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Year 8

'A Midsummer Night's Dream': reviewing and refining an essay about Puck

I can evaluate model paragraphs about Puck and the supernatural in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, and use this evaluation to improve my own analytical writing.

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New
New
Year 8

'A Midsummer Night's Dream': reviewing and refining an essay about Puck

I can evaluate model paragraphs about Puck and the supernatural in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, and use this evaluation to improve my own analytical writing.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Topic sentences should link to the question.
  2. Include multiple quotations in each paragraph from across the play.
  3. Consider writer’s methods when analysing quotations.
  4. Include relevant context to develop your analysis.

Common misconception

You must analyse every quotation at word level.

Sometimes exploring individual words can be helpful, but more often than not it makes for shallow analysis which is not helpful in answering the question. Look at 'bigger' methods than single words.

Keywords

  • Topic sentence - the first sentence of a paragraph stating its main idea

  • Methods - the tools a writer uses to create their work; for example, characterisation, setting, language choices

  • Context - information about the time period of when a text was written; context can help us understand a text more deeply

  • Analysis - in English, this means looking at a text closely and considering what it might mean and why it was written in that way

  • Shakespearean comedy - a play designed to make you laugh, often including misunderstandings and ending in marriage

Consider if the weaker models target particular misconceptions you want to address with your pupils. You could consider re-writing them. If you have examples of excellent pupil work from your class, you could use these as examples in place of the stronger models in the lesson.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. However, the relevant extracts for this lesson can also be found in the additional materials.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Shakespeare wrote different types of plays, and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is a .
Correct Answer: comedy
Q2.
How does 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' end?
with Oberon asking Titania for the little boy
with Puck leading the Athenians "up and down" in the forest
with Puck restoring order to the Athenians
with a soliloquy from Oberon
Correct answer: with an epilogue from Puck
Q3.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is a Shakespearean comedy. What are common features of the endings of most Shakespearean comedies?
Correct answer: multiple marriages
Correct answer: happy characters
conflict
chaos and disorder
apologetic epilogues
Q4.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was first performed in front of an Elizabethan audience. What were some common Elizabethan views and attitudes about the supernatural?
Correct answer: that it was evil and connected to the devil
that it was imaginary
Correct answer: that it was an enjoyable part of folklore
that they were ruled by supernatural forces
that plays always included it
Q5.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was first performed in front of an Elizabethan audience. What were some common Elizabethan views and attitudes about hierarchy?
that it was outdated
Correct answer: that God was at the top of the hierarchy
Correct answer: that God created a hierarchy and it was their duty to keep to it
Correct answer: that the monarch was near the top of the hierarchy
that Elizabeth I created the hierarchy
Q6.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream' includes the supernatural. How do we know Shakespeare was very interested in the supernatural?
It is one of the genres of his plays.
Correct answer: He includes supernatural characters, events and ideas in lots of his plays.
Puck or Robin Goodfellow appears in a number of his plays.
He invented lots of Elizabethan folklore.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the character of Oberon's servant has two names: Puck and .
Correct Answer: Robin Goodfellow
Q2.
When writing an essay about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', it is helpful to know some key terms. Match the key terms to their definitions.
Correct Answer:topic sentence,the first sentence of a paragraph stating its main idea

the first sentence of a paragraph stating its main idea

Correct Answer:methods,the tools a writer uses to create their work e.g. language choices

the tools a writer uses to create their work e.g. language choices

Correct Answer:context,key information about when a text was written

key information about when a text was written

Correct Answer:analysis,looking at a text closely and considering what it might mean

looking at a text closely and considering what it might mean

Q3.
What advice would you give a pupil who was trying to master their use of topic sentences for an essay on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
Correct answer: make sure you link to the question you have been asked
make sure you include quotations
make sure you include analysis
Correct answer: make sure you state the paragraph's main idea
make sure you include multiple ideas
Q4.
What advice would you give a pupil who was trying to master their use of quotations in an essay on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
use one quotation per paragraph
zoom in on each word in the quotation to analyse it fully
Correct answer: link different quotations from different parts of the play together
Correct answer: explore the methods Shakespeare uses in the quotation
use the same quotations for every essay
Q5.
When exploring a quotation from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', you might identify a method Shakespeare uses. Which of the following count as dramatic methods?
Correct answer: language choices
audience responses
Correct answer: stage directions
the theatre
acting
Q6.
What advice would you give a pupil who was trying to master their analysis in an essay on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
single word analysis of quotations is the strongest type of analysis
Correct answer: including context can help develop analysis
Correct answer: exploring methods can help make strong analysis
using one quotation per paragraph makes for the most focused analysis
Correct answer: linking quotations together can make for strong analysis

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