HAMLET

By William Shakespeare

 

1. WORKSHEET: Ideas are tricky to convey in a second language class! Illustrations can be more powerful than words–especially in the realm of ideas! Print a “cartoon” worksheet for each student to fill in and keep.

 

2. THE CURTAINS OPEN: Wheel of Fortune

Preview the ideas and issues in the lesson with a contest.

A. COMPETITION: Wheel of Fortune

Play Wheel of Fortune to introduce the plot, action, characters, and vocabulary for this classic.

B. GAME WORDS/PHRASES: Suspicious, rotten, conscience, guilt.

 

3. HAMLET: Visitor

A sudden, unexpected knock at the door creates delight and wonder in a classroom.

Surprise visitors interrupt the daily routine, tell their story, pose dilemmas,

and answer questions.

Rehearse the Visitor Script ahead of time and put together a costume. Knock on the door, burst in the classroom, and portray the visitor! Engage the class by asking them questions and allowing them to ask you questions, too! Make a flamboyant exit!

 

4. VOCABULARY: Learning new vocabulary words often becomes tedious drill — students can recite the definitions but they have no clue what the words really mean. Try exercises that train students to think and use reasoning skills while they learn new vocabulary.

A. Grief: Deep sadness.

B. Suspicious: To imagine something is true.

C. Rotten: Foul. Ruined. Stinky.

D. Jealous: To envy someone or want something someone has.

E. Evil: Bad conduct or character.

F. Revenge: To return evil for evil.

G. Conscience: The unwritten law that governs conduct.

H. Mousetrap: Device with bait to catch a mouse.

I. Guilt: Feel sorry for doing something wrong.

COMPETITION

A. Before class write the list of words on the board.

B. Pronounce each word. Students repeat.

C. Explain the contest! Teams of 2-3 are to race to look up the words and compose one example sentence using the word. First team to give the definition and use the word correctly in a sentence scores 2 points. Other teams can score 2 points for a correct sentence.

D. Do all the vocabulary words in turn.

 

5. HAMLET: Theater on a String

Theater is riveting. Before the curtain rises the plot, action, characters, and setting are only a script on paper. Theater relies on the audience’s imagination and suddenly there is magic. This is theater on a string!

INSTRUCTIONS

A. Stretch a rope/line across the front of the room. Get two students to hold the two ends — hold it up high so all can see!

B. Use the props to tell the story by hanging them on the line with clothes-pins as you tell the story.

C. Find clever ways to clarify the plot, action, characters, and ideas in the story. Let the class repeat the names and the storyline! Go back to the beginning often and check their memory then resume the story!

PROPS

1. The props must be big enough for the students in the back to see!

2. The paper dolls should be 20IN-24IN tall. The same paper doll can be Hamlet, Prospero, Romeo, Odysseus, or the Merchant of Venice! Save them–change the costumes for each classic. Clothes do make the person!

 

YOU TUBE

A. Hamlet Rap: What it is Hamlet?

B. Arnold as Hamlet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Vl7xdxVVA

 

6. QUESTIONS: Jingle Bells

Questions can teach students HOW to think rather than WHAT to think.

Ask questions that will require reason and imagination.

Make two teams. The first person on each team stands with their hands on the desk with the bell between them. Ask a question. The first person to ring the bell answers the question – 1 point. Those 2 people go to the end of the line and the next person in each line comes up. Try candy as a prize!

A. Hamlet was the Prince of Dubai, Denmark, Damascus.

B. TRUE/FALSE: Hamlet’s mother murdered his father.

C. Which people in the story are good and which people are bad?

D. Name 5 things that make people jealous.

E. Explain how a mousetrap works.

F. What newspaper headline would you write for this story?

G. Which is more powerful — guilt or jealousy?

H. How else could the story have ended?

I. If you were a CCTV reporter, what question would you have asked Hamlet before the duel?

J. Why is Hamlet one of the most famous plays in the world?

 

7. RE-TELL THE STORY

Now it is the students turn! Take all the clothes-pins and props off the line. Hold up each prop in turn and ask the class to explain the plot, action, characters, and ideas in the story. Prompt them if necessary.

 

8. CONSCIENCE: You Tube Video

Apply the ideas in the lesson in an imaginary YOU TUBE Video.

Conscience: The unwritten law that governs conduct.

QUESTIONS

A. Does everybody have a conscience?

B. Where is your conscience? Can the doctor see it on an X-RAY?

C. What is the evidence that everyone has a conscience?

D. How do people ignore their conscience?

E. Tell a time when you ignored your conscience.

YOU TUBE VIDEO

Small groups create a 30SEC pretend YOU TUBE video about the conscience. Perform for the class.

 

9. HAMLET’S E-MAIL

Correspondence is revealing. Some E-MAILS are polite. Some ask questions.

Some are confessions. Some express wishes.

A. Read this E-MAIL from Hamlet to the evil Claudius.

Dear Uncle,

Why did you do that? Why did you murder my father? Why did you take his crown?

And his queen? Your jealousy has ruined Denmark forever.

I saw your guilt during “The Mousetrap” play!

Prince Hamlet

B. Explain that everyone will pretend to be Claudius and write an E-MAIL reply to Hamlet.

C. These are not long epistles–allow 2-3MIN.

D. Then everyone find a group, exchange the E-MAILS, and read them aloud.