Curriculum / ELA / 12th Grade / Unit 1: "To Be or Not To Be" and other Questions: Making Meaning of Life and Hamlet / Lesson 1

"To Be or Not To Be" and other Questions: Making Meaning of Life and Hamlet

Lesson 1

ELA

Unit 1

12th Grade

Lesson 1 of 24

Lesson Overview

Objective

Analyze how Act 1, Scene 1 establishes mood and conflict and also raises important questions about the play.

Readings and Materials

Play: Hamlet by William Shakespeare — Act 1, Scene 1, lines 91–119

Lesson Notes

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Video: “Act 1, Scene 1 (Royal Shakespeare Company)”

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Resource: Hamlet Quote Cards (G12, U1, L1)

Lesson Notes

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Lesson Map

Lesson

Analyze how Act 1, Scene 1 establishes mood and conflict and also raises important questions about the play.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 1, lines 91–119
“Act 1, Scene 1 (Royal Shakespeare Company)”
Hamlet Quote Cards (G12, U1, L1)

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.5RL.11-12.7

Lesson

Identify and analyze conflicts Shakespeare introduces in Act 1, Scene 2.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 2, lines 1–132

Standards

L.11-12.5RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.6

Lesson

Analyze how Shakespeare uses Hamlet's first soliloquy to provide characterization and introduce the theme of appearance versus reality.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 2, lines 133–164
Hamlet's Soliloquies Graphic Organizer (G12, U1)

Standards

RI.11-12.7RL.11-12.2RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

Lesson

Analyze Ophelia's characterization and how gender roles are conveyed in the scene between Laertes, Polonius, and Ophelia.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 3

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

Lesson

Make connections between an opinion article and Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 3
“Dear Men: It's You, Too”

Standards

RI.11-12.1RI.11-12.7RL.11-12.2

Lesson

Analyze how Hamlet's encounter with the ghost develops the plot and shapes Hamlet's motivations and actions.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 5

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

Lesson

Analyze how Shakespeare uses characterization to develop the theme of appearance versus reality.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 2, Scene 1, lines 84–133 and Act 2, Scene 2, lines 1–61, 92–182

Standards

RL.11-12.2RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

Lesson

Analyze what Hamlet's conversations with other characters reveal about his mental state.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 2, Scene 2, lines 187–334

Standards

RL.11-12.2RL.11-12.4RL.11-12.6

Lesson

Analyze what Hamlet's second soliloquy reveals about his state of mind.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 2, Scene 2, lines 576–634
Hamlet's Soliloquies Graphic Organizer (G12, U1)

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4RL.11-12.7

Lesson

Analyze what Hamlet's 3.1 soliloquy reveals about his state of mind, and compare how three different performances portray Hamlet's character.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 3, Scene 1, lines 64–97
“Act 3, Scene 1 (Hamlet, 1996)”
“Act 3, Scene 1 (Almeida Theater, 2017)”
“Act 3, Scene 1 (Royal Shakespeare Company, 2016)”
Act 3, Scene 1 Performance Comparison Graphic Organizer (G12, U1, L10)
Act 3, Scene 1 Performance Comparison Teacher Copy (G12, U1, L10)
Hamlet's Soliloquies Graphic Organizer (G12, U1)

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4RL.11-12.7

Lesson

Writing

Overview

Write an emulation of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy to reflect a personal dilemma.

Materials

Hamlet — Scene 1, lines 64–96

Standards

L.11-12.3W.11-12.10W.11-12.3W.11-12.4W.11-12.5

Day 1

Write an emulation of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy to reflect a personal dilemma.

Materials

Hamlet — Scene 1, lines 64–96
Act 3, Scene 1 Soliloquy Emulation Mentor Text (G12, U1, L11)
Act 3, Scene 1 Soliloquy Emulation Graphic Organizer (G12, U1, L11)

Standards

Day 2

Write an emulation of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy to reflect a personal dilemma.

Materials

Hamlet — Scene 1, lines 64–96

Standards

Lesson

Analyze how the nunnery scene in Act 3, Scene 1 heightens conflicts between Hamlet and other characters.

Materials

Hamlet — Scene 1, lines 99–203

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4RL.11-12.7

Lesson

Analyze how Hamlet's thoughts and behavior in two scenes contribute to the theme of madness in the play.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 3, Scene 3, lines 40–103, and Act 3, Scene 4

Standards

RL.11-12.2RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

Lesson

Analyze the impact of Fortinbras and his army on Hamlet's attitude towards revenge.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 4, Scene 4, lines 34–69
Hamlet's Soliloquies Graphic Organizer (G12, U1)

Standards

RL.11-12.2RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

Lesson

Analyze the depiction of Ophelia's madness and death at the end of the play.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 4, Scene 5 and Act 4, Scene 7, lines 186–221

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4RL.11-12.7

Lesson

Compare Ophelia and Gertrude's portrayal in two revisionist narratives with their portrayal in Shakespeare's text.

Materials

“Gertrude Talks Back”
“How I Didn't Get Myself to a Nunnery”
Revisionist Monologue Graphic Organizer (G12, U1, L16)

Standards

RL.11-12.4RL.11-12.7W.11-12.10

Lesson

Analyze how the gravedigger scene reveals views of mortality and further develops conflicts.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 5, Scene 1
Hamlet's Soliloquies Graphic Organizer (G12, U1)

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

Lesson

Analyze the final scene of Hamlet for ideas about mortality and revenge.

Materials

Hamlet — Act 5, Scene 1, lines 209–449

Standards

RL.11-12.2RL.11-12.3

Lesson

Analyze the connections between the characters and conflicts in Hamlet and a group of prisoners staging a production.

Materials

“Act V” — Prologue by Ira Glass and Act V, Scene 1 by Jack Hitt (00:00–33:17)
“Act V Podcast Transcript”

Standards

RI.11-12.2RI.11-12.7

Lesson

Analyze how the podcast's episode addresses themes of sin, guilt, and redemption.

Materials

“Act V” — Act V, Scene 2 by Jack Hitt (33:29–end)
“Act V Podcast Transcript”

Standards

RI.11-12.2RI.11-12.7

Lesson

Assessment

Socratic Seminar

Engage in a Socratic seminar about Hamlet by supporting arguments with strong textual evidence.

Materials

Hamlet — Acts 1–5
Sentence Stems for Academic Discourse

Standards

SL.11-12.1.aSL.11-12.1.bSL.11-12.1.cSL.11-12.1.dSL.11-12.4

Lesson

Performance Task

Select a scene from Hamlet and complete a brainstorm for its key components.

Materials

Hamlet — Selected scenes
Promptbook Scene Analysis Graphic Organizer (G12, U1, L22)

Standards

RL.11-12.1RL.11-12.2RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

Lesson

Performance Task

Brainstorm and write a draft of a promptbook for a selected scene from Hamlet.

Materials

Hamlet — Selected scenes
Act 1, Scene 2, lines 66–132 Promptbook Sample Response (G12, U1)

Standards

W.11-12.1W.11-12.2W.11-12.4W.11-12.5W.11-12.6

Lesson

Performance Task

Provide peer feedback and make revisions to the Hamlet promptbook.

Materials

Promptbook Peer Review Worksheet (G12, U1, L24)
Act 1, Scene 2, lines 66–132 Promptbook Sample Response (G12, U1)

Standards

W.11-12.5W.11-12.6

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"To Be or Not To Be" and other Questions: Making Meaning of Life and Hamlet

Lesson Overview

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Objective

Readings and Materials

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