Unit 6: Power through Gender
Weeks 6-9 Calendar- Spring Semester (20 Days)
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Rationale
In this unit students will continue to expand their notion of to define power by studying how gender roles function. Specifically, students will be studying gender roles through William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. I anticipate that this will be many students first experience with reading Shakespeare, so we will be reading the play together in class and breaking down each scene. Students will also be taught how to use the Oxford English Dictionary to assist them with deciphering the unfamiliar language. Through this unit of study students will also look at different genres of literature and work to understand how genre influences meaning. They will work to reproduce a scene from the play in new genres and compare and contrast a movie adaptation of the play, filmed in a different genre. Students will finally work to understand gender roles throughout history by working in small groups to create timelines showing socially constructed notions of gender roles throughout history. For their final project, students will create and extended scene of the play in which they will consider the genre and gender constructions of the large text.
For this unit, our class will be reading the infamous Shakespeare. Although this text is quite a bit older than our other text, and may be difficult for students to read, Shakespeare's plays hold a high value in students' English education. The themes and characters in Taming of the Shrew force students to question how they are effected by societal values prevalent today. Studying the language of the play, as we will do through our work with the Oxford English Dictionary, will provide students with an increased vocabulary and understanding of the Elizabethan time period. Finally, Shakespeare's language "provides students with rich models for study, imitation, and expressive personal re-creation" (Gibson, Teaching Shakespeare). In this unit, students will have a chance to imitate and construct re-creations of Shakespeare's work through our Genre Play activity and the Extended Ending final assignment. By using Taming of the Shrew as a mentor text, students will be able to model their work after that of a legend.
For this unit, our class will be reading the infamous Shakespeare. Although this text is quite a bit older than our other text, and may be difficult for students to read, Shakespeare's plays hold a high value in students' English education. The themes and characters in Taming of the Shrew force students to question how they are effected by societal values prevalent today. Studying the language of the play, as we will do through our work with the Oxford English Dictionary, will provide students with an increased vocabulary and understanding of the Elizabethan time period. Finally, Shakespeare's language "provides students with rich models for study, imitation, and expressive personal re-creation" (Gibson, Teaching Shakespeare). In this unit, students will have a chance to imitate and construct re-creations of Shakespeare's work through our Genre Play activity and the Extended Ending final assignment. By using Taming of the Shrew as a mentor text, students will be able to model their work after that of a legend.
Goals
- Understand the role gender plays in defining power
- Learn how to consult the Oxford English Dictionary to understand an unknown word
- See the effect genre has on how to interpret a text
- Distinguish between gender stereotypes and see how they function in society
Standards Addressed
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. (CCSS: RL.8.4)
- Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. (CCSS: L.8.4)
- Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g. dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech. (CCSS: L.8.4c)
- Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. (CCSS: RL.8.7)
Texts
The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare
The beautiful and gentle Bianca has no shortage of admirers (Lucentio, Gremio and Hortensio) but her father insists that she will not marry until her shrewish sister, Katharina, is betrothed. Bianca's suitors persuade fortune-seeker Petruchio to court her. The suitors pay for any costs involved and there is also the goal of Katharina's dowry. (Overview from bardstage.org)
The beautiful and gentle Bianca has no shortage of admirers (Lucentio, Gremio and Hortensio) but her father insists that she will not marry until her shrewish sister, Katharina, is betrothed. Bianca's suitors persuade fortune-seeker Petruchio to court her. The suitors pay for any costs involved and there is also the goal of Katharina's dowry. (Overview from bardstage.org)
Kiss Me Kate (1953)
Fred and Lilly are a divorced pair of actors who are brought together by Cole Porter who has written a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. Of course, the couple seem to act a great deal like the characters they play. A fight on the opening night threatens the production, as well as two thugs who have the mistaken idea that Fred owes their boss money and insist on staying next to him all night. (Overview from IMDb.com)
Fred and Lilly are a divorced pair of actors who are brought together by Cole Porter who has written a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. Of course, the couple seem to act a great deal like the characters they play. A fight on the opening night threatens the production, as well as two thugs who have the mistaken idea that Fred owes their boss money and insist on staying next to him all night. (Overview from IMDb.com)
The Oxford English Dictionary
We will be using this as a reference source. Students will mostly be working from their online database.
http://www.oed.com/
We will be using this as a reference source. Students will mostly be working from their online database.
http://www.oed.com/
Activities and Assessment
OED WebQuest
Students will learn how to use and practice using the online Oxford English Dictionary. They will be completing a webquest and worksheet to assist them in their learning. The activity will have students log on to the OED online and search for a specific word common to Shakespearean language. They will then record the word's definition, it's dates of usage, etymology, ect. The worksheet will provide spaces for ten more words. Students will record and look up ten words of their choosing from the play as we read in class.
This assignment will be graded on participation and completion. Students must complete the worksheet, listing all required elements for all 11 words.
Genre Play
After reading Act 2, Scene 1 in class, Students will be split into groups of five or six. Each group will draw a slip of paper out of a hat. Each slip will have a different genre written on it, such as western, action, crime, science fiction, ect. Students will then work with their group to recreate the scene in their chosen genre. Student will be given time in class to write their script and plan out staging. They may bring props/costumes to class the next day. Groups will then preform their skits and classmates will try to guess their genre.
Students will be assessed on their ability to work collaboratively and creatively. Student's skits must accurately represent their designated genre without departing from the meaning of the scene.
Gender Expectations Timeline
Students will break up into small groups of about 5 to 6 to create a timeline on Capzel. Each group will be assigned a different century, starting with the 1500's and moving forward to the present day. Each group will work collaboratively to create a timeline of their century with at least ten "events". Each event should include a photo and a description. Students will be encouraged to also upload videos, music, or pamphlets/other miscellaneous artifacts to their timeline. Each groups timeline should cover gender expectations of both men and women during different points of their decade. Students should note dress, occupation, social expectations, ect. Groups will present their timelines to the class and explain each of their "events".
Groups will be assessed on their ability to work collaboratively and effectively. Capzels must be clear and informative. Each group's Capzel must discuss ten events, including a photo and a description. Descriptions should include information on dress, occupations, social expectations, ect. Each group should include a mode other than text in at least one of their events.
Gender Stereotyping Compare/Contrast
Students will compare and contrast the portrayal of the women characters in Taming of the Shrew and Kiss me Kate. While watching the film, students will fill out a ven diagram graphic organizer noting how the director chose to portray the female characters in the film in contrast to how Shakespeare portrayed the female characters in the play. Students will then write a short compare/contrast reflection from their ven diagram. Students should consider what influenced the changes from the play to the movie. They should draw on their knowledge from the timeline activity and consider different notions of gender during the times each was produced. Students will post their response on the class blog and comment on a classmate's response.
Student's reflections should compare and contrast specific instances from both the film and the play to discuss the portrayal of women. Their reflections should draw on information from the timeline activity and their ven diagrams.
Students will learn how to use and practice using the online Oxford English Dictionary. They will be completing a webquest and worksheet to assist them in their learning. The activity will have students log on to the OED online and search for a specific word common to Shakespearean language. They will then record the word's definition, it's dates of usage, etymology, ect. The worksheet will provide spaces for ten more words. Students will record and look up ten words of their choosing from the play as we read in class.
This assignment will be graded on participation and completion. Students must complete the worksheet, listing all required elements for all 11 words.
Genre Play
After reading Act 2, Scene 1 in class, Students will be split into groups of five or six. Each group will draw a slip of paper out of a hat. Each slip will have a different genre written on it, such as western, action, crime, science fiction, ect. Students will then work with their group to recreate the scene in their chosen genre. Student will be given time in class to write their script and plan out staging. They may bring props/costumes to class the next day. Groups will then preform their skits and classmates will try to guess their genre.
Students will be assessed on their ability to work collaboratively and creatively. Student's skits must accurately represent their designated genre without departing from the meaning of the scene.
Gender Expectations Timeline
Students will break up into small groups of about 5 to 6 to create a timeline on Capzel. Each group will be assigned a different century, starting with the 1500's and moving forward to the present day. Each group will work collaboratively to create a timeline of their century with at least ten "events". Each event should include a photo and a description. Students will be encouraged to also upload videos, music, or pamphlets/other miscellaneous artifacts to their timeline. Each groups timeline should cover gender expectations of both men and women during different points of their decade. Students should note dress, occupation, social expectations, ect. Groups will present their timelines to the class and explain each of their "events".
Groups will be assessed on their ability to work collaboratively and effectively. Capzels must be clear and informative. Each group's Capzel must discuss ten events, including a photo and a description. Descriptions should include information on dress, occupations, social expectations, ect. Each group should include a mode other than text in at least one of their events.
Gender Stereotyping Compare/Contrast
Students will compare and contrast the portrayal of the women characters in Taming of the Shrew and Kiss me Kate. While watching the film, students will fill out a ven diagram graphic organizer noting how the director chose to portray the female characters in the film in contrast to how Shakespeare portrayed the female characters in the play. Students will then write a short compare/contrast reflection from their ven diagram. Students should consider what influenced the changes from the play to the movie. They should draw on their knowledge from the timeline activity and consider different notions of gender during the times each was produced. Students will post their response on the class blog and comment on a classmate's response.
Student's reflections should compare and contrast specific instances from both the film and the play to discuss the portrayal of women. Their reflections should draw on information from the timeline activity and their ven diagrams.
Culminating Assignment and Assessment
Extended Ending Assignment
For this project students will be asked to write a short Act V, Scene ii to extend the play. Scenes should be about one page, typed. Students will extend on the ending of the play, considering what happens when the newlyweds return home. Their scenes should have at least two characters, follow the written format of the rest of the play, and include staging ques. Students need to consider the genre of the play, keeping in mind that it is a comedy. They should attempt to mirror Shakespeare's language using their OED research. Students should also draw on their research of gender roles. They must make sure that their added scene does not depart from the gender roles displayed in the rest of the play.
Student's scenes will be assessed on their creativity and their adherence to they style of the rest of the play. Scenes must be about a page, typed, have at least two characters, and include staging ques. Their genre and expression of gender roles must be consistent with the rest of the play. Students must at least attempt to mirror the language of the rest of the play.
* This culminating assignment will require students to draw on information about genre and gender roles as discussed in the rest of the unit. They will need to use their OED research to mirror Shakespeare's language for their own scene. They will also need to use their knowledge of genre to appropriately write their scene. Furthermore, they will need to apply their what they have learned about gender expectations. This first culminating assignment will provide students with one possible modality to use as part of their student choice culminating assessment at the end of the year.
For this project students will be asked to write a short Act V, Scene ii to extend the play. Scenes should be about one page, typed. Students will extend on the ending of the play, considering what happens when the newlyweds return home. Their scenes should have at least two characters, follow the written format of the rest of the play, and include staging ques. Students need to consider the genre of the play, keeping in mind that it is a comedy. They should attempt to mirror Shakespeare's language using their OED research. Students should also draw on their research of gender roles. They must make sure that their added scene does not depart from the gender roles displayed in the rest of the play.
Student's scenes will be assessed on their creativity and their adherence to they style of the rest of the play. Scenes must be about a page, typed, have at least two characters, and include staging ques. Their genre and expression of gender roles must be consistent with the rest of the play. Students must at least attempt to mirror the language of the rest of the play.
* This culminating assignment will require students to draw on information about genre and gender roles as discussed in the rest of the unit. They will need to use their OED research to mirror Shakespeare's language for their own scene. They will also need to use their knowledge of genre to appropriately write their scene. Furthermore, they will need to apply their what they have learned about gender expectations. This first culminating assignment will provide students with one possible modality to use as part of their student choice culminating assessment at the end of the year.