Heather Taylor

Learning Experience Rough Draft 4

Hamlet, English class, 10th grade
December 5th, 2010
EDU 512

1. Learning Context
By the end of this unit, students will:
-Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, especially figurative and
connotative meanings
-Analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone
-Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses
rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose
-Connect Shakespeare to their own lives
-Analyze the sanity of Hamlet himself

Standards
Reading
Anchor Standard Key Ideas and Details #3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and
ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Anchor Standard Craft and Structure #4: 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 (both on page 35).
Standard 3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting
motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the
plot or develop the theme (page 38).

Standard 4:  Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal
or informal tone) (page 38).

Writing
Anchor Standard #1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or
texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence (page 41).
Standard 1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (Especially B; Develop claim(s) and
counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations
of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns) (page 45).

 
Speaking
Anchor Standard #4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners
can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience (page 48).
Standard #4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development,
substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task (page 50).

To succeed in this learning experience, I expect my students to read through the entire Hamlet
play in class. Students will also be expected to pick out irony, foreshadowing, dialect, rhyme,
metaphor, and symbolism in the play. Students will be expected to complete several larger
assignments including “directing” their own scene (a paper detailing how and why they would
direct a scene from Hamlet), as well as choosing sides and then debating the sanity of Hamlet.

2. Assessment Plan
During class time, the teacher will use many checks for understanding along the way. Class will
begin and end with a recap of what was read. Students will keep journals that will serve as
weekly checks as well. By the end of the unit, students will be asked to write a brief reflection
paper that discusses their struggle/ease with Shakespeare. One of their major assessments will be
during the debate over whether or not Hamlet is insane. Another major assessment will be in
their “Director’s Paper,” in which they are asked to “direct” a Shakespeare scene in a movie
today. This should be a fun and rewarding experience for the student, as well as an interesting
read for the teacher.  Students will also be asked to complete self assessments and group
assessments as well.

Class Debate : Hamlet's Sanity

     
CATEGORY Excellent Good Getting There Poor  
Analysis of how The analysis of The analysis of The analysis of The analysis of
Hamlet’s Hamlet’s Hamlet’s Hamlet’s Hamlet’s
character has character, his character, his character, his character, his
transformed actions, and his actions, and his actions, and his actions, and his
throughout the rhetoric was rhetoric was rhetoric was not rhetoric was not
text sound, plentiful, sound, plentiful, quite sound, sound, plentiful,
and clear. and clear, but it plentiful, or clear. and clear.
could have been a
bit stronger as a
whole.
Interpretation of Student Student Student Student
words in the text demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates
and the analysis strong knowledge decent amount weak knowledge neither
 of the overall and interpretation knowledge and and interpretation knowledge nor
meaning of the nuances of interpretation of of the nuances of interpretation of
the words in the the nuances of the the words in the the nuances of the
text and their words in the text text and their words in the text
overall meaning. and their overall overall meaning. and their overall
meaning. meaning.
Written part of Student Student Student lacks the Student lacks the
the debate substantiates any substantiates any substantiation of substantiation of
claims with claims with some claims with all claims. They
evidence from the evidence from the evidence from the do not include
text and class text and class text and class evidence from the
discussion, and discussion, and discussion, and/or text or evidence
uses valid uses valid does not use valid from class
reasoning in their reasoning in their reasoning in their discussion, and/or
claims. They also claims, but they claims. Student does not use valid
acknowledge the do not does not reasoning in their
other side of the acknowledge the acknowledge the claims. Student
debate and point other side of the other side of the does not
out the pitfalls of debate and point debate. acknowledge the
that argument. out the pitfalls of other side of the
that argument. debate.
Speaking Student speaks Student speaks Student may not Student does not
clearly; presents mostly in a clear speak clearly; or* speak clearly;
information, manner; presents presents presents
evidence, and information, information, information,
findings in an evidence, and evidence, and evidence, and
organized manner findings in a findings in an findings in an
so that the mostly organized unorganized unorganized
audience can manner so that manner so that manner so that
follow their the audience can the audience the audience
claims. follow their cannot follow cannot follow
claims. their claims. their claims.
*Note: As a
teacher, when
filling out this
section of the
rubric, I would
circle which part
the student had
difficulty with so
that they know
exactly what they
need to work on.

Self Assessment:
I did the following things well:
 

I need improvement on:

If I changed ________________________________________, ________________________

would also improve.

Thank you!

Group Assessment:
How did your group do overall?

What could benefit your group in the future?

Name one thing someone else contributed to your group today.

Name one thing you contributed to your group today.

Name one thing you would change about how well your group works together.

Thanks!

3. Student Work
None available at this time.

4. Procedure
Each day, students will:
-begin with a recap of the play so far
-bring up any difficult language they have encountered
-end with a recap of what was read in class
-write a synopsis each night for homework in their journals.
In addition to these items, students will also do other activities during the unit. They are as
follows:

Day 1: Students enter the classroom, respond to a journal prompt about who Shakespeare is and
their initial thoughts about him and Hamlet. They may have no thoughts or introductions so far,
but that’s okay. Many of them will be entering the class with preconceived notions about
Shakespeare; it’s rare that there is a single student that has not at least heard of Shakespeare.
Teacher will then have a teacher centered introductory lecture on Shakespeare, including who he
is as a person and background information on Hamlet itself. If there is time, students will begin
reading Act 1, scenes 1-2, aloud. Students will be asked to reread the scenes they read in class
for homework and highlight any difficult words or phrases they found (this will be an everyday
occurrence). During the end of this class, teacher will also introduce to students what is expected
of them by the end of the unit. She will introduce the concept of the debate, the “director’s
paper”, and their final reflection paper on Hamlet so they know what to look for during the unit.

Day 2: As a bell ringer, students will respond to a journal prompt about their thoughts on reading
Hamlet so far, and then they will introduce the difficult language they encountered along with
the rest of the class. After that is done, students will be reading Act 1, scenes 3-5, aloud.
Depending on the class, I may have them literally act it out, or I will try choral reading with
them.

Day 3: Students will be asked to respond to a quote from Act 1, Scenes 1-5 in their journals. The
quote will be, “And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come;
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,
As I perchance hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on,
That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,
With arms encumber'd thus, or this headshake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As 'Well, well, we know,' or 'We could, an if we would,'
Or 'If we list to speak,' or 'There be, an if they might,'
Or such ambiguous giving out, to note
That you know aught of me: this not to do,
So grace and mercy at your most need help you, Swear.“ (1.2.170-181).
They will then be asked to pair up. As partners, I will ask them to come up with a basic schema
of the plot in Hamlet, up to this point in the text. Then, I will ask them to discuss with their
partners any time that they had any similar experiences with their own families, or any time they
have seen a similar experience play out in film, other novels, or any other medium they can
recall. They will then share with the class, which will hopefully prompt further discussion. After
this is complete, we will read Act 2, Scenes 1-2 and Act 3, Scene 1 together. Again they will be
asked to pick up on difficult language for homework.
Day 4: When students enter the room, I will play the song “One” by Metallica for them to listen
to. This song is based on Johnny Get Your Gun by Dalton Trumbo which was an anti-war novel
written originally in the 1930s. Although it doesn’t sound relevant, it is about a young soldier
who has basically become a prisoner in his own body after being shot by an artillery shell. He
cannot speak nor move due to the damages done to his body. He tries to commit suicide on
several occasions. The plight that he is in is truly heartbreaking and really speaks volumes about
several different issues, including whether suicide is a “noble cause” as Hamlet says. I will ask
them to briefly write in their journals their thoughts on the song and on suicide. This suicide
aspect of Hamlet is one that should be delved into further by my students, as it plays into the
analysis of Hamlet’s sanity as a whole. I will prompt them into further discussion with one of
Shakespeare’s most famous soliloquies from the Act they read the day before; “To be, or not to
be--that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep--
No more--and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep--” (Hamlet, III.I.55-63).

I will then ask my students to explore, within groups or partners, the meaning behind the
soliloquy. This will help students further understand the meaning of the soliloquy. I will walk
around the room and listen to the conversations taking place. Where redirection is needed, I will
be there to give it. I will also attempt to point my students in the right direction, which is that this
is the first instance in which we see Hamlet truly questioning his judgment and his motives.
After students have been given a suitable amount of time, I will ask for volunteers to explain
what their findings were. At this point, I will introduce the Edvard Munch’s painting “The
Scream”. I will then ask them to go back through and elaborate on the concepts of the painting in
connection with the concepts of the soliloquy. When that is complete, I will evaluate my students
by asking them to complete self and group assessments (this will probably be done as a
homework assignment to ensure there is enough class time to complete everything).

Day 5: If available, students will meet first in the computer lab and create a Facebook page for
Hamlet and other characters in the play. This would require them to really think about the
characters they are discussing, as well as incorporating a technology most of them use on a daily
basis. For those that aren’t familiar with what a Facebook page requires, you must write an
“About Me” section, “Activities”, “ Favorite Quotes”, and other personal options—where you
live, who you’re in a relationship with, etc. The students would have to work with the characters
and come up with unique ways to fill out these sections. Many of the answers can be found
directly in the text, but this would also require students to think outside of the box and really be
creative. I would potentially even create a “William Shakespeare” Facebook account and interact
with them as well. They will be required to comment on two other character’s pages as well. If
this is not possible, we will go straight to the reading. For homework, students will be required to
create a blog page as a character and write their first blog in character. They will also be required
to comment on two people’s blogs, remaining in character. After that, we will read Act 3, Scenes
2-4 and Act 4, Scenes 1-2, aloud. I will begin to ask my students about Hamlet’s sanity at this
point, briefly opening up a class discussion about it. This will help with student comprehension
about the analysis of Hamlet and the class debate at the end of the unit.

Day 6: Students will be asked to analyze in their journals the evidence for and against Hamlet’s
sanity. We will then read Act 4, Scenes 2-5 together. I will pair the students up and have my
students work in teams with their own passage to “teach” the other person the deeper meaning
behind the passage. I will have only chosen so many passages for the entire class to work with,
so that way we could have a class discussion on the meaning of the passages. This way, if there’s
anything the students have not thought of on their own, I can prompt further discussion on it.
This is something that can continue the following day, if need be.  

Day 7: Students will be asked to write in their journals about Shakespeare’s word choice. They
will analyze, in their journals, how his word choice affects meaning and tone. If discussions have
not been completed from the previous day, we will move on to that. Then, students will perform
Act 4, Scenes 6-7.

Day 8: Students will be asked to write in their journals about the outcome of Hamlet. They will
then finish the play by reading Act 5, Scenes 1-2 aloud. Students will then either choose sides for
the debate or be given sides, depending on the class. (Ideally I would like to let my students
choose, but if the sides are too uneven, I will have to choose for them.) They will then pick out
foreshadowing, irony, dialect, and metaphor found in the play so far, using a class discussion
with mandatory note-taking. To ensure all of my students are going to contribute to the class
discussion, I will ask every single student one to point out one literary device found in the play
during the discussion.

Day 9: Students will be asked to write in their journals whether or not Hamlet is sane at the end
of the play, and reasons why they came to this conclusion. This class will be spent in the two
opposing groups, in order to create their debate stances and find evidence from the text to
support their decision. They will be required to turn in a written portion with their evidence and
supporting ideas as well as participate in the debate.

Day 10: Class debate. I am thinking of having students on two sides of the room, like two juries.
Individual students will present their cases, complete with reasoning for or against Hamlet’s
sanity. Students will be asked to fill out self assessments as well as group assessments, after the
debate is done. Group assessments will be anonymous.  

Day 11: Students will begin work on their Director’s Paper. In this paper, they will be asked to
select a scene from the play and “direct” it. They will choose their cast, the mise-en-scene, the
location, everything. This paper will especially hit upon the Writing Standard 1. This class
period will be spent on this paper, but they will finish the paper for homework due in a week’s
time. Also, for homework, they will be given the assignment of a Hamlet reflection. This will be
due in two days, and will require students to revisit their first journal entry. They will be asked to
include any struggles they had and their overall feelings towards Shakespeare. 

5. Resources
Students and teacher will need a copy of Hamlet, a journal, and a willingness to learn.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New Haven: Yale UP, 2003. Print.

6. Instructional/Environmental Modifications
Students that need more time will be given it. Any student that cannot participate in the debate
(because of IEPs) will be exempt. If the classroom is not big enough for a debate, teacher will
request the use of the auditorium or similar room during the debate. I am not entirely sure how to
accommodate for students that are deaf. When I have students listen to “One”, I will give that
student a copy of the lyrics so they can read through them. When it comes time to the debate,
they will not be expected to speak, but they will be expected to contribute and still write the
paper I am asking everyone else to write. As far as a blind student goes, I will explain to them
what “The Scream” looks like. I will also obtain a Braille copy of Hamlet for them to use during
the unit. If I have a student in a wheelchair, I will ensure that mobility is not restricted by the
arrangement of desks and other students.

7. Time Required
Honestly, I have no idea how long teaching a dense text like Hamlet will take. I want to make
sure my students grasp it as fully as possible, but I don’t want to beat it down their throats, either.
I will allot 12 class periods to teach it, with room for movement if necessary.  I don’t know how
long it would take for my students to read these scenes aloud. I don’t know the level of
understanding in my classroom. Will my students catch on to Shakespeare’s language right
away? If they do, we can speed through it faster. If not, it will take a bit longer. Flexibility is the
key to being a good teacher. As far as preparation time, personally, I would expect this to take
me one class period every day to prep the room and my materials for the activities of the class. If
I don’t have this luxury, I will have to work around it. Ideally, this unit will end on a Friday and I
will have the weekend to complete my evaluations. Evaluations will take no longer than two
days to complete, regardless of the day the unit ends. I think prompt feedback is vital in any
classroom. If you can’t show your students that you can make the time in your busy schedule to
grade their papers, you shouldn’t assign them. It’s disrespectful for the students to expect them to
rearrange their lives for your classroom when you don’t do the same in return.

8. Reflection
Shakespeare is a unit that all students should do at least once during their high school careers.
(As an added note: Shakespeare should be taught WELL, at least once during high school!) I
think Shakespeare can be molded to touch on any Standard, though Hamlet serves the standard
of word choice especially well. Like it or not, students will be impacted by Shakespeare
throughout their lives. Some of their words come directly from Shakespeare, as well as some of
their phrases. As far as what I learned from this lesson; it is a lot easier to criticize the way
Shakespeare is taught than it is to change it myself. The reason it is taught so poorly is because it
is genuinely difficult and tedious to teach it well!

Prior Knowledge and Prerequisites

Students need to know the basics of how a play works. Before fully delving into Hamlet, they
will also need to know some background information on Shakespeare. Teacher will began the
unit with a very teacher centered class on Shakespeare himself (and plays, if needed) to give
them this experience. I would hope to teach this unit after students have already been introduced
to other plays. Students do not need any prerequisites, but if I tailored this lesson to a college
level class I would expect an English 101 course as a prerequisite.