1. Shakespeare's Hamlet
Student Page
Teacher Page
Title
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
(A Web-quest)
Designed By: Katherine Koch, Phil Shill, and James Valentine
Credits
2. Introduction
Student Page "To be or not to be?"
Teacher Page
Well, that is a very deep question. You read Shakespeare’s "Hamlet," but
did you really understand the material? Hamlet’s world becomes complicated simply
based on the wording Shakespeare uses and the style in which he writes. Did you read
Title the play and really get a grasp of what was going on? Did you say to yourself "I have
absolutely no Idea what just happened!"?
Introduction If you did, this webquest should highlight important plot twists and themes
and can be used as a study tool to make the tragedy of “Hamlet” more memorable.
The links posted on the task page range from a deeper explanation of the themes in
Task “Hamlet”, to comedic spins on the play itself. After viewing the links there will be a
series of questions pertaining to the play. These questions are going to be similar to
the caliber of questions that will be on the upcoming test.
Process There will be a link that will list the characters to re-familiarize the role of
each member. The credit for the success of Shakespeare's tragedies not only goes to
the plot, but also to his characters. The characters in Shakespeare's plays are human,
Evaluation and react to situations in the way people would behave in certain situations, even in
real life. The protagonists in his tragic plays have superior characteristics that make
them great and powerful, but they have one flaw in their character which leads them to
Conclusion their tragedy. It is the same in the case of prince Hamlet. Hamlet is a complex play and
understanding its characters is not a simple task. Each character has different layers
and are rounded characters as seen in most plays of Shakespeare. He never
portrayed characters as black and white because he believed that human beings have
a mixture of good virtues as well as bad.
Credits
3. Task
Student Page
Teacher Page
Your task begins now, and you will
have two in-class days to complete it.
Title
TASK: View the links on the process
Introduction page, take time to read and think
Task about the information, and then apply
what you have learned to answer
Process questions.
Evaluation After completing the activities, you will
be able to summarize, analyze, and
Conclusion demonstrate an overall understanding
of Shakespeare's play, "Hamlet".
You will need access to the Web in order to
work through this task.
Credits
4. Process
Even though this is a group assignment, all students must answer their own questions on
Student Page separate pieces of paper.
Answer the following questions in a word document using the links listed below.
Teacher Page 1. Why is Hamlet bitter and Hateful towards his uncle and mother?
2. What do you believe the ghost represents? Should Hamlet be wary of listening to this ghost?
3. What series of events led Hamlet to believe that Claudius had murdered his father? And why does Hamlet reconsider killing his uncle
after he has his “proof” that his uncle committed the murder?
Title 4. When Hamlet accidently killed Polonius what series of events took place to lead to the deaths of 5 others?
5. After reading the summary what are your thoughts on how Hamlet acted? Would you behave in the same manner if the same series of
events had happened to you?
Introduction 6.
7.
Did you find the videos to be helpful? Did the comedic relief add any value or entertainment to the summaries of Hamlet?
What are some of the scenes that the 5 minute videos left out that you feel were too important to leave out? If there were none then
explain why the left out scenes are not needed.
8. Is there anything you can take from this play and apply to your life?
Task 9. Which theme do you think has the most value in today’s world? Which has the least?
Now that you have read over the task and the questions it would be a good time to look over a
Process character list for hamlet so that you can get familiarized with the characters.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/characters.html
Evaluation Follow the above link to see some short descriptions of the characters. The link also has more in-
depth analysis of the major characters if you are interested in learning more. This link will help you
to answer many of the questions in the task especially questions 1 and 2.
Conclusion This link is a plot overview of hamlet. This will help you answer specifically questions 3-5
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/summary.html
Now that you are familiar with the characters there are a couple of 5 minute Shakespeare videos
that will help you answer the questions above. In the first link the characters do not speak but there
are descriptions of what is happening. The second link is done by high school students who had to
make a “Hamlet” video for their English class. Both videos are relatively short and will help you to
complete questions 7 and 8.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybsD5FHe-Oc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afd_gL9F7Q0
Credits This last link is a list of the themes that appear throughout the play. Use this link to answer
questions 8 and 9.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/themes.html
5. Evaluation
Student Page
Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary
Criteria
Teacher Page 1 2 3 4
Critical None of the Some of the Most of the All of the
questions are questions are questions are questions are
Thinking answered answered answered answered
Title correctly and little
work is shown
correctly and the
student shows an
correctly and the
student shows
correctly and
thoroughly. The
towards analyzing understanding of that they have answers show
the material. Also the material. read the material that the student
Introduction if the student
made no effort to
complete the task.
and have
attempted to
analyze the
has read through
and attempted to
analyze the
material. material.
Task
Directions None of the Some of the Most of the All of the
directions are directions are directions are directions are
Process followed. Also if
the student made
no effort to
followed. followed. followed.
complete the task.
Evaluation Mechanics The student has The student has The student has The student does
many spelling and some spelling and barely any not have any
grammar errors. grammar errors. spelling or spelling or
(15+) (10-15) grammar errors in grammar errors.
Conclusion the question
responses. (5-10)
Fluency The student has The student has The student The student
difficulty forming some difficulty demonstrates the demonstrates the
proper sentences, forming proper ability to form ability to form
lacks fluency of sentences and proper sentences, proper sentences
ideas, and fails to lacks fluency of but lacks some and to easily
answer all of the ideas, and fails to fluency of ideas. express thoughts
questions answer some of and opinions.
completely. the questions
completely.
Credits
6. Conclusion
Student Page
Teacher Page
Title
Introduction
Task You have hopefully learned a little bit about a big part of writing history.
Shakespeare was a fantastic writer and to this day is considered one of
the greatest. Some of the lessons and themes that he writes about
Process relate to our everyday lives. If you would like to learn more about
Shakespeare feel free to ask me and I will be happy to share more of
his plays with you and answer any questions that you may still have.
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits
7. Credits
Student Page
Teacher Page
Images:
Title Introduction Image:
http://iteachicoachiblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/shakespeare-common-core-style.html
Introduction Conclusion Image:
http://jokespeare.tumblr.com/
Task
Background Image:
http://www.freeppt.net/download/stage-powerpoint-239.html
Process
Evaluation
A special thanks to SparkNotes and the creators of the
Conclusion “Hamlet in 5 Minutes” videos.
Credits
8. Teacher Process
You will be assigned into a group of 3-4 students.
Student Page Answer the following questions in a word document using the links listed below.
Teacher Page 1. Why is Hamlet bitter and Hateful towards his uncle and mother?
2. What do you believe the ghost represents? Should Hamlet be wary of listening to this ghost?
3. What series of events led Hamlet to believe that Claudius had murdered his father? And why does Hamlet reconsider killing his uncle
after he has his “proof” that his uncle committed the murder?
4. When Hamlet accidently killed Polonius what series of events took place to lead to the deaths of 5 others?
5. After reading the summary what are your thoughts on how Hamlet acted? Would you behave in the same manner if the same series of
Process events had happened to you?
6. Did you find the videos to be helpful? Did the comedic relief add any value or entertainment to the summaries of Hamlet?
7. What are some of the scenes that the 5 minute videos left out that you feel were too important to leave out? If there were none then
Resources 8.
explain why the left out scenes are not needed.
Is there anything you can take from this play and apply to your life?
9. Which theme do you think has the most value in today’s world? Which has the least?
Evaluation Now that you have read over the task and the questions it would be a good time to look over a character list for hamlet so
that you can get familiarized with the characters. http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/characters.html
Follow the above link to see some short descriptions of the characters. The link also has more in-depth analysis of the
major characters if you are interested in learning more. This link will help you to answer many of the questions in the task
especially questions 1 and 2.
This link is a plot overview of hamlet. This will help you answer specifically questions 3-5
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/summary.html
Now that you are familiar with the characters there are a couple of 5 minute Shakespeare videos that will help you answer
the questions above. In the first link the characters do not speak but there are descriptions of what is happening. The
second link is done by high school students who had to make a “Hamlet” video for their English class. Both videos are
relatively short and will help you to complete questions 7 and 8.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybsD5FHe-Oc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afd_gL9F7Q0
This last link is a list of the themes that appear throughout the play. Use this link to answer questions 8 and 9.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/themes.html
--> This lesson will most likely take 2 class periods for the students to watch the videos, read the
summaries and to answer the questions. The students can either be put into groups by the teacher of
they can pick groups their selves. Hopefully the group work will spark some conversation on a few of
the more in-depth questions. This can be done by a novice teacher and does not require much more
Credits than having computers for the students to use and the teacher to help them if help is needed. The
students should answer the questions on their own separate pieces of paper to turn in.
9. Teacher Resources
Student Page
Teacher Page
The only thing that you will really need to teach this lesson will be computers wish
sound for the students to use. This is a web based activity that the students will have
to watch videos and read character descriptions and a summary.
This lesson will have extensive use of a few websites.
Process
This is the website for the character list and descriptions.
Resources http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/characters.html
This is the video of Hamlet in 5 minutes using plastic spoons and knives for the
Evaluation acting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybsD5FHe-Oc
This is the video of Hamlet that is about 9 minutes long. It is a group of high school
kids who had to make this for their English class. Has some humor in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afd_gL9F7Q0
This is the summary of Hamlet to wrap up any questions the students might have.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/summary.html
This assignment can be done by one teacher. The assignment will be mostly done
by the students working together. The only thing that the teacher will need to do is to
supply their students with this webquest and with a computer to view the links. From
there you will just have to answer any questions they might have and to help them
Credits along if needed.
10. Teacher Evaluation
Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary
Student Page Criteria 1 2 3 4
Teacher Page Critical
Thinking
None of the
questions are
Some of the
questions are
Most of the
questions are
All of the
questions are
answered answered answered answered
correctly and little correctly and the correctly and the correctly and
work is shown student shows an student shows thoroughly. The
towards understanding of that they have answers show
analyzing the the material. read the material that the student
Process material. Also if
the student made
no effort to
and have
attempted to
analyze the
has read through
and attempted to
analyze the
complete the material. material.
task.
Resources
Directions None of the Some of the Most of the All of the
Evaluation directions are
followed. Also if
directions are
followed.
directions are
followed.
directions are
followed.
the student made
no effort to
complete the
task.
Mechanics The student has The student has The student has The student
many spelling some spelling barely any does not have
and grammar and grammar spelling or any spelling or
errors. (15+) errors. (10-15) grammar errors grammar errors.
in the question
responses. (5-10)
Fluency The student has The student has The student The student
difficulty forming some difficulty demonstrates the demonstrates
proper forming proper ability to form the ability to
sentences, lacks sentences and proper form proper
fluency of ideas, lacks fluency of sentences, but sentences and
and fails to ideas, and fails to lacks some to easily express
answer all of the answer some of fluency of ideas. thoughts and
questions the questions opinions.
completely. completely.
You will know that this lesson was successful if the students answered the questions correctly and if their answers
Credits showed some signs of critical thinking. The main thing that should be looked for is if the students can do more then just
answer the question. You will want to see if the student can relate something from this assignment to their every day
lives.
