READING ENRICHMENT UNIT

Lesson Title: The Scope of Romeo Grade Level: 9th

and Juliet
Subject: English Time: 90 minutes (broken
into 3 sections)
Identification of a Learner Problem

Students in Mr. Pembertons 9th grade English classes just finished reading Romeo and Juliet and he
wanted to wrap up their unit in a way that helped them grasp the scope of its influence on literature
even in modern times. Students have been reading and analyzing the play for eight weeks, and their
teacher describes them as burnt out on the subject, so the lesson needs to be engaging and
entertaining.
Learning goal: Students will be engaged in the lesson and will gain an understanding of the full
influence of Shakespeare on modern literature, as well as an understanding of the sources that
influenced Shakespeares most famous play, while thinking about the themes and motifs the play
emanates.
Learner Analysis

The learners are two classes of 9th grade students, with between 10 and 12 students per class. They
are between 14 and 15 years of age. In one class there are eight male students and two female
students, and in the other there are seven male students and five female students. These are regular
education classes, with students receiving mostly average grades. Their teacher has described them
as a good, but easily distracted group. As with most students in our school, these learners have a
basic proficiency with computers, which will be necessary for this lesson. Students are familiar with
but also burnt out on Romeo and Juliet, and are not excited about a reading enrichment lesson on
this subject.
Instructional Objectives

Students will determine and analyze themes of Romeo and Juliet, discuss the influences the work has
had in literature, and learn about the roots of the story. They will also be engaged in the lesson.
Content Standards

Georgia Standards of Excellence

ELAGSE9-10RL2: Determine a theme and/or central idea of text and analyze in detail its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by
specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
ELAGSE9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting
motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot
or develop the theme.
ELAGSE9-10RI7: Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a persons life
story in print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.
ELAGSE9-10RL10: By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poems, in the grades 9-10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the
high end of the range.
ELAGSE9-10SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-
one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 910 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
ELAGSE9-10SL2: Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.

Standards for the 21st Century Learner

1.1.2: Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
1.1.4: Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.1.8: Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
1.1.9: Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.
1.2.3: Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.
2.1.5: Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and
solve problems.
3.1.2: Participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network of learners.
3.2.2 Show social responsibility by participating actively with others in learning situations and by
contributing questions and ideas during group discussions.
Task Analysis

Our learning goal divides into three parts (themes and motifs, scope of influence, and historical
influences on the play) as well as the overarching idea of engaging students.
Procedural Analysis:
1. Themes and Motifs Engaging Students
a. Consider over-arching themes and motifs and characters
b. Create memes reflecting these ideas
c. Post memes on class Padlet
d. Discuss the shared memes for accuracy and analysis
2. Influence on Modern Literature
a. Consider themes and motifs discovered in previous section
b. Consider modern literature/movies/songs/art that reflects those themes
c. Create Padlet post representing a modern work influenced by the play
 d. Discuss the modern work with class
3. Shakespeares Influences
a. Listen to an account of the plays historical influences
b. Discuss the roots of the play
c. Return to the second Padlet, and discuss the implications of the roots on these
modern works.
Instructional Design Summary
Gain attention of learners:
Inform learners of objectives:
Activate prior knowledge:
Deliver content:
Indicate sequence of instruction:
We will start with a fun opening activity: the
creation of memes. Students will be asked to
create memes that reflect different aspects of
the play, and discuss those aspects as the memes
are posted in Padlet.
After the opening activity, I will ask students to
move into a blank Padlet, and ask them to think
about the themes we just discussed. I will then
tell them that they should think about other
works that they think were possibly inspired by
the play. As they are posting these works, we will
discuss the influence of the literature.
The students are discussing a play that they have
been reading, as well as activating their
memories to remember other works with similar
themes or motifs.
Content will be delivered directly, in a classroom
setting.
1. Opener: Students will enter the library
and retrieve a chrome book from the
Media Center cart. The first assignment
will be pulled up and projected on the
screen. Students will be instructed to
create memes reflecting scenes, themes,
and key points of incidents in the play,
and share them on the group Padlet. The
screen will project the Padlet in real time,
so students will see each others
additions. During this time, the teacher
will encourage collaboration between
students, and ask questions to promote
different viewpoints and representation.
2. Influence on modern works: The teacher
will open the next Padlet, and students
will do the same. On this Padlet,
students will think of books, movies,
 songs, etc. that share themes with
Romeo and Juliet and were possibly
inspired by the play. Students will discuss
each media/book they add to the Padlet
and determine whether it fits.
3. Roots: Students will listen to a
presentation on the origins of the
famous play, and discuss the roots of the
story. After the discussion, the students
and teacher will revisit the second Padlet
and discuss the implications on these
stories that were inspired by Romeo and
Juliet.
Activities relate to objectives: Our objectives focus on engaging students and
the discussion of themes, modern inspirations,
and roots of the play. Our instruction starts with
a fun and engaging activity, and discusses all
aspects demanded of the objectives.
Feedback: Students will receive a participation grade for the
day and will receive feedback directly during
instruction in the form of discussion and
comments by their peers and myself. They are
also encouraged to self-evaluate their posts
before they make them.
Differentiation and Universal Design for This instruction provides for different learning
Learning: methods by calling for creation, discussion,
group participation and interaction, as well as a
presentation.
Resources

Padlet
Status/Twitter Simulator
Meme Generator
Romeo and Juliet Prezi