Elizabethan Language Mastery: Sonnets

Group Teaching Activity

Your task is to teach the class a sonnet. Included in your lesson will be a dramatic interpretation, a literal translation, an analysis for technique, and a thematic statement. Your sonnet and group will be determined. Click here for groups.

DAY ONE

¨ Do a phrase by phrase translation into common language; then, summarize the quatrains and couplet.

¨ Begin analysis for technique and theme. Everyone finish individually as homework.

¨ For the analysis, you are looking for literary techniques: figurative language (metaphor and simile), personification, imagery, structure, themes, etc… Don’t forget other classically poetic techniques like irony, alliteration, diction, tone, and the like.

DAY TWO

¨ Create a thematic statement for your sonnet and synthesize analysis of it.

¨ For each literary technique, answer these questions: Why did the author use that technique? How does it help us understand or appreciate the poem?

¨ Begin designing lesson and create a thorough and specific lesson plan.

DAY THREE

¨ Finish lesson plan and design. Have checked. Make sure all materials will be available. Plan for absences -- who will take over for whom?

Create and practice dramatic interpretation.

Elizabethan Language: Sonnets

Group Teaching Activity Rubric

GROUP:_____________________________________________________

SONNET:________

Your lesson should last 20 minutes.

	strong	good	fair	poor
effectiveness of dramatic interpretation	10 9	8	7	6
accuracy of literal translation	10 9	8	7	6
quality & depth of literary analysis	10 9	8	7	6
quality & justification of thematic statement	10 9	8	7	6
equal and effective group effort	10 9	8	7	6

TOTAL:_____of 50

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