Curriculum / ELA / 12th Grade / Unit 1: "To Be or Not To Be" and other Questions: Making Meaning of Life and Hamlet / Lesson 17

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

Lesson 17

ELA

Unit 1

12th Grade

Lesson 17 of 24

Lesson Overview

Objective

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

Readings and Materials

Play: Hamlet by William Shakespeare — Act 5, Scene 1

Lesson Notes

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Resource: Hamlet's Soliloquies Graphic Organizer (G12, U1)

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)”

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

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

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)”

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.

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

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.

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

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”

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

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

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

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

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.

Standards

W.11-12.5W.11-12.6

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