Hamlet Group Teaching Project
Think back to when you were learning a new skill — whether that be a language, an instrument, operating a
vehicle, or a sport — did you become better at any of these skills when someone was telling you what to do,
or when you did it yourself? Alternatively, did you learn something new when an expert forced it upon you, or
when it was explained to you by someone who just recently mastered it, and can remember what it is like to
not understand something?
The following project may seem intimidating, but it is a way for you to develop as thinkers and decisionmakers, hone your public speaking skills, and build your confidence. To better immerse you in the play, you
and a group of two or three will lead the discussion on a specific act. You will be be in charge of the
following:
● Thoroughly understand the Act. Create several, original questions you would like to ask the class
about the Act. Have a balance of plot-based questions and critical thinking questions. The key
here is quality, not quantity. Feel free to take a peek at the questions on p. 1452 or SparkNotes if you
are desperate, but be sure to create at least a few original questions.
● Locate 2-3 passages from the text you find interesting, strange, or important to examine in further
detail. Lead the discussion on your group’s act. Involve your peer’s in the discussion.
● Choose one of your critical thinking questions to pitch to the class as a forum post. It should be
thought provoking, and not just “What does Hamlet say to Horatio in Act I?” Send it to me the night
before and I will schedule it to release at the start of class, where your classmates can respond in the
comments.
● Bonus (optional, but highly recommended!!): locate a secondary source to consider in relationship
to the act. This could be, but is not limited to: a photograph, a painting, a poem, a clip from a movie, a
song, even a Tik Tok, meme, or YouTube video; the key is that it must be relevant and serve a
purpose!
● Have fun with it! Take ownership of this project.
You will complete this project in a small group, so no reason to be afraid and I will help you :) Even if you are
not a discussion leader, you will be required to select a passage from reading that you find interesting,
strange, or important, to discuss as part of your discussion question assignment. On the day you are
designated to lead the discussion, you are “exempt” from the ongoing discussion question project, since you
will be doing more or less the same thing. I will help out if/when the conversation is dying down, but you
should not rely on me to fuel the entire conversation.
Tentative schedule:
February 8th - Mr. Lenza Introduction to Hamlet
February 9th — Act I
February 10th — Act II
February 11th — Act III
February 12th — Act IV
February 16th — Act V