Student Instructions

(Follow these steps to complete the online lesson…)

Lesson Objectives (What you will learn in this lesson):

à to analyze Shakespeare’s characterization of the protagonist,

Hamlet, thus developing an understanding of the “tragic hero”

type of character

à to analyze Shakespeare’s use of the tragic hero in Hamlet

à new vocabulary words from Hamlet, and how to properly use

them in your own writing

Step One: PowerPoint Presentation

à Begin the lesson by viewing the PowerPoint presentation found at the following address, which introduces the tragic hero type of character, and guides you through the process of analyzing Hamlet’s character. Also find on the presentation links to the handout you are to complete, and the assessment rubric, that details how you will be graded, as well as specific instructions on how to complete your character analysis and other short assignments. Click here to go to the PowerPoint presentation:

link to: Presentation on Hamlet as the Tragic Hero

Step Two: Written Assignments

There are several short assignments and one long assignment that you will complete for this lesson. All of these except the vocabulary assignment can be accessed from the PowerPoint presentation. Specific instructions on how to complete each assignment are as follows:

(Short) assignment #1: Fun Quiz

1. Go to the website that is listed on the second slide of the presentation.

2. Take the short quiz on which type of tragic hero you most resemble.

3. When you get your results, print them out for your own reference.

4. Open a new Word document.

5. Type a summary of your results, and your reaction to them, taking no more than one page (12-font, double-spaced) to do so.

6. Save the document, using your last name and Quizresults as the document’s title.

7. Send it to me, via email, as an attachment.

** (How to send an attachment):

1. From your email account, click on “compose” or “create,” to write a new email.

2. Type in my address, which is mafletcher3@yahoo.com, in the “send to” line.

3. In the “subject” line, type your name, and the name of the assignment you are sending.

4. Click on “attach” (probably at the bottom of the email screen).

5. When a new window opens up, click on “browse.”

6. Find the document you are sending, in the folder where you saved it, and double-click on the title of the document.

7. Depending on the email program you are using, you may need to click “attach” again, and wait until the screen shows you that the document is attached.

8. Then, click “back to message,” complete your message (if any) that will be sent along with your completed assignment.

9. Click “send,” and you are done!

Assignment #2: Character Analysis Handout

1. Click on the link to the handout on slide #5 of the PowerPoint presentation.

2. Open a new blank Word document.

3. Highlight the complete handout, right click, and click “copy.”

4. Go to the blank Word document, right click at the top of the page, and click “paste.”

5. Now you can click inside the boxes, and type your responses.

6. Don’t forget to give good examples from the text, in the right hand column!!

7. When you are finished, save the document using your name and Handout as the document’s title.

8. Then send it to me, via email, as an attachment, following the above instructions if you need help sending files as attachments.

(Short) Assignment #3: Other Tragic Hero Paragraph

1. Follow the instructions on slide #6 of the PowerPoint presentation to write a one paragraph description of a different play, book, or movie you have seen or read recently, in which the protagonist has all or many of the characteristics of a tragic hero. (Hint: You might use this as a comparison when you write your character analysis!)

2. Save this paragraph (12-font, double-spaced), using your name and OtherTragicHero as the document’s title.

3. Then send it to me, via email, as an attachment, following the above instructions if you need help sending files as attachments.

Assignment #4: Character Analysis

1. Using the information you gathered for the handout, write a character analysis of Hamlet as the tragic hero, adding, when helpful, how his character generates the interest of the audience (or reader).

2. You may also add examples of other tragic heroes from different texts (as you wrote about in assignment #3).

3. Make sure you have a strong, well-focused thesis statement that can be found in the first paragraph, of no more than two sentences in length.

4. Your analysis should be between 3 and 4 typed, double-spaced pages in length.

5. When you finish, email your analysis to me as an attachment.

Assignment #5: New Vocabulary Exercises

1. As you read Hamlet, write down at least 10 words that are not familiar to you, and their definitions.

2. When you have collected at least 10 new vocabulary words and their definitions, email the list to me, in a Word document, as an attachment.

3. After I have approved your list and definitions, use these words in a creative piece of writing of your own.

4. This work may be a poem, (very) short story, or lyrics to a song.

5. When you finish the creative writing exercise, email it to me in a Word document, as an attachment.

6. The creative work should be no longer than 2 pages, typed, double-spaced.

** If you have any questions about these instructions, you may email them to me at mafletcher3@yahoo.com

Additional link to Assessment Rubric à (This page gives detailed descriptions of what I will be looking for in your written assignments, and the number of points you can get for each, with a breakdown of how these points will translate into your grade at the bottom of the page).