Teacher: Samantha Phillips

Unit: Hamlet
Learning Segment: Development of Themes - Act II, Act III (Three Days)
GOALS/ DESIRED RESULTS
Central Focus
Analyze how major themes develop throughout Act II and Act III of Hamlet.
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2: Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze
their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce
a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
Learning Objectives
1. Describe how key events in Act II work to develop major themes emerging in the text, for the purpose of
understanding how to analyze the development of central ideas over the course of a text.
2. Demonstrate how key relationships evolve throughout Acts I, II, and III, for the purpose of understanding
how to analyze the development of central ideas over the course of a text.
3. Describe how Shakespeare uses literary devices in Acts I, II, and III to develop major themes, for the
purpose of understanding how to analyze the development of central ideas over the course of a text.
Assessment
Graphic Organizer and Paragraph Formative written assessment in preparation for summative essay
Students will select one major theme to focus on for the assessment.
Students will identify three quotations, one from each of the first three acts, and analyze how the
literary features of the text work to develop the theme.
Then, students will write a paragraph to explain the authors commentary as it relates to their selected
theme.
Students will use their textual evidence and analysis to support their argument.

LESSON PLAN - Day One

Learning Targets
I can list key events in Act II and identify major themes related to each event.
I can describe how key events in Act II work to develop a major theme.
Instructional Resources and Materials
Teacher will need: Copy of Hamlet, copies of graphic organizer, writing utensil, projector, document camera,
large pieces of paper, markers
Students will need: Copy of Hamlet, writing utensil
Instructional Strategies/ Learning Tasks
Introduction: Review Central Focus and Learning Targets (2 min.)
Teacher shares the schedule, central focus, and learning targets for the day
Task One: Graphic Organizer (28 min.)
Students will use the Key Events Graphic Organizer to list and describe key events in Act II
Teacher will distribute the graphic organizer and project the document using the document camera
Teacher will model how to complete graphic organizer, using the key event Polonius sends Reynaldo
to spy on Laertes
o Teacher will ask students to help fill out the rest of the row (characters involved,
issues/concerns)
Students will work in groups of four to complete the rest of the graphic organizer
Transition: Now that we have outlined the key events in Act II, we will determine how key events work
together to develop a major theme.
Task Two: Visual Representations (20 min.)
Students will work with their groups to create a visual representation (symbol, diagram, illustration,
etc.) of a major theme that is developing in Act II
Students should make connections to three key events listed on their graphic organizers
o Students should find a quote for each key event, in which the language of the text works to
develop the theme (literary devices)
Teacher will assign each group a major theme to focus on:
o Trust/ distrust
o Deception
o Doubt/ confidence
o Madness
o Fishing for information/ baiting others
o Privacy
Teacher will provide each group with one large piece of paper and markers to use for their illustration
If students finish early, they may begin presenting their visual representations to the class
When presenting, students will explain their visual representation of the theme, and how the three key
events they selected work to develop the theme
Any groups who do not present today will do so tomorrow
Homework: Read Act III

LEARNING MATERIALS Day One

Senior English
Mrs. Phillips
Hamlet Act II
Key Events Graphic Organizer
Key Event (include lines)

Characters Involved

Issues / Concerns

LESSON PLAN - Day Two

Learning Target
I can describe how key events in Act II work to develop a major theme.
I can dramatize how key relationships evolve over the first three acts of Hamlet.
I can identify literary devices that the author uses to describe relationships.
Instructional Resources and Materials
Teacher will need: Copy of Hamlet, Google Slides document for each class, Internet connection, smartphone,
projector
Students will need: Copy of Hamlet, Chromebook, Internet connection, smartphone
Instructional Strategies/ Learning Tasks
Introduction: Review Central Focus and Learning Targets (2 min.)
Teacher shares the schedule, central focus, and learning targets for the day
Task One: Visual Representations (15 min.)
Students will have three minutes to meet with their groups and discuss their illustrations/prepare to
present
Groups will take turns presenting their illustrations to the class
When presenting, students will explain their visual representation of the theme, and how the three key
events they selected work to develop the theme
Transition: Now that we have identified some major themes that emerge by the end of Act II, lets take a look
at the relationships in Hamlet, how they evolve over the first three acts, and how they relate to major themes.
Task Two: Dramatic Tableaux (18 min.)
Students will work in groups of four to examine how the relationships in Hamlet evolve over the course
of the play
Groups will be assigned one relationship to examine, and specific parts of the text to look through
o Hamlet and Gertrude - 1.2 / 3.4
o Hamlet and Claudius - 1.2 / 3.2 & 3.3
o Hamlet and Horatio - 1.2 / 3.2
o Hamlet and Ophelia - 1.3 / 2.1 / 2.2 / 3.1
Students will discuss their assigned relationship: In what ways has it changed and/or stayed the
same? Why? What happened between these characters?
Students will find quotations from each scene to support their ideas about their assigned relationship
o Students should find three to four quotes, each about one to four lines long
o Quotes should be split up evenly among the scenes they examine
For example: Two quotes from 1.2, two quotes from 3.2
o At least one quote should include a literary device that works to describe, characterize, or
develop the relationship
Students will create a series of tableaux (dramatic freeze-frames in which students pose as
characters) in order to dramatize the evolution of the relationship
o Students should create one tableau per quotation
Teacher will walk around and act as a director, helping students to develop their tableaux

Task Three: Tableaux Presentation (15 min.)

Teacher will share a class presentation via Google Slides, with slides for each group to edit
o The presentation will include model slides for students to use as a reference
Students will create slides that include photos of their tableaux (taken and shared via smartphone) and
the corresponding lines, following the format of the model slides
o Students should also include how the literary devices they identified work to describe
something about the relationship
Students will work with their groups to create a key takeaway slide, in which they write a few
sentences about how their tableaux demonstrate the evolution of the relationship, and relate the
relationship to a major theme
Teacher will select at least one group per relationship to present to the class (time permitting)
Homework: Review the class tableaux presentation

LESSON PLAN - Day Three

Learning Target
I can analyze how a major theme develops throughout the first three acts of Hamlet.
Instructional Resources and Materials
Teacher will need: Copies of assessment
Students will need: Copy of Hamlet, writing utensil
Instructional Strategies/ Learning Tasks
Introduction: Review Central Focus and Learning Targets (2 min.)
Teacher shares the schedule, central focus, and learning targets for the day
Task One: Graphic Organizer and Paragraph (48 min.)
Teacher passes out Hamlet Acts I-III Formative Assessment
Students work individually to complete the assessment
Teacher collects assessment and provides students with written feedback
If students finish early, they can use the remaining class time to read Hamlet
Homework: Read Act IV, Scene 1 to Act IV, Scene 4