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Year 8 - English

Model paragraphs about Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read and explore Shakespeare's comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. They focus on the character Puck and the theme of the supernatural, and analyse their role and importance at different points in the play. Finally, they plan and write an essay about Puck and the supernatural.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to evaluate model paragraphs about the presentation of Oberon and Titania in Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', and use your evaluation to develop your own writing.

Key Notes

  • Annotating a question about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' ensures you focus on the right topic.
  • Dramatic methods are the tools a playwright uses to create their work e.g. characterisation, setting, stage directions.
  • When writing about the play, you should explore Shakespeare's dramatic methods.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • evaluate: to look at something carefully and make a judgement about it
  • stage directions: text in a play script which gives information about how a scene should be staged, or how an actor should say a particular line
  • dramatic methods: the tools a playwright uses to create their work; for example, characterisation, setting, language choices, stage directions
  • malevolent: cruel, malicious, evil
  • annotate: to add short notes to a piece of text with your own ideas and comments; a key skill in English

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Analysis means zooming in to individual words and explaining what they mean.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Annotating a question about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' ensures you focus on the right topic. Dramatic methods are the tools a playwright uses to create their work e.g. characterisation, setting, stage directions.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'evaluate'

to look at something carefully and make a judgement about it.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Analysis means zooming in to individual words and explaining what they mean. Correction: Exploring quotations is more than just looking at individual words and offering paraphrase or synonym. Your exploration of the quotation should develop your ideas about the question, and look at dramatic methods (more than just individual words).

More Lessons In This Unit

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