Lesson Plan # 5 (Critical Synthesis)

Subject/Course: Mr. Singletons English III

Unit: Is Othello Guilty? Connecting Shakespeares Othello to our Modern
Criminal Justice System
Topic: Isnt She Lovely?
Objectives:
SWBAT: Create arguments and provide textual support to back up their claims
SWBAT: Create fictive writing of their own based off the play
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.4.C
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, its part of speech, its etymology,
or its standard usage.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.3
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend
more fully when reading or listening.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.5.B
Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
Procedures: (see below)
Purpose: Often as we are reading Othello, we are reading to analyze the
characters greed, honor, and ultimate demise for the main characters. We find
ourselves asking how could Othello kill his wife without valid proof of her
committing any real actions of dishonor against him? How could he listen to Iago
so much that he couldnt see his own thoughts and beliefs completely? It is
common that we do not think to use Desdemona and her role as a means of
asking or answering these questions. For this lesson, students will read an article
on the Patriarchal Gaze and will then use that article to determine whether or not
it truly is Desdemonas fault for what ultimately happened to her. Students will
have a debate affirming or denying these allegations based off of the feminist
critique.

Beginning (10 Minutes):

1- Students will begin the lesson by answering one simple question, Do you
think it is Desdemonas fault that her husband Othello treats her the way
he does? Is Othello mad because of her?
This question will be used to determine which sides to place students on
for the debate that we will have later in the course. After students have
answered the question, I will then pass out articles on the Patriarchal
Gaze for them to begin reading as the basis of our class today.
Development (70 Minutes):
1. Script the following:
Ok everyone! Now that you have answered that question, I want you all to
break up and move your desks together based on the answer to your
question of whether or not we should be blaming Desdemona! Those who
think we should blame her will need to use the article to critique the article
and prove how these claims of othering are evident in the play. Remember,
this article is based off of todays society, so if you are able to connect your
theory to todays world, you will give yourself more validity. Also, those who
are arguing that we should NOT blame her, be able to use this article to prove
how this is not evident in the play. You too will need to raise valid points on
how these are claims are not evident in todays society as well. (20 Minutes)
2. Once students have picked their sides, they will need to work on their
arguments. Each group will break up into 3 separate smaller groups in
which they will take one main argument from their position stance and
come up with a way to argue their point as well as come up with 3 ways to
defend their point with at least being textual support. (20 Minutes)
3. After completing out arguments with proof, each team will present their
argument in a class debate centered on aiming at proving who is to blame
for the way Desdemona is treated. Students will use their support as well
as textual evidence to make their cases, and I will decide who has the
best case using the rubric attached. (15 minutes)
Conclusion: (10 Minutes):
1- Before we conclude the lesson for the day, we will have a brief discussion
of how this lesson will be used to understand the rest of the unit. See role:
a. Ok everyone, we have about 15 minutes left in this class period, I
wanted to take the time to go over where we are so far and where
we will begin to move. So far, most of you have determined that
your characters are going through some sort of changeI want
you all to continue to monitor this change as we begin to move into
the final 2 acts of the play. One final thing that I want you all to keep
in mind is the question of who we think is guilty as we get to the
end of the play.
b. One thing I want you all to do for homework is to log onto EdModo
and I want you to write for approximately 10-15 minutes to keep a

journal of what you think will happen with the development of at

least 2 characters from the play. For this assignment, you are not
allowed to use the characters that you researched today. Come
back tomorrow with a brief commentary of why you think these
characters will develop the way you have described. Use the text
as support!
2- The students will fill out an exit slip. Prompt: How did your original
definition of honest differ from the Early Modern English definition? (5
Minutes)
Materials:
iPads & Laptops
Reliable Resource: http://leme.library.utoronto.ca &
http://www.theplays.org/othello/
Group Worksheets

Evaluation/Assessment:
Before: Journal Entry invites students to use prior knowledge on subject to help
them understand they already have some information on this topic.
During: The group assignment keeps the students on task and keeps them
immersed in the knowledge they are learning by the lessons
continuously evolving into something more.
After: The exit slip allows students to place their final thoughts on the days
lesson on paper, allowing me as a teacher to read what they have
learned and to know whether to elaborate further if I feel the
students have not gotten it to this point.