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English lesson plan · 11th grade (Year 12 in England) · 45 minutes

Drama terms: soliloquy, aside, foil, hamartia, catharsis…

Reading Comprehension

CCSS RL.11-12.3CCSS RL.11-12.5England: GCSE English Literature (Shakespeare and modern drama)England: A-level English Literature

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Drama terms: soliloquy, aside, foil, hamartia, catharsis….

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Verbal, situational and dramatic irony; The effect of narrative perspective and tense

Leads to: Literary movements: Romanticism, Gothic, Realism, Modernism and more

Materials: A short text or extract (one copy each), Highlighters, Question cards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Verbal, situational and dramatic irony; The effect of narrative perspective and tense). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which type of irony matches this description? An outcome that mocks the intentions or expectations of the people involved. (situational irony / verbal irony / dramatic irony) → situational ironyPrompt: Is the contrast in what someone SAYS, in what HAPPENS, or in what the AUDIENCE knows?
  2. Is the proposed answer correct? An older narrator looks back on her childhood in the past tense. What does this allow? → reflection: she can comment on what she understands now that she didn't then (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → yes, it is correctPrompt: Who is telling the story, and when (present or looking back)?
  3. Which type of irony is used here? The fire station burned down. (dramatic irony / situational irony / verbal irony) → situational ironyPrompt: Does a character say something they don't mean?

Hook · 5 min

  • Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
  • Share the objective: Drama terms: soliloquy, aside, foil, hamartia, catharsis…. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which drama term matches this description? A brief remark to the audience that the other characters on stage supposedly cannot hear.
  • Step 1: Drama has its own techniques for revealing thoughts (soliloquy, aside), shaping character (foil, tragic hero, hamartia) and affecting the audience (catharsis).
  • Step 2: aside: A brief remark to the audience that the other characters on stage supposedly cannot hear.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: aside
  • Answer: aside
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which drama term matches this description? A noble or admirable protagonist whose flaw leads to their downfall. (foil / soliloquy / tragic hero / stage directions) → tragic heroPrompt: Who is the character speaking to: themselves, the audience, or other characters?
  2. Which drama term best fits this moment from a play? [She crosses to the window, hesitates, then draws the curtains.] (monologue / aside / stage directions / foil) → stage directionsPrompt: Is the character alone? Speaking secretly to the audience? Addressing others at length?

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which drama term matches this description? The release of emotions such as pity and fear that an audience feels at the end of a tragedy. (monologue / catharsis / tragic hero / foil) → catharsisPrompt: Who is the character speaking to: themselves, the audience, or other characters?
  2. Which drama term best fits this moment from a play? Alone on the empty stage, the prince wonders aloud whether to seek revenge or forgive. (hamartia / soliloquy / stage directions / tragic hero) → soliloquyPrompt: Is the character alone? Speaking secretly to the audience? Addressing others at length?

Watch out for

  • Answering from memory or opinion instead of evidence in the text.
  • Copying a long quote without explaining what it shows.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Verbal, situational and dramatic irony.
  • Use concrete materials: a short text or extract (one copy each).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Literary movements: Romanticism, Gothic, Realism, Modernism and more.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-11.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Drama terms: soliloquy, aside, foil, hamartia, catharsis…

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which drama term matches this description? A brief remark to the audience that the other characters on stage supposedly cannot hear.

    • A. soliloquy
    • B. monologue
    • C. tragic hero
    • D. aside
  2. Question 2

    Type the drama term (in English) that matches this description. A noble or admirable protagonist whose flaw leads to their downfall.

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    Which drama term best fits this moment from a play? While shaking the duke's hand, the servant turns to the audience and mutters, "If only he knew what I know."

    • A. foil
    • B. aside
    • C. tragic hero
    • D. soliloquy
  4. Question 4

    Which drama term matches this description? A noble or admirable protagonist whose flaw leads to their downfall.

    • A. soliloquy
    • B. stage directions
    • C. hamartia
    • D. tragic hero
  5. Question 5

    Type the drama term (in English) that matches this description. A brief remark to the audience that the other characters on stage supposedly cannot hear.

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    Which drama term best fits this moment from a play? Alone on the empty stage, the prince wonders aloud whether to seek revenge or forgive.

    • A. stage directions
    • B. hamartia
    • C. soliloquy
    • D. catharsis
  7. Question 7

    Which drama term matches this description? A character who contrasts with another, highlighting their qualities.

    • A. monologue
    • B. catharsis
    • C. foil
    • D. tragic hero
  8. Question 8

    Type the drama term (in English) that matches this description. The release of emotions such as pity and fear that an audience feels at the end of a tragedy.

    Answer

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Answer key: Drama terms: soliloquy, aside, foil, hamartia, catharsis…

  1. 1. D. aside

  2. 2. tragic hero

  3. 3. B. aside

  4. 4. D. tragic hero

  5. 5. aside

  6. 6. C. soliloquy

  7. 7. C. foil

  8. 8. catharsis