NEW RESOURCE: In this lesson, students choose a set of interrelated recurring images (motifs) found in Hamlet and assemble quotes from the text that involve those images in some way. They then explore the symbolic possibilities behind the motif, constructing a graphic organizer that ties the quotes to the symbolic significance of the motif and ultimately to an overarching theme that can be proven with a culminating essay. It's tough guiding students in the process of moving from reading and having a basic understanding of the text to writing a full analytical essay. They need scaffolding, and in 28+ years of teaching English, I have found no better way to provide it than using this method of constructing an analysis web. Students choose a recurring image (motif) found in the text and then locate quotes related to that motif. Students then have to make assumptions regarding the symbolic nature of the motif and the abstract concepts the symbol represents (e.g., justice, vengeance, parental authority...). From these concepts, students develop an overarching theme (e.g., "Obsession can lead to disastrous consequences"). Finally, students have what they need to develop an essay involving how analyzing for multiple motifs in a work can illuminate a particular theme that the author may have had in mind when developing her or his literary masterpiece. A set of slides is included for introducing students to motifs, concepts and themes, along with instructions on how to complete the assignment as well a number of examples involving works that students would recognize, such as The Lion King, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and The Hobbit. This lesson can be completed independently, in small groups, or as a whole-class activity. It can be completed by hand on printed maps or completely online by students and turned in as PNGs, screenshots, or PDFs. Grading Rubric Included. Looking for additional Hamlet resources? . . . Click HERE if you'd like your students to complete character maps covering each act of Hamlet. Click HERE if you're looking for Sparknotes-proof reading quizzes, movie questions, and other Hamlet-related materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  WHERE THE ANALYSIS WEB MIGHT FIT INTO A LOGICALLY-CONSTRUCTED LITERARY UNIT:  At the beginning of a full literary unit, I like to first have students complete a Meet the Author biography research document.  Then, before students dive into the work, I want them to understand the difficult vocabulary they’ll encounter by having them complete a prereading vocabulary puzzle. Over the course of several weeks, students have reading assignments, take Reading Quizzes and complete Character Maps on the work while working on other things—usually involving grammar, writing style, and literary devices. Once we’ve completed the reading of the work, I have students complete a Plot Structure Mapping lesson so that students have a clear understanding of how the work is chronologically organized and how the major events of the work—including causes and effects associated with the inciting event, climax, and denouement—are tied in with conflicts and theme.  After students have a clear grasp of plot analysis, I then begin having students focus on themes, motifs and symbols in the work through a Hexagonal Thinking game/lesson and develop a Literary Analysis Web in preparation for a literary analysis essay.  From here, students should be quite capable of writing a literary argument essay on how the author utilizes these and other techniques to create meaning (themes) in the work. After a bit of peer editing & revising, this last essay serves as a cumulative assessment. ------------------------------------------ * DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE FEEDBACK to get 5% of your purchase price back as TPT credits towards more TPT purchases.

NEW RESOURCE: This is a complete set of reading quizzes for all five acts of Hamlet. There are a total of 150 questions.  About 20% of the questions repeat to allow for the five versions of each set, which is done to avoid cheating. The questions are divided into three sets: -----Set 1: Acts I & II. (50 questions, 5 versions) -----Set 2: Act III. (50 questions, 5 versions) -----Set 3: Acts IV & V. (50 questions, 5 versions) The questions ask students to name the speaker, the referent, the place, etc. from a word bank. (See Preview). A key to all the quizzes can be found in the document. Teachers all know that few kids will read assigned books unless they’re given reading quizzes.  I want them to read, so I regularly use reading quizzes to make sure the reading happens.  I always try to make my reading quizzes "Sparknotes-proof," so just reading summaries wouldn't be enough to pass these quizzes. OK, but why create multiple versions?  Ever give a reading quiz 1st period that students who didn't read don’t do well on, but by the time you give the same quiz to your 4th period class, everyone is miraculously making 100s?  Yep, that’s why. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  WHERE THESE READING QUIZZES MIGHT FIT INTO A LOGICALLY-CONSTRUCTED LITERARY UNIT: At the beginning of a full literary unit, I like to first have students complete a Meet the Author biography research document.  Then, before students dive into the work, I want them to understand the difficult vocabulary they’ll encounter by having them complete a prereading vocabulary puzzle. Over the course of several weeks, students have reading assignments, take Reading Quizzes and complete Character Maps on the work while working on other things—usually involving grammar, writing style, and literary devices. Once we’ve completed the reading of the work, I have students complete a Plot Structure Mapping lesson so that students have a clear understanding of how the work is chronologically organized and how the major events of the work—including causes and effects associated with the inciting event, climax, and denouement—are tied in with conflicts and theme.  After students have a clear grasp of plot analysis, I then begin having students focus on themes, motifs and symbols in the work through a Hexagonal Thinking game/lesson and develop a Literary Analysis Web in preparation for a literary analysis essay.  From here, students should be quite capable of writing a literary argument essay on how the author utilizes these and other techniques to create meaning (themes) in the work. After a bit of peer editing & revising, this last essay serves as a cumulative assessment. Looking for additional materials? . . . Click HERE if you'd like your students to complete character maps covering each act of Hamlet. (They're really cool!) Click HERE if you're looking for other Hamlet-related materials. ----------------------------------------------- * DID YOU KNOW that for every dollar you spend, you get a nickel of TPT credit towards more TPT purchases? Indeed, but only if you leave feedback. * Be sure to click the "FOLLOW" button that is located next to my picture so that you can hear about sales, new products, and freebies!

These 37 focus questions are created to keep students focused while watching the Mel Gibson version of the play. They are divided into three parts. The first three parts break the movie into three thirds. The final set of questions are optional questions for discussion that involve considering the...

This is a complete set of Quote maps for Shakespeare's Hamlet - one Map for each Act - with analysis questions covering each act and set of quotes.As they complete their readings of each act, students place the names of characters on the map within the context of quotes. Then, they answer questions ...

These 22 focus questions are created to keep students focused while watching the Standard Deviants "Introduction to Shakespeare" film. They are fully editable and can either be printed out for students to complete or shared with students as a Google Doc.Comes with key.------------------------------...