Exploring Shakespeare's Hamlet: A Year 3 Adventure

Exploring Shakespeare's Hamlet: A Year 3 Adventure

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to understand the story of Hamlet and its importance in literature.

What do you already know about William Shakespeare and his play Hamlet?

Who was William Shakespeare?

William Shakespeare was a famous playwright and poet from England who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Introduction to Hamlet

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, and it tells the story of a young prince seeking revenge for his father's death.

Characters in Hamlet

The play features characters like Hamlet, Ophelia, King Claudius, and Queen Gertrude, each playing a crucial role in the story.

Exploring the Setting

The play is set in the Kingdom of Denmark and features a castle, graveyards, and other significant locations.

Themes in Hamlet

Themes of revenge, betrayal, madness, and mortality are central to the play's storyline and characters' development.

Famous Quotes from Hamlet

The play contains iconic lines such as 'To be, or not to be' and 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.'

The Soliloquy 'To be, or not to be'

This famous soliloquy reflects Hamlet's contemplation of life and death, showcasing Shakespeare's mastery of language and emotion.

Hamlet's Influence

The play has had a significant impact on literature, theater, and popular culture throughout the centuries.

Interactive Discussion

Engage in a group discussion about the characters, themes, and quotes from Hamlet.

Creative Activity: Design a Play Poster

Students will create a poster for a hypothetical production of Hamlet, incorporating key elements of the play.

Acting Out Scenes

Select a few key scenes from Hamlet and have students act them out in small groups.

Hamlet's Legacy

Discuss how Hamlet continues to be relevant in the modern world and why it is still studied and performed today.

The Globe Theatre

Introduce the Globe Theatre, where many of Shakespeare's plays were originally performed.

Reviewing Key Concepts

Recap the main themes, characters, and quotes from Hamlet to ensure understanding.

Assessment: Quiz Time

Administer a short quiz to assess students' knowledge of Hamlet and its key elements.

Reflecting on the Lesson

Encourage students to share their thoughts and reflections on what they've learned about Hamlet and Shakespeare.

Conclusion and Homework

Summarize the lesson and assign a related homework task, such as writing a short reflection on Hamlet.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.