English 101 Lesson Plan: 10/22/2012 Objective: Take on Shakespearean prose from a different angle, begin preparation for midterm. Time: 1 hour Materials: Copies of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, copies of Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor, pens, paper Procedure: 1:00–1:05 → Assign a different line from the play to each student using the prepared list of good, analyzable lines. 1:05–1:20 → Students should think about the implications of their lines, both in context and standing alone. Then, write half a page of general notes analyzing the meaning of each line within its own scene and within the play as a whole, making connections to other literary works, etc. 1:20–1:30 → Once they’ve generated some original thoughts, students should look more thoroughly at the play itself and at Foster’s HTRLLAP to get more ideas about their lines. 1:30–1:40 → Talk about a few of the lines as a class; students can offer each other insight and commentary on their respective lines. Remind them to continue taking notes throughout this discussion. 1:40–2:00 → Give them the remaining class time to begin writing essays, each pertaining to the one line only. The challenge of this assignment is in its specificity; the students must deconstruct a single line without explicitly quoting any others. Homework: Finish and type up essays, read acts 1 & 2 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for next class. Start thinking about overall themes in Shakespeare to get ready for midterm paper.