Medium term plan
Title of Unit: Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing
Year: 9
Term: Spring
Duration: 5 wks
Framework for teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9
Set:
Objectives: To effectively prepare pupils to answer possible questions on
Much Ado About Nothing on specific assessment aspects:
-
Character and motivation
The language used
Themes and issues of the play
The language of the text in performance
General Skills:
- Using punctuation effectively including semi-colons and colons
- Build speech, reference and quotation effectively into what you write;
- Choosing adjectives and adverbs for particular effect
- Explore how to use sentences for effect within a paragraph (for comparison)
- Analyse and use different ways of opening, linking and closing paragraphs.
Reading
- Increase the speed and accuracy of note-making building on skills developed in
Years 7 and 8
- read between the lines and recognise how writers use language to make meaning
- Identify the themes, values or ideas in a text and how they are conveyed
- analyse the language, form and dramatic impact of scenes and plays
Writing
- present a balanced analysis of a scene, taking into account a range of evidence
and opinions
- use specific and relevant evidence from texts to justify critical judgements about
texts, using PQC
Speaking and Listening
- use a range of techniques, including work in group discussion, to explore issues,
ideas and meanings, reflecting on their own contribution
- develop and compare different interpretations of scenes or plays by Shakespeare
Framework for teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9
Resources: All resources available on the Common Area (Q:drive) in English
SATS folder
Teaching sequence:
Week 1
Coverage: Lessons 1 -3
Focus: Introduction to Shakespeare
1) Starter: Pupils to be given Much Ado blurb and whole class to read. Teacher
to embellish on the themes of the play
Main: Pupils to be introduced to note-making strategies by teacher and
encouraged to make effective notes in draft books while viewing the film
version. Teacher to stop at key points to question pupils.
Plenary: pupils to be given one minute to think of question about the play so
far. Game to be played where pupils ask each other their questions using
prop as conche.
(Homework: to complete Shakespeare Quiz for next lesson)
2) Starter: Pupils to play word association where they think of an adjective to
describe each character on the board. Pupils must be able to justify their
answer.
Main: Pupils to continue note-taking until end of viewing with teacher
stopping occasionally to check for understanding.
Plenary: teacher to review homework and go through answers.
3) Starter: Pupils in groups to match quotations with their modern translations,
put into chronological order and discuss who may have said these quotes
and why. Ensure they are able to justify their answers with evidence.
Main: Pupils to work in pairs to use notes to create an effective timeline of
events on A3 paper. Prior to completing task, teacher to model how to create
an effective timeline on the board. Encourage pupils to use synopsis,
commentary and to include 3 quotes in their timelines. (Teacher to ask Joyce
to photocopy best timeline and distribute to class next lesson.
Plenary: Question pairs on different events recorded and the quotes used.
Outcomes: Effective notes on the text. Timeline of events in the play.
Framework for teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9
Week 2
Coverage: Lessons 4-6
Focus: Characters and Themes
1) Starter: In pairs, match adjectives to characters and pupils to give reasons
for the decisions in whole class feedback. Discuss the role/function of
different characters in the play.
Main: Teacher to show Much Ado Character Profiles ICT resource. Pupils
to work in groups and given character to create profile of. Pupils to create
A3 poster of this character. To include:
- the background of this character
- what the character does in the play and why
- 1-3 quotations for this character and what these show us about
them
Plenary: Each group to present their ideas to the class and the class to
evaluate their performance against the above criteria.
2) Starter: Review the 1st set scene (Act 4 Scene 1). Pupils to work in pairs to
discuss how characters may feel before the scene and after the scene.
Main: Pupils to draft Claudio’s diary after the wedding scene, writing in the
1st person. Focus on use of longer and shorter sentences, adjectives and
paragraphs. Teacher to model planning on the board.
Plenary: Select pupils to read out their drafts.
3) Starter: Creating complex sentences. Encourage pupils to use these in
their redraft. Pupils to be shown a draft on the whiteboard. Question pupils
on what this person could do to improve this draft. Pupils to work in pairs to
review each others’ work and set SMART targets for redrafting.
Main: Pupils to redraft their diaries into their topic books, trying to meet the
target set by their partner. If pupils finish this task, they could plan diary
entries for other characters.
Plenary: Question pupils on their targets and what they changed in their
work. Ask pupils to write the complex sentence they used on a post-it note
and to come and stick to the board. This will allow you to quickly assess
whether they have understood the starter task.
(Homework: worksheet on Themes in the Set Scenes (in the Q:Drive)
Outcomes: Pupils will have a copy of each group’s presentation, providing
effective notes/resources on different characters. Pupils will also have
notes/examples of complex sentences and a completed version of
Claudio’s diary.
Framework for teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9
Weeks 3 and 4:
Coverage: Lessons 7-12
Focus: Links between Act 4 Scene 1 and Act 5 Scene 4 and answering questions
effectively
1) Starter: Pupils to work in pairs. To translate quotes from Act 4 Scene 1
into modern day English. Explain these quotes (imagery, metaphor,
jokes/puns) and question pupils on what they show us about each
character.
Main: Reading of the 1st set scene and questions on the scene to develop
reading for meaning skills, focusing on language and ensuring pupils have
a knowledge of what happens in the scene. Encourage pupils to use PQC
to answer the questions focusing on the language the characters use.
Plenary: Pupils to give answers to questions and teacher to evaluate
pupils’ answers in whole class discussion
2) Starter: Pupils to work in pairs. To translate quotes from Act 5 Scene 4
into modern day English. Explain these quotes to pupils and question them
on what they show us about each character.
Main: Reading of the 2nd set scene and questions on the scene to develop
reading for meaning skills, focusing on language and ensuring pupils have
a knowledge of what happens in the second set scene. Encourage pupils
to use PQC to answer the questions focusing on the language the
characters use.
Plenary: Pupils to give answers to questions and teacher to evaluate
pupils’ answers in whole class discussion
3) Starter: Introduce themes that link the two set scenes. Encourage pupils to
work in pairs to identify actions and quotes that may show these themes.
Main: Inform pupils they will have to find links between the scenes and
make comments about both scenes in their SATs response. Put pupils into
groups and demonstrate on the whiteboard the criteria for a Level 4 and 5
response. Pupils to be given responses at 4 different Levels from 2007
exams (3,4,5,6), labelled A-D. Pupils to discuss in groups and justify why
each at that Level in short presentation.
Plenary: Group presentations and evaluations of these as whole class..
Framework for teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9
4) Starter: Introduce a question that asks to look at two different scenes.
Encourage pupils to think about what the question wants them to do and
how to answer the question. What planning strategies can pupils use?
(dividing page in half? Selecting quotes etc)
Main: Ask pupils to complete plan on question: “How do you think Benedick's
character changes, in the two Key Extracts?” Model plan on the board. Pupils
to work individually to answer question on characters and motivations in
the two scenes.
Plenary: Ask pupils to read out their answers and evaluate in whole class
discussion
5) Starter: Whole-class target setting. Revisit the assessment criteria.
Review on the IAW an example of pupils’ work. Question pupils on what
they have done well and how they could improve. In pairs, pupils to review
each others work assessing:
- how their introduction relates to the question
- the selection of their quotes
- how well they have explained them and related them to the question
Main: Pupils to redraft their essay into their topic books, taking their
targets into account.
Plenary: Ask pupils to read out their answers
6) Starter: Introduce the idea of CLIP to pupils. Give out 4 essay
questions and ask pupils to work in pairs to match up the titles of
each question to their assessment focus (CLIP).
Main: In 4 groups, pupils to plan a response to an essay question
and to complete short presentation on how they would answer the
question. They will need to decide on:
- an introduction
- which quotes they will select and why they are relevant
- a conclusion
Plenary: Each group presents their plan to the rest of the class on
A3 paper and they evaluate their performance in a whole class
discussion.
Outcomes: Pupils will have:
-
Answers to questions developing their knowledge of Shakespeare’s
language in their topic books
Copies of past examples at different levels
A completed essay on how Benedick’s character changes
Notes and plans on other possible questions covering the range of
assessment focuses. (CLIP)
Framework for teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9
The final week of the scheme of work is an assessment of pupils’ skills with
a timed essay question. Details of this will be made available closer to the
time.
Framework for teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9