Shakespeare’s Lessons on Life

1. Shakespeare’s Lessons on Life The Merchant of Venice

2. Unit Summary In this unit, students will be working around themes such as “Self Interest versus Love”, the “Divine Quality of Mercy”, and “Hatred as a Cyclical Phenomena” using William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Using class discussions, students will develop their critical thinking skills in order to explain character roles. Students will also gain experience with proper use of English grammar in their individual essay.

3. The Merchant of Venice

4. Target Content Standards Reading • 3.3 -Analyze interactions between main and subordinate characters in a literary text (e.g., internal and external conflicts, motivations, relationships, influences) and explain the way those interactions affect the plot. • 3.4 – Determine characters’ traits by what the characters say about themselves in narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue, and soliloquy. • 3.8 --Interpret and evaluate the impact of ambiguities, subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and incongruities in a text.

5. Target Content Standards Writing • 1.3Use clear research questions and suitable research methods (e.g., library, electronic media, personal interview) to elicit and present evidence from primary and secondary sources. • 1.6 – Integrate quotations and citations into a written text while maintaining the flow of ideas.

6. Target Content Standards Written and Oral English Language Conventions • 1.3 -Demonstrate an understanding of proper English usage and control of grammar, paragraph and sentence structure, diction, and syntax.

7. Unit Objectives • Students will explore, differentiate and question narration in text in order to determine and internalize individual character traits • Students will deconstruct and assess character relationships to better appreciate author’s development of the plot using critical thinking and problem solving. • Students will gain a thorough understanding of proper English and grammar in their development of background history for the text.

8. Curriculum-Framing Questions Essential Question • Why is mercy a necessary part of human race?

9. Curriculum-Framing Questions Unit Questions • How does Shakespeare use the theme of mercy? • How is hatred displayed in the play?

10. Curriculum-Framing Questions Content Questions • Even though the law is on Shylock’s side, why is he expected to show mercy? • What other characters show mercy?

11. Assessment to Gauge Student’s Needs We will start the unit by having a class discussion on the knowledge the students have about Shakespeare and that time era. All students will be given the K-W-H-L chart. This assessment will help students in the class discussion by helping me and them become aware of how much then know about Shakespeare and the themes of the unit. The chart will also help in the reflection of what has been learned at the end of the unit.

12. My Goals for This Unit • To help students familiarize with other less popular works from William Shakespeare • Have students apply the plays’ main themes and subjects to present times and society • Help students improve their grammar skills • Have students understand the importance of these text to their education and life • Students will also be given the opportunity to compare text with film

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