Classroom Activities
Lesson One - Character Analysis
How does analyzing a character help a reader to better understand the story? How are the character's characteristics revealed?
This introductory lesson gives students an opportunity to learn more about characters, characterization, and how character study can be applied to their own lives and later to the lives of characters in Shakespeare's plays.
Anticipatory Set: Have students brainstorm what the word character means by putting all words that come to mind on a poster paper.
Directed Instruction: Explain the various literary terms for understanding a character analysis. In groups, have students talk with their group members to list examples of each of the literary terms: character, analysis, characterization, main, minor, internal and external conflict, complications, climax, motivation, strengths, weaknesses, flat, round, static, and dynamic characters and conflict. Then, the groups should share out their examples and a class example should also be noted on their individual graphic organizers (Appendix C).
Activity: Students will create an I AM poem about themselves, giving them an opportunity to think about themselves as a "character". Some class time will be dedicated to the development of the idea. The project can be completed in two ways: on the computer from the http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/iampoem.htm website or at http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/score_lessons/symbols_freedom/pages/i_am_poem.html. in which one can download the format. This step is preparing students for when they will be creating a similar poem for the character of Hamlet and for a character from either Julius Caesar or King Lear.
Assessment: Student I AM Poems
Lesson Two - Hamlet
What aspects of human nature and/or life is Shakespeare trying to reveal through his characters?
This lesson is a scaffolded reading experience in which students will "progress" through varied texts to better comprehend Hamlet - the play - and to analyze the character of Hamlet using the Character Analysis graphic organizer.
Anticipatory Set: Have students look at the character analysis graphic organizer (Appendix B). Have them evaluate it to determine which words they understand and are able to explain and the words they still need assistance with. Then, have them focus on the meaning of the section titles. What needs clarification?
Directed Instruction: This is the teacher's opportunity to scaffold this reading experience for his/her students going from a comic strip, to a children's version of the play, on to graphic novels and/or finally to original acts/scenes from the play. First, introduce the comic strip. Think aloud for the students, explaining what you notice about the play from the clues of the comic strip. "I see that the colors on the pages start out dark, in fact, most of them are dark - grey and black. I think this means that something not good is going to happen. I notice there is a ghost that appears a few times in this play. I wonder if it is horror play? Why would there be a ghost? Does this mean that someone died? I also see that the character named Hamlet is also the title of the play. I bet he is the main character. He seems to act a little crazy. I see him standing on his head, declaring he is mad, and stabbing someone. Is he a murderer?" Second, read aloud the children's version of Hamlet, using the proficient reading strategies. "I predict this will be about because…I wonder why there is a ghost who seems angry?...I have a connection with the name Ophelia, one of my friends' sister is named Ophelia. I think that Hamlet was foolish when he did not look behind the curtain. I wonder what would have happened if Hamlet had not believed the ghost?" Third, hand out the Character Analysis graphic organizer (Appendix B). Show students how to move through the plays' acts and scenes to uncover what they demonstrate about the character. Read aloud these portions of the play with expression so that students can understand the depth of the words.
Activity: At each stage - comic strip, children's version, and plays - have students view, read, and discuss with their small groups. Together, they will create a list of the general ideas they have of the play. Then, have students focus on Hamlet. Explain that they will re-read and look through the text(s) to complete their graphic organizers. For each of these aspects they must cite evidence from the sources. Students will use the information they have gained from viewing, reading, discussing, and taking notes on their graphic organizers to complete the two culminating activities. Then, they will write an I AM poem for the character Hamlet. Referring back to the graphic organizer again, students can use the Dramatic (left-side) and Textual (right-side) evidence to write their character analysis. A two paragraph essay is easy to produce while using the graphic organizer as their guide. The writing process - prewriting, writing, revising, editing, and publishing will - be followed in the development of their two paragraph essays for the character of Hamlet and then for one of the next lesson's main characters as well.
Assessment: Literature Circle Conversations and Post-It Notes, Character Analysis Graphic Organizer, Hamlet I AM Poem (Example is Appendix E), and Character Analysis Essay
Lesson Three - Literature Circles: Julius Caesar and King Lear
What aspects of human nature and/or life is Shakespeare trying to reveal through his characters?
This lesson is a scaffolded reading experience in which students will "progress" through varied texts in their Literature Circles to better comprehend their choice of Julius Caesar or King Lear. With their Literature Circle members, they will analyze Julius Caesar, Brutus, King Lear or Cordelia, depending on their choice, by using the Character Analysis graphic organizer.
Anticipatory Set: Read to students the descriptions of Julius Caesar and King Lear. Have them write down which play they would like to read and why.
Directed Instruction: Review with the students the protocol for Literature Circles, including rules, expectations, and proficient reading strategies. Also, remind students that during this Literature Circle round they should take special care in following the 10-step analysis process of the main characters (Julius Caesar and Brutus or King Lear and Cordelia). Give students the comic strip/graphic novel, children's story, and original plays with the play lists of important acts/scenes (chosen by you). If a teacher is unfamiliar with the Literature Circle format, do not begin using this now! Literature Circles are established slowly, following a special formula. A modification for this portion is to group students to read the two plays, either by student or teacher choice.
Activity: Use the Literature Circle model to group students according to their choice of play. Students will be organized into small groups of three to six. They will use the same process in uncovering information about the play's characters as had been modeled for them in the last lesson, about Hamlet.
Assessment: Literature Circle Conversations, Post-It Notes, Character Analysis Graphic Organizers, I AM Character Poem (of either Julius Ceasar, Brutus, King Lear, or Cordelia), and Character Analysis Essay
Comments: