Shakespeare’s
Words as Art
Jonathan Parker
Group: C
Interdisciplinary Subjects: Art and Language Arts
Grade Level: 8th
Art
Areas: Illuminated Manuscripts (Drawing and Painting)
Language Arts: Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Time Period: Renaissance in England
Time Duration for the Lesson: 3-4 class periods (90minute
blocks)
Essential Learner Outcomes: Outcome III: Creative Expression
and Production
The
student will be able to organize knowledge and ideas for expression
in the production of art.
Each
student will be given a copy of Hamlet’s “To be, or not
to be” speech, found in Act III, Scene I, The class will form
a circle, and each student will read one or more lines from the speech.
This will be done several times until a smooth transition from one person
to another is achieved.
The
students will be able to:
-
read
and analyze one of William Shakespeare’s most famous speeches.
-
understand how to organize a folio using the idea of the manuscript.
-
create historiated initials and decorative initials to enhance to
beauty of the page. The students must also create a cover page using
the crest of William Shakespeare.
-
critique their final project and complete a self-evaluation.
-
give
a synopsis of what is being said in the speech by Hamlet in detail.
-
show examples of illuminated manuscripts.
-
demonstrate different ways of organizing a manuscript page.
-
demonstrate
how to make different styles of decorative letters and historiated
initials.
-
show a finished example demonstrating the synthesis of the different
elements used to create the page.
Day
1: The students will become familiar with the text. The group
reading will occur on this day. The teacher will discuss what Hamlet
is really discussing. The teacher will then discuss the meaning of illuminated
manuscripts, and show examples. The students will make a rough sketch
for their manuscript.
Day
2: The students will get their sketches approved, and begin
work on the final manuscript.
Day
3: The students will complete their manuscripts.
Day
4: The student will be asked to place their work on the board
and a group critique will follow.
Materials:
-
William
Shakespeare
-
Hamlet
-
illuminated
manuscripts
-
Renaissance
-
folio
-
historiated
initials
-
decorative
initial
Did
the students accomplish the goals found in the objectives? The students
will be graded using a rubric with three categories: Aesthetics, Technical
Skill, Creativity. Each category will have a maximum of 4 points for
the highest and 1 point for the lowest score.
A
display of the manuscripts will be exhibited in the building.
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