Unit Plan Template

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Unit Author
First and Last Name Amber Stumpf
Author’s E-mail Address Amber.stumpf@csu.fullerton.edu
Course Name(s) British Literature
Course Number(s) English 11-12
Course Section(s) EDSC 304- Intersession 2008
Instructor(s) Name(s) Shariq Ahmed

Unit Overview
Unit Plan Title Shakespeare
Curriculum-Framing Questions
How is Shakespeare seen and used today? What is the
Essential Question
purpose of drama?
What are some major themes Shakespeare often deals
Unit Questions with? How these themes are still relevant today? Is
Shakespeare becoming obsolete?
Who is the ghost that visits Hamlet? What happens to
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? Who survives at the end of
Content Questions
the play? How does each character die? What is the theme
of this work?
Unit Summary
Students will study, in-depth and in-class, Hamlet and in groups do another major work of
Shakespeare. At the end of the unit students will present their extended play to the class
with presentations taking one class period per play. Pamphlets will be handed out to the
class for each play, so at the end of the unit students will have a basic understanding of
the major plays of Shakespeare. These will all be used to write a unit research paper on
one theme.
Subject Area(s) (List all subjects that apply)
English language and writing, literature and drama
Grade Level [Click box(es) of all grade level(s) that your Unit targets]
K-2 3-5
6-8 9-12
ESL Resource
Gifted and Talented Other:      
Targeted State Frameworks/Content Standards/Benchmarks
Reading
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 1.3 Discern the meaning of analogies encountered, analyzing specific comparisons as well as
relationships and inferences.
2.2 Analyze the way in which clarity of meaning is affected by the patterns of organization, hierarchical
structures, repetition of the main ideas, syntax, and word choice in the text.
2.4 Make warranted and reasonable assertions about the author's arguments by using elements of the
text to defend and clarify interpretations.
2.5 Analyze an author's implicit and explicit philosophical assumptions and beliefs about a subject.
3.1 Analyze characteristics of subgenres (e.g., satire, parody, allegory, pastoral) that are used in
poetry, prose, plays, novels, short stories, essays, and other basic genres.
3.2 Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on
life, using textual evidence to support the claim.
3.3 Analyze the ways in which irony, tone, mood, the author's style, and the "sound" of language
achieve specific rhetorical or aesthetic purposes or both.
3.4 Analyze ways in which poets use imagery, personification, figures of speech, and sounds to evoke
readers' emotions.
3.6 Analyze the way in which authors through the centuries have used archetypes drawn from myth
and tradition in literature, film, political speeches, and religious writings (e.g., how the archetypes of
banishment from an ideal world may be used to interpret Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth).
3.7 Analyze recognized works of world literature from a variety of authors:
b. Relate literary works and authors to the major themes and issues of their eras
c. Evaluate the philosophical, political, religious, ethical, and social influences of the historical period
that shaped the characters, plots, and settings.
3.9 Analyze the philosophical arguments presented in literary works to determine whether the authors'
positions have contributed to the quality of each work and the credibility of the characters.
(Philosophical approach)

Writing
1.3 Structure ideas and arguments in a sustained, persuasive, and sophisticated way and support them
with precise and relevant examples.
1.6 Develop presentations by using clear research questions and creative and critical research
strategies (e.g., field studies, oral histories, interviews, experiments, electronic sources).
1.7 Use systematic strategies to organize and record information (e.g., anecdotal scripting, annotated
bibliographies).
1.8 Integrate databases, graphics, and spreadsheets into word-processed documents.
2.2 Write responses to literature:
a. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the significant ideas in works or passages.
b. Analyze the use of imagery, language, universal themes, and unique aspects of the text.
c. Support important ideas and viewpoints through accurate and detailed references to the text and to
other works.
d. Demonstrate an understanding of the author's use of stylistic devices and an appreciation of the
effects created.
e. Identify and assess the impact of perceived ambiguities, nuances, and complexities within the text.
2.6 Deliver multimedia presentations:
a. Combine text, images, and sound and draw information from many sources (e.g., television
broadcasts, videos, films, newspapers, magazines, CD-ROMs, the Internet, electronic media-
generated images).
b. Select an appropriate medium for each element of the presentation.

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 c. Use the selected media skillfully, editing appropriately and monitoring for quality.
d. Test the audience's response and revise the presentation accordingly.

Written and Oral English Language Conventions

1.1 Demonstrate control of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure and an
understanding of English usage.
1.2 Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct punctuation and capitalization.
1.3 Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements in writing.

Listening and Speaking

1.7 Use appropriate rehearsal strategies to pay attention to performance details, achieve command of
the text, and create skillful artistic staging.
1.8 Use effective and interesting language, including:
a. Informal expressions for effect
b. Standard American English for clarity
c. Technical language for specificity
1.10 Evaluate when to use different kinds of effects (e.g., visual, music, sound, graphics) to create
effective productions.
2.3 Deliver oral responses to literature:
a. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the significant ideas of literary works (e.g., make
assertions about the text that are reasonable and supportable).
b. Analyze the imagery, language, universal themes, and unique aspects of the text through the use of
rhetorical strategies (e.g., narration, description, persuasion, exposition, a combination of those
strategies).
c. Support important ideas and viewpoints through accurate and detailed references to the text or to
other works.
d. Demonstrate an awareness of the author's use of stylistic devices and an appreciation of the effects
created.
e. Identify and assess the impact of perceived ambiguities, nuances, and complexities within the text.
2.4 Deliver multimedia presentations:
a. Combine text, images, and sound by incorporating information from a wide range of media,
including films, newspapers, magazines, CD-ROMs, online information, television, videos, and
electronic media-generated images.
b. Select an appropriate medium for each element of the presentation.
c. Use the selected media skillfully, editing appropriately and monitoring for quality.
d. Test the audience's response and revise the presentation accordingly.
2.5 Recite poems, selections from speeches, or dramatic soliloquies with attention to performance
details to achieve clarity, force, and aesthetic effect and to demonstrate an understanding of the
meaning (e.g., Hamlet's soliloquy "To Be or Not to Be").
Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes
 Students will have an in-depth understanding of Hamlet and a broad overview of 8
more of Shakespeare’s great works
 Students will be able to write an analytical essay using literature and outside research
 Students will learn how to use Microsoft Publisher to make brochures.
 Students will effectively work in groups to study a play and present that play to the
class.

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 Procedures
 Week 1: Read some of Shakespeare’s poems to get used to language, assign groups
of 4-5 students and have each group choose extended play (Macbeth, Othello,
Merchant of Venice, King Lear, Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Taming of
the Shrew and Julius Caesar). Go over biography and historical times of Shakespeare
for background and reference knowledge.
 Weeks 2-4: Read Hamlet in-class. Show some scenes from movie clips of different
performances. Have students read parts in class and act out scenes. Have an ongoing
class plot chart and list of themes and quotes to support those themes. Spend two
days near the end teaching the class basics of modern foil fencing. Students will make
a brochure for Hamlet that has 6 planes (3 on each side of the sheet and folded into
thirds) including a cover page, quotes, summary, character list, symbols/motifs and
reviews. Students will learn how to use Microsoft Publisher to make this brochure.
Students will also write a paragraph dealing with one theme of the play in order to start
preparing for their essay.,
 Weeks 5-6:Students will be given in-class time to work on their extend plays and
presentations. The class will also go over requirements for the essay, analyzing one
theme through two or more of Shakespeare’s works. Must use a minimum of two
plays, although can use 2 other poems instead of 1 play and one outside resource in
their essay. Will spend some class time on the essay, but most time will be devoted to
group projects. For the project, each group is required to do one full class period
presentation on their play. They will as a group make a brochure for the play (same as
they did for Hamlet) and hand a copy to all their classmates on the day of their
presentation. A half hour of their presentation will be devoted to telling the play. They
can either act out major scenes, write the play down to a half-hour script, show some
movie clips (no more than 10 min total of professional movie clips), make their own
movie of the play (can use animation for some parts) but every group member must a
min of 5 minutes of live speaking (also counts if they make their own video). The rest
of their presentation will focus on themes of the play, major ideas, the background of
the play, and class questions.
 Weeks 7-8: Students will present their extended plays to the class. The essay is due
on the last day.
Approximate Time Needed
2 months (8 weeks)
Prerequisite Skills
Know how to draft a proper essay, some research skills, Microsoft word

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Materials and Resources
Technology – Hardware (Click boxes of all equipment needed)
Camera Laser Disk VCR
Computer(s) Printer Video Camera
Digital Camera Projection System Video Conferencing Equip.
DVD Player Scanner Other:      
Internet Connection Television

Technology – Software (Click boxes of all software needed.)

Database/Spreadsheet Image Processing Web Page Development
Desktop Publishing Internet Web Browser Word Processing
E-mail Software Multimedia Other:      
Encyclopedia on CD-ROM
Hamlet, copies of some of Shakespeare’s poems, their
Printed Materials
extended play (varies depending on their group)
Videos of Hamlet by various groups, Class webpage to
Supplies develop plot line, list of themes and quotes (build in class, but
students can access at home)
Complete works of William Shakespeare:
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/
Shakespeare and the Internet:
Internet Resources http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/
Shakespeare Online: http://www.shakespeare-online.com/
Shakespeare Resource Center: http://www.bardweb.net/
Others Fencing equipment (learn to fence at end of Hamlet)

Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction

Lighter requirements for essay, loan out video copies of
Resource Student Hamlet to watch at home to help understand the reading, have
other students help for group work
Can use Shakespeare-made-easy editions of the play, which
helps bring the language down to modern English, can read
Non-Native English
the play in their native language as well (Shakespeare has
Speaker
been translated into just about every language). Also can use
videos to help understand plot.
Longer essay requirements (2 plays AND 1 poem, 2 outside
Gifted Student resources). Larger part in group project (expect more details
and thought in brochure)
Student Assessment

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 Reading quizzes/ journals on assigned readings
 Practice assignments for Hamlet
 Assignments for extended play
 Extended play group presentation
 Unit essay
 Extra credit: memorize and perform one of Hamlet’s soliloquies

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