Hamlet | Class Schedule

Class 1: Introduction to Hamlet

Pre-Reading Improvisations (30 mins)
Life of Shakespeare (5-10 mins)
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts for Background Material (20 mins)
Homework: Writing Prompts for Pre-Reading

Class 2: Conventions of Shakespearean Verse and Staging

Small Group Pre-Reading Discussion Questions (5 mins)
Class-Wide Discussion of Small Group Answers (15 mins)
Lecture Topic: Verse and Staging (10 mins)
Five Jive With M.C. Shakespeare: Iambic Pentameter (5 mins)
Rhyming Couplets (10 mins)
In-Class Writing Prompts for Act 1 Pre-Reading (Supplemental Activity – 10 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 1.1-2 (5 mins)

Class 3: Leadership (Act 1)

Lecture Topic: Claudius and the Politics of Fear (15 mins)
Group Discussion Question (10 mins)
Video Integration for Pre-Reading (Supplemental Activity – 20 mins)
Voracious Vocabulary (30 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 1.3-5
Homework: Read 1.3-5.

Class 4: Thought vs. Action (Act 1)

Comprehension Check for Act 1 (15 mins)
Group Discussion Question (10 mins)
In-Class Writing Prompts (10 mins)
Video Integration for Scenes 1.1-5 (Supplemental Activity – 20 mins)

Class 5: Spirits and Spirituality (Act 1)

Vocabulary Feud (20 mins)
Lecture Topic: Hamlet, Intellectualism, and Faith (20 mins)
Group Discussion Questions (15 mins)
In-Class Writing Prompts (Supplemental Activity – 10 mins)

Class 6: Perception and Persuasion (Act 1)

Lecture Topic: Like Father, Like Son? (15 mins)
In-Class Writing Prompt (Supplemental Activity – 5 mins)
Small Group Exercise: Themes of Perception and Persuasion in Letters (35 mins)
Homework: Persuasion Letters

Class 7: Archetypes (Act 1)

Groups Share Perception/Persuasion Letters (20 mins)
Literary Device: Archetypes (40 mins)
Homework: Finding Archetypes

Class 8: Review of Act 1

Group Discussion of Homework (25 mins)
Review of Act 1: Open Question Period (35 mins)
Homework: Review for Exam 1

Class 9: Exam 1 (Act 1)

(60 mins)

Class 10: Cross-Curriculum Exercise on Historical Inquiry

Small Group Exercise: Selection of Historical Topics for Presentations (60 mins)
Homework: Group Projects

Class 11: Historical Inquiry Presentations (Part 1)

Historical Presentations (first set of groups) (60 mins)
Homework: Speculation Paragraph on Act 2

Class 12: Historical Inquiry Presentations (Part 2)

Historical Presentations (second set of groups) (55 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 2.1 (5 mins)
Homework: Read Act 2.1

Class 13: Act 2 (Scenes 1 and 2)

Reading Comprehension for Act 2.1 (10 mins)
Group Discussion Question (10 mins)
Vocabulary: Act 2 (15 mins)
Vocabulary Dialogues (15 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 2.2 (10 mins)
Homework: Read Act 2.2

Class 14: The “Fool” Character (Polonius)

Video Integration for Act 2 (Supplemental Activity – 10 mins)
Discussion of Speculation Paragraph (10 mins)
Lecture Topic/Literary Device: The “Fool” Character (Polonius) (20 mins)
Small Group Exercise: Finding the “Fool” (20 mins)
In-Class Writing Prompt (Supplemental Activity – 10 mins)
Review of Act 2: Open Question Period (10 mins)
Homework: Review for Exam 2

Class 15: Exam 2 (Act 2)

(55 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 3.1 (5 mins)
Homework: Read Act 3.1, Speculation Paragraph

Class 16: The Hero’s Journey (Act 3)

Comprehension Check for Act 3.1 (5 mins)
Literary Device: The Hero’s Journey (20 mins)
Group Discussion Question (10 mins)
Lecture Topic: Ophelia As Sacrificial Lamb and Scapegoat (10 mins)
In-Class Writing Prompt (Supplemental Activity – 10 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 3.2 (5 mins)
Homework: Read Act 3.2

Class 17: Purpose in Playing (Act 3)

Comprehension Check for Act 3.2 (10 mins)
Improv Exercise: Can You Get What You Want? (15 mins)
Lecture Topic: Purpose in Playing (15 mins)
In-Class Writing Prompt (Supplemental Activity – 10 mins)
Video Integration for Act 3.1-3 (Supplemental Activity – 15 mins)

Class 18: Myth and Meaning

Preparing for Small Group Presentations: Myths and Meanings (60 mins)
Homework: Researching Assigned Myths

Class 19: Myth and Meaning Group Work

Group Work on Myth Projects (60 mins)
Homework: Researching Assigned Myths

Class 20: Myth and Meaning Presentations

Presentations of Myth and Meaning Projects (60 mins)

Class 21: Vocabulary for Act 3

Vocabulary: Preparing for Password Game (40 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 3.3 (5 mins)
Homework: Read Act 3.3

Class 22: Irony (Act 3)

Comprehension Check for Act 3.3 (5 mins)
Literary Device: Irony (20 mins)
Vocabulary: Password Game (25 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 3.4 (5 mins)
Homework: Locating Irony

Class 23: The Death of Polonius and the Return of the Ghost (Act 3)

Comprehension Check for Act 3.4 (10 mins)
In-Class Writing Prompt (Supplemental Activity – 5 mins)
Discussion of Speculation Paragraphs (5 mins)
Video Integration for Act 3.4 (Supplemental Activity – 10 mins)
Review of Act 3: Open Question Period (20 mins)
Homework: Study for Exam 3

Class 24: Exam 3 (Act 3)

(60 mins)
Homework: Speculation Paragraph for Act 4

Class 25: Act 4

Illustrated Vocabulary for Act 4 (50 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 4.1-4 (10 mins)
Homework: Read Act 4.1-4

Class 26: Allusions and Biblical Themes (Act 4)

Comprehension Check for Act 4.1-4 (10 mins)
Literary Device: Allusions and Biblical Themes (40 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 4.5-7 (10 mins)
Homework: Read Act 4.5-7

Class 27: Symbolism (Act 4)

Discussion of Speculation Paragraphs (5 mins)
Comprehension Check for Act 4.5-7 (10 mins)
Lecture Topic: Symbolism and Ophelia’s Bouquet (30 mins)
Small Group Exercise: Ophelia’s Flowers (10 mins)

Class 28: The Ptolemaic Universe (Act 4)

Lecture Topic: The Ptolemaic Universe (20 mins)
Group Discussion Question (20 mins)
In-Class Writing Prompt (5 mins)
Speculation Paragraph for Act 5 (10 mins)

Class 29: Review of Act 4

Video Integration for Act 4 (25 mins)
Review of Act 4: Open Question Period (25 mins)
Homework: Study for Exam 4

Class 30: Exam 4 (Act 4)

(55 mins)
Reading Guidance for Act 5.1-2 (5 mins)
Homework: Read Act 5.1-2

Class 31: Mortality (Act 5)

Comprehension Check for Act 5 (20 mins)
Lecture Topic: Death Is the Great Equalizer (20 mins)
Vocabulary for Act 5 (20 mins)

Class 32: The End of the Tragedy (Act 5)

Discussion of Speculation Paragraph (5 mins)
Video Integration for Act 5 (Supplemental Activity – 15 mins)
Small Group Exercise: Sum It Up Vocabulary (20 mins)
Review of Act 5: Open Question Period (15 mins)
Homework: Study for Exam 5

Class 33: Exam 5 (Act 5)

(60 mins)