Outschool
Search

$360

for 18 classes
Class

Approachable Shakespeare - Semester Study

Completed by 1 learner
Ages 12-17
Live Group Class
In this 18-week, semester-long course, students will explore all genres of Shakespearian drama and poetry.
Mark Snyder Jr MEd, EdS
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(82 reviews)

Live video meetings
1x per week, 18 weeks
4-6 learners per class
60 min

What's included

18 live meetings
18 in-class hours
Homework
Students will be reading material prior to each class in order to participate in the classroom discussions.
Assessment
No formal assessments. Students will read and discuss the material with teacher prompting and guiding questions.

Class Experience

US Grade 7 - 10
Get $40 off my class "Approachable Shakespeare - Semester Study" with coupon code SNYDERSEMESTERCLASS40 until Oct 31, 2023. Get started at https://outschool.com/classes/approachable-shakespeare-semester-study-OvcRSHbn and enter the coupon code at checkout.

In this 18-week, full-semester course, students will learn about Shakespeare's life, work and influence. Each class will be a "deep dive" into the author's biographical information as well as a close-reading of three of his greatest dramatic works! The class will end with a light and positive review of his famous sonnets and poetry.

My teaching style is to present the material, pose my own interpretations of the literature, and ask students to develop the self-confidence to speak up about their own impressions of the plays. I will help students understand the content by presenting the plays in order of complexity, starting with the comedies, and ending with the more dense histories. 

Course Schedule:
Week 1 - Classroom introductions and conversations regarding prior Shakespeare experiences. Biographical information of our author will also be discussed as well as interesting facts on his life, his work and the time in which he lived.
Homework: Read "Much Ado About Nothing" Act I
Topics: Plot overview for fiction as it relates to Shakespeare comedy.

Week 2 - Comedy: Much Ado About Nothing - Introduction to the play as well as discussion on reading homework.
Homework: Read "Much Ado About Nothing" Act II
Topic: Exposition

Week 3 - Comedy: Much Ado About Nothing - Continuing discussion on comedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Much Ado About Nothing" Act III
Topic: Rising Action

Week 4 - Comedy: Much Ado About Nothing - Continuing discussion on comedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Much Ado About Nothing"  Act IV
Topic: Climax

Week 5 - Comedy: Much Ado About Nothing - Continuing discussion on comedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Much Ado About Nothing"  Act V
Topic: Falling Action

Week 6 - Comedy: Much Ado About Nothing - Final discussion on comedy and reading homework.
Homework: No Homework!
Topic: Resolution

Week 7 - Tragedy: Hamlet - Introduction to the play as well as discussion on reading homework.
Homework: Read "Hamlet" Act I
Topic: Plot overview for fiction as it relates to a Shakespeare tragedy.

Week 8 - Tragedy: Hamlet - Continuing discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Hamlet" Act II
Topics: Exposition

Week 9 - Tragedy: Hamlet - Continuing discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Hamlet" Act III
Topics: Rising Action

Week 10 - Tragedy: Hamlet - Continuing discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Hamlet" Act IV
Topics: Climax

Week 11 - Tragedy: Hamlet - Continuing discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Hamlet" Act V
Topics: Falling Action

Week 12 - Tragedy: Hamlet - Final discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: No Homework!
Topics: Resolution

Week 13 - Tragedy: Macbeth - Introduction to the play as well as discussion on reading homework.
Homework: Read "Macbeth" Act I
Topic: Plot overview for fiction as it relates to Macbeth specifically (action-packed plot).

Week 14 - Tragedy: Macbeth - Continuing discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Hamlet" Act II
Topics: Exposition

Week 15 - Tragedy: Macbeth - Continuing discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Hamlet" Act III
Topics: Rising Action

Week 16 - Tragedy: Macbeth - Continuing discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Hamlet" Act IV
Topics: Climax

Week 17 - Tragedy: Macbeth - Continuing discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: Read "Hamlet" Act V
Topics: Falling Action

Week 12 - Tragedy: Macbeth - Final discussion on tragedy and reading homework.
Homework: No Homework!
Topics: Resolution

Week 18 - Sonnets/Poetry - Introduction to Sonnets/Poetry - Final discussion on Shakespeare - Last Class
Topics: Poetic Devices Used in Sonnets

Learning Goals

Students will improve their understanding of Shakespearian Drama and Poetry, but also become more comfortable with the material for future literary study.

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Shakespeare's drama, especially tragedy, can include topics of a mature nature (murder, adult relationships). As a middle and high school English/Language Arts teacher, I have navigated this exact material with the age group specified in the course description. We will approach these more mature themes from the perspective of what influence they have on the plays as well as the characters within the plays.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
All plays and poetry will be read using the following website: https://www.opensourceshakespeare.org

Meet the teacher

Mark Snyder Jr MEd, EdS
5.0
82reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Non-US Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Doctoral Degree in Education from Northcentral University
Master's Degree in Education from Millersville University
Bachelor's Degree in English from Millersville University
I have been a middle, high school and college English teacher and professor since 2008. I have been teaching this material, to this age group, for many years as prescribed by several states' public education curricula. I approach more problematic themes of murder and deceit using their literary thematic roles, rather than dwelling on the sensationalism of the acts, themselves. Shakespeare never sensationalized through writing about murder, he used these events as key elements of the plot.

Reviews


Parents also liked
Literature on Film
Courtney Runchey
4.9
(55)
$30 per session
1-on-1 Tutoring
On Demand
14-18
7th Grade Literature - Full Course With Film & Literature: So the Story Goes
Lemons-Aid Learning
4.9
(686)
$21 per class
Next session at 4 PM on Thu 8/21
Group Class
1/wk, 55 min
11-14
Holes: Literature Study and Writing
Wild and Unstructured Learning
4.8
(1,123)
$21 per class
Next session at 3 PM on Fri 3/14
Group Class
10 wks, 1/wk, 55 min
12-16
The Elephant Girl: Literature Study and Writing
Wild and Unstructured Learning
4.8
(1,123)
$20 per class
Next session at 7 PM on Fri 3/7
Group Class
10 wks, 1/wk, 50 min
8-12
1:1 tutoring (English Literature and Language)
Ailya Zaman, MA
$55 per session
1-on-1 Tutoring
On Demand
8-18
Literature Class - Full Course
Savannah Gilmore
4.8
(2,295)
$10 per class
Next session at 4 PM on Fri 8/15
Group Class
18 wks, 1/wk, 1 hr
11-16
English Literature for High School Semester
Striving Students Towards Success, LLC.
4.9
(247)
$11 per class
Group Class
18 wks, 1/wk, 1 hr
14-18
Where The Red Fern Grows: Literature Study Writing
Wild and Unstructured Learning
4.8
(1,123)
$20 per class
Next session at 3 AM on Tue 3/4
Group Class
5 wks, 2/wk, 50 min
10-14
The Outsiders: Literature Study and Writing
Wild and Unstructured Learning
4.8
(1,123)
$21 per class
Next session at 8 PM on Thu 3/6
Group Class
7 wks, 1/wk, 55 min
10-15
One on One Literature Discussions With Mr. Hodge
Mr. Hodge
4.9
(60)
$30 per session
1-on-1 Tutoring
On Demand
13-18
8th Grade Literature - Fiction and Non Fiction
William Council
4.9
(206)
$21 per class
Next session at 2:30 PM on Sat 3/1
Group Class
16 wks, 1/wk, 1 hr
12-16
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli Literature Study
Wild and Unstructured Learning
4.8
(1,123)
$20 per class
Next session at 2 AM on Sat 3/8
Group Class
8 wks, 1/wk, 50 min
13-18
Bud Not Buddy: Literature Study and Writing
Wild and Unstructured Learning
4.8
(1,123)
$20 per class
Next session at 2 PM on Tue 3/4
Group Class
10 wks, 1/wk, 50 min
9-12
Short Stories for Teens: Thinking and Exploring Literature
Kathy Wilder
4.9
(453)
$20 per class
Next session at 8 PM on Wednesday
Group Class
1/wk, 50 min
14-18
Middle School English: Read Literature Like a Professor
Kendra Fletcher
5.0
(540)
$15 per class
Next session at 4 PM on Tue 4/8
Group Class
7 wks, 1/wk, 30 min
11-14
Wonder by R.J. Palacio Literature Study
Wild and Unstructured Learning
4.8
(1,123)
$22 per class
Next session at 2 AM on Sun 3/2
Group Class
10 wks, 1/wk, 1 hr
8-12
See More Classes
Home
Search
Give a Gift Card
Open currency, time zone, and language settings
Language & Region
Log In