Curriculum / ELA / 12th Grade / Unit 1: "To Be or Not To Be" and other Questions: Making Meaning of Life and Hamlet / Lesson 25

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

Lesson 25

ELA

Unit 1

12th Grade

Lesson 25 of 25

The unit's Socratic Seminar and Performance Task are the primary assessments in this unit. The following additional assessments also accompany Unit 1. For more guidance, see the Summative Assessments Teacher Tool.

Warm Read Assessment

The Warm Read Assessment measures students' ability to apply the core reading standards and their knowledge from the unit to comprehend new, topically or thematically aligned texts. It includes multiple choice and an optional on-demand essay.

Vocabulary Assessment

The Vocabulary Assessment measures students' acquisition of text-based vocabulary words from the unit.

Lesson 24

Lesson Map

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

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

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

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 2, lines 1–132

Standards

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

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

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 2, lines 133–164

Standards

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

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

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 3

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

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

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

Standards

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

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

Hamlet — Act 1, Scene 5

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

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

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

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

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

Standards

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

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

Hamlet — Act 2, Scene 2, lines 576–634

Standards

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

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

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

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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

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

Act 3, Scene 1 Soliloquy Emulation Mentor Text (G12, U1, L11)
Act 3, Scene 1 Soliloquy Emulation Graphic Organizer (G12, U1, L11)

Standards

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

Standards

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

Hamlet — Scene 1, lines 99–203

Standards

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

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

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

Standards

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

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

Hamlet — Act 4, Scene 4, lines 34–69

Standards

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

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

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

Standards

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

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

“Gertrude Talks Back”
“How I Didn't Get Myself to a Nunnery”

Standards

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

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

Hamlet — Act 5, Scene 1

Standards

RL.11-12.3RL.11-12.4

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

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

Standards

RL.11-12.2RL.11-12.3

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

“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

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

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

Standards

RI.11-12.2RI.11-12.7

Socratic Seminar

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

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

Performance Task

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

Hamlet — Selected scenes

Standards

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

Performance Task

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

Hamlet — Selected scenes

Standards

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

Performance Task

Provide peer feedback and make revisions to the Hamlet promptbook.

Standards

W.11-12.5W.11-12.6

2 days

If additional assessment is needed, use the Warm Read and/or Vocabulary Assessments to gauge student understanding of unit content and skills.

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