Meet "... not of an age, but for all time" |
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Still photo from the 1998 film
Shakespeare in Love
© 1998 - Miramax Films/
Universal Pictures
In English class his year, you will begin studying the works of William Shakespeare, an author who wrote during the 16th century in Elizabethan England (during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I). In fact, you will probably study Shakespeare every year from now until you graduate high school, just as your parents did. It might seem surprising that one author from so long ago continues to be studied so frequently. However, the English classroom isn't the only place where "the Bard" is still popular. More than 250 film versions or adaptations of Shakespeare's works have been produced since 1899, and over 55 Shakespeare-inspired movies have been released since 1990. Furthermore, live theater productions of Shakespeare's dramas continue to be acted out on stages around the world, and the English language abounds with words and phrases coined by Shakespeare. Shakespeare's continued popularity and influence confirms what British author Ben Jonson predicted; shortly after "the Bard's" death, Jonson said that Shakespeare was "... not of an age, but for all time." You may be wondering, "What's the big deal about this guy Shakespeare, anyway?"
Click here to read more about Shakespeare's enduring appeal. |
Imagine that the Technology Education department at your school has just completed construction of a new time machine. You and your classmates have been selected to be the time machine's first "passengers". This is a perfect opportunity to take a "field trip" back in time to Elizabethan England, to gain some insight into Shakespeare's writing, language, life and times. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready to meet Mr. Shakespeare!
Who was William Shakespeare, and how did he become one of the most popular and influential authors of all time? |
Reconstructed New Globe Theater
Since the time machine can only take a few students at a time, you will work with a small group to research one of the following topics:
Shakespeare's Personal Life |
Shakespeare's Professional Life |
Shakespeare's Theater |
Shakespeare's Plays |
Shakespeare's Poetry |
Shakespeare's Language |
You and your group members will use a variety of resources to "travel back" to the time and place in which Shakespeare lived, and to become experts on your assigned topic. After completing your research, your group will work together to design a creative project and presentation to share the information you gathered about your topic with the rest of the class.
To assist with your topic selection, preview the following:
- Creative project/presentation ideas for each topic.
- Project/presentation assessments and some sample research questions before making your selection.
After groups and topics have been approved by your teacher, record your topic and group members' names on this Research Guide; you may either print out and write on this document, or type your information and save the document according to your teacher’s directions.
Assessments
You will be graded on your daily work on the research process, your group work, and your group's creative project and presentation.
Research Process Assessments:
Group Work Assessment |
Questions
Essential Question:
Who was William Shakespeare, and how did he become one of the most popular and influential authors of all time? |
Subsidiary Questions: Click here for some sample questions to jump-start your thinking. Then use your Research Guide to generate andsome specific questions of your own about your research topic.
Gather and Sort
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Before you begin gathering information about your topic from a variety of sources, review the following important guidelines:
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Now use a variety of resources to gather information about your topic. |
Organizeze
Meet with the other members of your group to analyze your research notes and determine if you have gathered sufficient information about your topic.
- Do you have enough details to answer each of your subsidiary questions?
- Do you have additional information that would be of value to your audience?
- Is there any unrelated information you should eliminate?
Use the Planning Sheet for your topic below to decide on the best format for sharing your information with the class, and to plan how you will create your group project/presentation; your format selection must be approved by your teacher.
As you work together to create your project, use the project/presentation scoring tools to ensure that you are meeting the requirements and to self-assess your work when you are finished.
Conclusion
Interior of the New Globe Theater
Presentations:
Present your group's creative project to the your classmates.
- After giving your own presentation, self-assess your own group's work using the Group Work scoring tool.
As you view and listen to other groups' presentations, use this chart to record notes about the various topics. These notes may be useful to you later as read and study Shakespeare's works.
- Your teacher may also have you use a scoring tool to peer-assess the projects/presentations of other groups.
Reflection:
After all the projects have been presented, compose a constructed response or sourcebook entry in response to this prompt:
Following William Shakespeare's death in 1616, British author Ben Jonson made a prediction about the enduring importance and appeal of his work. Explain how Jonson was correct when he predicted that Shakespeare was "... not of an age, but for all time."
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