Name
The Pursuit of Happiness
Topic
English as a foreign Language and Literature
Learning time
16 hours
Designed time
16 hours
Size of class
24
Description
PBL Learning Scenario: The works of William Shakespeare present many examples of tragical heroes whose struggles and triumphs parallel the modern life. Can you relate one or more of them to a contemporary celebrity, a public personality of modern day or a case reported by the press. Identify a Shakespearean play or character that can give evidence to your ideas.
Aims
To enhance language competence in the foreign language through project-based activities, fostering creativity and collaboration among peers. To raise awareness about the importance of human values and moral principles as well as of the psychological implications that powerful emotions can have on human life.
Outcomes
Application, Comprehension, Knowledge, Synthesis, Application, Evaluation, Affective learning outcomes
Editor
AnnaLaghigna
Edit
DREAM - Our Driving Question is: What challenges does a human being have to overcome in order to be happy in life? 
120 minutes)
  • Read Watch Listen
    20
    4
    1
    Short Brainstorming before leading in the driving question: Students are shown a picture and are invited to comment and discuss in groups of 4. This scaffolded activity aims at revising background knowledge and vocabulary. Why are these people happy? How happy are you? What makes you happy? They will then report to class. Scaffolding activity: to revise vocabulary and adjectives expressing emotions How happy are you? What makes you happy? They will then report to class.
  • Discuss
    20
    4
    1
    Big idea is launched by means of the following driving question: "What challenges does a human being have to overcome in order to be happy in life?" On a Lino.it board students can create one or more sticky notes to express their ideas. Results are shared in plenum.
  • Discuss
    10
    24
    1
    A very quick poll is launched through PollEveryWhere - Anger or Happiness: Which is the feeling most people are more familiar with? Students can answer using their Smartphones. This is a semi-guided activity: students are free to answer and can discuss over the final results. Main aim is to reflect on the discussion run in class and lead in the following session.
  • Discuss
    20
    24
    0
    Next lead in question will be: How can we find a parallell between real human lives and literature? Students will brainstorm ideas about the way poets and writers they have already studied have dealt with the issue of happiness or unhappiness in life.
  • Practice
    30
    1
    1
    First round of formative assessment and peer assessment. Students write an entry on the attached notebook: it can be a line from a poem, a famous aphorism or a popular saying on happiness or unhappiness.
  • Read Watch Listen
    20
    1
    1
    Activity continues for homework. In Flipped Classroom mode, students will be invited to watch a very inspiring video that poses questions on why Shakespeare is still read today.
Notes:
Resources linked: 0
INVESTIGATE - How can we reinterpret the examples of famous characters in some plays by Shakespeare such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello or The Tempest to modern day? Are they still relevant to our times?
230 minutes)
  • Discuss
    20
    4
    0
    Students are invited to formulate further questions. They will have to investigate over these Shakespearean plays and come up with hints for further investigation. Examples: - Who are the heroes in these plays? - What happens to them? - What are the main powerful emotions that brought them into action?
  • Investigate
    30
    4
    1
    What kind of materials, resources, websites will they have to investigate? A list of websites is provided on the attached Blendspace but students will have to decide which ones to use.
  • Discuss
    30
    4
    1
    Making use of the attached Scrumy work planner, students will have to plan their activities, assign roles within the group and monitor the advancement of their project on the basis of the incorporated checklist. This will promote responsibility among group members and give them control over their own working pace and progress.
  • Collaborate
    120
    4
    1
    Students will have to do their research and analyse, select, validate and negotiate what information is relevant to their topic. They will report their findings and use the incorporated chat on a TitanPad.
  • Produce
    10
    24
    0
    Each group briefly presents their findings to the class. They will have to explain why they have chosen a character and what challenge/s they think represent the main theme in the play.
  • Practice
    20
    4
    1
    2nd round of formative assessment Students of each group are invited to prepare a quiz on Kahoot about their presentation. Classmates will have to answer their questions using their smartphones. This will ensure that everybody pays attention while groups are presenting but will also encourage self-reflection on what students have learnt sofar.
Notes:
While students are working in groups, the teacher moves among desks and facilitates collaboration by providing hints and checking that Ss are working efficiently together.
Resources linked: 0
INVESTIGATE - Part 2: Can you relate one or more Shakespearean characters to a contemporary celebrity, a public personality of our present time or a case reported by the press. Identify a Shakespearean play or character that can give evidence to your ideas.
140 minutes)
  • Discuss
    30
    4
    0
    Students should identify a parallel between the Shakespearan character they have chosen and a popular celebrity, public personality or also less known person or a case from the press.
  • Collaborate
    30
    4
    0
    Students will have to discuss, investigate and negotiate a decision. They are likely to encounter some difficulties in identifying a public personality or a case that could be linked to one of Shakespeare's plays, as this topic is non-Googleable.
  • Investigate
    60
    4
    0
    Students will have to browse through the web, read articles from the press both in Italian and in English to identify a link to the present world. They will probably find this task a bit difficult and will be invited to involve family and friends for possible suggestions.
  • Practice
    20
    1
    1
    4th round of formative assessment In pairs students write a third entry on our diary to explain how the expert has helped them solve problems. They also comment on other classmates entries.
Notes:
Resources linked: 0
MAKE: Design a radioshow, a video interview or adapt a famous scene from Shakespeare to show what challenges or situations your chosen character/s were faced with in their own pursuit of happiness.
150 minutes)
  • Collaborate
    30
    4
    0
    Students will be free to decide what kind of digital product to produce. They will first have to agree on what kind of presentation is more suitable for their scenario. They can choose between the following options:
  • Produce
    120
    1
    1) Adapt a scene from one of Shakespeare's plays for modern times. Translate the language into modern English while keeping the original meaning intact. Record it, film it, or act it out as a live performance. Some instructions are provided in the attached infographic.
  • Produce
    1
    2) Organize a Talk Show in which your contemporary character and the original Shakespearean one confront and answer questions from the audience. Students can use Spreaker as podcasting tool to record a radioshow, a talkshow or a live performance.
Notes:
The script of their designed scene or interview is collaboratively created and edited on Google.docs. Teacher is invited to comment on Google.docs and will correct only the ultimate draft.
Resources linked: 0
ASK - for Expertise from a local newspaper journalist or an actor from the local theatre academy
80 minutes)
  • Discuss
    20
    4
    0
    Depending on the type of project outcome that they intend to achieve, students might want to contact a journalist or an actor. They will have to send out emails and make inquiries.
  • Collaborate
    40
    4
    0
    If the expert consents to be involved, students might interview him/her online (Skype/Hangouts or Google.Form) and/or face-to-face. They will have to show him/her their project and ask for feedback in order to improve it. If they cannot contact anyone, a parent or another external adult can be involved.
  • Practice
    20
    2
    1
    3rd 3rd round of formative assessment Students write a second entry on our diary to explain the link they have found to a modern day personality/case.
Notes:
Resources linked: 0
REMAKE - Changes and additions are integrated in the project
120 minutes)
  • Collaborate
    20
    4
    0
    In groups of four, students discuss about the improvements they have suggested and integrate the necessary changes to their projects.
  • Investigate
    20
    4
    0
    If required, new information or images are researched and the project is updated accordingly.
  • Produce
    20
    4
    0
    Final editing of the project and publication on Edmodo, blogs or other websites.
  • Practice
    60
    4
    0
    Peer Reviews - formative assessment Two members for each group swap places. They will have to work together for a whole hour as advisors to their peers. Using a rubric negotiated prior to the activity they will have to fill in a check-list and provide constructive feedback in written English on how to possibly improve the others' script.
Notes:
Resources linked: 0
SHOW - Presentations
120 minutes)
  • Read Watch Listen
    120
    0
    Students make a short group presentation (max 15 minutes) to show their multimedia project or to perform live. Students are free to browse through all the projects produced, watch the videos and listen to the attached podcasts. They are invited to vote for the best presentation on a Tricider.
  • Practice
    24
    1
    Presentations are evaluated and peer-evaluated using Rubrics discussed and negotiated with the class ahead of the project - like the one attached for Talk Show.
Notes:
Comments, quality of groupwork and amount of participation on Edmodo and other online platforms, are all elements of evaluation.
Resources linked: 0

Learning Experience

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