Comprehensive Literature Packet: Shakespeare’s Tragedies

What will be taught?
Each literature packet offers an in-depth exploration and full comprehensive literature packet of Shakespeare’s most renowned tragedies: “Hamlet,” “Macbeth,” “King Lear,” “Romeo and Juliet,” and “Othello.” Students will engage with the texts through detailed reading, analysis, and cross-curricular projects.

What topics will be covered?

“Hamlet” – Character analysis, themes of revenge and madness, historical context, and soliloquies.
“Macbeth” – Ambition, power, fate vs. free will, and the supernatural elements.
“King Lear” – Familial relationships, loyalty, madness, and justice.
“Romeo and Juliet” – Love, conflict, fate, and the impact of family dynamics.
“Othello” – Jealousy, race, manipulation, and trust.

How are the packets structured?
Each packet will focus on one play. The literature packets include a study guide, discussion, questions, vocabulary worksheets, an interactive and graded quiz, writing prompts with grading guidelines, cross curricular projects (math, science, history, and art), and additional resources.

Each literature packet features:

Worksheets and Quizzes: Such as vocabulary games and creative projects.
Discussion Questions and Writing Prompts: This will help learners think critically about the text.
Projects: Collaborative cross-curricular projects connecting literature with math, science, and history.

Students will learn to:

1. Analyze and interpret complex texts:
– Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

2. Determine themes and central ideas:
– Identify and analyze the themes and central ideas of each tragedy and their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another.

3. Understand the structure of drama:
– Analyze how Shakespeare’s use of structure contributes to the meaning and impact of the plays, including how the acts and scenes fit together to provide the overall structure of the plays.

4. Analyze character development:
– Examine how characters, particularly protagonists and antagonists, develop over the course of the plays, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or themes.

5. Interpret figurative language:
– Identify and analyze Shakespeare’s use of figurative language, including metaphors, similes, and personification, and explain their meaning and contribution to the themes and tone of the plays.

6. Conduct research projects:
– Conduct short research projects to answer questions or solve problems, using several sources, and present findings on topics such as the historical context of the plays and their modern adaptations.

7. Write arguments and explanatory texts:
– Write clear and coherent arguments or explanatory texts that introduce claims or topics, support them with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, and demonstrate understanding of the literary works.

8. Present information and findings:
– Present claims and findings in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound reasoning, and well-chosen details about Shakespeare’s tragedies.

9. Use technology and digital media:
– Use digital tools and resources to produce and publish writing, and to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

These learning objectives ensure that students not only engage deeply with the texts but also develop critical skills aligned with Common Core Standards, preparing them for higher-level analysis and academic writing.