Unit Plan Template

Title of the Unit: Hamlet Length of Unit (# of Hours or Weeks) Approximately 4-6 weeks.
UNIT OVERVIEW Students will find connections between the play Hamlet and the world around them.

Grade (s) Level: 12

FOUNDATIONAL OBJECTIVES / LEARNING OUTCOMES / MAJOR GOALS Please refer to applicable/relevant Saskatchewan Ministry of Education curriculum documents. 1. Students learn writing skills through Journal entries that ultimately help to construct the body of their final unit essay

2. Students develop viewing skills watching Kenneth Branaghs film version of Hamlet.

3. Students learn and develop listening and speaking skills through group discussions on such topics as Revenge, as well as class readings of the play.

4. Students will learn Personal and Social Value Skills through volunteering for a local cause to explore the cost of inaction and the rewards from acting for the betterment of others.

5. Students will develop Critical and Creative Thinking through peer group discussion of ethically difficult questions, where any answer they choose has both positive and negative implications.

PRE-ASSESSMENT / PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Students have experience with Shakespeare from their grade nine and ten English Language Arts classes: ELA 9B and ELA 10B.

DIVERSITY ISSUES

Unit Organizer Hamlet

Group discussion on revenge Journal entry

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart from Sept. 17th -Fox News pundits personas they wish to present vs. actual statements theyve made in the past Students find examples from the world around them that demonstrates the Appearance vs. Reality theme Journal entry

First 40 lines performed in front of class to assess textual understanding and speaking skills.

Act 1: Revenge First 40 lines of Hamlet Hamlet Elizabethan England and the Theatre

Act 2: Appearance vs. Reality Act 3: Loyalty

Which character(s) is/are the most loyal? Why? Which character(s) is/are the most disloyal? Why? Handout activity - ethical questions and dilemmas to answer. Journal entry

Act 4: Act 5: Hypocrisy and/or Acceptance/Fear of Death Action vs. Inaction

View Shakespeare in Love 5 elements of Elizabethan England and similarities between Film and Romeo and Juliet

Through community volunteering view, assess, and document in Journals what actions are needed to continue the success of the program and what are the implications of inaction toward this program.

Option #1 - Look at societys obsession with trying to stay young prevent the inevitable. Option #2 - Look for hypocrisy in students lives as well as on a local, national, and global level. Thoughts and opinions to be recorded in Journal entry.

Topics

Outcomes & Indicators

Activities

Materials

Assessment

Adaptations and Differentiations

Topic 1: Elizabethan England and the theatre

View Shakespeare in Love PGG 1.2 Uses a variety of ways to identify and build on student academic, physical, spiritual and social strengths. 1.4 Analyzes the classroom environment and makes adjustments to enhance social relationships and student motivation/engagement.

DVD copy of Shakespeare in Love

Observe and write down 5 elements of Elizabethan England from the film. Write down similarities between the Film and Romeo and Juliet

Topic 2 First 40 lines of Hamlet

PGG 1.4 Analyzes the classroom environment and makes adjustments to enhance social relationships and student motivation/engagement.

In groups of 4, students brainstorm a setting other than where the first scene of Hamlet takes place and work together to perform the first 40 lines of Hamlet

Hamlet Play,

Performance of first 40 lines in front of class to assess textual understanding and speaking skills.

1.5 Provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their understandings in multiple ways. Topic 3: Hamlet Act 1: Revenge PGG 4.3 Combines practical and theoretical knowledge with broader life learning to refine a philosophy of education. Students will read along with the teacher Act 1 of Hamlet, looking for possible themes. As a class, students will watch Act 1 of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet to get a visual understanding of the story Students will form groups of 4 and discuss whether Murder as revenge is ever justified. Introduce and discuss the death penalty in the US and Canada Hamlet Play, Copy of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet Student Writing Journals In Student Writing Journals, students reflect on how far would they take revenge? Have they ever taken revenge on someone? If so, when? Journal is collected for formative assessment (comments and suggestions).

Topics

Outcomes & Indicators

Activities

Materials

Assessment

Adaptations and Differentiations

Topic 4 Hamlet Act 2: Appearance vs. Reality

Students will read along with the teacher Act 2 of Hamlet, looking for possible themes. As a class, students will watch Act 2 of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet to get a visual understanding of the story. PGG

Hamlet Play Copy of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet Student Writing Journals Data projector Computer Link to the Comedy network The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -

Journal is collected for formative assessment.

As a class we will http://www.thecomedy watch an excerpt from The Daily Show network.ca/shows/TheDaily 6.4 Plans and with Jon Stewart from Show?videoPackage=123699 develops Sept. 17th that engaging and scrutinizes Fox News authentic lessons pundits and the that demonstrate personas they wish to knowledge and present vs. actual confidence in statements theyve subject matter. made in the past. Students will then be asked to find examples of their own from the world around them that demonstrates the Appearance vs. Reality theme. Examples and reflection to be documented in a Journal entry

6.5 Incorporates available technology in pedagogically appropriate ways.

Topic 5 Hamlet Act 3: Loyalty

Students will read along with the teacher Act 3 of Hamlet, looking for possible themes. As a class, students will watch Act 3 of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet to get a visual understanding of the story. In Journal, students comment on whether loyalty is something that is important to them. Using evidence from text, which character(s) is/are the most loyal? Why? Which character(s) is/are the most disloyal? Why? Follow up handout activity where students are given series of ethical questions and dilemmas to answer. Every decision made has a positive and negative consequence. The students will have an opportunity to then decide which characters they are

Hamlet Play Copy of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet Student Writing Journals

Journal is collected for formative assessment.

PGP 3.3 Demonstrates, shares, and assists students in developing critical insights into current issues. 3.4 Empowers students by assisting in development of understandings of democratic action.

closest to ethically in the play. They will compare and contrast this with their original Journal entry about which characters are most loyal or most disloyal

Topic 6 Hamlet Act 4 Action vs. Inaction PGG 3.1 Promotes and engages in the improvement of social and environmental conditions. 5.1 Builds classroom connections with local, national, and global communities

Students will read along with the teacher Act 4 of Hamlet, looking for possible themes. As a class, students will watch Act 4 of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet to get a visual understanding of the story. The assignment is to find something in their community that they can volunteer their time for. Students must view, assess, and document in their Journals what actions are needed to continue the success of the program and what are the implications of inaction toward this program.

Hamlet Play Copy of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet Student Writing Journal

Journal is collected for assessment.

Topics

Outcomes & Indicators

Activities

Materials

Assessment

Adaptations and Differentiations

Topic 7 Hypocrisy and Death PGP 1.5 Provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their understandings in multiple ways.

Students will read along with the teacher Act 5 of Hamlet, looking for possible themes. As a class, students will watch Act 5 of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet to get a visual understanding of the story. Option #1 Examining Hamlets acceptance of his coming death, Students will look to societys obsession with trying to stay young prevent the inevitable. Thoughts and opinions to be documented in Journal entry. Option #2 Examining the Gravediggers scene, students will examine the hypocrisy of giving Ophelia a

Hamlet Play Copy of Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet Student Writing Journals

Journal is collected for assessment.

Christian burial even though she committed suicide. Students will then look for hypocrisy in their own lives as well as on a local, national, and global level. Thoughts and opinions to be recorded in Journal entry.

Topic 8 Hamlet Essay

PGG

Students will use their Hamlet play writing journals to Writing Journal create the body of their essay on whether Hamlet is still a relevant play for high school students to study in the year 2012.

Final essay summative assessment and evaluation.