Readers Workshop Unit of Study
12th Grade – Narrative Reading
ELA
Common
Core
Standards
Comparative Reading: Multiple Interpretations of a Text (Shakespeare)
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Readers Workshop Unit of Study
12th Grade – Narrative Reading
Table of Contents
Background Section
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Sample Unit Section
Resources and Materials Needed ................................................................................................................. #
Overview of Sessions – Teaching and Learning Points ................................................................................. #
Some Important Points about these Lessons ............................................................................................... #
Lesson Plans .................................................................................................................................................. #
Resource Materials Section
See Separate Handout .................................................................................................................................. #
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools.
Readers Workshop Unit of Study
12th Grade – Narrative Reading
Preface
The following unit supports and aligns to the Common Core State Standards. This research-based work is the outcome of
a collective effort made by numerous secondary teachers from around the state of Michigan. Michigan Association of
Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) initiated a statewide collaborative project, bringing together educators
from around the state to create and refine a K-12 English Language Arts model curriculum. The Narrative Reading unit is
situated as the second reading unit of study within a yearlong sequence of reading units. The unit emphasizes students’
recognizing reading comprehension, reader independence, and reader identity. Each unit within the MAISA yearlong
model curriculum presents a string of teaching points that scaffold and spiral the content and skills. Units of study are
structured to be student-centered rather than teacher-driven. Sessions emphasize student engagement and strive to
simultaneously increase critical thinking and writing skills. Sessions are designed as a series of mini-lessons that allow
time to read, practice, respond, and conference. Through summative and formative assessments specific to each unit,
students progress toward becoming independent thinkers and readers.
Significant input and feedback was gathered both in the initial conceptualizing of the unit and later revisions. Teachers
from around the state piloted and/or reviewed the unit; their feedback and student artifacts helped in the revision
process. Special thanks go to lead unit writers Linda Denstaedt, Leah Barnett, and Laura Mahler, who closely studied the
CCSS, translated the standards into curriculum and practice, and revised with a close eye to classroom teacher feedback.
Throughout the yearlong collaborative project, teachers who are reviewing units are finding how students’ habits of
mind have shifted from task-oriented to big-picture thinking, utilizing a critical literacy lens.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools.
High School Learning Progressions Reading Narrative Texts
Text
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
12th Grade
Short Fiction
World Literature: Comparative
Reading of Multiple Texts
Satire in American Literature Genre Study:
Analytical Reading of Multiple Texts
Comparative Reading: Multiple Interpretations
of a Text.
Develop a framework for reading
narrative texts with the universal
theme of the hero’s journey
Develop and use background
knowledge of the universal
structure of narrative texts based
on the hero’s journey
Develop critical reading habits
through use of genre knowledge
Analyze cumulative impact of
diction on meaning & tone by
determining the connotative and
figurative meaning of words &
phrases


Use genre knowledge to track
and connect events and details to
identify the central idea and the
author’s slant on the universal
theme of the hero’s journey.
In a close rereading of a narrative
text, use the literary point of view
to study development of the
main character
Research background information
on an author, the culture of the
country, and/or the historical
period of a text to reread a
narrative text from the cultural or
historical point of view.
Analyze key scene in two
different artistic mediums —what
is emphasized or what is absent
in each treatment

 Analyze how an author’s choice

Analyzing
on
structure:
order
of
events
genre: craft
 Use knowledge of narrative
and structure
structure to predict while reading


and summarize a text after
reading
Use three basic truths (they want
something, they change or do not 
change and there is a cost) about
characters to analyze character

development
 Identify and connect important
Developing
details to determine the central
strategies for
idea
close reading:  Build meaning by identifying story
key ideas and
elements (setting, speaker,
details
character(s), problem and want,
character relationship, and back
story)
 Build meaning by examining how
characters deal with problems
 Analyze the representation of a
subject or key scene in two
different artistic mediums
 what is emphasized
 what is absent
 in each treatment







Develop a framework for reading a genre
(satire).
Develop critical reading habits through
use of genre knowledge.
Establish multi-draft reading to focus the
study of satire and to examine and
compare the decisions authors make.
Analyze cumulative impact of diction on
meaning & tone by examining words
with multiple meanings or language that
is particularly fresh, engaging, or
beautiful.






Use genre knowledge to track and
connect events and details to identify
the central idea(s) in a satire.
In a close rereading of a narrative text,
examine the characterization in order to
determine the author’s point of view.
Identify important details and connect
those details throughout a story to
understand the theme(s) or central
idea(s) of a story.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools



Develop a framework for reading a genre
(drama)
Develop and use background knowledge
of the Aristotelian structure of dramatic
text
Develop critical reading habits through
use of genre knowledge
Establish multi-draft reading to read
complex text of a different historical
period and to compare the decisions of
writers and producers who interpret
canon text
Analyze cumulative impact of diction on
meaning & tone by examining words with
multiple meanings or language that is
particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.
Use genre knowledge to track and
connect events and details to identify the
author’s intent about the character in a
drama
In a close rereading of a drama, use
soliloquy to study development of the
main character
Analyze and compare the original text and
its various interpretations to determine
author’s intent
9th Grade
 Apply knowledge of a particular
Applying
point in history to clarify the
context:
central idea and context of the
integration of
story
knowledge
 Consider the story as a whole to
and ideas
identify a central idea or theme

Make connections to other texts,
genres and world experiences
10th Grade
11th Grade



Establish multi-draft reading to
compare authors and works from
different countries and/or
historical periods.
Through analysis and comparison
of different world texts, form
claims about the struggles a hero
faces and conquers based on the
historical and/or cultural point of
view of the author.


12th Grade
Make connections between texts

(historical, biographical, literary, cultural)
in order to more clearly understand
central idea(s) or theme(s).
Read a range of texts in a genre in order 
to establish reading preferences.
After gaining an initial knowledge of the
craft and structure of a genre, apply skills
to analyze longer and/or more complex
texts from the same genre.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Research background information on the
playwright and his times, to experience
drama from cultural and/or historical
point(s) of view
Through analysis and comparison of
different world texts, form claims about
how the characters are universal and
reveal something important about human
life
Readers Workshop Unit of Study
12th Grade – Narrative Reading
Abstract
ASSESSMENT
Assessment will include both formative and summative tasks that provide a range of evidence that students create across the unit.
Formative Assessments: Growth of students as readers will be assessed in two ways: 1) Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook or annotated
readings; and 2) metacognitive reflections and exit slips. Students will begin the unit reflecting upon their skills as readers.
Periodically, they will stop and write brief metacognitive reflections on changes in their reading strategy use and the impact on
comprehension.
Summative Assessments: Students will create a final product that asks them to apply skills and knowledge from the unit. In addition,
they will write an analytical reflection that asks them to identify and explain the decisions they made in creating a final product.
STUDENT OUTCOMES
This unit requires students to apply their understanding of narrative concepts to do strategic and extended thinking in a genre.
In this unit, students will read and enact various scenes of a Shakespearean tragedy. They will view multiple film adaptations as they
analyze the directors’ decisions made about language, staging, set design, tone, and other elements and compare them to the clues
Shakespeare gave us about his intent about the characters. They will collect important lines and passages, track character
relationships, and explore pop-culture references to the play. They will write and perform an updated version of a scene from the
play to show a lesson learned about human nature in the play.
TEACHER DECISIONS FOR UNIT IMPLEMENTATION
This unit serves as a single model of a narrative reading unit. We recommend that teachers study and understand the intent of the
lesson series. The lessons have a purposeful sequence, but it may require that teachers make adjustments in pacing or decisions
about extension activities. Please see the resources section for other sources to deepen your understanding of narrative reading
instruction.
The following sessions use Hamlet as a model, but any Shakespearean tragedy will work. In fact, many five-act plays that follow the
Aristotelian dramatic structure will work. The Common Core State Standards call for the use of Shakespeare, so if teachers decide to
use another playwright, they should be sure to use Shakespeare at some other point in the Grade 11-12 band. Also, it should be
noted that close reading strategies are used in parts of the play. (Shakespeare uses soliloquies to reveal important thoughts and
feelings of the characters, so they may be the perfect sections of text to use multiple-draft reading techniques.) We suggest that
students collect important text, view various film clips of the play, conduct research about context, and perform some scenes. This
requires preparation on the teacher’s part. See the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist, which is attached after session 1.
UNIT ORGANIZATION
The unit weaves three concepts that accelerate narrative reading. The concepts are interrelated and recursive rather than
appearing as separate parts of the unit. Students continually reflect on their thinking and interactions with texts and with other
readers as they set goals and monitor their reading.
The three concepts are:
 Analyzing genre: craft and structure
 Developing strategies for close reading: key ideas and details
 Applying context: integration of knowledge and ideas
The work in this unit is vertically aligned and extends prior learning with the expectation that students can apply the repertoire of
decisions taught in previous grades.
Instructional Sequencing, Scaffolding, and Pacing:
Daily pacing of the unit’s sessions is based on a 50-minute class period. Individual teacher pacing will change based on duration of
the class period, student population, and familiarity with content, process, and/or instructional practices.
Instruction scaffolds students through a four-tiered process.
1. Teaching Point: Teacher models the strategy, process, skill, or habit of mind using a mentor text written by the teacher,
students, and/or published writers or other materials.
2. Active Engagement: Students rehearse the writing, thinking and/or critical reading or viewing just modeled by the teacher.
3. Independent Practice: Students complete a mini-task independently or in small collaborative groups. During independent
practice, the teacher confers with individuals or small groups to assess student performance to differentiate the lesson and
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
4.
task. Teacher may stop the independent practice to adjust the mini-task and/or session teaching point or for planned
teaching points that extend or deepen student performance.
Share: Students share to read, examine, analyze and/or reflect on the range of responses created by other students.
Sharing also enables students to self-monitor effective strategy use. The teacher may also share an exemplar to reinforce or
enhance the session’s teaching point(s) and student enactment.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools.
Standards
Number
1
2
4
7
9
10
Number
7
10
Number
2
4
8
10
Number
1
3
Number
6
CCR Anchor Standards for Reading: Literature
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it;
cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the
text.
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical,
connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or
tone.
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and
quantitatively, as well as in words.
Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or
to compare the approaches the authors take.
Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
CCR Anchor Standards for Reading: Information
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats,
including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words in order to address a question or solve
a problem.
Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
CCR Anchor Standards for Writing
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information
clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and
accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Speaking and Listening
Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with
diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric
Language
Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases
sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or
phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools.
Overview of Sessions and Teaching Points
Unit Title: Comparative Reading: Multiple Interpretations of a Text
Unit Description (overview): In this unit, students will read and enact various scenes of a Shakespearean tragedy. They will view
multiple film adaptations as they analyze the directors’ decisions made about language, staging, set design, tone, and other
elements and compare them to the clues Shakespeare gave us about his intent about the characters. They will collect important
lines and passages, track character relationships, and explore pop-culture references to the play. They will write and perform an
updated version of a scene from the play to show a lesson learned about human nature in the play.
Essential Questions:
 How does Shakespeare develop characters that reveal something about us as humans?
 How does understanding the genre help in comprehending a centuries-old text?
 How do visual versions of the play differ from the written one? How do the subtext cues (e.g., props, volume,
tone, staging) help or hinder our understanding of the character?
Pre-Unit Performance Task
Complete a survey on what skills and strategies work for you, anticipated problems in the reading of the play, and what you already
know about the genre. The three concepts include: identity, skills and strategies, genre.
TEACHING POINTS
1.
Readers apply what they know about an author and the time period in which a piece was written to comprehend fiction
and predict story details.
2.1.
Readers use their understanding of the genre as a strategy to comprehend text.
2.2.
Readers explore multi-draft reading strategies and collecting text methods.
3.1.
Readers of Shakespearean dramas use their knowledge of Aristotelian dramatic structure to discover how tone, characters,
setting, and conflict create the exposition, the foundation of the play.
3.2.
Readers notice key lines and phrases that reveal the author’s intent.
4.
Readers of Shakespearean drama use close reading strategies to follow the rising action of the plot and to consider the
character’s motivations.
Mid-Unit Formative Assessment Task
Throughout this unit, collect key lines and phrases from each act of the play that will prepare you for the writing unit that follows
this unit. Also, complete reflective exit slips that help you consider the impact of each of the acts.
5.1.
Readers know that the climax of a five-act (Shakespearean) drama will be a place where the situation goes from bad to
worse. (In comedy, up until this point things have gone badly for the protagonist and now the tide will turn.) They make predictions
about the outcome of the play.
5.2.
Readers know that soliloquies offer important insights into the character’s thoughts and feelings. They engage in close
reading of soliloquies to analyze the character.
6.
Readers know that the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist unravels, with the protagonist winning or losing
against the antagonist. They analyze the protagonist’s fatal flaw.
7.
Readers know that dramatic tragedy ends with a catastrophe in which the protagonist is worse off than at the beginning of
the narrative. They imagine alternate endings or the inevitability of the written ending.
8.
Readers see connections between canon pieces and contemporary life and culture.
Post-Unit Assessment Task
“Narrative is a kind of backdoor into something very deep inside us.” –Ira Glass
How does Shakespeare develop characters that reveal something about us as humans? Write and perform a contemporary
rendition of a key scene from this play that reveals a basic issue of human nature examined in the play.
Write a short reflective essay in which you explain your choices in language, costume, staging, contemporary context, etc., and the
connection between those decisions and what you were trying to reveal about the character and human nature in general. Use the
pre-unit assessment survey as a way to ground your reflection in this summative assessment task.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Teaching-Point Alignment with Concepts
Developing strategies
for close reading: key
ideas and details
Analyzing genre: craft and structure
Applying context: integration of
knowledge and ideas
4, 5, 6, 7
2, 3
1, 8
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 1:
Shakespeare’s
Life and Times
Session 1:
Shakespeare’s
Life and Times
Session 3:
Exposition:
Discovering Tone,
Characters,
Setting, and
Conflict (Act 1)
Session 5:
The
Turning Point
(Act 3)
Session 3:
Exposition:
Discovering Tone,
Characters,
Setting, and
Conflict (Act 1)
Session 5:
The Turning Point
(Act 3)
Session 7:
Denouement (Act
5)
Post-Unit
Assessment
Session 7:
Denouement (Act
5)
Post-Unit
Assessment
Teacher Resource
CALENDAR
Session 1:
Session 2:
Shakespeare’s
Aristotelian
Life and Times
Structure/
Collecting Text
Session 3:
Session 4:
Exposition:
Close Reading of
Discovering Tone, the Rising Action
Characters,
(Act 2)
Setting, and
Conflict (Act 1)
Session 5:
Session 6:
The Turning
Falling Action
Point
(Act 4)
(Act 3)
Session 8:
Session 8:
Pop Culture
Pop Culture
Session 2:
Aristotelian
Structure/
Collecting Text
Session 4:
Close Reading of
the Rising Action
(Act 2)
Session 6:
Falling Action
(Act 4)
Post-Unit
Assessment
Planning for the Three Phases of Literature: Comparative Reading of Multiple interpretations of Texts (Shakespeare)
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Goal
Develop a framework for studying
Shakespearean drama

Shakespeare’s life and times

Aristotelian structure
Apply knowledge of complex text to
contemporary life and culture

multiple interpretations of a text

tracking and developing theories
across a text and its adaptations
Session
Texts Required
1 and 2
Analyze and compare text and
adaptations of the text

tone

setting

conflict

decisions writers and directors
make to capture the author’s
original purpose and breathe new
life into the work
3, 4, 5, 6, and 7


Variety of books and websites (see
bibliography)

Common text (any Shakespearean
drama)
Various film adaptations
Mid- and PostUnit Assessments
Digital presentation
Reading logs/handouts
Exit slips
Skill, Strategy and
Knowledge
Outcome
Students will use the knowledge and
strategies gained in reading a range
of accessible texts to develop a
framework for critical reading of
more complex texts.
Students will use the framework to
analyze and compare a range of world
literature by doing multi-draft close
reading. The variety and complexity of
the texts increases across the required
readings.
8
Common text (any Shakespearean
drama)
 Various film adaptations
 Various contemporary texts with
Shakespearean allusions

Key scene rewritten and
performed

Reflective essay
Students will use the framework,
multi-draft close reading, and tools for
tracking a character and/or ideas
through a text. This collection and
analysis work will prepare students to
write a literary essay.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Concept
Teaching Point
Preparation
Suggested Materials
Essential Question(s)/
Lesson Framing Quotes
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Share
Assessment
Exit Slip
Session 1
(2-3 days)
Applying Context: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Readers apply what they know about an author and the time period in which a piece was written to
comprehend fiction and predict story details.
BEFORE THE UNIT:
Prepare the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist (attached after this session) to familiarize
yourself with the play you are about to teach and the strategic moves you are about to initiate
with your students. *Remember: the model will show thinking on preparing to teach Hamlet,
but this could be adjusted to teach another play. We use Hamlet because it is commonly taught
in high school classrooms and Shakespeare is required reading in the Common Core State
Standards. However, this unit would work with other five-act plays that follow the Aristotelian
dramatic structure.
BEFORE THIS SESSION:
 Prepare copies of and have students fill out the Pre-unit Assessment Task. (Survey is attached
after this session.)
 Research various websites that tell about Shakespeare’s life and times.
 Prepare copies of the handout Shakespeare’s Life and Times. (Attached after this session.)
 Arrange for computer lab time.
 Create groups of students who will focus on one of each of the topics from the handout
Shakespeare’s Life and Times.
NOTE: You may decide that your students will not work in groups or that your students will do an
in-depth study on one sub-topic or a more cursory study of all of the sub-topics. Also, you need to
decide how students will present information (e.g., using technology or not). Finally, you may
want to alter the number of required resources your students should cite. Adjust the handout
accordingly.
 http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html (Aristotle’s theory of tragedy)
 http://www.bardweb.net/man.html (Shakespeare biography)
 http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-biography (Shakespeare biography)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcwSLtSW44Q (Life of Shakespeare video)
How does knowledge of the historical and cultural context of the play and playwright affect meaning?
“There Shakespeare, on whose forehead climb
The crowns o’ the world; oh, eyes sublime
With tears and laughter for all time!” - Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861), A Vision of
Poets
Teacher models and thinks aloud:
Using a projector to show research found on the computer, think aloud as you read and evaluate
websites that show important information about William Shakespeare, the Elizabethan times, and
language of the times. Model your thinking as you write down notes about significant details.
Think aloud as you find the pertinent bibliographic information to use for a citation.
Students peruse and bookmark websites or online encyclopedias to find sources for the topics listed
on the handout Shakespeare’s Life and Times.
Mini task: Students research and record information about the topics listed on the handout, while
citing the sources they use. (You should decide ahead of time if students will work in groups or not.
Also, you need to decide if students will do an in-depth study on one sub-topic or a more cursory
study of all of the sub-topics. Adjust the handout accordingly.)
Students present their findings about the various sub-topics. Classmates record the information as it is
presented in their readers’/writers’ notebooks.
Students complete the pre-unit assessment task—the survey included after session 1.
Students write three facts they learned from their classmates about Shakespeare and his times that
they found most interesting. They make predictions about how the new knowledge they have gained
might give them insights into the play they are about to read.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Narrative Reading 12: Session 1
Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist
*MODEL-Hamlet
*The same planning work can be done with another play.
Shakespearean drama follows the Aristotelian dramatic structure. Consider the focus for each act in terms of what
types of text they will collect and what type of strategic reading lesson you will teach with each act.
Act I
(Exposition)
Purpose of Collected Text
Students find key lines and passages
that reveal setting, tone, characters,
conflict
Act II
(Rising Action)
Students find key lines and passages
that reveal the building conflict
Act III
(Climax)
Students find key lines that reveal the
turning point in the play
Act IV
(Falling Action)
Students find key lines that reveal the
complications that will lead the
character to the final tragedy
Act V
(Denouement)
Students find key lines that reveal the
character’s tragic flaw
Strategic Reading Focus
Multi-draft reading to: (1) get the gist, (2)
become acquainted with Elizabethan
language, and (3) notice elements of
dramatic exposition
Close reading of soliloquies/comparative
text (view or listen to various soliloquies to
make judgments about author’s purpose)
Close reading of soliloquies/comparative
text (view or listen to various soliloquies to
make judgments about author’s purpose)
Comparative text (view or listen to various
soliloquies to make judgments about
author’s purpose)
Comparative text (view or listen to various
soliloquies to make judgments about
author’s purpose)
Soliloquy is an important feature of Shakespearean drama. Identify and prepare copies of the soliloquies in the play you
will teach.
Act 1, scene 2 “O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt”
Act 1, scene 5 “O all you host of heaven”
Act 2, scene 2 “O what a rogue and peasant slave am I”
Act 3, scene 1 “To be or not to be…”
Act 3, scene 2 “’Tis now the very witching time of night”
Act 3, scene 3 “ Now I might do it pat now he is praying”
Act 4, scene 4 “How all occasions do inform against me”
There are myriad ancillary texts and resources available to supplement the reading of Shakespeare. Identify resources
that you will use to support the unit.
<www.YouTube.com>
<www.reducedshakespeare.com>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/References_to_Hamlet>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet_on_screen>
<http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html>
<http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/timeline/timeline.htm >
<http://www.bardweb.net/man.html>
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcwSLtSW44Q>
<http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-biography>
http://hunbbel-meer.hubpages.com/hub/Hamlets-Synopsis-Analysis-and-Soliloquies
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
This unit requires students to view multiple interpretations of the play. Identify movies, cartoons, book adaptations of
the play you are teaching. Consider the scenes you will use in class.
Scene(s)
3.1 “Nunnery” scene
3.2 “The Mousetrap”
scene
3.4 “Mother’s Closet”
scene
4.5“Ophelia’s Mad
Scene”
Adaptation(s)
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier)
CHOOSE 3-4
Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson)
Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh)
Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott)
Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier)
CHOOSE 3-4
Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson)
Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh)
Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott)
Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier)
CHOOSE 3-4
Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson)
Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh)
Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott)
Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier)
CHOOSE 3-4
Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson)
Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh)
Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott)
Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
PRE-UNIT SURVEY
Characteristic of a Reader
(1=Never 2=Rarely 3=Sometimes 4=Frequently 5=Always)
Developing strategies for close reading: key ideas and details
1
I can use strategies to help me identify important lines or passages.
2
I can identify the relationship between important lines or passages.
3
I can track an idea across a text.
Applying context: integration of knowledge and ideas
4
I can use what I know about the author or time period to help identify and
analyze central idea(s) and theme(s) of a text.
5
I can make connections within a text and between multiple texts to identify
and analyze central idea(s) and theme(s) of a text.
6
I can evaluate a text by exploring the central idea(s), theme(s), style, and point
of view of a text.
Analyzing genre: craft and structure
7
I can use what I know about the genre to help me comprehend a text.
8
I can name the essential characteristics of various narrative genres.
9
I can evaluate each text I read based on the anticipated characteristics of a
genre.
Metacognitive Skills
10
I can set personal reading goals that propel my growth as a reader.
11
I can use strategies to stay engaged while reading difficult or uninteresting
texts.
12
I can self-monitor when I read and apply fix-up strategies to help me
comprehend the character(s), plot, and central idea(s).
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
1
2
3
4
5
Narrative Reading 12: Session 1
Shakespeare’s Life and Times
Applying Context: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Sub-topics
As a class, we will discover William Shakespeare and the times in which he lived. You will be assigned a sub-topic to
explore and prepare for a short presentation to inform your classmates. The following subtopics will make for
interesting reading and will help you access the Elizabethan language and culture of Shakespeare.







Shakespeare’s Early Years (Family and Education)
Shakespeare’s Later Years (Marriage and Career)
Queen Elizabeth and the Arts
The Globe Theatre
Shakespeare’s Literary Accomplishments (and the inspiration for most of his tragedies)
The Authorship Debate
Other________________________
Research Requirements
You will need to find __5__ online sources. Be sure to evaluate them for accuracy and select the best sites for your
information.
Presentation Requirements
You will be presenting this information to your classmates, using PowerPoint or Prezi. You must have a minimum of
slides and be prepared to talk for 3—5 minutes.
Bibliography
You are required to submit a Works-Cited sheet with your presentation. See www.easybib.com for directions.
Due Date
You will have __2_ days to research and prepare your bibliography. Presentations will be ________________.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
5
Session 2
(2 days)
Concept
Teaching Point
Preparation
Essential Question(s)/
Lesson Framing Quotes
Teaching Point 2.1
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Share
Teaching Point 2.2
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Share
Analyzing Genre: Craft and Structure
Readers identify various purposes for their reading. They explore multi-draft reading strategies and
collecting text methods.
 Review Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html
 Prepare copies of opening scene of the play, deleting characters’ names
 EXAMPLE: Use 1.1.1-80 for Hamlet. * A version of this activity can be found in Shakespeare Set
Free: Teaching Hamlet and Henry IV, Part 1 (1994).
 Prepare pages in your own Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook to share with students. (They will set up
pages to collect text, make predictions, track character relationships, etc.)
You may want to write the following headers on 2-page spreads in the notebook: Act 1: Collecting
Text, Act 2: Collecting Text, Act 3: Collecting Text, Act 4: Collecting Text, Act 5: Collecting Text,
Character Web. (You and the students will record important lines and passages in your notebooks,
as well as draw a web that helps them track the complex relationships between characters.)
 Prepare copies of Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy (or plan to project for students to view and copy in
their notebooks). This link contains the theory:
http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html can use the adapted version, too, that
follows this session
How is the structure of a drama important to revealing character?
"The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place. It is the place people come to
see the truth about life and the social situation. The theatre is a spiritual and social X-ray of its time.
The theatre was created to tell people the truth about life and the social situation." - Stella Adler
Readers use their understanding of the genre as a strategy to comprehend text.
Teacher models and thinks aloud:
Think aloud as you read an excerpt about Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy. Using a projector, draw the five
acts and the function of each. (Students record the information about the 5-act structure in their
readers’/writers’ notebooks.)
Students consider how knowing the 5-act structure will affect how they read the Shakespearean play.
What do we predict we will learn in Act 1?
Using the copies of the opening scene, students will do a round-robin reading. Remembering that their
strategic reading foci, they will engage in inquiry methods to figure out what is happening and get
accustomed to the Elizabethan language. They should be able to figure out the tone and make
predictions.
Whole-class discussion: What is happening here? What is the tone?
Readers explore multi-draft reading strategies and collecting text methods.
Teacher models and thinks aloud: Think aloud as you review the opening lines of the play. Choose a line
or passage that seems especially important in revealing the setting, tone, characters, conflict (which
Aristotelian structure suggests is the function of Act 1). Using your Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebook to
demonstrate, record the line or passage, including the act, scene, and line numbers. Explain to students
that they will be collecting important text in their notebooks throughout the play and that the text they
collect will be related to the act and its function. (Since the function of Act 1 is to reveal setting, tone,
characters, conflict, the text they will collect will show those elements.)
Students will review the opening lines that they read aloud and determine which seems most
important in revealing setting, tone, characters, or conflict and record it in their notebook in the
section labeled Act 1: Collecting Text.
Turn-and-Talk: Students will turn and talk to a partner about which line they chose and explain which
element of Act 1 their choice reveals.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Narrative Reading 12: Session 2
Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy
“According to Aristotle, tragedies where the outcome depends on a tightly constructed cause-and-effect chain of actions
are superior to those that depend primarily on the character and personality of the protagonist.” His ideal plot structure
for tragic plays followed a very predictable five-act structure. (Many modern playwrights reject this prescriptive
structure, but Shakespeare’s plays definitely follow this pattern.) The following illustrates the function of each act.
Readers of Shakespeare should use their knowledge of this Aristotelian dramatic structure as a strategy to comprehend
his plays.
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
Act 4
Act 5
Exposition
Rising Action
Climax/ Turning
Point
Falling Action
Denouement
The first act
establishes the
characters, setting,
tone, and conflict.
The second act
establishes the
building conflict.
The third act
reveals the climax
of the play. The
protagonist’s
situation goes from
bad to worse. (In
comedy, up until
this point things
have gone badly for
the protagonist and
now the tide will
turn.) The
protagonist’s tragic
flaw(s) become
obvious.
The fourth act
typically includes a
series of events
that lead the
protagonist to the
tragic end.
The fifth act of a
dramatic tragedy
ends with a
catastrophe in
which the
protagonist is
worse off than at
the beginning of
the narrative.
Adapted from: http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Session 3
(2--3 days)
Concept
Teaching Point
Preparation
Suggested Materials
Essential Question(s)/
Lesson Framing
Quotes
Teaching Point 3.1
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Share
Teaching Point 3.2
Active Engagement
3.2
Independent Reading
Exit Slip
Analyzing Genre: Craft and Structure
Readers of Shakespearean dramas use their knowledge of Aristotelian dramatic structure to discover
how tone, characters, setting, and conflict create the exposition, the foundation of the play.
 Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide what will be read aloud (performed)
and what section(s) of Act 1 will be used for a multi-draft read.
 EXAMPLE:
If using Hamlet, you might select Hamlet’s soliloquy “O, that this too too sullied flesh
would melt” (Act 1, scene 2) and Polonius’ advice “Yet here, Laertes? Aboard, aboard,
for shame” (Act 1, scene 3) for multi-draft reads.
You might select Act 1, scene 5 (Hamlet’s encounter with the ghost of his father) to
perform.
 Select a few key lines from Act 1 to record in your Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebook to model with your
students.
Shakespeare Set Free: Teaching Hamlet and Henry IV, Part 1 (1994)
How is the structure of a drama important to revealing character?
“Fiction reveals truths that reality obscures.” -Jessamyn West
Readers of Shakespearean dramas use their knowledge of Aristotelian dramatic structure to discover
how tone, characters, setting, and conflict create the exposition, the foundation of the play.
Teacher models and thinks aloud:
Think aloud as you read a section of Act 1. Stop and wonder aloud what tone you should take as you
read. Consider the clues the text offers as you decide how the text should be read. You might purposely
read it in a tone that seems wrong (e.g., light-hearted, while the words suggest something serious is
going on). Ask the students to use the clues from the text as evidence (i.e., stage direction, setting,
choice of language) of how the lines should be read.
Students practice determining how the text should be read aloud (performed). With partner, they find
a section of the text where a particular tone seems especially evident. (You may select the scene, if you
prefer, for their practice.) They should engage in multi-draft reading. First, they should read the scene
to get the gist of what is happening. Secondly, they should look up unfamiliar words and reread,
gaining a deeper understanding of text. Third, they should read marking words and phrases that seem
to have particular importance or that seem to have a connotative meaning that is different than their
denotative meaning. Finally, they decide which lines should be emphasized with dramatic movement,
change in volume, or use of props.
Students read Act 1 for the basic story. They perform multi-draft (close reads) of a few key scenes to
gain a deeper understanding of Shakespeare’s intent and perform at least one scene for the class.
Performance: Students perform key scenes, after annotating the text to show what textual evidence
they have found that leads them to perform the scene in a particular way.
Readers notice key lines and phrases that reveal the author’s intent.
Think aloud as you select a key line from Act 1 that reveals tone, characters, setting, or conflict.
Students review Act 1 and consider a line that reveals tone, characters, setting, or conflict. They discuss
with a partner which Act 1 characteristic the line reveals.
In their readers’/writers’ notebooks, students record 5--10 key lines that reveal tone, characters,
setting, and conflict. They annotate their text collection, indicating which of these Act 1 elements each
collected line or passage reveals.
Students consider how the knowledge of Aristotelian dramatic structure contributed to their
understanding of Act 1. They make predictions about what will happen in Act 2, based on their
understanding of the 5-act dramatic structure.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Concept
Teaching Point
Preparation
Suggested Materials
Essential Question(s)/
Lesson Framing Quotes
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Share
Assessment
Exit Slip
Session 4
(2 days)
Developing Strategies for Close Reading: Key Ideas and Details
Readers of Shakespearean drama use close reading strategies to follow the rising action of the plot
and to consider the character’s motivations.
Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide what will be read aloud (performed) and
what section(s) will be used for a multi-draft read.
 EXAMPLE: If using Hamlet, you might choose the scene where Polonius is trying to discern
whether or not Hamlet is crazy (Act 2, scene 2, lines 187—574) to perform and the soliloquy “O,
what a rogue and peasant slave am I?” (Act 2, scene 2, lines 576—634) to engage in a multidraft close read.
http://hunbbel-meer.hubpages.com/hub/Hamlets-Synopsis-Analysis-and-Soliloquies: Analyses of all
seven soliloquies.
How does knowledge of dramatic structure influence the reading of the play?
“Drama is life with the dull bits cut out.” -Alfred Hitchcock
Teacher models and thinks aloud:
Using your Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook, think aloud as you review your notes about the function of Act
2 (rising action, leading to the climax). Review some of the exit slips from the last session. What are
some predictions we made about Act 2? Read the beginning of Act 2 aloud and think aloud about the
how the character is dealing with the deepening problem.
Students read Act 2 independently with the purpose of discovering the deepening problem being
established.
 Students engage in a multi-draft read of a key scene. First, they read for the gist. Second, they
look up unfamiliar words. Third, they re-read to notice the character’s attitude. Finally, they
read to clarify the author’s intent.
 Students prepare to perform a key scene, marking the dramatic movements, changes in volume
or intonation, and props that will enhance their portrayal of the scene.
 Students collect 5—10 key lines or passages in their notebooks that reveal the deepening
conflict.
 Students begin drawing their character webs in their notebooks, starting with the main
character in the middle. (Branches lead to other characters, with descriptions of their roles.)
Students perform a key scene from Act 2 and explain their decisions in the portrayal.
Mid-unit assessment:
Throughout this unit, collect key lines and phrases from each act of the play that will prepare you for the
writing unit that follows this unit. Also, complete reflective exit slips that help you consider the impact of
each of the acts.
Write a one-page response: What seems to be the worst problem the main character is dealing with?
How could this possibly be resolved? Cite key lines that show the deepening problem.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Concept
Teaching Point
Preparation
Suggested Materials
Essential Question(s)/
Lesson Framing Quotes
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Teaching Point 5.2
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Share
Exit Slip
Session 5
(3--4 days)
Developing Strategies for Close Reading: Key Ideas and Details
Readers know that the climax of a five-act (Shakespearean) tragedy will be a place where the
situation goes from bad to worse. (In comedy, up until this point things have gone badly for the
protagonist and now the tide will turn.) They make predictions about the outcome of the play.
Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide what will be read aloud (performed) and
what film adaptations you will use to show key scenes in Act 3.
 EXAMPLE: If using Hamlet, you might choose multiple film versions to show the “nunnery”
scene (Act 3, scene 1, lines 99-175) to determine whether or not Hamlet knows he is being
watched and to consider how Shakespeare would have staged the scene. You might also show
film versions of “The Mousetrap” (the play within a play) (Act 3, scene 2, lines 98—321) and,
finally, film versions of the “mother’s closet scene” (Act 3, scene 4).
Also, you should locate and review the soliloquies from this act.
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier)
Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson)
Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh)
Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott)
Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
How does knowledge of dramatic structure influence the reading of the play?
“The quality of a play is the quality of its ideas.” - George Bernard Shaw
Teacher models and thinks aloud: Using your Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook, think aloud as you review
your notes about the function of Act 3 (climax). Review some of the metacognitive exit slips from the
last session. What are some predictions we made about Act 3?
Students read a key scene of which you have selected to show film clips. Before viewing, they write a
theory about what the character is and what this reveals about the author’s intent. (You may do this for
a few parts of Act 3, since it is the climax.)
Students view then respond to these questions in writing:
Which film version depicted the scene the best? Why? What evidence do you have from the text to
support your opinion? How does the theory you created before viewing compare to your opinion of how
the character feels after viewing the film versions?
Readers know that soliloquies offer important insights into the character’s thoughts and feelings.
They engage in close reading of soliloquies to analyze the character.
Teacher models and thinks aloud:
Think aloud as you read the first few lines of one of the soliloquies. Read multiple times: 1. to get the
gist; 2. to clarify unfamiliar words; 3. to determine the character’s thoughts.
EXAMPLE: If you are using Hamlet, you will want to choose “To be or not to be” (Act 3, scene 1, lines
63—98) and “’Tis now the very witching time of night” (Act 3, scene 2, lines 419-432).
Students practice this multi-draft reading approach as they read a few more lines from the chosen
soliloquy(ies).
 Students use a multi-draft reading approach to read the soliloquies.
 Students collect 5—10 key lines or passages in their notebook that reveal the events that
constitute the climax.
 Students update the character web in their notebooks.
Turn-and-Talk: Students talk with a partner about the implications of the soliloquy. In partnerships,
they choose a key line that best captures the character’s thoughts and emotions. They write the line on
the board and explain what the character is thinking and/or feeling.
Write a one-page response: The third act of a Shakespearean tragedy shows us a buildup of the conflict
that cannot be undone. What does the main character know now that s/he will have to act on? Predict
what s/he will do with this knowledge. Cite evidence from the text that helps you build this prediction.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Concept
Teaching Point
Preparation
Suggested Materials
Essential Question(s)/
Lesson Framing
Quotes
Teaching Point
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Share
Exit Slip
Session 6
(2 days)
Developing Strategies for Close Reading: Key Ideas and Details
Readers know that the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist unravels, with the
protagonist winning or losing against the antagonist. They analyze the protagonist’s fatal flaw.
Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide which scene(s) will be viewed.
 EXAMPLE: If using Hamlet, you might choose the multiple film versions of “Ophelia’s Mad”
scene (Act 4, scene 5).
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier)
Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson)
Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh)
Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott)
Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
How does knowledge of dramatic structure influence the reading of the play?
“Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge
the world a little.” -Tom Stoppard
Readers know that the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist unravels, with the
protagonist winning or losing against the antagonist. They analyze the protagonist’s fatal flaw.
Teacher models and thinks aloud: Think aloud as you review your notes from your Reader’s/ Writer’s
Notebook. The function of Act 4 is to create a series of events that lead to the tragic denouement. This
means Act 4 is usually a series of short scenes that will lead the main character to the final tragedy in Act
5. It becomes obvious what his/her tragic flaw is.
Think aloud as you remember a children’s movie where a character’s flaw leads to his/her downfall (i.e.,
The Little Mermaid’s Ursula whose selfishness leads her to be banished). Remember aloud how in
tragedy, even the protagonists are led to a downfall because of a flaw in their character. Invite students
to consider your main character’s flaws (i.e., Hamlet has trouble acting on his instincts, he is afraid, and
he is conflicted about a mother he both hates and loves).
Students consider the flaws in characters they know from other plays, books, movies, etc. They discuss
the repercussions of these flaws.
 Students read Act 4 to find the various story lines that are leading to the tragic outcome.
 Students view multiple film versions. (In Hamlet, they might view of the “mother’s closet” scene
(Act 4, scene 4), as well as multiple film versions of “Ophelia’s Mad” scene (Act 4, scene 5)).
 Students collect 5—10 key lines or passages in their notebooks that reveal the events that
constitute the falling action.
 Students update their character webs in their notebooks.
Turn-and-Talk: Students discuss the various film versions and their opinions about which one(s) best
capture(s) the author’s intent. They discuss the main character’s tragic flaw(s).
Write a one-page response: The fourth act of a Shakespearean tragedy provides a series of events that
leads to the ultimate tragedy. What character flaw will ultimately lead to the main character’s downfall?
How do the events from Act 4 support your response? Cite evidence from the text that supports your
thinking.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Concept
Teaching Point
Preparation
Essential Question(s)/
Lesson Framing Quotes
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Share
Session 7
(2 days)
Developing Strategies for Close Reading: Key Ideas and Details
Readers know that dramatic tragedy ends with a catastrophe in which the protagonist is worse off than
at the beginning of the narrative. They imagine alternate endings or the inevitability of the written
ending.
Refer to the Teaching Drama Preparation Checklist. Decide which scene(s) will be viewed.
How does knowledge of dramatic structure influence the reading of the play?
"I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being
can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being."
-Oscar Wilde
Teacher models and thinks aloud: Using a projector, display the character web from your notebook.
Think aloud as you recall some of the events from Act 4. How are the characters linked? How do the
actions of the characters lead to the catastrophe the main character is about to face in Act 5?
Students read Act 5 and write a list of the final events. (Typically, there are several, quick actions that
lead to the end. With Hamlet, students should “follow the poison.”)
Students consider how the ending of the play might have been different by writing an alternate ending.
They create a theory about why Shakespeare wrote the ending he did.
Turn-and-Talk: Students read their alternate endings to a partner.
As a class, create a tally of how many people believe Shakespeare’s ending was a good one and how
many felt unsatisfied by the ending.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Concept
Teaching Point
Preparation
Suggested Materials
Essential Question(s)/
Lesson Framing Quotes
Active Engagement
Independent Practice
Share
Session 8
(2 days)
Applying Context: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Readers see connections between canon pieces and contemporary life and culture.
Prepare copies of the post-unit assessment task and rubric, the latter of which is attached after
this session.
Select film clips, songs, TV shows, cartoons, etc. that make reference to the play your class has
studied.
See the following site for the myriad Hamlet interpretations:
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/References_to_Hamlet
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet_on_screen
 www.YouTube.com (variety of short skits, songs, videos related to Shakespeare plays)
 www.reducedshakespeare.com
 The Simpsons episode "Tales from the Public Domain”
 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990 film)
 The Lion King (1994 animated film)
 Strange Brew (1983 film)
 To Be or Not to Be (1983 film)
How does knowledge of the historical and cultural context of the play and playwright
affect meaning?
Teacher Model/ Think-Aloud: Think aloud as you share your own experiences viewing/reading
pop culture versions of a well-known canon piece. What did you discover about the canon piece
after viewing the modern-day interpretation? What seemed especially humorous or clever about
it? How did knowing the canon piece help you appreciate the interpretation? View one short video
together (e.g., The Simpsons episode "Tales from the Public Domain") together and think aloud as
you jot down the scenes briefly depicted in a 5—8 minute version of a long play. Why did the
writer/director choose those scenes in this shortened version?
Students share their experiences with modern-day interpretations. (For example, they may have
noticed that The Lion King is a modern-day Hamlet interpretation or they may know of TV episodes
that reference a classic story.)
Students view and rate alternate versions. They consider what details the writers/ directors chose
from the original work and consider their reasoning.
Turn-and-Talk: Why have so many writers and directors chosen to remake Shakespearean plays?
What about the stories appeal to a modern-day audience? What are the reasons writers and
directors tend to change or modernize the play?
Post-Unit Assessment Task
(2--4 days)
“Narrative is a kind of backdoor into something very deep inside us.” –Ira Glass
How does Shakespeare develop characters that reveal something about us as humans?
Write and perform a contemporary rendition of a key scene from this play that reveals a basic issue of human nature
examined in the play.
Write a short reflective essay in which you explain your choices in language, costume, staging, contemporary context, etc. and
the connection between those decisions and what you were trying to reveal about the character and human nature in
general. Use the pre-unit assessment survey as a way to ground your reflection in this summative assessment task.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Narrative Summative Assessment Rubric
Claim
(what the
updated scene
reveals about
human nature)
Evidence
(skit details)
Written
Reflection
Highly Proficient
Meets Expectations
Establishes a clear claim about
human nature that closely
relates to the Shakespearean
play.
The updated scene/skit
makes a claim about
human nature that relates
to the Shakespearean play.
Clearly supports the claim
about human nature and
shows a close connection to
the original play.
Supports the claim about
human nature and shares
similarities with the original
play.
Presents a thoughtful
reflection about choices made
in language, costume, staging,
contemporary context, etc.
and reveals a clear connection
between those decisions and
your claim about human
nature.
Performance
Demonstrates evidence of
rehearsal and planned staging;
projects voice; uses physical
movement, props, and
costumes to enhance
performance.
Conventions
Demonstrates a welldeveloped command of
standard English conventions
and cohesion; employs
language and tone
appropriate to audience and
purpose.
Teacher Comments:
Attempting to Meet
Expectations
The updated scene/skit does
not reveal a clear claim about
human nature or does not
relate to the Shakespearean
play.
Skit details do not support the
claim about human nature
and/or do not share
similarities with the original
play.
Discusses choices made in
language, costume, staging,
contemporary context, etc.
and shows the connection
between those decisions
and your claim about
human nature.
Discusses some choices made
in creating an updated scene,
but does not clearly show how
those choices relate to your
claim about human nature.
Demonstrates evidence of
rehearsal; projects voice;
uses physical movement,
props, and/or costumes to
enhance performance.
Demonstrates little evidence
of rehearsal or staging;
volume is not sufficient;
subtext cues, such as physical
movement, props, and/or
costumes are not evident.
Demonstrates a weak
command of standard English
conventions; lacks cohesion;
language and tone are
inappropriate to audience and
purpose.
Demonstrates a command
of standard English
conventions and cohesion;
employs language and tone
appropriate to audience
and purpose.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools
Resources
WEBSITES
<www.YouTube.com>
<www.reducedshakespeare.com>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/References_to_Hamlet>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet_on_screen>
<http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html>
<http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/timeline/timeline.htm >
<http://www.bardweb.net/man.html>
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcwSLtSW44Q>
<http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-biography>
http://hunbbel-meer.hubpages.com/hub/Hamlets-Synopsis-Analysis-and-Soliloquies
FILM
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990 film)
The Lion King (1994 animated film)
Strange Brew (1983 film)
To Be or Not to Be (1983 film)
Hamlet, Dir. Laurence Olivier (1948 film, starring Laurence Olivier)
Hamlet, Dir. Franco Zeffirelli (1990 film, starring Mel Gibson)
Hamlet, Dir. Kenneth Branagh (1996 film, starring Kenneth Branagh)
Hamlet, Dir. Campbell Scott (2000 film, starring Campbell Scott)
Hamlet, Dir. Michael Almereyda (2000 film, starring Ethan Hawke)
PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE
Fisher, Douglas, Fret, Nancy, and Diane Lapp. Text Complexity: Raising Rigor in Reading. Newark, DE: International
Reading Association, 2012.
Gallagher, Kelly. Readicide: How Schools are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About it.” Portland, ME:
Stenhouse Publishers, 2012.
Newlin, Nick. The 30-Minute Shakespeare: Hamlet, Including Stage Directions for All Levels of Experience.
Brandywine, MD: Nicolo Whimsey Press, 2010.
O’Brien, Peggy, Ed. Shakespeare Set Free: Teaching Hamlet and Henry IV, Part 1. New York, NY: Washington Square
Press, 1994.
Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. “You Gotta BE the Book” Teaching Engaged and Reflective Reading with Adolescents.New York,
NY: Teachers College, 1997.
Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools