Hamlet
Goal: For students to understand and appreciate Shakespeare’s language and his invention of the classical
tragedy.
Theme: The philosophical debates in Hamlet and the line between sanity and insanity.
The degree of good versus evil.
Day Time Activity
Needed
1 45 Introduction to Shakespeare’s
minutes world and language through
sonnets. Students will read Sonnet
130 and Sonnet 116.
45 Introduction to the requirements
minutes and themes of Hamlet
2 45 Students will read Act One scenes
minutes I-ii. We will role-play these
scenes. Each student will be
assigned a different character to
read and to know.
Students will discuss with a
45 partner Hamlet’s attitude and
minutes personality thus far in the play. Is
Hamlet justified in his thoughts
and actions thus far? Predict what
will happen by the end of Act One.
Page Number Comments Obj.
As a class, we will discuss and analyze 1.02
the poem using the TP-Castt and other 4.02
poetry devices. See attached “TP- 5.02
CASTT document.” Also, we will focus
on Shakespearean language and
figurative language to help prepare the
students for the language in Hamlet.
Students will know exactly what is
expected from them. They will have
outside readings, quote journals, essays,
tests, study questions, etc. See attached
Hamlet requirement sheet.
Hamlet Text Students will become involved in the 1.01
text. We will discuss plot, themes, 1.02
allusions, puns, and other literary 4.01
elements. Also, I will point out the 5.01
important and significant quotes for
them to copy and to analyze.
Students will present their findings to
the class. 1.01
 Day Time Activity Page Number Comments Obj.
Needed

Homework: Students will finish

reading Act One. Highlight
important quotes to add to quote Hamlet
journal. Also, Text See attached Act One study questions
Students will complete Act One sheet. The study questions do count as a
study questions. quiz.

3 30 Students will complete with a Students will present the creative 2.03
minutes partner a creative plot summary of summaries to the class so they can see
Act One. This is in their own and understand different points of view.
words and dialogue so they can
make sense out of Shakespeare’s
language. They will focus on the
main parts and plot of Act One.

Discussion of Act One Study I give students the opportunity to ask

questions. questions on the questions they do not 1.01
10 understand. However, I take their
minutes papers up first because I do count all

Union County Public Schools

English Curriculum Guide
2006
 Day Time Activity Page Number Comments Obj.
Needed
Students will role-play and begin questions as a quiz grade.
reading Act Two of Hamlet. We
will concentrate on Hamlet and
30 Ophelia’s first conversation. I will
minutes call on two students to act this out
in front of the class. We will then
discuss Hamlet and Ophelia’s 1.01
relationship. 2.01
2.02
Analyze important quotes and
figurative language in the scenes.
Homework: Students will Students will record quotes in quote
20 complete reading Act Two. journal.
minutes

4 20 Students will create creative Hamlet This will serve as a good review before 2.01
minutes summary of Act Two with partner Text the quiz.
and present to class.

30 Students will complete quiz on Act See attached Act Two study guide sheet.
minutes two.

Students will read Act Three scene See attached “To Be” project.
40 i. Students will study and discuss 4.01
minutes Hamlet’s famous soliloquy “To be Hamlet 6.01
or not to be.” Students will then Text
paraphrase the speech and rewrite
the speech with a partner.

Union County Public Schools

English Curriculum Guide
2006
 Day Time Activity Page Number Comments Obj.
Needed

Homework: Students will finish

the speech and read scenes ii-iii.

Hamlet
Text
5 30 Students will present “to be” 3.02
minutes speeches.

Students will review Act Three Hamlet

scenes ii-iii and ask questions. We Text
15 will discuss important quotes and
minutes figurative language.

Students will read and act out Act

three scenes iii-iv. We will
concentrate on Hamlet’s
relationship with his mother,
45 Gertrude. Students will complete
minutes a journal on the following:
Describe Hamlet’s relationship
with Gertrude. Is it a typical
mother/son relationship? Incest?
Oedipus complex?
Hamlet Students will respond to these questions
Text in journal format. This forces them to
analyze Hamlet’s relationships with 1.01
others, especially his mother. Students 2.01
will present the journals to class the 4.01
following day. 4.02
Also, as an alternate assignment, you
could have the girls write from the point
of view of Gertrude and the guys write
from the point of view from Hamlet.

6 30 Students will present journal This will serve as a good review of Act
minutes entries, and we will discuss Three before the quiz.

Union County Public Schools

English Curriculum Guide
2006
 Day Time Activity Page Number Comments Obj.
Needed
Hamlet’s murder of Polonius. We
will create a creative summary of
Act three as a class.

I will discuss the important quotes

15 and figurative language from Act Students will record quotes in quote 1.02
minutes Three. journal.

Students will complete quiz on Act 1.02

30 three. See attached Act three study questions.
minutes
Students will begin reading Act IV
15 scenes I-vi and will work on their
minutes quote journals. They will finish
this assignment at home.

7 15 Discuss Ophelia’s mental state. Hamlet Students will go to the text to prove 1.01
minutes Review important quotes and Text their arguments one way or the other. 1.02
terms. Also, this activity gives students a 2.03
chance to practice critical thinking skills
Finish reading Act IV in class. and interact within the class setting and
30 Students will react to and discuss with others.
minutes Ophelia’s death. They will write a
journal entry on whether they
believe Ophelia committed suicide
or not. Was her death accidental?

Mini-debate on journal entries

20 Students will begin working on 2.01

minutes their Act Four study questions in 2.02
class. They will finish this for 3.01

Union County Public Schools

English Curriculum Guide
2006
 Day Time Activity Page Number Comments Obj.
Needed
homework. I will count this as a quiz grade the next 3.02
25 day.
minutes

8 20 Review Act Four Hamlet This activity allows the students to study 1.01
minutes Complete creative summary with Text imagery throughout the text. You can 5.02
class. modify this activity to fit your own
Analyze important quotes and individual student needs.
figurative language. I will give students some time in class
the next couple of days to work on this.
Homework: Students will read Hamlet
Act Five scene I of Hamlet. text 5.01
5.02
6.01
9 15 Review Act V scene I of Hamlet. Hamlet Finalize Hamlet Discussions, projects,
minutes Discuss quote journal. Text etc.

Students will act out and read Act

V scene ii of Hamlet. Students Hamlet 1.01
45 will discuss the ending and focus Text
minutes on the definition of tragedy.

Students will work on Hamlet

imagery project.
30 Hamlet
minutes Students will finish project and Text
complete Hamlet Act V study
guide questions for homework. Hamlet
Text

Union County Public Schools

English Curriculum Guide
2006
 Day Time Activity Page Number Comments Obj.
Needed

10 30 Students will present Imagery Hamlet In partner groups, students will create 6.01
minutes presentations. Text High-level discussion questions that 2.01
cover the text of Hamlet. The questions 3.01
Students will create overall should generate a high level of
30 discussion questions to use in discussion within the classroom and
minutes Socratic seminar. They will work cover all of the text. For example, Does
with a partner to complete this. Hamlet really lose his mind or is he
merely pretending to avenge his father’s
death? Students will create the
30 questions. They should create at least 3-
minutes Finalize quotes on Hamlet good questions per group. They will
turn this in to you before the end of the
period. You will then select the best
questions from each group and these
same questions will be the ones that are
used in discussion the following day.

11 90 Socratic discussion on Hamlet and Hamlet Students will receive a participation 5.01
minutes review Text grade for their questions and responses 5.02
Homework: Study for test and during the class period. See the
review themes. attachment called “Socratic rubric.”

12 90 Hamlet timed essay test Students will choose one of the major 6.01
minutes themes found in Hamlet and write an 6.02
essay supporting the theme and thesis.
See the document “Hamlet Test.”

Union County Public Schools

English Curriculum Guide
2006
 Day Time Activity Page Number Comments Obj.
Needed
13 30 Introduce Hamlet Trial Project Hamlet Students will complete two separate 1.01
minutes Text trials for Hamlet, a civil trial and a 2.01
Assign groups and roles murder trial. Also, they will be assigned 3.01
60 roles within their group such as the 4.01
minutes Students will start to work on their lawyer, key character witnesses, expert 5.01
roles and evidence. witnesses, etc. Please see the attached
document and handouts. You will have
to modify the time elements depending
on your class and situation. This is a lot
of work so it will take some time.
Students will need about a week, in and
out of class to complete this including
two days of presentation. Also, I
usually will ask outside judges or other
teachers to grade the students. Once
again, this is optional, but it seems to
work out well in the classroom.

Union County Public Schools

English Curriculum Guide
2006
 Day Time Activity Page Number Comments Obj.
Needed
14-18 on-going Students will work on and Students will complete journals on their 1.01
complete trials. They will present overall impression and reaction to 2.01
the trials to class. Also, students the hamlet trials. Refer to the 5.01
will watch Mel Gibson’s version documents “Hamlet Trials.” This
of Hamlet. will give you all of the information
that you need to successfully
complete the trial.
Watching the video will give students
the opportunity to see costumes and
other evidence that should assist them in
planning their own trials. The following
websites are excellent sources on
information to refer to while studying
Hamlet.

1.
www.folger.edu/education/lesson.cfm?
Lessonid=125

2. http://71
2educators.about.com/od/Shakes
pearehamlet/
3. Google.com
click on “Outta Ray’s Head
Literature”

Union County Public Schools

English Curriculum Guide
2006