English IV – 12th Grade
Unit of Study: The Palette: Shakespeare’s Othello
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
Third Grading Period – Week 1
Big Idea
Unit Rationale
Students will revisit their own writing from the 2nd Nine Weeks’ Timed Writing to selfassess their own learning outcomes. Students need to be aware of their academic
progress, which is why it is essential for students to revisit and revise the timed writing
they wrote to close the 1st Semester. Reflection is the best way for students to become
aware of their own abilities, faults, and progress.
Revisiting student writing enables a student to self assess strengths and weaknesses in
peer writing, as well as their own. “In general, we have only three chances to help
students in learning: 1) the original encoding, 2) the maintenance of that memory, and
3) the retrieval of the learning.” (Jensen, E., 2005).
Additionally, students will begin the writing process with several prewriting steps to
organize and focus the argumentative essay and presentation that will answer the
individual guiding question developed during the 2nd Nine Weeks.
“No matter what the method, the merits of revision are many. By revising papers,
students learn self-criticism and self-appraisal, ways to improve their composition, and
the relationship between achievement and self-respect. They also learn how to become
better writers.” (Christiansen, Mark, 1990).
Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind. (2nd edition). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind. (2nd edition). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development.
College Board, (2005). SpringBoard: English textual power, Senior Level. New York, NY: College Board
Christiansen, Mark. (1990). “The Importance of Revision in Writing Composition.” Tennessee Education, 19, 911.
TEKS
TEKS Specificity - Intended Outcome
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
12.1 Writing/evaluation
The student writes in a variety of forms, evaluates his/her own writing and the writing
of others.
(a) write in a variety of forms with an emphasis on literary forms such as fiction,
poetry, drama, and media scripts;
(b) draw upon the distinguishing characteristics of written forms such as essays,
scientific reports, speeches, and memoranda to write effectively in each form;
Concepts
(c) write in a voice and style appropriate to audience and purpose;
(f) organize ideas in writing to ensure coherence, logical progression, and support
for ideas.
12.2 Writing/writing processes
The student uses recursive writing processes when appropriate
(a) use prewriting strategies to generate ideas, develop voice, and plan;
(b) develop drafts both independently and collaboratively by organizing content
such as paragraphing and outlining and by refining style to suit occasion, audience,
and purpose;
(c) use vocabulary, organization, and rhetorical devices appropriate to audience
and purpose;
12.4 Writing/inquiry/research
The student uses writing as a tool for learning and research.
(h) use writing as a tool for reflection, exploration, learning, problem solving, and
personal growth.
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period
English IV
” I CAN” statements highlighted in yellow should be displayed for students.
I can:
 Write in a graphic organizer (1A)
 Identify the audience and make appropriate choices for the form of my essay (1B)
 Make notations that explore ways to infuse my writing with critical perspectives
(1C)
 Generate ideas for Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose and Tone (1F)
 Develop drafts of my guiding question to generate ideas and develop a plan (2A)
 Collaborate with others to refine my guiding question (2B)
 Draft a thesis statement that will guide my research (2B).
 Take a position on my thesis (2B)
 Develop an argument for my thesis (2C).
 Support my thesis directly using materials read inside and outside of the
classroom (2C)
 Assess clarity of my thesis through peer collaboration and evaluation (4H)
 Set up a working relationship with a peer or peers during our writing and revising
process (5B)
 Criticize peer writing to improve both the clarity and depth of their writing and
mine (5C)
 Conclude how effective my writing is for achieving its purposes by engaging in
conversations with my peers and my teacher (6A)
 In the context of a Peer Writing Conference, analyze and appraise my own and
others’ writing using a criteria developed by self and others (6B)
 Originate textual evidence and experience so that I can conclude, generalize and
Page 1 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
12.5 Writing/analysis
The student communicates with writers inside and outside the classroom, including
writers who represent diverse cultures and fields.
(b) correspond with other writers electronically and in conventional ways.
(c) collaborate with other writers
12.6 Writing/evaluation
The student evaluates his/her own writing and the writing of others.
(a) evaluate how well writing achieves its purposes and engage in conversations
with peers and the teacher about aspects of his/her own writing and the writing of
others
(b) analyze and discuss published pieces as writing models and apply criteria
developed by self and others to evaluate writing
12.8 Reading/comprehension.
The student comprehends selections using a variety of strategies.
 predict possible flaws in another’s and my own thesis and guiding questions (8G)
(g) draw inferences such a conclusions, generalizations, and predictions and
support them with text evidence [and experience].
Evidence of Learning
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In response to peer writing, students will be able to critically evaluate student writing for clarity and depth of thesis ideas, organization, voice, and mechanics 90% of the
time.
Students will be able to create concise and precise summaries of peer writing 90% of the time
Student will be able to develop and publish a clear thesis and guiding questions for research 100% of the time.
Students will be able to use the SOAPSTone Invention Organizer and others to publish a working outlining of their essay 100% of the time.
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period
English IV
Page 2 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
English IV – 12th Grade
Unit of Study: The Palette: Shakespeare’s Othello
CURRICULUM GUIDE
Third Grading Period – Week 1
Essential Questions
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What is the inherent value of revisiting
previous writing?
How does reading and commenting on
peer writing develop one’s own writing
abilities?
To what Audience am I addressing my
argument?
Who am I, as the Speaker in my essay?
What is the Occasion of my essay?
What is the Purpose of my writing?
What is the Subject of my writing?
What Tone should my writing adopt?
Essential Pre-requisite Skills
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Scrutinize a variety of texts with key questions in mind
Examine personal assumptions and previous learning
Question the text through close reading, peer review and interaction with a rubric
Incorporate new ideas into old content based on experiential knowledge and prior reading
Originate new conclusions both individually and in small groups
Assess student writing using a rubric
Systematize the writing process from brainstorming to organizing using a planner to drafting
Familiarity with SOAPSTone elements
Create a thesis and guiding questions for research purposes
Interact with peers in a effective, constructive, and collegial manner
The Teaching Plan
Instructional Model/Teacher Directions
The teacher will…
Follow this plan for Week 1. Approximate days listed are based upon one 90 minute period, or two 45 minutes periods.
So students can…
Week 1
Activity Focus: Review Timed Writing from Second Nine Weeks
(Approx. 1 day)
Activity: Revisiting Timed Writing
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Enable students to decide what elements of the timed writing were successful or unsuccessful
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Compare student writing against the SAT Rubric
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Evaluate individual student outcomes and learning based on Timed Writing
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Revisit and reteach concepts that were unsuccessful for the majority of students
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Appraise learning outcomes from the 2nd Nine Weeks
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TEKS: Writing 6a-b; Reading 8g, 9b, 11b
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Determine their own and peer writing’s
strengths and weaknesses
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Use a rubric to score my own writing
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Reflect on personal and class weakness in
focus, ideas, organization, voice and
mechanics.
Activity Focus: “Building the Portfolio: Preparing for the Show – Argumentative Essay: First Draft”
SpringBoard 364-368
(Approx. 2 days)
Guide students through the prewriting steps of an Argumentative Essay
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Explore ways to infuse my essay’s subject with
my chosen critical perspective
Introduce and develop student inquiry skills using guided questions and models
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Evaluate how my essay’s target audience will
Extend student planning through the SOAPSTone graphic organizer
shape the purpose and tone of my writing
Assemble student working groups that will enhance and promote every member’s growth and output
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Publish and evaluate my own and my
Promote peer writing conferences as the norm throughout the writing process
classmates thesis and guiding questions
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period
English IV
Page 3 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
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Vocabulary
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Speaker
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
Tone
Guiding Questions
Thesis
Rubric
Resources
Textbooks:
SpringBoard Senior Level
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Unit Four, pp. 364-368
Writing and Grammar:
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Research Paper – “Taking Notes” p. 285
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Revision
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Argumentative Essay
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Outlining an Essay
Teacher Toolkit (Reading) – Currículum Management System
ELA Website – Secondary Documents
Critically evaluate and question peer writing
and questioning to enable their further
discovery and skills
Rely on peers for knowledge, criticism and
support throughout the writing process
Independent Reading
Students will be responsible for reading one
Independent novel outside of the classroom.
Suggested novels are selected from available
novels that are on campuses.
Archetypal:
The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway
Marxist:
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Anthem, by Ayn Rand
Feminist:
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Cultural:
Black Boy, by Richard Wright
Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane
Drama:
MacBeth, by William Shakespeare
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period
English IV
Page 4 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
Evidence of Learning
Differentiation
Interims/TAKS/Benchmarks
College-Readiness i.e.,
Anticipated Skills for SAT/ACT/College Board/Careers/Life
Sample Questions
What do you do for students who need extra
support?
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Scoring a Model: Provide students with
several models and several scoring rubrics
used for scoring the College Essay
assignment. Have students read and score
each essay individually. Facilitate a
discussion using the overhead about what
scores each essay earned. Focus on specific
elements of each model as they apply to the
rubric.
Modeling: Provide students with a model of
the Embedded Assessment. If necessary,
allow students to revisit and even transform
their Embedded Assessment into a product
that they and the teacher agree successfully
demonstrate the targeted learning objectives
for the 1st Nine Weeks.
Smart Groups: Allow students to generate a
thesis and gather evidence as a small group.
The Argumentative Essay requires extensive
preparation and planning, so sharing the load
for this assignment would enable low ability
students to experience the research and
argumentative elements vital to the learning
task, without the intimidation factor that comes
with going it alone.
What do you do for students who master the
learning quickly?
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Presentation: Assign one of two sections that
appear in The Language of Literature. A
student can read, analyze and present a multimedia exploration of some or all of the ideas
and concepts presented in the “Author Study”
for William Shakespeare on pages 314-320.
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Research: Using available library and
technology resources, have students extend
their research beyond the classroom.
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Teacher Mentors: Introduce students who
excel to teachers in other subject areas so that
they can have a teacher help them revise and
review their argumentative essay drafts.
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 2-6)
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Revising and Editing:
SAT Improving Sentences:
What change, if any, should be made in
sentence 8?
F Insert a comma after reeds
G Change huts to hut’s
H Change there to their
J Make no change
The following sentences test correctness and effectiveness
of expression. Part of each sentence or the entire sentence
is underlined; beneath each sentence are five ways of
phrasing the underlined material. Choice A repeats the
original phrasing; the other four choices are different. If you
think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than
any of the alternatives, select choice A; if not, select one of
the other choices.
What is the most effective way to rewrite
sentence 7?
A There, on 8,000 square miles of channels
and lakes, from thick beds of marsh reeds.
The Madan constructed islands.
B There, it is on 8,000 square miles of
channels and lakes that the Madan
constructed islands. From thick beds of
marsh reeds.
C There, on 8,000 square miles of channels
and lakes, the Madan constructed islands
from thick beds of marsh reeds.
D There, on 8,000 square miles of channels
and lakes, the Madan constructed islands,
they used thick beds of marsh reeds.
41 What is the most effective way to improve
the organization of the last paragraph
(sentences 21–26)?
A Delete sentence 23
B Switch sentences 23 and 24
C Move sentence 24 to the end of the
paragraph
D Delete sentence 24
English IV
In making your selection, follow the requirements of
standard written English; that is, pay attention to grammar,
choice of words, sentence construction, and punctuation.
Your selection should result in the most effective
sentence—clear and precise, without awkwardness or
ambiguity.
Looking up from the base of the mountain, the trail seemed
more treacherous than it really was.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
Looking up
While looking up
By looking up
Viewing
Viewed
Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book and she was
sixty-five years old then.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
and she was sixty-five years old then
when she was sixty-five
at age sixty-five years old
upon the reaching of sixty-five years
at the time when she was sixty-five
Page 5 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
English IV – 12th Grade
Unit of Study: The Palette: Shakespeare’s Othello
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
Third Grading Period – Weeks 2-6
Big Idea
Unit Rationale
“The artist’s palette embodies the choices an artist makes as he or she constructs a
vision of reality. From separate wells of color, the artist begins to frame “truth” by mixing,
merging, and creating characterizations that reflect the world that exists, the world that
once existed, and the possibility of worlds that might one day exist—all sifted through the
artist’s various perspectives. For generations, The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of
Venice has served as a visual, aural, and kinesthetic nexus of what happens when
critical perspectives are applied to issues of race, class, and gender. Accordingly, in this
unit, students will spend a great deal of classroom time performing excerpts of the drama
while their reading and responding will use each of the critical perspectives to which they
have been previously introduced” (CollegeBoard, 2005)
Throughout this Unit of Study, students will continue to write and revisit the First Draft of
the Argumentative Essay introduced during Week One of the Third Nine Weeks. Any
significant piece of writing such as this one must be continually revisited and reworked
so that the student can enhance and refine their writing’s ideas, focus and coherence,
organization, voice, grammar and mechanics.
“Reading, listening to, and even watching a drama can have an impact on students, but
only by speaking the lines and playing the parts do the students truly make meaning of
drama in form and content and thus make a drama their own. This unit, while
challenging, offers great rewards; it does, however, require careful planning on the
teacher’s part. Students (and therefore teachers) will be multi-tasking: reading and
grappling with Shakespeare’s text, analyzing interpretations of scenes, applying critical
perspectives, and planning and rehearsing a presentation of a scene from Othello.
Moreover, you will have to carve out time for students to continue to develop the
ongoing individual research project that spans every unit in this program. Many of these
tasks need to happen simultaneously, and students will need your help juggling these
activities” (Collegeboard, 2005)
“When students turn in a paper without revision, they may be demonstrating their ability
to organize and express thoughts, they may be showing that they understand basic
conventions of written communication. Their main objective, however, may be simply to
complete the assignment, not to perform to the best of their ability. These students have
missed an important part of the educational process in its broadest sense: self-criticism.
The ultimate goal of education should be to lead students to become their own
teachers. Although revising papers is only one aspect of critical thinking, it can be
valuable in attaining this goal. “ (Christiansen, Mark, 1990).
“Cultural criticism examines how religion, ethnicity, class identification, political belief,
and differing views affect how texts are created and interpreted. What it means to be a
part of – or excluded from – a specific group contributes to and has an impact on our
understanding of texts in relation to culture. Some common assumptions in the use of
Cultural criticism:
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Ethnicity, religious belief, sexual identity, and so on are crucial components in
formulating plausible interpretations of text.
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While the emphasis is on diversity of approach and subject matter, Cultural
criticism is not the only means of understanding ourselves and our art.
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An examination or exploration of the relationship between dominant cultures and
the dominated is essential.
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When looking at a text through the perspective of marginalized peoples, new
understandings emerge” (CollegeBoard, 2005)
College Board, (2005). SpringBoard: English textual power, Senior Level. New York,
NY: College Board
College Board, (2005). SpringBoard: English textual power, Senior Level. New York,
NY: College Board
Christiansen, Mark. (1990). “The Importance of Revision in Writing Composition.”
Tennessee Education, 19, 9-11.
TEKS
TEKS Specificity - Intended Outcome
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
12.1 Writing/purposes
The student writes in a variety of forms
(a) write in a variety of forms with an emphasis on literary forms such as fiction,
poetry, drama, and media scripts
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 2-6)
English IV
” I CAN” statements highlighted in yellow should be displayed for students.
I can:
 Write an draft of an argumentative essay (1A)
 Consider my audience and purpose when writing an argumentative essay (1C)
 Develop a thesis and a concise outline detailing my argument in a way that
Page 6 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
 presents the depth of my ideas, the logic of my organization and the research
(c) write in a voice and style appropriate to audience and purpose
supporting my ideas (1F)
(f) organize ideas in writing to ensure coherence, logical progression, and support
for ideas
12.2 Writing/writing processes
The student uses recursive writing processes when appropriate
(a) use prewriting strategies to generate ideas, develop voice, and plan
(b) develop drafts both independently and collaboratively by organizing content
such as paragraphing and outlining and by refining style to suit occasion, audience,
and purpose
Concepts
(c) use vocabulary, organization, and rhetorical devices appropriate to audience
and purpose
12.7 Reading/word identification/vocabulary development
The student acquires an extensive vocabulary through reading and systematic word
study.
(b) rely on context to determine meanings of words and phrases such as figurative
language, idioms, multiple meaning words, and technical vocabulary
12.10 Reading/culture
The student reads widely, including British literature, to increase knowledge of his/her
own culture, the culture of others, and the common elements across culture.
(c) recognize and discuss themes and connections that cross cultures
12.11 Reading/literary response.
The student expresses and supports literary elements for their contribution to
meaning in literary texts.
 Generate ideas and develop my writing voice as I plan an argumentative essay
(2A)
 Independently develop a draft of an essay and present that draft to a peer so that
I can refine my style to suit occasion, audience and purpose (2B)
 Consider audience and purpose to better incorporate academic vocabulary (2C)
 Incorporate rhetorical devices and a sophisticated organization to appropriately
address my essay’s audience and purpose (2C)
 Closely read a dramatic work by relying on contextual clues to determine
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meanings of words and phrases, such as figurative language, idioms, and
multiple meaning words (7B)
Using critical perspectives, recognize and discuss themes and connections
across literature (10C)
Defend assertions and clarify opinions using elements of text as evidence (11B)
In a group setting, negotiate responses and interpretations to literature (11B)
Consider and analyze written critical reviews of drama and film to compare to my
own responses (11C)
Through the application of critical perspectives, discover how setting and time
frame are relevant to a piece of Renaissance literature (12C)
Assess how plot and conflicts are addresses and resolved in a drama (12D)
(b) use elements of text to defend, clarify, and negotiate responses and
interpretations
(c) analyze written reviews of literature, film, and performance to compare with
his/her own responses
12.12 Reading/literary concepts
The student analyzes literary elements for their contributions to meaning in literary
texts.
(c) analyze relevance of setting and time frame to text's meaning
(d) describe the development of plot and identify conflicts and how they are
addressed and resolved
SAISD:
Students maintain Reader’s Notebook to comprehend and write in response to
reading with textual evidence, compare and contrast varied text (literary informative
and multi-media) and synthesize and evaluate new learning.
Evidence of Learning
1. In response to the drama Othello, students will correctly identify elements of tragedy, characterization, plot, setting, and thematic elements with 85% accuracy.
2. In response to their study of Cultural Criticism, 85% of students will correctly answer guiding questions focused on the study of Othello from the perspective of Cultural Criticism.
3. 100% of students will be able to develop a complete rough draft of their Argumentative Essay that demonstrates appropriate Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject and
Tone.
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 2-6)
English IV
Page 7 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
English IV – 12th Grade
Unit of Study: The Palette: Shakespeare’s Othello
CURRICULUM GUIDE
Third Grading Period – Weeks 2-6
Essential Questions
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How do you develop a thesis, outline
and draft of an argumentative essay?
What happens in the text that conveys
social attitudes and social relations?
How are the events, ideas or attitudes
in this text influenced by the political
situations or social conventions which
existed when it was written?
How did the text impact such things as
social background, sex, class, ethnicity,
power and privilege?
In what ways do new understandings
emerge when a reader looks at a text
through the perspective of marginalized
peoples?
How and why are ethnicity, religious
beliefs, and sexual identity crucial
components in formulating plausible
interpretations of text?
In what ways is examination or
exploration of the relationship between
dominant cultures and the dominated
essential? Why are they essential?
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Essential Pre-requisite Skills
Outline key arguments of an argumentative essay
Draft a working thesis statement that captures an argument concisely and precisely
Manage time out of class in order to meet a deadline
Demonstrate an understanding of how to investigate word meaning, origin, and roots
Arrange and classify familiar vocabulary into logical groupings
Recall literary elements that are familiar to their reading experiences
Compare/Contrast elements of culture within and across texts
Investigate essential questions through the duration of a text
Question a text
Point out key characteristics of a text
Construct lively and informative visual representations for presentation purposes
Determine the difference between a dynamic and a static protagonist
Judge a character based on predetermined, specific criteria
Deduce character attitudes from the context of their words and the tone of their voice
Produce legible texts that demonstrate a reflective, analytical, and/or argumentative quality
Incorporate prior knowledge into the study of a new concept
The Teaching Plan
Instructional Model/Teacher Directions
So students can (demonstrate competency)…
The teacher will…
Follow this plan. This plan approximates how long each SpringBoard activity will take if done in entirety. Approximate days listed are based upon one 90 minute
period, or two 45 minutes periods. Teachers will need to adjust for time and student needs accordingly. As you read selected scenes of Othello, guide them through
the reading by asking questions about key concepts. For ideas on how to provide a useful guided reading of Shakespearean Tragedy, use The Language of Literature
sidebar notes throughout Macbeth (pages 327-416) as a model. Throughout the SpringBoard activities, students are to work in their “Acting Company.” For the sake
of time, create these groups at the beginning of the unit; however, Embedded Assessment 1 is not used as an assessment tool, so the scaffolding toward a
performance are less necessary, especially when it comes to the rehearsal and performance elements. Therefore, if time doesn’t permit planning, rehearsal and
performance of the various scenes throughout your teaching, consider dropping those elements of the SpringBoard activities. Additionally, to ensure that you
maintain a steady pace through the play, be sure to incorporate not only close readings of the text, but of the various film versions available in your school’s media
center/library. Three film versions were purchased for each high school and many other versions are available should you wish to purchase them yourself. At times,
it may also be useful to merely summarize a scene or scenes to ensure student engagement is maintained throughout the unit of study. However, please note that
teaching Shakespeare through performance is invaluable because it is only by “speaking the lines and playing the parts that students truly make meaning of drama in
form and content and thus make a drama their own.” (SpringBoard, 2005).
Weeks 2-6
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 2-6)
English IV
Page 8 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
Activity Focus: Introducing the Central Conflict in Othello
(Approx. 1 day)
Activity: “Guess Who’s In Love,” SpringBoard 373-375
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Begin this unit by UNPACKING Embedded Assessment Two: Composing an Argumentative Timed Writing on
SpringBoard TE 450-452, SE 260-262 in order to frame the context for this unit’s text and activities
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Play at least one performance of the song “The Right to Love”
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Create groups and allow for four different interpretations based on both lyrics and context
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Lead a large group discussion of archetypal “star-crossed lovers” and the cultural implications of marriage outside a
culture’s general expectations
TEKS: 2a; 7b; 8b; 9b; 10a,b; 11a; 13f
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Scrutinize a song’s lyrics and discuss
individual and group responses
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Compare and contrast various contexts to a
song’s lyrics to prepare for primary conflict of
Othello
Activity Focus: Introduction to the Plot of Othello
(Approx. .5 day)
Activity: “Bringing the Plot to Life,” SpringBoard 376-377
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Create pairings in which students write various dialogues that help students predict the plot of Othello
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Allow students to rehearse and perform dialogues.
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Prepare and present props available for performance
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Enable students to write and discuss reflections on performances
TEKS: 1a,d; 2a,c; 4h
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Prepare, rehearse and perform a dialogue
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Predict the plot of Othello
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Reflect on performances and on the reality of
the drama’s plot
Activity Focus: Determining Character Power Relations in Othello
(Approx. .5 day)
Activity: “Cast of Characters – A Close Reading,” SpringBoard 378-379

Set up groups that will work well together for a close reading

Review Marxist critical perspective

Provide time for students to create a brief informative essay on the social structure of Venetian society (in order to
review the play after Act IV, this essay will be used later in the unit for the activity “Revisiting the Cast of Characters”)
TEKS: 1b,c,f; 10c

Recall Marxist critical perspective

Create a draft of an argumentative essay

Determine the class system in Venetian
society and its relation to power
Activity Focus: Othello Act I, Scene 1
(Approx. 3 days)
Activity: “A Father’s Reaction,” SpringBoard 380-385

Using an overhead reproduction, demonstrate Think-Aloud strategy using a scene from Act I, Scene 1

Establish how deliberate, varied tones markedly shape how an actor prepares a character’s reaction to plot elements

If time allows, allow students to rehearse and perform one of their versions of the scene (either to entire class or one
other group)
Activity: “A Historical Look at the Moor,” SpringBoard 386-390
Note: This activity involves reading beyond the text Othello. A jigsaw of the materials on pages 388-390 of the TE may be
appropriate based on student and classroom needs. Three groupings are suggested in SpringBoard.

Scan D’Amico’s text for vocabulary that may present your students with challenges (see “Vocabulary” for suggestions)

Prepare specific instructions for each chunk assigned in the classroom (see Guided Reading instructions on TE 286)

Design small group work and brief presentations following the guided reading (highlighters are needed)

Reintroduce “Levels of Questioning” to students (if using for this set of activities)
Activity: “The Moor” SpringBoard 391-394

Enable students to determine whether language used in Act I, Scene 1 is complimentary or derogatory toward Othello.
TEKS: 1a,b,c,f; 2a,c; 4a; 6a,c,d,e,f; 7a,b,f,g,h;
8a,b,d,f,g,h; 9b,d; 10b,c; 11b,c,d; 12c,d; 13e,f;

Imagine various registers one character could
react to plot elements

Rehearse and perform a brief scene from
Othello

Analyze stereotypes, power relationships and
cultural conflicts surrounding the Moor’s
presence in Venice

Assess how Othello allows contemporary U.S.
audiences to examine cultural conflicts in our
own culture and times

Evaluate whether language used about Othello
is complimentary or derogatory
Activity Focus: Othello Act I, Scene 3
(Approx. 2 days)
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 2-6)
English IV
Page 9 of 20
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Activity: “A Husband’s Response,” SpringBoard 395-398

Guide students through a close reading and SOAPSTone in order to analyze lines 149-106 in Scene 3

Jigsaw graphic organizer during viewing of the two film versions.

Facilitate expert groups to disseminate information about various elements of the film versions viewed.

If time allows, guide students through the organizing and writing of a comparative essay about the two versions
Activity: “Knavery’s Plain Face,” SpringBoard 399-401

Facilitate a close reading of Iago’s monologue to Roderigo that closes Scene 3

Expand student understanding of the speech by marking the text while analyzing purpose, audience, tone, tone shift

Review Marxist critical perspective

Guide students through a transformation of the text (RAFT Strategy)
TEKS: 1a,b,c,d,f; 2a,c; 4h; 7d; 8d; 10a,b,c;
11a,b,c,d; 12c,d; 13b,e,f

Analyze Speaker, Occasion, Audience,
Purpose, Subject and Tone of a speech

Prepare and deliver information about
theatrical elements

Predict how Iago’s thoughts and behavior will
evolve as the play continues beyond Act I,
Scene 3

Create a RAFT writing that takes into
consideration the Marxist critical perspective.
Activity Focus: Othello Act II, Scene 1
(Approx. 1 day)
Activity: “Friendly Banter or Pointed Comments,” SpringBoard 402-403 (during Act II, Scene 1)

Prepare students for reading Act II, Scene 1, lines 108-179 by identifying difficult vocabulary

Re-introduce Dialectical Journal

Promote students’ understanding of interpretation and perspective through dialectical journaling, oral interpretation and
debate.
TEKS: 2a; 7a; 8a; 10a,c; 11a,b,c; 12c,d; 14b

Identify unfamiliar vocabulary, discuss
meaning, and substitute synonyms during rereadings

Consider multiple readings of a scene based
on feminist perspectives

Discuss the importance of interpretation and
perspective
Activity Focus: Othello Act II
(Approx. 1 day)
Activity: “Honest Iago,” SpringBoard 404-405 (before and during Act II, Scene 1)

Review explanations of asides and soliloquies

Facilitate close readings, rehearsals and presentations of various speeches

Facilitate a continued reading of Act II. Consider summarizing the remainder of Act II, as well as showing a film version
TEKS: 11b,c,d; 12c,d; 13e,f

Examine guided reading questions and answer
them using an aside or soliloquy

Present an assigned speech to a small group
Activity Focus: Outlining an Argumentative Essay
(Approx. 1 days)
Note: This activity can take place at this point in the curriculum, between Acts II and III, or whenever it is timely for a
classroom. Use Writing and Grammar as needed.

Provide students with models of Argumentative Essays

Facilitate student understanding of outlining using model essays; think aloud as you outline a model essay (unpack
model essay to examine the essential parts)

Assess student ability through the outlining process to ensure students are including essential elements of the
argumentative essay as outlined in Embedded Assessment II.
TEKS: 1c,e; 2b,c,d,f; 3a,b,c; 5b,c; 6a

Unpack model essays to better understand the
form

Create an outline based on a model essay

Develop an outline for argumentative essay
being written during the Third Nine Weeks
Activity Focus: Othello Act III
(Approx. 2 days)
Activity: “Emilia’s Secret,” SpringBoard 406-410

Facilitate a close reading in which students use sticky notes identifying a key prop throughout Act III

Lead a discussion of the importance of the handkerchief in Act III

Provide students with at least two film versions of Othello to highlight the relationship between Iago and Emilia
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 2-6)
English IV
TEKS: 1a,c,f; 2a; 7b; 8b; 11b,c; 12c,d

Closely read, marking the text with sticky notes

Create a graphic organizer outlining the
importance of a prop
Page 10 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.

Reintroduce Archetypal, Reader Response, Feminist, Marxist, Cultural and Historical perspectives before engaging
students in an essay evaluating a film version’s effectiveness at portraying character motivation in light of a critical
perspective.
Activity: “Who’s That Girl,” SpringBoard 411-412 (after reading Act III)

Create small groups to closely read each scene that feature’s Emilia, Iago’s wife.

Review Levels of Questioning from SpringBoard Unit 2 (Literal, Interpretive or Evaluative, Universal)

Provide students with time to work in small groups to draft a thesis statement and outline of an argumentative essay,
paying special attention that they use a critical perspective through which the essay would be filtered.





Brainstorm a character’s motivation
Analyze a character relationship
Closely read a scene independently, analyzing
what the scene reveals about a key character
Synthesize group responses orally
Question the text using at least two critical
perspectives
Activity Focus: Othello Act IV, Scene 1
(Approx. 1 day)
Activity: “Staging Iago’s Lies,” SpringBoard 413-418 (prior to reading Act IV, Scene 1)

Revisit their work in the activity “Bringing the Plot to Life” in their SpringBoard Student Edition

Provide students with a summary of Act IV, Scene 1

Facilitate close readings, blocking, reading aloud and presentations of Act IV, Scene 1

Lead a class discussion of student choices and justifications for blocking choices

Provide a film version of the scene, enabling students to focus on key elements of the scene in film
TEKS: 1a,b,f; 2a; 9b; 10b

Predict character dialogue to forward the plot

Block a key scene from Othello

Analyze a film version in order to understand
and compare/contrast cinematic techniques
with staging
Activity Focus: Othello Act IV, Scene 2
(Approx. 1 day)
Activity: “Shifting Perspectives,” SpringBoard 419-420

Introduce the archetypal character: the temptress. Brainstorm character traits and examples from literature and film.

Model the process of applying the Archetypal perspective to Act IV, Scene 2, lines 1-110

Facilitate group work on applying the other five critical perspectives to this scene.

Lead a debate about which perspective can best enhance a reader’s understanding of the scene.
Vocabulary
Othello – Key Terms for Comrehension:
Moor (Moorish, Moorship)
Venice (Venetian)
Cyprus (Cypriot)
Morocco (Moroccan)
Senator
Standard-Bearer
Ancient (noun)
Lieutenant
Dramatist
Barbary
Othello – Word Wall Ideas:
Act I
Abhor (v)
Evade (v)
Obsequious (adj)
Incense (v)
Iniquity (n)
Facile (adj)
Alacrity (n)
Defunct (adj)
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 2-6)
Resources
Textbooks:
SpringBoard: Level: Senior English

Unit IV: The Palette, pp. 345-460
The Language of Literature

“Shakespearean Tragedy.” pp. 321-2

“Focus Your Reading: Literary Analysis.” pp 324-5

“Drama” p. 1334

Writing Workshop: Research Report. pp. 423-430

Assessment Practice: Revising and Editing. pp. 321

Analyzing Word Part – Roots. pp. 432

Sentence Crafting: Using Adverbs and Adverb Phrases. pp. 433
Writing and Grammar:

“Drama” pp. 92-93

Research Paper – “Taking Notes” p. 285

Argumentative Essay
English IV
TEKS: 1a,b,c,f; 2a; 7b; 8b; 10c

Apply a critical perspective to a key scene

Evaluate which critical perspective provides
the most interesting lens for a key scene

Debate a perspective in light of a key scene
Independent Reading
Students will be responsible for reading one
Independent novel outside of the classroom.
Suggested novels are selected from available
novels that are on campuses.
Archetypal:
The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway
Marxist:
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Anthem, by Ayn Rand
Feminist:
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Cultural:
Black Boy, by Richard Wright
Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane
Page 11 of 20
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assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
Act II
Quench (v)
Pestilent (adj)
Egregiously (adv)
Indignity (n)
Act III
Affinity (n)
Castigation (n)
Indict (v)
Poise (n)
Act IV
Affliction (n)
Forsake (v)
Populous (adj)
Vantage (n)
Paragon (n)
Impediment (n)
Censure (n)
Imposition (n)

Drafting and Outlining an Essay
Teacher Toolkit (Reading) – Currículum Management System
ELA Website – Secondary Documents
Drama:
MacBeth, by William Shakespeare
Bounteous (adj)
Disposition (n)
Penitent (adj)
Reconcilitation (n)
Entreat (v)
Mandate (n)
Rogue (n)
Venial (adj)
Literary Devices:
Symbol
Irony
Foreshadowing
Plot
Character
“The Moor in English Renaissance
Drama”:
Stereotypes
Marginalize (-d, -ation)
Exploitation
Deviation
Norms
Disorientation
Renaissance
Contemporary
Femininity
Cosmopolitan
Degrade
Scorn
SpringBoard
Innocuous
Plausible
Critical Perspectives:
Historical
Cultural
Marxist
Feminist
Reader Response
Archetypal
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 2-6)
English IV
Page 12 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
Evidence of Learning
Differentiation
What do you do for students who need extra
support?

Audio/Visual: As a class, listen to and watch
multiple versions of key scenes in Othello.
Provide co-teachers with an audio copy of
Othello that they can copy for students to take
home.

Dialectical Journal: Relistening, rereading
and re-viewing key scenes while completing a
learning log/dialectical journal can help
struggling students make personal
connections to the text, as well as clarify
character motivation, internal conflicts and key
plot elements.
What do you do for students who master the
learning quickly?

Film Reviews: Students should be assigned
different film versions of Othello. (A complete
list is provided in SpringBoard.) Ask students
to read model film reviews in various print
sources, as well as listen to model audio film
reviews that appear on such radio programs
as “All Things Considered” and “Morning
Edition” on NPR. Students should create their
own audio or print film review, reflecting on
how their review compares with professional
models.

MacBeth and Hamlet: Many students study
another of Shakespeare’s tragedies, MacBeth.
Encourage students to read and/or view a
version of MacBeth or Hamlet, maintaining a
dialectical journal noting key tragic elements.
Interview the student during and after their
reading to promote deeper understanding of
the genre, as well as key tragic and dramatic
elements present in Shakespearean tragedies.

Bring the Drama to Life: Students can create
film and live performances of the key scenes
listed in SpringBoard pages 370-371. Uses
Embedded Assessment One as a guide for
this project. It includes step by step
instructions, as well as a scoring rubric.
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 7-9)
Interims/TAKS/Benchmarks
Sample Questions
Reading Comprehension:
The peasant’s gift to Mr. Gong, the Gong
family’s gift to Mark, and Mark’s gift to the
family all symbolize —
F apology
G wealth
H respect
J control
Which words from paragraph 14 or 15 help
the reader understand the meaning of the
word stoically in paragraph 15?
A gentle but firm criticism
B trembly, crooked lines can be expressive
C exploded in embarrassment
D no signs of either exasperation or pleasure
Which of these quotations suggests that the
speaker is not being truthful?
A “I was going to catch it anyway,” Monk
suddenly said.
B “One minute to go,” said Monk with a
fraction of a grin.
C “I found a wonderful seat up here,” Scho
said loudly.
D “I’m sorry, Scho,” Monk said.
In paragraph 31, Scho hesitates before
speaking because he —
F thinks he has misunderstood Glennie
G is tempted to accept Glennie’s offer
H feels the branches beginning to break
J is losing interest in taunting the boys
English IV
College-Readiness i.e.,
Anticipated Skills for SAT/ACT/College Board/Careers/Life
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
SAT Critical Reading:
Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank
indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the
sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through
E. Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in
the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a
whole.
Examples:
Hoping to ------- the dispute, negotiators proposed a
compromise that they felt would be ------- to both labor and
management.
(A)
enforce . . useful
(B)
end . . divisive
(C)
overcome . . unattractive
(D)
extend . . satisfactory
(E)
resolve . . acceptable
Because King Philip's desire to make Spain the dominant
power in sixteenth-century Europe ran counter to Queen
Elizabeth's insistence on autonomy for England, ------- was
-------.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
reconciliation . . assured
warfare . . avoidable
ruination . . impossible
conflict . . inevitable
diplomacy . . simple
Page 13 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
English IV – 12th Grade
Unit of Study: The
Palette: Shakespeare’s Othello
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
Third Grading Period – Week 7-9
Big Idea
Unit Rationale
This unit of study has used Shakespeare’s Othello as a text to support the deep
investigation of critical perspectives, especially Marxist, Feminist and Cultural Criticism.
From a Cultural and Marxist perspective, the study of Othello is especially timely
because America will, for the first time, experience a Chief Executive in the White House
who is not only apart from the dominant ethnic culture, but who comes from a modest,
middle-class background. The activities listed in the Curriculum Guide act as final
preparation for a Timed Writing that asks students to consider and argue for or against
the following thesis: “Because racial and gender politics continue to play a significant role
in American society, one can expect that contemporary performances of Othello, will
serve as a reflection of American attitudes and beliefs.” Indeed, students and America
alike will grapple with these issues now and for years to come.
“The ability to encounter a writing task, plan the writing, and execute the writing in a
short period of time is an essential skill for college-bound students, as well as for
graduates who immediately enter the workforce.”(College Board, 2005)
“Shakespeare encompassed art, culture, and the wisdom of Western civilization; and
for American actors and audiences Othello’s volatile, racial, sexual, and class themes
provided drama surpassing the dimensions of the stage…. Two centuries of American
Othello performances dramatized some of this country’s racial reality and its racial
fantasies…. Othello, it appears, helped American audiences define their own racial
morality and vicariously experience their own imaginings.“ (Edelstein, Tilden G.
“Othello in America: The Drama of Racial Intermarriage,” 1982)
College Board, (2005). SpringBoard: English textual power, Senior Level. New York, NY: College Board
TEKS
TEKS Specificity - Intended Outcome
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
12.1 Writing/purposes
The student writes in a variety of forms
(c) write in a voice and style appropriate to audience and purpose
(e) employ precise language to communicate ideas clearly and concisely
(f) organize ideas in writing to ensure coherence, logical progression, and support
for ideas
12.2 Writing/writing processes
The student uses recursive writing processes when appropriate
(a) use prewriting strategies to generate ideas, develop voice, and plan
(c) use vocabulary, organization, and rhetorical devices appropriate to audience
and purpose
(d) use varied sentence structure to express meanings and achieve desired effect
12.7 Reading/work identification/vocabulary development
The student acquires an extensive vocabulary through reading and systematic word
study.
(c) apply meanings of prefixes, roots, and suffixes in order to comprehend
(d) discriminate between denotative and connotative meanings and interpret the
connotative power of words
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 7-9)
English IV
” I CAN” statements highlighted in yellow should be displayed for students.
I can:
 Write an argumentative essay that exhibits and voice and style appropriate to my
audience and purpose (1C)
 Communicate ideas clearly and concisely in an argumentative essay (1E)
 In a timed environment, organize my writing to ensure coherence, logical
progression, and support for ideas (1F)
 Prepare a writing using prewriting strategies to generate ideas, develop voice,
and plan (2A)
 Produce an effective composition that uses vocabulary, organization and
rhetorical devices appropriate to audience and purpose (2C)
 Originate varied sentence structure to express meanings and achieve desired
effect (2D)
 Better comprehend original texts by applying meanings of prefixes, roots, and
suffixes (7C)
 Explore the differences between denotative and connotative meanings and
interpret the connotative power of words (7D)
 Investigate and understand how my background connects with the study of
Othello (8B)
 Compare and contrast themes and connects that cross cultures (10C)
 Defend, clarify and negotiate responses and interpretations of what I read with
textual evidence (11B)
 Evaluate texts through critical reading and analysis (11D)
Page 14 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
Concepts
12.8 Reading/comprehension
The student comprehends selections using a variety of strategies.
(b) draws upon his/ her own background to provide connections to texts
12.10 Reading/culture
The student reads widely, including British literature, to increase knowledge of his/her
own culture, the culture of others, and the common elements across culture.
(c) recognize and discuss themes and connections that cross cultures
12.11 Reading/literary response.
The student expresses and supports literary elements for their contribution to
meaning in literary texts.
 Analyze how setting and time frame provide relevance and deeper
comprehension of an Elizabethan drama (12C)
 Determine how plot and conflicts are addressed and resolved (12D)
 Read a critical essay and assess logical, deceptive and/or faulty modes of
persuasion (13C)
 Extend my own writing’s depth locating and analyzing appropriate print and non-
print information from text and technical resources (14B)
(b) use elements of text to defend, clarify, and negotiate responses and
interpretations
(d) evaluate texts through critical analysis
12.12 Reading/literary concepts
The student analyzes literary elements for their contributions to meaning in literary
texts.
(c) analyze relevance of setting and time frame to text's meaning
(d) describe the development of plot and identify conflicts and how they are
addressed and resolved
12.13 Reading/analysis/evaluation
The student reads critically to evaluate texts and the authority of resources.
(c) recognize logical, deceptive, and/or faulty modes of persuasion in text
12.14 Reading/inquiry/research
The student uses reading and research skills to develop self-selected topics.
(b) locate appropriate print and non-print information using text and technical
resources, including databases and the internet
SAISD:
Students maintain Reader’s Notebook to comprehend and write in response to
reading with textual evidence, compare and contrast varied text (literary informative
and multi-media) and synthesize and evaluate new learning.
Evidence of Learning
1.
2.
3.
In response to the drama Othello, students will correctly identify elements of a hero’s adversary, including The Flashpoint, The Flourishing, and the Foil with 85%
accuracy.
In response to their study of Marxist, Feminist and Cultural Criticism, 100% of students will write a timed argumentative essay uses historical, cultural, or feminist critical
perspective and meets the expectation that it has clarity of ideas and organization.
85% of students will develop an understanding of how racial and gender politics continue to play a significant role in American society and that, therefore, contemporary
performances of Othello will serve as a reflection of American attitudes and beliefs.
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 7-9)
English IV
Page 15 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
English IV – 12th Grade
Unit of Study: The Palette: Shakespeare’s Othello
CURRICULUM GUIDE
Third Grading Period – Week 7-9
Essential Questions







How does each critical perspective
influence my reading of character
relationships, setting, plot and theme?
In what ways has your thinking about
the relationships and associations of
characters in Othello been affected by
the use of a Marxist critical
perspective?
How do film directors use their own
critical lens in presenting an
interpretation of a scene?
How does the Shakespeare’s version of
the archetypal villain experience the
three phases of devolution: the
Flashpoint, the Flourishing, and the
Foil?
How do the critical perspectives
enhance the reading of a research
essay?
How can the form of a published
research essay’s paragraph structure
and citations inform my own
argumentative essay?
How do I respond to a writing prompt in
an effective, argumentative essay in the
context of a timed writing?
Essential Pre-requisite Skills


















Draft a working thesis statement that captures an argument concisely and precisely
Manage time out of class in order to meet a deadline
Demonstrate an understanding of how to investigate word meaning, origin, and roots
Recall literary elements that are familiar to their reading experiences
Compare/Contrast elements of culture within and across texts
Investigate essential questions through the duration of a text
Point out key characteristics of a text
Determine the difference between a dynamic and a static protagonist
Judge a character based on predetermined, specific criteria
Deduce character attitudes from the context of their words and the tone of their voice
Produce legible texts that demonstrate a reflective, analytical, and/or argumentative quality
Incorporate prior knowledge into the study of a new concept
Scrutinize a variety of texts with key questions in mind
Examine personal assumptions and previous learning
Originate new conclusions both individually and in small groups
Assess student writing using a rubric
Create a thesis and develop a draft during a timed writing
Develop an argumentative essay under a strictly constrained time period
The Teaching Plan
Instructional Model/Teacher Directions
The teacher will…
So students can (demonstrate competency)…
Follow this plan for Weeks 7-9. This plan approximates how long each SpringBoard activity will take if done in entirety. Approximate days listed are based upon one
90 minute period, or two 45 minutes periods. Teachers will need to adjust for time and student needs accordingly. Also note, though not written here explicitly,
teachers will need to monitor student progress toward the argumentative essay outlined and discussed in the Curriculum Guides for weeks 1-6. Finally, as you read
selected scenes of Othello, guide them through the reading by asking questions about key concepts. For ideas on how to provide a useful guided reading of
Shakespearean Tragedy, use The Language of Literature sidebar notes throughout Macbeth (pages 327-416) as a model.
Activity Focus: After reading Othello Act IV
(Approx. 1 day)
Activity: “Revisiting the Cast of Characters,” SpringBoard 421-422

Group students and lead them in the categorization of the socio-economic power relationships evident in the text

Reintroduce the informative essay they began in Week 2 during the activity “Cast of Characters – A Close Reading”
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 7-9)
English IV
TEKS: 1a,c,f; 2a; 4h; 7b; 8b; 10c

Systematize socio-economic power
relationships by listing the philosophies and
Page 16 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.


Extend understanding of power relationships by having students use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast previous
categories of power relationships with those they have created after reading Acts I-IV.
Assign a quickwrite on an essential question about a Marxist reading of Othello


commonalities of each category
Incorporate textual support for each category
Compose an in-depth quickwrite that
demonstrates your understanding of a Marxist
reading of Othello
Activity Focus: Othello Act V, Scene 2
(Approx. 1 day)
Activity: “Talk You of Killing?” SpringBoard 422-424

Summarize or view Act V, Scene 1 to provide context to a close reading of Scene 2

Lead students through a close reading of Act IV, Scene 2 during which they visualize theatrical elements as they read

Show two versions of Desdemona’s murder in order to examine points of contrast

Jigsaw students so that they focus on only one or two elements of a film during a close reading of film

Assign a writing in which both versions of the film are compared, with a special emphasis on director choice and critical
perspectives apparent in the film interpretations
TEKS: 1a,b,c,f; 2a

Close read a key scene in Othello

Compare and contrast film versions of Othello

Compose a comparative essay of film
interpretations, incorporating critical
perspectives into the analysis as relevant
Activity Focus: After Completion of Othello Act V
(Approx. 2 day)
Activity: “The Hero’s Adversary,” SpringBoard 430-432

Finish reading Othello Act V

Introduce and discuss the concept of the hero’s adversary or villain

Conduct a Socratic Seminar to examine Iago as a representation of the antagonist

Lead a discussion about dramatic structure, including climax (incorporate a KWL chart on key elements)

Reintroduce Pygmalion, using this drama as a model for filling in key dramatic elements in the structure chart

Systematize the dramatic structure of Othello with a map, include another map of Iago’s development as a villain
TEKS: 2a; 7b; 8b; 10c; 11b,c; 12c,d; 14b

Engage in a Socratic Seminar, recording
salient points in a graphic organizer

Recognize prior knowledge (as well as gaps in
knowledge) of dramatic structure

Apply knowledge of dramatic structure with a
of Pygmalion and Othello
Activity Focus: Analysis of a Secondary Source: Race, Sex and Class
(Approx. 3 days)
Activity: “Secondary Source Work – ‘Othello in America: The Drama of Racial Intermarriage,” SpringBoard 433-449

Lead a close reading of the first three paragraphs, introducing students to the content of the essay and also to the
method of presentation (include predicting, scanning and marking the text)

Promote vocabulary development through analysis of denotation, connotation, and synonyms

Introduce footnotes and their utility, examine how students could locate and research footnoted articles and essays

Facilitate close examination of chunks of text, including presentation of findings

Demonstrate how to analyze syntax in an essay

Direct students to select two paragraphs in their chunk and identify the topic, comment, and support using different
colored highlighters
TEKS: 1b,c; 2c; 6a,c,d,e; 7b,f,g; 8f,g; 10c; 11d;
12c; 13b,c,d,e,f

Mark the text as you engage in a close reading
of a research essay

Determine how to research footnotes

Dissect syntax of an essay

Identify topic, comment, and support

Summarize the content of your section of text
in relation to the issue of race, sex and class
Activity Focus: Timed Writing
(Approx. 1 day)
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 7-9)
English IV
Page 17 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
Activity: “Embedded Assessment Two: Composing an Argumentative Timed Writing,” SpringBoard 450-452

Unpack Embedded Assessment Two if this hasn’t been done already. If it has, return to the key elements of the writing
assignment.

Perform a close reading and think aloud of the C. Vann Woodward quotation provided on SpringBoard TE 451; engage
in a discussion of the quotation’s key elements and meaning

If time allows, promote planning and outlining for the essay (depending on the skill level of the students, brainstorming
on the topic may be necessary prior to the timed writing – consult your CIC to determine campus/department procedures
for a timed writing)

Facilitate the timed writing, giving students exactly 45 minutes to read the prompt, prewrite, and compose the essay.
(Inform students when 10 minutes remain)
Vocabulary
Resources
Textbooks:
Othello:
Act IV
Affliction (n)
Forsake (v)
Populous (adj)
Vantage (n)
Act V
Ensnare (v)
Malice (n)
Odious (adj)
Reprobation (n)
Entreat (v)
Mandate (n)
Rogue (n)
Venial (adj)
Interim (n)
Notorious (adj)
Pernicious (adj)
Restitution (n)
SpringBoard:
Socioeconomic
Miscegenation
SpringBoard: Level: Senior English

Unit IV: The Palette, pp. 345-460
The Language of Literature

“Drama” p. 1334
Writing and Grammar:

Argumentative Essay

Outlining an Essay
Teacher Toolkit (Reading) – Currículum Management System
ELA Website – Secondary Documents
Literary Analysis and Devices:
Characterization
Costuming
Makeup
Dialogue
Hero’s Adversary
The Flashpoint
The Flourishing
The Foil
Syntax
Denotations
Connotations
TEKS: 1a,b,c,d,e,f; 2a,b,c,d,f; 3a,b,c;

Plan and write an essay in which you develop
your point of view on a quotation relevant to
your study of Othello

Support your position on the quotation with
reasoning and examples taken from your
reading, studies, experience, and/or
observations.

If time allows, edit, revise and rewrite portions
of your completed essay
Independent Reading
Students will be responsible for completing
their reading of one Independent novel outside
of the classroom. Suggested novels are
selected from available novels that are on
campuses. Assign an appropriate assessment
for Independent Reading.
Archetypal:
The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway
Marxist:
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Anthem, by Ayn Rand
Feminist:
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Cultural:
Black Boy, by Richard Wright
Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane
Drama:
MacBeth, by William Shakespeare
Synonyms
“Othello in America: The Drama of Racial
Intermarriage”:
Paradoxically
Amalgamation
Volatile
Transcending
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 7-9)
English IV
Page 18 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
Blackamoor
Playbill
Paramount
Revulsion
Virtuous
Inherently
Repulsive
Wanton
Chivalrous
Antebellum
Parody
Diction
Inarticulately
Realism
Swarthy
Disillusionment
Unpalatable
Pluralistic
Embellished
Indelibility
Contemporaries
Countenance
Illustrious
Miscegenation
Transmogrified
Besmirching
Tenacity
Fastidiousness
Elocution
Enshrined
Octoroon
Conjugal
Intrinsic
Vicariously
Critical Perspectives:
Historical
Cultural
Marxist
Feminist
Reader Response
Archetypal
Evidence of Learning
Differentiation
What do you do for students who need extra
support?

Timed Writing: Provide students with a copy
of the prompt prior to the timed-writing
assessment. Encourage students to
brainstorm and plan their essay with others,
including you or other teachers, prior to the
timed writing. Allow students who do not work
well in timed situations the leisure to finish
their draft within an agreed upon time period.

Alternate Assessment: As an alternative to
the timed writing assessment, provide
students with a copy of No Fear
Shakespeare’s version of Othello. Ask
students to read a key scene, and write a
reflection that compares and contrasts the two
versions they’ve read.
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 7-9)
Interims/TAKS/Benchmarks
Sample Questions
College-Readiness i.e.,
Anticipated Skills for SAT/ACT/College Board/Careers/Life
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Reading Comprehension:
SAT Essay:
In paragraph 2, the author uses a metaphor
to —
A describe the brightness of the sun on the
side lawn
B emphasize the boys’ graceful, practiced
movements
C show a contrast between Scho and the
other boys
D demonstrate the movement of the ball in
the air
The essay gives you an opportunity to show how effectively
you can develop and express ideas. You should, therefore,
take care to develop your point of view, present your ideas
logically and clearly, and use language precisely.
The dialogue between the boys in
paragraphs 31 through 36 creates a
mood that is —
English IV
Your essay must be written on the lines provided on your
answer sheet-you will receive no other paper on which to
write. You will have enough space if you write on every
line, avoid wide margins, and keep your handwriting to a
reasonable size. Remember that people who are not
familiar with your handwriting will read what you write. Try
to write or print so that what you are writing is legible to
those readers.
You have twenty-five minutes to write an essay on the topic
Page 19 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.
What do you do for students who master the
learning quickly?

News Coverage: Write three or four next
articles covering different events in Othello.

Modern Version: Write a synopsis of a
modernized version of the play. Focus on
keeping the play’s major themes while
moderning its plot, setting, and characters.
For example, in what present-day arenas
might Othello and Desdemona’s relationship
and conflicts play out?

Obituary: Write an obituary for one of the
victims in Othello. You might write in the
persona of one of the surviving characters.

Bring the Drama to Life: Students can create
film and live performances of the key scenes
listed in SpringBoard pages 370-371. Uses
Embedded Assessment One as a guide for
this project. It includes step by step
instructions, as well as a scoring rubric.
SAISD © 2008-09 – Third Grading Period (Weeks 7-9)
F tense
G playful
H sad
J frightening
Which quotation from the story seems to
heighten the conflict between Monk and Scho?
F “I found a wonderful seat up here,” Scho
said loudly.
G “Where are you going?” Monk said.
H “You could give me some easy grounders,”
said Scho.
J “I can make you two guys do anything
I want.”
Written Composition:
Write an essay about the importance of
participating in an activity you enjoy.
English IV
assigned below:
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following
excerpt and the assignment below.
Many persons believe that to move up the ladder
of success and achievement, they must forget the
past, repress it, and relinquish it. But others have
just the opposite view. They see old memories as
a chance to reckon with the past and integrate past
and present.
—Adapted from Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, I've
Known Rivers: Lives of Loss and Liberation
Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their
effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present?
Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of
view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning
and examples taken from your reading, studies,
experience, or observations.
Page 20 of 20
Power Standards represent the essential knowledge and skills students need for success in high school and beyond. Power Standards must be mastered to successfully pass the required
assessments at each grade level. All TAKS eligible knowledge and skills are identified as Power Standards.