I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Journey

Essential Question:

How can the play “Hamlet” be a study in a maturational journey?

Bridge:

Maturation

Content:

Hamlet/English Renaissance

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: To connect students to the idea of life leading us to "maturation."

Activity: Hand out "Dear Abby" questions and have students write a response on 3x5 cards. Questions: 1) What would you do if your girlfriend/boyfriend returned all your gifts with no explanation? 2) What would you do if your two best friends betrayed you by supporting your parents (in some way) rather than you? 3) How would you respond to your mother if she married your uncle less than a month after your father's death? 4) How would you react to a friend telling you s/he had seen a ghost of your dead father?

Assessment: Quality of student participation.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: To formulate a conception of maturity.

Activity: On board, teacher groups students' reactions under 1-4 (for questions). At bottom of board, draw a horizontal line with 10 vertical lines equally spaced on it to represent a maturity chart. Let students rate answers ("1=immature" to "10=very mature").

Assessment: Student participation and effort; contribution to group.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: To link maturation of Hamlet to students' lives.

Activity: Use guided imagery to stimulate students' awareness of their past so they can create their own timeline.

Assessment: Quality of sharing.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To read and analyze the play with a focus on maturation.

Activity: Lecture on Renaissance in England, the life of Shakespeare, the Globe theater, etc. If possible, arrange a psychologist guest lecturer to speak about maturation. Read Hamlet.

Assessment: Student note taking; teacher checking for understanding through questioning.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: To practice concepts learned in 2L.

Activity: Vocabulary, study questions, quizzes, tests, compositions, culminating with a timeline of Hamlet's maturation (act by act).

Assessment: Quality of written work.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: To further focus on maturation.

Activity: Project choices to show Hamlet's maturation process: 1) Hamlet newspapers (groups). 2) Write a parody or poem about Hamlet. 3) Design a graveyard with epitaphs on the tombs for all major characters. 4) Interview major characters in any style (i.e., Oprah, Arsenio, Carson, etc.).

Assessment: Intensity of student effort.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: To analyze for originality.

Activity: Students and teacher evaluation of projects.

Assessment: Quality of student work.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To extend the joy of the projects.

Activity: Students present projects to the class.

Assessment: Quality of final products and celebration of work.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: