EDIS 7390 TIERED LESSON PLAN 1

The Tragedy of Intolerance: Othello and The Merchant of Venice

English 10 (Advanced)

Context
At this point in the unit, students will have:
 Taken a pre-assessment on Shakespearean language, types of speeches, and otherness
 Completed a stations activity on Shakespearean language (formative assessment as learning)
 Read short nonfiction on voices in contemporary America from a variety of perspectives
 Watched and discussed film adaptations of Othello (1995) and The Merchant of Venice (2004)
 Chosen one play to study in closer detail, including director’s notes and quotation analyses
 Read short critical articles adjusted by reading level on either Othello or The Merchant of Venice

Assessment Results and Analysis

 Pre-assessments of language will likely reveal many students who find Shakespeare challenging
to read because of linguistic devices and therefore turn off easily; students who may understand
more familiar devices like contraction and omission, but not inversion or pronoun usages;
students who may not understand contraction and omission applied to novel contexts (ne’er, o’er);
a few students who may remember studying some of these the previous year for Romeo and Juliet
 Pre-assessments of theatrical devices and types of speeches will likely reveal many students who
confuse monologue with soliloquy; students who may not understand the purposes of
soliloquies and asides or may confuse these two; a few students who remember definitions from
previous years, but may not be able to explain why a playwright might use each
 Pre-assessments of otherness will likely reveal many students who have never heard the term
and are intrigued by it; eye-rolling or mild outrage from some, which should be diffused by this
article demonstrating that, depending on the context, we can all be the Other; and some students
who think this is a necessary avenue of inquiry not explored often enough
 Formative assessments will include the stations activity (as learning); viewing guides and follow-up
seminars for each film; scene analyses/director’s notes, in which students annotate a short scene
and explain how they would stage/film it and why; quotation analyses, in which students identify
the speaker, context, and significance as it relates to character development and theme
EDIS 7390 TIERED LESSON PLAN 2

 Students will be split into two reading groups based on which play they choose to read, with
these larger groups split into smaller working groups as necessary. In terms of readability and
comprehension, Othello is the easier of the two with a smaller cast of more identifiable characters
and more relevant topics of race and gender. Race and gender also appear in The Merchant of
Venice, but the cast is larger and several of the minor characters blend together (which an
observant student might determine is partly Shakespeare’s purpose). Students will not be told
which of the two is more difficult to read, but students who are struggling or ambivalent will be
directed to the more appropriate play.
 Students will be observed during seminars, scene analyses/director’s notes, and quotation
analyses to determine where they are in relation to KUDs before beginning the assignment.

KUDS
The student will understand that…
 Voice refers both to 1) our particular style of speaking or writing and 2) our perspective.
 Literature includes or excludes certain voices.

The student will know…

 Linguistic devices found in Shakespeare, including archaism, contraction, omission, and inversion.
 Meter refers to the rhythms and beats of language.
 Historical and contemporary perspectives of ethnicity/race, religion, gender, and class.
 The definition of otherness as applied to literature.

The student will be able to [do]…

 Analyze a character’s otherness based on gender, ethnicity/race, religion, or class.
 Develop a character’s voice through meter, pacing, and diction.
 Express a character’s point of view/motivation using linguistic devices.

Advanced
Write a monologue/soliloquy
from the POV and in the voice
of one of the characters below
about his/her otherness
(depending on which play you
read).
Othello
Othello, Desdemona, Bianca,
Iago, Roderigo, Montano
Merchant
Jessica, Nerissa, Morocco,
Tubal, Antonio
Your speech must have regular
meter (although you don’t need
to write in perfect iambic
pentameter, since not even
Shakespeare did that 100% of
the time). Your response must
also include the linguistic
devices we have studied -
archaism, thou/thee, contraction,
omission, and inversion.
EDIS 7390 TIERED LESSON PLAN
Assignment Prompts
Standard
Write a monologue/soliloquy
from the POV and in the voice
of one of the characters below
about his/her otherness
(depending on which play you
read).
Othello
Othello, Desdemona, Iago,
Emilia, Bianca
Merchant
Shylock, Portia, Jessica, Nerissa,
Launcelot, Morocco, Bassanio
Your speech must have regular
meter – the same general
number of syllables/length per
line - although you don’t need
to write in perfect iambic
pentameter, since not even
Shakespeare did that 100% of
the time. Your response must
also include the linguistic
devices we have studied -
archaism, thou/thee, contraction,
omission, and inversion.
Scaffolding 1
Write a 20-line monologue,
soliloquy, or dialogue from the
POV and in the voice(s) of the
character(s) from the play you
read about his/her otherness.
Below are some characters you
may consider:
Othello
Othello, Desdemona, Iago,
Emilia, Bianca
Merchant
Shylock, Portia, Jessica, Nerissa,
Morocco, Launcelot, Antonio
You may write in either prose
or verse, but your speech must
include examples of at least two
linguistic devices we have
studied - archaism, thou/thee,
contraction, omission, and inversion.
3
Scaffolding 2
Write a 20-line monologue,
soliloquy, or dialogue from the
POV and in the voice(s) of the
character(s) from the play you
read about his/her otherness.
Below are some characters you
may consider:
Othello
Othello, Desdemona, Iago,
Emilia, Bianca
Merchant
Shylock, Portia, Jessica, Nerissa,
Morocco, Launcelot, Antonio
You may write in either prose
or verse, but your speech must
include examples of at least two
linguistic devices we have
studied - archaism, thou/thee,
contraction, omission, and inversion.
(If you find yourself stuck, you
may borrow any 5 lines from
the Bard himself to get you
started. He “borrowed” from
earlier sources anyway!)

EQ 3 – Complex Resources
Students have access to the
plays’ minor characters and a
few major characters.
EQ 5 – Greater Leap
Because students have limited
access to the range of
characters, they must infer more
from less evidence in the play
when they write from that
character’s POV and voice.
EQ 4 – Multiple Facets
Students are working with both
minor voices and Shakespearean
language and with more
restrictions so that their speech
more closely resembles the
source material.
EDIS 7390 TIERED LESSON PLAN
Differentiating What?
EQ 3 – Simpler Resources
Students have access to a
broader range of both major
and minor characters and may
have more familiarity with some
of them.
EQ 5 – Smaller Leap
The students are able to depend
on familiarity with these
characters, many of whom they
would have already studied
using the quotation analyses.
They can (and should) use these
when composing their speeches.
Differentiating How?
EQ 4 – Multiple Facets
Although students have more
characters from which to
choose, they are still bound by
the linguistic restrictions
imposed on the advanced
assignment.
EQ 3 – Simpler Resources
Students have access to any
character(s) they choose and can
also write a dialogue between
them rather than a monologue
or soliloquy.
EQ 5 – Smaller Leap
The students are able to depend
on familiarity with these
characters, many of whom they
would have already studied
using the quotation analyses.
They can (and should) use these
when composing their speeches.
EQ 4 – Fewer Facets
Students must still meet some
linguistic requirements, but they
need to use at least two rather
than all of them. This allows
students to determine which
devices they are most
comfortable with using and how
to use them.
4
EQ 3 – Simpler Resources
Students have access to any
character(s) they choose and can
also write a dialogue between
them rather than a monologue
or soliloquy.
EQ 5 – Smaller Leap
The students are able to depend
on familiarity with these
characters, many of whom they
would have already studied
using the quotation analyses.
They can (and should) use these
when composing their speeches.
EQ 4 – Fewer Facets
Students must still meet some
linguistic requirements, but they
need to use at least two rather
than all of them. This allows
students to determine which
devices they are most
comfortable with using and how
to use them.
For students who are struggling
with motivation or inspiration,
they may borrow 5 lines from
Shakespeare to get started.

EQ 6 – More Constraints
Students must use verse and all
linguistic devices in addition to
meeting the content
requirements for this
assignment.
EQ 8 – More Open (Process)
Although students have more
constraints, they were not given
strict word/line limits or
descriptions of what “regular
meter” means. It is up to them
how to best express their
character’s POV/voice.
Othello
Bloom, “Cosmopolitan Man”
Wells, Shakespeare’s Politics
Matheson, “Venetian Culture”
Merchant
Race, Gender, and Jessica
Bloom, “On Christian and Jew”
Carroll, “Language and
Poverty”
EDIS 7390 TIERED LESSON PLAN
Differentiating Why?
EQ 6 – More Requirements
Students must use verse and all
linguistic devices in addition to
meeting the content
requirements for this
assignment.
EQ 8 – More Open (Process)
Although the prompt is very
close to the original, students
are given a better sense of what
“regular meter” entails while
still also given the freedom of
how to express their character’s
POV/voice.
Reading/Critical Extensions and Follow-Up
Othello
Bloom, “Cosmopolitan Man”
Wells, Shakespeare’s Politics
Matheson, “Venetian Culture”
Merchant
Race, Gender, and Jessica
Bloom, “On Christian and Jew”
Carroll, “Language and
Poverty”
EQ 6 – Fewer Requirements
Students have the option of
writing in either prose (easier)
or verse (more difficult) and
need to use at least two
different linguistic devices
rather than all of them.
EQ 8 – More Structured
Students are given a 20-line
limit to ensure that they create a
substantial product with the
extra accommodations.
Othello
Venice in Shakespeare’s Time
British Library article
Gender in Othello
Merchant
Venice in Shakespeare’s Time
A Jewish Reading
Race, Gender, and Jessica
5
EQ 6 – Fewer Requirements
Students have the option of
writing in either prose (easier)
or verse (more difficult) and
need to use at least two
different linguistic devices
rather than all of them.
EQ 8 – More Structured
Students are given a 20-line
limit to ensure that they create a
substantial product with the
extra accommodations.
Othello
Venice in Shakespeare’s Time
British Library article
Gender in Othello
Merchant
Venice in Shakespeare’s Time
A Jewish Reading
Race, Gender, and Jessica
EDIS 7390 TIERED LESSON PLAN 6

Rationale and Reflection

For each unit I try to incorporate Sternberg’s Tri-mind model and use analytical, practical, and
creative activities/assessments. I find when teaching Shakespeare that it is essential to get plot out
of the way early, which is the reason I usually begin with acclimating students to his language and
then watching a good film adaptation1; otherwise, both teachers and students can end up fixating on
translation or “what happened,” as opposed to analyzing character, language, and theme – the
elements that make reading Shakespeare meaningful. The purpose of this assignment is for students
to demonstrate their understanding of character, language, and the theme of otherness in a creative
way that allows them to play with Shakespearean language. This assignment will be complemented
by an analytical reflection using critical sources to explain the student’s rationale and decisions for
writing as they did. These sources will also be tiered by readiness or reading levels, from basic
educational articles from The Globe and The Folger Library to short excerpts from critical analyses.

While I’ve designed different project options and made some improvisational adjustments many
times (usually based on student interest), I have never before tried an intentionally tiered assignment
based on student readiness. I found this process both surprising and enlightening; it did not take as
much time or effort as I expected to differentiate between the tiers, but it did provide wide entry
points for students that I had never considered. Designing slight accommodations before the
assignment is given will require me to be more mindful of where my students are and what they
need to be successful in reaching KUDs.

Tiered assignments also prevent downward creep by focusing on teaching and scaffolding up to the
highest possible KUDs for all students rather than specifically designing completely different tasks
for different abilities. Each task should be respectful and ask students to demonstrate what they
know, understand, and can do at a level that is personally challenging without being overwhelming
or insulting. Tomlinson (2014) explained the benefits of “teaching up” for all students: “‘Teaching
up’ is far more likely to benefit a very broad range of students than is beginning with a more basic-
level task and making adjustments from that point” (p. 134). It was most important for me that
each student tackle the same overarching theme and demonstrate an understanding of the devices

1 I use film adaptations rather than filmed stage adaptations because everything that makes the theater special as a live
experience is removed as soon as you put it on film – and film does it better. Students have been conditioned by a
lifetime of watching movies to notice the “grammar” of film – cinematography and editing – which can actually aid in
comprehension, whether they are conscious of this or not.
EDIS 7390 TIERED LESSON PLAN 7

that make Shakespeare’s language so difficult to understand at first, but the level of complexity,
length, and materials to do so were open for negotiation.

It was also surprising to discover that sometimes the more open or looser the assignment, the more
it may appeal to struggling students or those who need scaffolding, especially in writing. I’ve noticed
that struggling writers often get discouraged with overly structured formats, so I gave the two lower
tiers the option of writing a monologue/soliloquy or dialogue in either prose (easier) or verse (more
difficult). By giving them the dialogue option, they could use two or more characters to round out
their speeches. I did give them a 20-line limit to ensure that they would submit a substantial effort, a
restriction I did not give the upper tiers, but in reality, I would require all students to consult me on
length before a final submission. I do not generally use word/line/page limits because I do not
want mediocre writing that merely meets the expectations; I would rather students push themselves
and decide when they are finished or have written enough because they have said what needed to be
said, but this is a characteristic of advanced, confident writers.

Robert Frost compared free verse poetry to “playing tennis with the net down,” and those advanced,
confident writers often need more nets and boundaries to make writing a worthy challenge that
approximates authentic writing tasks. Although it seems somewhat counterintuitive to
differentiation, I gave my advanced writers more constraints. In this case, advanced writers would try
to emulate Shakespeare as closely as possible by using the constraints of metered verse and linguistic
devices in addition to addressing the same theme. However, each task is respectful and challenging
in asking students to express a character’s thoughts on otherness using some degree of
Shakespearean English. There is perhaps no greater respectful task in English than expecting all
students to read challenging works and express their opinions of those works - and then scaffolding
them to do so.

Reference
Tomlinson, C. (2014). The differentiated classroom, 2nd edition. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.