Appendix: Scaffolding Unit Instruction & Layout
To better understand the unit, one must distinguish the four stages the unit will be divided into so a broad outline is provided (please note that at points, stage three and four will occur concurrently):
- Stage One: Addressing Censorship and Controversial Literature
Before reading a single line, to be sure our approach is academically sensitive, we will examine NCTE’s “The Students’ Right to Read,” and create a bank of appropriate strategies and vocabulary to use when navigating the controversial reasoning behind the censorship of the play. As a class, we will discuss freedom of speech as well as examine other notable pieces of literature and the reasons why they were banned, paying special attention to Of Mice and Men as it will have been read earlier in the year, giving students a familiar area of common ground for the discussion.
- Stage Two: Acclimating to Shakespearean Language
Arguably, the hardest aspect of teaching Shakespeare is the task of navigating the language, so a carefully crafted tiered approach to acclimate students is needed. They must feel comfortable navigating his works on their own or they will always be reliant on an instructor or other resource. First, students will see the legacy and prevalence of his words in modern culture. We will examine his language imprint; pointing out how many of his words and phrases are already familiar to them will reinforce the idea that Shakespeare cannot feel foreign as his words live all around them. Next, we will have an insult battle using a bank of researched Shakespearean insulting words. This may seem like a trivial activity, but it will likely be the first time they are taking ownership of the Bard’s words and using them in a clever, accessible fashion. Lastly, as a class, we will begin work on the Shakespearean sonnet. We will first read and analyze Sonnet 130. Students will tweet summaries of their analysis and in small groups begin writing their own sonnets following the Shakespearean convention.
- Stage Three: Reading The Merchant of Venice
Finally, we are ready to begin the play! Although it is assumed students will be somewhat comfortable with the language, the class text will be the Barron’s edition of The Merchant of Venice, with a modern English version side-by-side with the full original text, though there will be an understanding that on all assessments and in all class discussions, only the original text will be referred to. The reading of the play will occur individually, but assigned scenes for homework will be performed in classes led by the instructor, and also acted out in the auditorium. To assess and assist with comprehension, there will be class discussion occurring throughout the reading as well as film and stage adaptations used to create a frame of reference and reinforce the plot.
- Stage Four: Investigating, Analyzing, and Connecting to Today’s World
The major focus of the unit will be on the relevance this play has to the lives my students lead; therefore, at every possible turn, we will find ways of applying the themes, actions, and characters to modern life them through various investigative means and applicable, cross-curricular study. For example, we will examine today’s justice system and find court cases concerning loan judgments as well as scrutinize the defense of disenfranchised groups or individuals. Also, we will do a cross-curricular study involving interest rates with credit cards and student loans, so students understand the nuisances of predatory lending. Additionally, we will look at the destructive power of stereotypes and the platform of social media in relation to cyber bullying.
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