To Be or Not To Be!

By researching the history behind one of Shakespeare's famous plays Hamlet they will have a better understanding when they encounter the play. Students will understand the time period of which it was written and move into a sort summary of the play. Students will also answer scenario questions that directly pertain to he play in order to have the opportunity to relate and include relevancy to their current lives. 

Today you will be researching online the history behind the play Hamlet. As well as answer scenarios to better understand the text. 

Working in pairs, you will follow the instructions on the process page answering the questions on the handout by following the links provided to the appropriate websites and pages. You will have the entire lesson for this task which is to be completed for home work if necessary.

Group Members:

Writer: One student will be in charge of writin your ideas and answers down.

Researcher: The other member will be in charge of controlling where you will begin your research. This person will use the computer the most

*When told to switch group members will switch roles."

As you research this topic I want you to keep in mind the events that take place and relate it to your current situation today.  

Lets Get Started! 

HAMLET'S HISTORY!! Click here to answer these questions.

1. What is the setting of the play Hamlet?

2. What does the play dramatize? 

3. Where does the story of Hamlet  derive from? 

LET'S TWEET ABOUT IT ! 

VIEW THE FOLLOWING PREZI here ANSWER THE PROVIDED SCENARIOS ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER 

1. You are away at your dream college. It is your junior year and life couldn't be better.
Its Monday night: 2AM
Your mom texts you the following message:
CALL ME NOW!! IT'S AN EMERGENCY!!
Jolted awake by adrenaline you call her. She answers the phone but her sobs are so loud you can barely understand what she is saying. Finally, you are able to understand the words "Your father is dead..."
So... What's your tweet?

2. Unfortunately, this semester you are taking Engineering Mechanics and your professor is really stern. When you tell him about your father he gives you his sympathy but says that you still need to take your final next Friday or retake the course.
He forces you to miss your dad's funeral...
So what's your tweet?

3. Finals End. You barely pass all of your classes. It has been two weeks since your father's death, you are completely devastated and you are heading home for break.
So you load up the car and drive home.
When you get home you hug your mom for a long time but you sense something is wrong. 
She's not upset. At least not as upset as she should be...
Then you notice she is wearing a wedding ring on her finger. A brand new wedding ring...
So what's your tweet?

4. Your mom tells you she has some news. She has remarried your father's brother, your Uncle Claude.
You never liked your Uncle Claude. He had always been jealous of your father for taking over the family business. He often complained about his own job and looked always creeped you out with the way he looked at your mom.
Uncle Claude
What's your tweet now?

5. One night, your father's ghost comes to you in a dream. He lets you in on a little secret... he was murdered by your uncle.
He wants you to avenge him...
Was the dream real? Will you kill your uncle?
What's your tweet?

GOOD TIME FOR A SUMMARY: CLICK here AND READ THE CARTOON SUMMARY OF HAMLET.

USING COMPLETE SENTENCES WRITE A WELL-DEVELOPED PARAGRAPH ON WHAT YOU THINK THE PLAY WILL BE ABOUT. ALSO WRITE A REFLECTION PARAGRAPH ANSWERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (be sure to use textual evidence) 

1. Are you interested in reading the play after seeing the summary? Why or why not? 

2. Do you think the play will be complicated for you to ready? why or why not? 

3. What do you think about the end of the play? 

For this task you will be assessed on the completion of the webquest. This includes answering the questions in full sentences in your own words. DO NOT REPEAT ANSWERS WORD FOR WORD FROM THE WEBSITES!

Students will also be rated on how well developed their paragraphs are and if they provided evidence from the text. 

Now that you are familiar with the Hamlet - the environment in which it was written - lets begin reading 

Hope you enjoyed the webquest!  

W. 9-10.4 Writing

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.

RL. 9-10.1 

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 

SL. 9-10.2

Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.