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Year 8
'A Midsummer Night's Dream': powerful topic sentences about Puck
I can explain how Puck is presented in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ using evaluative and well supported topic sentences.
New
New
Year 8
'A Midsummer Night's Dream': powerful topic sentences about Puck
I can explain how Puck is presented in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ using evaluative and well supported topic sentences.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Topic sentences state a paragraph’s main idea.
- Evaluative topic sentences offer a judgement about a character.
- You could compare one character to another, or the complexity of a character, to create an evaluative topic sentence.
- Conjunctions can help create an evaluative topic sentence.
- You must support your evaluative topic sentence with appropriate evidence from the text.
Keywords
Topic sentences - the first sentence of a paragraph stating its main idea
Evaluate - to make a judgement about something
Irreverent - disrespectful
Conjunction - a word which connects two clauses in a sentence; for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so and although are all examples
Contemptuous - insulting
Common misconception
Paragraphs can only focus on one character at a time.
Comparing characters can be a useful way to deepen your understanding and analysis.
Consider your questioning around both CfUs. What questions will help you understand if your pupils need a guided class model on the board before they embark on the practice tasks?
Teacher tip
Equipment
You need access to a copy of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. However, the extracts required for this lesson can also be found in the additional materials.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sexual violence
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', what do we know about the character of Egeus?
He rules Athens.
He threatens Lysander with severe punishments.
He banishes his daughter from Athens.
Q2.
Puck and Egeus are both characters in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. What are some of the differences between them?
Puck has a high status; Egeus does not.
Puck disobeys orders; Egeus follows them.
Q3.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', both Oberon and Puck use the magical potion. What are the differences between how they use it?
Puck wants to create chaos; Oberon uses it for good.
Puck only uses the antidote.
Puck uses it to transform Bottom; Oberon uses it to trick Titania.
Puck doesn't know what the potion can do; Oberon does.
Q4.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how do we know that Puck enjoys watching the Athenian nobles in chaos?
He refuses to use the antidote as Oberon orders.
He leads the Athenians through the forest to increase their unhappiness.
He causes more chaos by putting the magical potion on Helena.
Q5.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how do we know that Puck respects the hierarchy?
He refuses to use magical potion Titania.
He shows respect to Egeus by using the magical potion incorrectly.
Q6.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why might we describe Puck as a contemptuous character?
He doesn't always listen to Oberon.
He disobeys Oberon when he finds something more fun to do.
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
When writing about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', you should start each paragraph with a clear which states the paragraph's main idea.
Q2.
When writing about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', you could start paragraphs with a topic sentence. You must support this topic sentence in the paragraph. What does it mean to support a topic sentence?
To repeat the idea.
To show why you could agree or disagree with the idea.
To show how you support the text you are reading.
To list all the quotations you know from the text on this topic.
Q3.
In this topic sentence about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', which word is the conjunction? "Shakespeare presents Puck as a mischief maker but his pranks are often harmless unlike Oberon's."
as
harmless
presents
often
Q4.
In this topic sentence about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', which word is the conjunction? "Although Shakespeare presents Puck as an irreverent character, to Oberon he only ever shows respect."
Shakespeare
presents
as
ever
Q5.
Which quotation would best support this topic sentence about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': "Shakespeare presents Puck as a character who restores order despite his love of chaos."?
"You are that shrewd and knavish sprite Called Robin Goodfellow." Act 2, Scene 1
"For now I must to Oberon." Act 2, Scene 2
"I am that merry wanderer of the night." Act 2, Scene 1
"I jest to Oberon and make him smile[.]" Act 2, Scene 1
Q6.
Which quotation would best support this topic sentence about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': "Shakespeare presents Puck as a character who is a devoted servant to Oberon despite his love of chaos."?
"You are that shrewd and knavish sprite Called Robin Goodfellow." Act 2, Scene 1
"Lord, what fools these mortals be!" Act 3, Scene 2
"I am that merry wanderer of the night." Act 2, Scene 1
"Shall we their fond pageant see?" Act 3, Scene 2
Additional material
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