teacher Effectiveness

I believe I met some of my instructional goals and objectives, but not nearly as much or
as well as I would have liked. For example, I think many of my students improved their
writing in preparation for the A.P. exam; however, they dont enjoy writing any more than
they did before nor do they see how they can write outside of the formulas given to them
(like the 5-paragraph, or hamburger, essay). In fact, many of my students have exclaimed, I
hate writing! or I dont want to write for the rest of the trimester in frustration with the
unit. My coaching teachers goals and objectives were severely different from mine, so that
played a role in the function of everyday lessons. Another possible reason for this disconnect
may be because the relevancy of the unit was not as apparent or instilled in the students as
intended.
A variety of learning experiences were purposefully utilized in the unit. All students
participated in the following: in-class writing by hand, in-class writing, in-class discussion,
bell work and exit-tickets, peer-review and peer-discussion, partner work and solo work, and
more. A few things I would incorporate upon re-teaching/rewriting this unit include free-
writes and hands-on activities. One of my goals in all of my units is to get the students
moving around more and interacting with those outside of their own table groups.
I guided and supported student learning by making student-centered lesson with
collaboration and discussion built in. During class discussions, I facilitated rather than
actively participatedthis allowed for the students to raise and answer their own questions
rather than me being the sole source of information. I also created lessons that dealt with
collaboration in groups or pairs so that students were working with each other intimately on
their writing rather than listening to me lecture to the entire class. Students practiced their
writing a lot, and they were able to work and rework one piece of writing over the course of a
few lessonsI believe this was the ultimate gauge of student learning because they were able
to identify and improve their own strengths and weaknesses.
The most successful element of my instruction plan was the collaboration. Students were
able to aid each other in their writing process, and they did a wonderful job doing so.
Throughout the unit, I did not give one piece of feedback to the students directlythough
this may go against some beliefs in the importance of feedback (beliefs that I have, myself), I
thought it was more important that the students are editing, peer-editing, and improving their
own writing themselves, rather than just incorporating everything I wanted them too. The
peer feedback discussions for bell work were some of my favorite moments during the unit
because of all the complex thinking going on once they starting reading each others
writingand I think this was successful because the students writing improved by the end
of the unit, and if they were not getting feedback from me, they must have been paying
attention to their peers. One of the least successful elements of the instructional plan was the
fast pace of the unit and lack of time to really digest some of the information. Macbeth was
fun to read for a couple days, but some of the students were confused on why we started it if
we werent finishing it. This was a judgment call made by my coaching teacher, and I could
not control how much we read or didnt read from the play. This made the explanation a little
Cassandra Ganzak
Key Assessment #6

36
vague (I told them that its not about reading it start to finish, but understanding the larger
Shakespearean themes), and students seemed confused or detached from the unit because
they werent clear on its relevancy.
This unit may have unintentionally benefited students who were already good readers and
analyzers. About half the class had previously taken a Shakespeare course, and although they
did not read Macbeth, they were familiar enough with the style and language that they
didnt have to work as hard as the students who had never read Shakespeare before.
Alternatively, because I knew some students were already acquainted with Shakespeare, I
may have given them less attention. When it was group time and I would circle the room to
visit each group, I made sure to spend an adequate amount of time with the students who had
never read Shakespeare. Looking back, I should have evenly distributed my timejust
because a student took a Shakespeare course doesnt mean he or she is comfortable with the
material.
I would do several things different if I were to do this lesson again. For example, I would
not drive the students towards such standardized A.P. writing standardsI would allow for
much more freedom within the context of essay writing. I would also incorporate more
activities that took us away from the physical act of writing, but that still pertained to the
nature of persuasion and thesis building. The issue of relevancy has been risen a handful of
times, and that is an area that I would like to improve in all of my lessons/units. Students
need to have a stake and an interest in what theyre doing, and I think I could have done a
much better job at creating that.
The most significant insight that I gained over the course of this unit is that there has to
be a balance between teaching and not teaching standards. Student learning needs to be
geared towards something, and that something must not only be informative, but it should be
applicable to their lives as well as their education. It is a difficult balance to achieve, and an
issue that Im sure every teacher struggles with. In order for all students to reach the
standards theyre expected to, a significant amount of teaching (using different methods,
differentiated instruction, being accommodating, making sure learning gaps are minimized,
etc.). And within this teaching, your students need to have a stake in it, be entertained, have
fun, enjoy the learning process, improve upon their work, perform, etc. And although a
teacher might intend to do all these things, the outcome might be very different. But teaching
is not a job where you can master the art form and remain stagnantyou must always be
adapting (to different classes, different technology, different standards, etc.). It is not a task
for the weak of mind or weak of heart.