ELA Unit Plan Template
Title of Unit: Literary Analysis Part A: Aren’t You the Shrewd One?
Author and Email Address: April l. Ramsey Boyce
Grade Level: 12
Source:English 12 CR
Unit Overview:
Students will read Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew and then watch a film adaptation of the play to determine how the filmmaker interpreted the source text. At the end of the lesson, students will work collaboratively to perform their own interpretation of the source text.
Unit Introduction/Entry Event:
Teacher will provide students with the following Writer’s Notebook Prompts (one at a time and in quick
succession):
*Quickly generate three words that come to mind when you hear the word "Shakespeare". Give
students one to two minutes to complete this activity; you do not want them to overthink it.
*Generate two questions that come to mind when you hear the word "Shakespeare". Remind studentsthat this exercise is meant to get initial thinking.
*Create a simile or metaphor about the topic of "Shakespeare". You may need to review the definitionsof metaphor or simile. You may need to provide examples of each. Remind students
that metaphorsand similes are nothing more than connections one is making.
WV CCRS:
Objectives Directly Taught or LearnedThrough Inquiry/Discovery / Evidence of Student Mastery of Content
ELA.12.13
Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), critically evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.) / Students will demonstrate mastery through the
completion of the text-dependent writing prompt which is assessed using the 12th Grade Argumentative Writing Instructional Rubricand through the writing and presentation of their own interpretation of the source text using the Taming of the Shrew Production Rubricfor assessment.
Performance Objectives:
Know:
Words and phrases have figurative and connotative meanings.
Author/director choice impacts how elements of the story develop and relate.
Author/director choice of structure impacts the meaning as well as the aesthetic impact.
Understand:
Being prepared stimulates a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
How word choice impacts the reader/listener.
Do (Skills):
Initiate collaborative discussions with diverse partners.
Participate effectively in collaborative discussions with diverse partners.
Analyze multiple interpretations of a drama.
Focus/Driving Question:
How do different artists (authors, playwrights, directors, etc.) interpret source text?
Vocabulary:
Students will determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in Taming of the Shrew through a variety of vocabulary strategies. Students will demonstrate their acquisition of those words through incorporation in class discussions and various writing activities. Vocabulary instruction in this part of the unit focuses on teacher and student selected vocabulary. As students read and annotate the various texts, they will identify unknown words for which they are unable to illicit the definition through contextual clues. Following the teacher reading of the text, the students will share vocabulary about which they have questions and the teacher will incorporate a discussion of identified words that 40% of students are unfamiliar with during the text dependent questioning activity. The teacher may facilitate students’ understanding of chosen words using context clues, reference materials or root analysis.
Assessment Plan:
Students will complete a variety of Writer’s Notebook prompts which they will share in small and large groups to help facilitate a discussion about Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew, and the chosen movie.
These prompts are meant to serve as a formative assessment of students understanding of the unit and may be given participation credit and used for assessing students’ active involvement in the reading and analyzing of the assigned text.
Students will complete the following text and video dependent writing prompt: Analyze the movie, (10
Things I Hate about You, McClintock, or Kiss Me, Kate) and how the director interpreted the source text, Taming of the Shrew. This prompt will be assessed using the 12th Grade ArgumentativeWriting Instructional Rubric.
Students will complete the following presentation: Your class has been selected to represent your school in the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California Shakespeare Festival. This year’s play adaptation is Taming of the Shrew. In collaborative groups, you will rewrite the entire play into a scene no longer than eight minutes and then videotape the play for your classmates to view. The only props you may use are four chairs—no sets or costumes are allowed. This will be assessed using the Taming of the Shrew Production Rubric.
Major Products: (Group) or (Individual)
Writer’s Notebook Prompts (Individual)
Text/video dependent Writing Prompt (Individual)
Creation and performance of their own interpretation of Taming of the Shrew (Group)
Assessment and Reflection:
Rubric(s) I will use: (Check all that apply.) / Collaboration / Written Communication12th Grade Argumentative Writing Rubric / x
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving / Content Knowledge
Oral Communication
Speaking and Listening / Other
Taming of the Shrews Rubric / x
Other classroom assessments for learning: (Check all that apply) / Quizzes/ tests / Practice presentations
Self-evaluation / Notes
Peer evaluation / Checklists/observations
Online tests and exams / Concept maps
Reflections: (Check all that apply) / Survey / Focus Group
Discussion / x / Task Management Chart
Journal Writing/ Learning Log / x / Other
Manage the Unit:
Notes to the teacher: Students are grouped for creation of their own play at the end of this part of the unit; the teacher should use his/her discretion on grouping and should visit each group to conference with them about the process. It was my experience that students could successfully write and produce the play with five members. Each group member read the entire play, chose parts and worked on writing their chosen parts. Differentiated instruction is available through student choice of how to stage their production and what topics to include.
Phase One:
Writer’s Notebook Prompts about Shakespeare and students’ comfort level with Shakespeare.
Phase Two:
Active silent reading of the Induction and Act One of Taming of the Shrew.
Phase Three:
Group discussion with ideas that emerge being documented and placed on large chart paper or poster board and displayed in the room for students’ use during the remaining phases of this portion of the unit.
Phase Four:
Read aloud the Induction and Act One of Taming of the Shrew and watch the beginning (Act I) of the chosen movie.
Phase Five:
Teacher will lead students in a discussion of the Taming of the Shrew and the chosen movie using the provided text dependent questions. Use the Frayer Model to assure students’ understanding of the word aesthetic, analyze, and source text. This could be done as a jigsaw in small groups, as a whole group or individually and used to create one Frayer together.
Phase Six:
Text/video dependent writing prompt.
Phase Seven:
Revisit Writer’s Notebook prompts from opening activity with students sharing with a partner what theynotice about their thinking on the topic of Shakespeare, particularly how it has shifted from their initialresponse. Full class discussion identifying some of the new thinking and changes in thinking that havetaken place. Capture the major shifts or changes in thinking to display.
Phase Eight:
Students work in small groups on the performance prompt.
Phase Nine:
The teacher will provide students with the Taming of the Shrew Production Rubricfor use duringstudent presentations. The teacher and each student should evaluate the productions using the rubric.
Phase Ten:
The teacher will facilitate a debriefing where students discuss what was successful in this portion of theunit and what portion of the unit needs improvement.
Reflection:
Students will participate in providing feedback for each performance using the provided rubric or ateacher created rubric. Students and teacher will debrief--discussing with the students what wassuccessful and what needs improvement.
Materials/Websites:
Taming of the Shrew text
Choice of one of the following films:
10 Things I Hate About You
Kiss Me, Kate
McClintock
Taming of the Shrew Placemat
Text Dependent Questions
Step by Step Process
Taming of the Shrew Rubric
12th Grade Argumentative Writing Instructional Rubric
Career Connection:
Arts and Humanities
Within the course of this unit, students will communicate with people and present their ideas clearlythrough the drafting and stage production processes. Students will utilize Taming of the ShrewProduction Rubric to evaluate the production of others and will use the measurable criteria of the
Production Rubric to make personal judgments about their own production. Throughout the readingand writing of this unit students will evaluate the meaning and relationships of words and makepersonal judgments about their own word choice.
Business and Marketing
During the course of this unit, students will communicate well within a small group and work oninfluencing people’s opinions and judgments about writing, while paying attention to details, through the
Taming of the Shrew Production Rubric. Students will make decisions based on their own personal judgment of their work using the Taming of the Shrew Production Rubric.
Engineering and Technical
Students will accurately work with the instructions outlined in the Product/Performance prompt and willmake writing decisions based on measurable data found on the Taming of the Shrew Production
Rubric.
Health
During the course of this unit, students will communicate well within a small group and work effectively with others to peer review their production. Students will utilize the Taming of the Shrew ProductionRubric to evaluate the production of others and will use the measurable criteria to make personaljudgments about their own production.
Human Services
Within the course of this unit, students will communicate easily, tactfully and courteously with peopleand present their ideas clearly through the drafting and stage production processes. Students willfollow the instructions outlined in the Product/Performance prompt in order to produce a high qualityproduction and will utilize the criteria of the Taming of the Shrew Production Rubric to make personaljudgments about their own production.
Science and Natural Resources
Throughout the reading and writing of this unit, students will evaluate the meaning and relationships ofwords and make personal judgments about their own word choice. Students will utilize the Taming ofthe Shrew Production Rubric to evaluate the production of others and will use the measurable criteriaof the Taming of the Shrew Production Rubric to make personal judgments about their ownproduction.