Hamlet

Here we go... Leah wants to study Shakespeare.

And I picked Hamlet.

I remember when I was a little girl and my mother had a glorious dark blue volume of Shakespeare, the Penguin edition, and she kept it in her bedroom. I would always stand in her room and look at all of the books on her shelves which I couldn't read yet. And I just couldn't wait to be old enough to read it.

Now my daughter feels that way about my book of Shakespeare, which is the Riverside edition.

Resources:

Teacher's Guide to William Shakespeare's Hamlet (PDF)
FREE lesson plans from Signet Classic

Hamlet Bundle of Lessons
lesson plans from The Crazy English Teacher

• 15 Constructed Response Prompts
• Coloring Pages: Mini Posters
• Literacy Stations
• 3-D Scene Analysis Project Diorama
• CSI Classroom Investigation and Murder Board

Pacing:
I'm really excited about this... I've never taught Hamlet before! And now my 14 year old daughter wants to hang out with me and study it. It'll be so fun!

Here are my thoughts.

Pre-Reading Activities

Monday, April 16
Journal Prompts 1, 4, 8 (Signet)


Tuesday, April 17
Journal Prompt 2, 6, 7 (Signet)

print all coloring pages

Act I

Thursday, April 19
read synopsis of Act I
first reading of Act I

Activities for Discovering Themes (Signet)
create chart (have students make a chart for each scene in which they list primary characters, major actions and conflicts, resolutions, recurring images, and questions)

coloring page (TpT) for
This above all: to thine own self be true (I, iii)


Friday, April 20
second reading of Act I

Considering Major Themes (Signet)
journal/discuss how Shakespeare develops major themes in the play:
Revenge
Appearance vs. Reality
Sanity vs. Insanity
Decay and Corruption

coloring page (TpT) for
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. (I, v)

Lesson 1: Truisms
from Reviving The Essay: How To Teach Structure Without Formula
by Gretchen Bernabei, suggested assignment on page 8

Act II

Monday, April 23
read synopsis of Act II
first reading of Act II
create chart as before

coloring page (TpT) for
Brevity is the soul of wit (II, ii)


Tuesday, April 24
second reading of Act II
journal/discuss the development of major themes as before

Lesson 2: Prompt Generator
from Reviving The Essay: How To Teach Structure Without Formula
by Gretchen Bernabei, page 10

Act III

Thursday, April 26
read synopsis of Act III
first reading of Act III
create chart as before

coloring page (TpT) for
To be, or not to be: that is the question (III, i)


Friday, April 27
second reading of Act III
journal/discuss the development of major themes as before

coloring page (TpT) for
To sleep; perchance to dream (III, i)

Lesson 15: The Onion: Unlayering What We Know
from Reviving The Essay: How To Teach Structure Without Formula
by Gretchen Bernabei, page 76

Act IV

Monday, April 30
read synopsis of Act IV
first reading of Act IV
create chart as before


Tuesday, May 1
second reading of Act IV
journal/discuss the development of major themes as before

Lesson 16: The Spin of a Coin (Finding the Paradox)
from Reviving The Essay: How To Teach Structure Without Formula
by Gretchen Bernabei, page 81

Act V

Thursday, May 3
read synopsis of Act V
first reading of Act V
create chart as before

coloring page (TpT) for
Now cracks a noble heart, Good-night, sweet prince,
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. (V, ii)


Friday, May 4
second reading of Act V
journal/discuss the development of major themes as before


Saturday, May 5
watch Fiddler on the Roof as a family


Lesson 17: Tevye's Debate
from Reviving The Essay: How To Teach Structure Without Formula
by Gretchen Bernabei, page 84
truism #209 "Full trust can never exist between people," page 34

Culminating Activities

Monday, May 7
Diorama Project (TpT) - choose 1


Thursday, May 10
Literacy Stations (TpT) - choose 2


Friday, May 11
Constructed Response (TpT) - choose 2


Monday, May 14
CSI Murder Board (TpT)


Tuesday, May 15
create abbreviated play script for group to perform

some prop suggestions:

female headpiece
ghost costume
swords/daggers
black mourning bands
poisoned wine goblet
commoner hats
crowns
skull


Thursday, May 17
present final projects to the class

another great follow-up to this play would be to read The Shakespeare Stealer



Friday, May 18
watch Richard Burton's Hamlet

This post contains affiliate links to the materials I actually use for homeschooling. I hope you find them helpful. Thank you for your support!