"Suit the action to the word, the word to the action..."
Hamlet Act 3, Scene 2To tackle this difficult text without getting overwhelmed, start with this "Three-Step Loop" for each scene:
Get Creative These aren't the only possible strategies. If you think of something that would work well for you, try it out and let us know how it goes!
Instead of just taking a test, you are going to design one. This requires you to think critically about what the most important parts of each scene really are.
For every scene in the play:
Deliverable:
Submit all the questions you came up with, and put the ones you select in bold (or in a different section - just make them easy to identify)
The purpose of this video is to demonstrate your fluency with the text: It's difficult to assess whether a student has read the text since we're not in class together. In this video, I need to get the sense that if I asked why you didn't include a question about the king telling the court jester about his love of sailing, you would immediately know it's a trick and not doubt your knowledge of the text.
Between all of the summaries and pre-reading exercises combined with having read the text, you should be able to confidently retell the story in a few (3-5) minutes. Use your quiz questions as a "map" through the text and highlight some of the things you found particularly interesting, tricky, or otherwise noteworthy.
Record a screencast or video using Canva explaining your choices. One of the best ways to show that you have a nuanced understanding of the text is to explain why you chose the "distractor" (wrong) answers.
Review the plot of the play, highlighting the things you found noteworthy in a 3-5 minute video. Demonstrate that you have a nuanced understanding of the play.
Before you submit, please complete the Pre-Submission Self-Assessment.
A Markdown file featuring your curated multiple-choice questions organized by scene
A video or screencast explaining the logic behind your question and answer choices
We are learning to:
Engage with new and difficult texts confidently using a variety of digital and cognitive tools
Analyze the nuances of Shakespearean form and structure to identify key plot points and character motivations
I can:
Use a variety of appropriate strategies, such as AI translation and performance review, to understand the play
Use my background knowledge of the play's form and style to identify important details and themes
Use effective listening and viewing skills to support my interpretation of the text
| Category | Level 4 | Level 3 | Level 2 | Level 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge/Understanding | Demonstrates a thorough and nuanced understanding of the text through expert question design | Demonstrates considerable and accurate understanding of the text | Demonstrates some understanding of most of the text | Demonstrates limited understanding of the text |
| Thinking/Inquiring | Demonstrates significant insight by connecting the text to real-life logic and clear inferences | Makes effective inferences and clear connections to the modern world | Often makes inferences and connections to the modern world | Sometimes makes inferences and limited connections |
| Application | Applies a wide variety of reading and translation strategies very effectively to deconstruct the play | Applies a variety of reading strategies effectively | Often applies reading strategies with some effectiveness | Sometimes applies reading strategies with limited effectiveness |
| Communication | Explains complex ideas and "distractor" logic in a very clear, engaging, and professional manner on video | Explains ideas clearly and effectively on video | Often explains ideas clearly on video | Sometimes explains ideas clearly on video |
Demonstrates a thorough and nuanced understanding of the text through expert question design
Demonstrates considerable and accurate understanding of the text
Demonstrates some understanding of most of the text
Demonstrates limited understanding of the text
Demonstrates significant insight by connecting the text to real-life logic and clear inferences
Makes effective inferences and clear connections to the modern world
Often makes inferences and connections to the modern world
Sometimes makes inferences and limited connections
Applies a wide variety of reading and translation strategies very effectively to deconstruct the play
Applies a variety of reading strategies effectively
Often applies reading strategies with some effectiveness
Sometimes applies reading strategies with limited effectiveness
Explains complex ideas and "distractor" logic in a very clear, engaging, and professional manner on video
Explains ideas clearly and effectively on video
Often explains ideas clearly on video
Sometimes explains ideas clearly on video