Lesson 4: Introduction to Julius Caesar
- Historical context
- Who was JC?
- Shakespeare’s adaptation
(Multiple-class lesson)
PASS Standards and Objective
Standard 3: Literature
1. Literary Genres - Demonstrate a knowledge of and an appreciation for various forms of literature.
1. Literary Genres - Demonstrate a knowledge of and an appreciation for various forms of literature.
- Analyze the characteristics of genres including short story, novel, drama, poetry, and essay.
- Analyze the characteristics of subgenres including tragedy, sonnet, epic, lyric, and narrative
- Analyze and evaluate works of literature and the historical context in which they were written.
- Analyze and evaluate literature from various cultures to broaden cultural awareness.
- Compare works that express the recurrence of archetypal (universal modes or patterns) characters, settings, and themes in literature and provide evidence to support the ideas expressed in each work.
Materials
- Documentary (YouTube)
- Worksheets
Activities
[Day 1]
Opening Activity - Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing. (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
Each student will receive a worksheet that contains a number of general questions about the documentary The Roman Empire First King – Julius Caesar.
The students will be informed of what information they are to look for in the documentary, including basic information about Julius Caesar and his popularity (or lack thereof). (10 minutes)
The class will watch the documentary, and they will turn in their worksheets at the end of class. (50 minutes)
Opening Activity - Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing. (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
Each student will receive a worksheet that contains a number of general questions about the documentary The Roman Empire First King – Julius Caesar.
The students will be informed of what information they are to look for in the documentary, including basic information about Julius Caesar and his popularity (or lack thereof). (10 minutes)
The class will watch the documentary, and they will turn in their worksheets at the end of class. (50 minutes)
[Day 2]
Opening Activity - Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing. (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
The class will be divided into two groups: one group will be designated as “fans” of Julius Caesar, and one group will be designated as “not fans” of Julius Caesar. Using the information they gathered from the documentary, each side of the class will discuss the reasons why they “like” or “dislike” Caesar. (20 minutes)
If there is any confusion about the information in the documentary, the teacher will be there to assist in answering questions.
After each side has had time to discuss and record their reasons, a representative from each group will come to the board and complete a Pro/Con list for Julius Caesar. (5 minutes)
The class will discuss how one person could be considered so controversial. (10 minutes)
The discussion will transition into a lecture about Shakespeare’s interpretation of Julius Caesar (Prezi). Students will record notes in notebook. (15 minutes)
Closing Activity/Homework: None
Opening Activity - Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing. (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
The class will be divided into two groups: one group will be designated as “fans” of Julius Caesar, and one group will be designated as “not fans” of Julius Caesar. Using the information they gathered from the documentary, each side of the class will discuss the reasons why they “like” or “dislike” Caesar. (20 minutes)
If there is any confusion about the information in the documentary, the teacher will be there to assist in answering questions.
After each side has had time to discuss and record their reasons, a representative from each group will come to the board and complete a Pro/Con list for Julius Caesar. (5 minutes)
The class will discuss how one person could be considered so controversial. (10 minutes)
The discussion will transition into a lecture about Shakespeare’s interpretation of Julius Caesar (Prezi). Students will record notes in notebook. (15 minutes)
Closing Activity/Homework: None
Assessment
- Visual (group work + pro/con list)
- Worksheets will be collected
Lesson 5: Rhetoric in Julius Caesar
(Multiple-day lesson)
- Cassius’s speech to Brutus
- Brutus’s soliloquy
- Brutus’s funeral speech
- Mark Antony’s funeral speech
(Multiple-day lesson)
PASS Standards and Objective
Standard 3: Literature
2. Literary Elements - Demonstrate knowledge of literary elements and techniques and show how they affect the development of a literary work.
3. Figurative Language and Sound Devices - Identify figurative language and sound devices and analyze how they affect the development of a literary work.
4. Literary Works - The student will read and respond to historically and culturally significant works of literature
2. Literary Elements - Demonstrate knowledge of literary elements and techniques and show how they affect the development of a literary work.
3. Figurative Language and Sound Devices - Identify figurative language and sound devices and analyze how they affect the development of a literary work.
4. Literary Works - The student will read and respond to historically and culturally significant works of literature
Materials
- Printed JC texts:
- Act 1, Scene 2 (Cassius and Brutus)
- Act 2, Scene 1 (Brutus’s soliloquy)
- Act 3, Scene 2 (Brutus’s and Antony’s funeral speeches)
- Smartboard
Activities
[Day 1]
Opening Activity - Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing (it will be a Shakespeare quote) (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
The class will be given a brief presentation on “Shakespeare language hacks”, which they will record in their notebooks. (10 minutes)
Each student will receive a packet of printed Shakespeare text: specifically, JC Act 1, Scene 2.
Using the Smartboard, the teacher and the class will collaborate and translate the Shakespearean lines of Cassius’s and Brutus’s conversation into modern language. (30 minutes)
The class will discuss the dialogue and explain Cassius’s rhetorical techniques when talking to Brutus. They will also discuss reasons why Cassius needs to convince Brutus of something in the first place. (10 minutes)
After this discussion, two students will be chosen to read the lines out loud. (10 minutes)
Resources:
Closing Activity – Shakespeare + Mean Girls connection (10 minutes)
Opening Activity - Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing (it will be a Shakespeare quote) (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
The class will be given a brief presentation on “Shakespeare language hacks”, which they will record in their notebooks. (10 minutes)
Each student will receive a packet of printed Shakespeare text: specifically, JC Act 1, Scene 2.
Using the Smartboard, the teacher and the class will collaborate and translate the Shakespearean lines of Cassius’s and Brutus’s conversation into modern language. (30 minutes)
The class will discuss the dialogue and explain Cassius’s rhetorical techniques when talking to Brutus. They will also discuss reasons why Cassius needs to convince Brutus of something in the first place. (10 minutes)
After this discussion, two students will be chosen to read the lines out loud. (10 minutes)
Resources:
- http://shakespeare.about.com/od/teachingshakespeare/a/shakespeare_words.htm
- http://genius.com/2524533
- https://youtu.be/wgPymD-NBQU
- http://meanshakespeare.tumblr.com/image/113596006957
- http://meanshakespeare.tumblr.com/post/113658495062/speak-hands-for-me
- http://meanshakespeare.tumblr.com/post/45409317874/brutus-and-caesar-what-should-be-in-that
- http://meanshakespeare.tumblr.com/post/45409528854/when-could-they-say-till-now-that-talkd-of-rome
- http://meanshakespeare.tumblr.com/post/79569875628/so-tomorrow-is-the-ides-of-march-thanks-for
- https://youtu.be/6ovOboVwB7g
Closing Activity – Shakespeare + Mean Girls connection (10 minutes)
[Day 2]
Opening Activity - Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing (it will be a Shakespeare quote) (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
Each student will receive a piece of paper with Brutus’s speech on it. The class will be informed of the context of the speech so that they understand Brutus is revealing his innermost thoughts after speaking with Cassius (define soliloquy). (15 minutes)
The class will work as a group to transcribe the first four lines of the soliloquy together.
(5 minutes
After this, each student will work individually to transcribe the rest of the lines.
(20 minutes)
The class will discuss Brutus’s response to Cassius’s persuasion, and they will discuss how Brutus persuades himself to go along with Caesar’s assassination. (10 minutes)
Together, the class will write a thesis that summarizes Brutus’s feelings in his soliloquy. (5 minutes)
Closing Activity—Pop Sonnets; students will translate “pop sonnets” in order to become more comfortable with Shakespearian language. (10 minutes)
Homework: Finish transcription if they have not already.
Resources:
Opening Activity - Quote Quick Write: Get the brain warmed up, start by getting their mind on writing (it will be a Shakespeare quote) (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
Each student will receive a piece of paper with Brutus’s speech on it. The class will be informed of the context of the speech so that they understand Brutus is revealing his innermost thoughts after speaking with Cassius (define soliloquy). (15 minutes)
The class will work as a group to transcribe the first four lines of the soliloquy together.
(5 minutes
After this, each student will work individually to transcribe the rest of the lines.
(20 minutes)
The class will discuss Brutus’s response to Cassius’s persuasion, and they will discuss how Brutus persuades himself to go along with Caesar’s assassination. (10 minutes)
Together, the class will write a thesis that summarizes Brutus’s feelings in his soliloquy. (5 minutes)
Closing Activity—Pop Sonnets; students will translate “pop sonnets” in order to become more comfortable with Shakespearian language. (10 minutes)
Homework: Finish transcription if they have not already.
Resources:
- Pop sonnets: http://popsonnet.tumblr.com/
[Day 3]
Opening Activity – Students will be given another pop sonnet and asked to annotate it. (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
Students will watch a clip that shows the murder of Caesar and the following funeral scene. They will see the crowd’s reaction to Brutus and Antony, and they will determine what has just occurred in the play. (20 minutes)
After watching the video, the students will receive two pieces of paper each: one with Brutus’s speech, and the other with Antony’s speech. They will annotate and transcribe the two texts. (40 minutes)
The class will be divided into two groups, and the teacher will declare one group the “Brutus” group and the other the “Antony” group. Each group will discuss the main argument of each speech and the evidence that the other uses to support it. (20 minutes)
After each group discusses their texts, a representative from each group will explain to the other half of the class why their speech was successful or unsuccessful in winning over the Roman crowd. (5 minutes)
Closing Activity—Students will have a toga fashion show for extra credit. (10 minutes)
Opening Activity – Students will be given another pop sonnet and asked to annotate it. (10 minutes)
Main Activities:
Students will watch a clip that shows the murder of Caesar and the following funeral scene. They will see the crowd’s reaction to Brutus and Antony, and they will determine what has just occurred in the play. (20 minutes)
After watching the video, the students will receive two pieces of paper each: one with Brutus’s speech, and the other with Antony’s speech. They will annotate and transcribe the two texts. (40 minutes)
The class will be divided into two groups, and the teacher will declare one group the “Brutus” group and the other the “Antony” group. Each group will discuss the main argument of each speech and the evidence that the other uses to support it. (20 minutes)
After each group discusses their texts, a representative from each group will explain to the other half of the class why their speech was successful or unsuccessful in winning over the Roman crowd. (5 minutes)
Closing Activity—Students will have a toga fashion show for extra credit. (10 minutes)
Assessment
- Visual
- Will collect annotated/transcribed texts