UTL 640E Haug Pflugerville High School/PISD Date of lesson: February 25, 2014

Molly Whiting AP English IV/ 12th grade Lesson Plan #1

Shakespeare, Bacon and Blake

Lesson Objective: After reading and discussing Francis Bacons Of Anger (essay) and William Blakes A Poison Tree (poem) as a class, students will work independently to write a paragraph contrasting the two authors treatment of the concept of anger in the texts that includes a thesis statement and two quotationsone from each textin order to practice analyzing complex historical works and making thematic connections across genres.

Resources/Materials: A. To Do Before: a. Read Of Anger and A Poison Tree multiple times for familiarity. b. Identify potential questions/confusion students might have. c. Review CTs SOLLIDD method for analyzing texts. d. Generate a list of questions/discussion topics. e. Make handouts of texts for students. f. Create brief Powerpoint presentation for introducing texts/authors. B. Needed on the Day of Lesson: a. Handouts for students b. Notes with questions/discussion topics to refer to c. Powerpoint presentation in my e-mail inbox d. Access to CTs computer/projector TEKS: From 110.34. English Language Arts and Reading, English IV (2) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about theme and genre in different cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. Students are expected to: (A) compare and contrast works of literature that express a universal theme (3) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Poetry. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of poetry and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to evaluate the changes in sound, form, figurative language, graphics, and dramatic structure in poetry across literary time periods. (6) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Literary Nonfiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the varied structural patterns and features of literary nonfiction and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to analyze the effect of ambiguity, contradiction, subtlety, paradox, irony, sarcasm, and overstatement in literary essays, speeches, and other forms of literary nonfiction. (24) Listening and Speaking/Listening. Students will use comprehension skills to listen attentively to others in formal and informal settings. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to:

UTL 640E Haug Pflugerville High School/PISD Date of lesson: February 25, 2014

Molly Whiting AP English IV/ 12th grade Lesson Plan #1

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(A) listen responsively to a speaker by framing inquiries that reflect an understanding of the content and by identifying the positions taken and the evidence in support of those positions

Steps in Lesson: A. Engagement3 minutes Establish the connection between my lesson and the work they have been doing in their current unit on Hamlet. o Open with a question: Can someone summarize for the class what happened in Act One of Hamlet? o Follow-up questions: From what we know about Hamlet so far, what kind of a person is he? What kind of words would we use to describe him? Make a brief list with the students of Hamlets attributes; o Use this activity to transition into focusing specifically on the idea of anger. B. Stated Objective1 minute Today we are going to be looking at two different works that focus on this idea of anger, and as we read and talk about them, I want you all to be thinking about how the texts deal with the same concept in different ways. One key thing to remember in making comparisons of this kind is that every author has a purpose in writing a text, so as you read, I want you to always be asking yourself what that purpose might be. Were going to read the texts as a class and practice analyzing them using the SOLLIDD method Mr. Gripp has been using with you, and then each of you is going to write a short paragraph that discusses how both authors address this idea of anger in different ways. C. Active Learning35-45 minutes Provide short biography of Francis Bacon and the context in which he wrote (2 minutes) o 1521-1626 o Contemporary of Shakespeares (to some, a candidate for the identity of the real Shakespeare, although this is highly unlikely) o Many careers: statesman (politician), lawyer, historian, writer, philosopher, scientist o Champion of using inductive reasoning and empiricism in scientific inquiry (knowledge must be backed up by evidence and experience) o Essayes first published in 1597 and then revised and expanded in 1612 and 1625 o Each essay addresses a different topic (love, envy, truth, death, etc.) and analyzes it systematically

UTL 640E Haug Pflugerville High School/PISD Date of lesson: February 25, 2014

Molly Whiting AP English IV/ 12th grade Lesson Plan #1

o Died of pneumonia contracted while studying the effects of freezing on the preservation of meat As a class, read Of Anger and use the SOLLIDD method to analyze the text (SOLLIDD cues students to look at syntax, organization, literary devices, levels of discourse, imagery, diction and details) (10-15 minutes) o Lets SOLLIDD it out! Students are familiar with this method; we will go through the steps together, with students volunteering relevant information and taking notes and teacher elaborating on students observations and pointing out important items as necessary. o Syntax: words are arranged in a very methodical, orderly way, essay progresses logically from point to point, very systemtically establishing the authors beliefs about anger and how to best deal with it o Organization: highly structured and systematic, establishes clearly for the reader what the essay will address (firstly, the natural inclination toward anger and how to calm it, secondly, how to control anger and stop it from causing mischief, and thirdly, how to raise/appease anger in others) o Literary Devices: simile (anger is like ruin, which breaks itself upon that it falls), metaphor (men must not turn bees that put their life into the sting), personification (to contain anger from mischief, though it take hold of a man) o Levels of Discourse: scholarly yet practical (very sound advice!), contains lots of allusions that indicate an elite education (quoting Seneca and Consalvo in Latin, e.g.) o Imagery: bees that put their life into the sting, description of anger as a physical weapon of sorts (contempt is that which putteth an edge upon anger, kindle their anger, multiply and sharpen their anger) o Diction: essay progresses like a logical argument, using lots of sequential words (firstly, next, lastly), establishes author as an authority (anger must be, anger is certainly), uses moralistic and instructive language (the best time to do this is, you must have special caution) o Details: approaches anger in a very rational, authoritative way. References earlier philosophical tradition (stoicism) and proceeds to refute it. Includes multiple other allusions to classical thinkers, the bible, etc. Attempts to explain the sources of anger, and then offers practical advice on how to control your own anger and how to raise or appease others anger. Provide short biography of William Blake and the context in which he wrote. (2 minutes) o 1757-1827 o Known not just for his poetry but for his work as a painter and engraver; some of his best-known works are illuminated manuscripts that combine his visual art and poetry (show illuminated version of A Poison Tree) o Considered part of the Romantic movement; privileged imagination and intuition over reason

UTL 640E Haug Pflugerville High School/PISD Date of lesson: February 25, 2014

Molly Whiting AP English IV/ 12th grade Lesson Plan #1

! Modifications/Differentiation: Follow IEPs ! !

o Blakes poems are very religious, philosophical, and mystical in nature o From early childhood, Blake spoke of having visions (for example, seeing a tree full of angels when he was nine years old) o A Poison Tree comes from Songs of Experience, which, along with Songs of Innocence, contains poems that are written in a very simple, even childrens book-ish style, but often deal with very complex themes o Largely unrecognized during his life, Blake died in poverty while working on an illustrated version of Dantes Divine Comedy As a class, read A Poison Tree and then have students work in pairs to briefly analyze the poem, specifically its treatment of anger (5-10 minutes) Regroup as a whole class to discuss their thoughts on the poem (5 minutes) After addressing any additional questions, give instructions for students to write a paragraph contrasting the two authors treatments of anger. These instructions will be given verbally and displayed visually on a Powerpoint slide (1 minute) Monitor/answer any questions while students independently write their paragraphs about the two texts (10-15 minutes) D. Closure4 minutes Have students share their paragraphs with the partners they worked with previously. Collect students paragraphs and thank them for their attention and participation. End with a question: From what we know so far, how does Shakespeare address the concept of anger in Hamlet? How does this treatment compare to the approaches used by Bacon and Blake? Ask for additional questions, if students have any. Turn the class over to CT!

Evaluation Strategies: Throughout discussion, I will use questions to informally check for understanding. At the end of the lesson, I will collect the paragraphs that the students wrote and review them to determine whether or not they were successful in their analyses. Notes/Recommendations: This lesson worked really well as a corollary to Act I of Hamlet. Students made a lot of sophisticated connections back to the play throughout the lesson, and it seemed to deepen their understanding of the title character. My CT made the suggestion to draw out a more personal response from students about this subject, asking them to consider how they react in situations in which they are angrily provoked. I incorporated this question into my discussion of Bacons essay the second time I taught the lesson, and students were eager to respond with anecdotes about losing their temper, which tied back nicely to Bacons examination of how to control your emotions.