Prohaska
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream Unit Plan
Unit Goal: SWBAT comprehend plot, theme, setting, tone, characterization of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as be able to discuss the history of the
time period in which AMND was written and of the writer.
Unit Assessment: Final Production
Michigan State Standards: CE 2.1.7 Demonstrate understanding of written, spoken, or visual information by restating, paraphrasing, summarizing, critiquing, or composing a
personal response; distinguish between a summary and a critique; CE 3.1.1 Interpret literary language (e.g., imagery, allusions, symbolism, metaphor) while reading literary and
expository works; CE 3.1.2 Demonstrate an understanding of literary characterization, character development, the function of major and minor characters, motives and causes
for action, and moral dilemmas that characters encounter by describing their function in specific works; CE 3.1.3 Recognize a variety of plot structures and elements (e.g., story
within a story, rising action, foreshadowing, flash backs, cause-and-effect relationships, conflicts, resolutions) and describe their impact on the reader in specific literary works;
CE 3.1.4 Analyze characteristics of specific works and authors (e.g., voice, mood, time sequence, author vs. narrator, stated vs. implied author, intended audience and purpose,
irony, parody, satire, propaganda, use of archetypes and symbols) and identify basic beliefs, perspectives, and philosophical assumptions underlying an author’s work; CE 3.2.3
Identify how elements of dramatic literature (e.g., dramatic irony, soliloquy, stage direction, and dialogue) illuminate the meaning of the text.
Week 1
Monday
Introduction to
Shakespeare’s Life and to
Elizabethan England
Objective: SWBAT describe
various events of
Shakespeare’s life
(influences, historical
events, etc.) and also
describe Elizabethan
England (the time period
when AMND was thought
to be written and
performed)
Assessment: Small poster
project on an aspect of
Shakespeare’s life or an
aspect of Elizabethan
England. Students will
create small posters on
topics and will present them
to the class.
Tuesday
Language Warm-Up
Objective: SWBAT begin
comprehending the
language of
Shakespeare’s texts,
including the use of
iambic pentameter
through a study of two
sonnets (18 & 95) and
through an insult game.
Assessment: Students will
compose a sonnet using
iambic pentameter and
will attempt to
incorporate some of the
insult terms learned in the
game.
Wednesday
Taking on Shakespeare’s
Language
Objective: SWBAT use lines
from AMND in short
segments, demonstrate
complex material can be
memorized through
repetition and will make
predictions about plot,
setting, and character.
(Tossing Lines activity pg.
45). Students will also
receive Play Map (pg. 43)
and will keep this as a
reference as we read.
Assessment: Students will
write a brief summary of the
scene (1 paragraph) and will
write a list of each character
in the scene and what they
want (supported with quotes
from the text).
Thursday
Character Analysis
Objective: SWBAT
describe the characters
journey through the plot
citing specific quotes from
the text to support
significant events that
happen to the character.
SWBAT also comprehend
a large monologue of the
chosen character (what is
he/she saying, why, what
is happening to them,
etc.)
Assessment: Student will
pick one speech in
particular to focus on, will
translate it into modern
speech, and will
memorize the speech to
be performed in class the
following day.
Friday
Film Comparison
Objective: SWBAT compare
and contrast the film
version of AMND to the
text, focusing specifically
on differences in language,
scene/setting,
characterization, plot, etc.
Assessment: Students will
write a short essay (2-3
pages) comparing and
contrasting the
aforementioned items in
the film and the text.
Students should be able to
demonstrate knowledge of
the text and how it is
similar or different to the
text, and why these
differences might be
important.
Prohaska
2
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Unit Plan Cont.
Week 2
Plot
Objective: SWBAT identify
the overarching timeline of
the plot, specifically being
able to cite turning points or
important events that push
the plot forward.
Assessment: Students will
use graphic organizers to
create a timeline of plot
with specific references to
the text to support their
important events. Students
will then work in groups to
compare their timelines and
agree with a group timeline
that will be presented to the
class. This will require
students to argue why the
events, speeches, etc. that
they have chosen are the
most significant and should
be included.
Establishing setting,
mood, and tone
Objective: SWBAT identify
the setting in AMND, the
mood of each scene, and
the tone. In class
students will be assigned
a setting, mood, and tone
and will practice in
groups using props,
photographs, and music
to establish these
elements cohesively.
Assessment: Students will
create depictions of the
set for AMND using stage
diagram with descriptions
about their choices.
Diagram can include set
design, paint scheme,
costume choice, lighting
choices, music, etc. If you
were directing AMND,
how would you design
these elements?
Oral Interpretation &
Inflection
Objective: SWBAT to identify
the subtext in speeches
within AMND as well as be
able to understand how
inflection can change the
meaning behind lines.
Assessment: Students will
perform “Stressing the
Subtext” and “Inflection”
exercises (pg. 65-66) as a
class.
Improvisation
Objective: SWBAT to
interpret through acting,
scenarios that occur in
the play but that are
reconfigured for a
modern context (pg. 79).
Assessment: Students will
be asked to the front of
the room in small groups
and be asked to act out
scenarios that the teacher
will give to them. The
scenario will be given, as
well as objectives for each
actor. Students will be
judged according to their
willingness to participate,
as well as their ability to
achieve their objective (or
attempts to achieve their
objective) within the
scenario. Students will
then be asked how the
scenario connects to
AMND.
Resources:
Ferrer, Betsy. "The Word Unit." Teaching Shakespeare Through Performance. Wikispaces, 02 Nov. 2009. Web. 2 Nov. 2009.
<www.wikispaces.com>.
Ferrer, Betsy. "The Action Unit." Teaching Shakespeare Through Performance. Wikispaces, 02 Nov. 2009. Web. 2 Nov. 2009.
<www.wikispaces.com>.
Institute, Teaching Shakespeare. Shakespeare Set Free Teaching A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. New York:
Washington Square, 2006. Print.
Dramatic Performance
Objective: SWBAT display
understanding and
comprehension of
language, plot,
characterization, technical
theatre aspects, etc.
through live performances.
Assessment: Final
Dramatic Production of
AMND – as performed for
a live audience. Students
will be judged based on
their overall participation
and comprehension, their
self-evaluation, and the
director’s final evaluation
of their performance which
they will discuss in a oneon-one conference.
*Preparation for this will span
over the next three weeks.
Actors and Crew lists will be
posted prior to Spring Break –
actors can use this time to
memorize lines.