Lysander and Hermia

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is designed to recap Act 1 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with a specific focus on Lysander and Hermia’s situation and their reasons for running away into the forest. It aligns with the National Curriculum for England for KS3 English, enhancing students’ comprehension of Shakespeare, their analytical skills, and their ability to perform and collaborate in groups, fostering drama skills as well.

National Curriculum Links

English

Reading: Understand and explore texts, identifying themes and characters; make inferences and justify with evidence.
Writing: Plan and draft by discussing ideas; use spoken language to develop understanding and writing.
Spoken Language: Participate in discussions, performances, and presentations collaboratively and confidently.

Drama (Key Stage 3)

Develop improvisation skills, understanding of character motivation and relationships.
Work collaboratively to develop and perform drama using techniques of role and character.
Reflect on and evaluate performance to improve individual and group work.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Understand Lysander and Hermia’s motivations for running away in Act 1.
Analyse their relationship and situation through drama and discussion.
Demonstrate improved performance skills through role-play and group collaboration.
Use textual evidence to support their ideas orally and in writing.

Success Criteria

Clearly explain why Lysander and Hermia plan to run away.
Show deep understanding of their relationship through role-play.
Collaborate effectively in small groups for performance tasks.
Use key quotations from the text accurately in discussion and task reflections.

Resources Required

Copies of Act 1 excerpts focusing on Lysander and Hermia (dyslexia-friendly, with simplified side notes and glossaries).
Whiteboard and markers.
Role-play prompt cards.
Audio recording device (optional, for performance reflection).
Drama space (preferably with desks cleared for movement).

Lesson Structure

Starter (10 minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge; recall main events of Act 1 focusing on Lysander and Hermia.

Begin with a quick ‘Think-Pair-Share’: Students individually write 2-3 sentences about why Lysander and Hermia want to run away, then share with a partner.
Whole-class discussion: Teacher collects responses, highlighting key themes (love, parental control, conflict).
Display a mind map on the whiteboard capturing students’ ideas.

Differentiation: Offer sentence starters on the board for those who need support (e.g., “Lysander and Hermia want to run away because…”).

Main Activity Part 1: Text Exploration and Discussion (15 minutes)

Objective: Analyse the motivations and relationship dynamics of Lysander and Hermia using the text.

Provide dyslexia-friendly Act 1 extracts with important passages highlighted.
In groups of 4, students read aloud (rotating readers for oral fluency).
Groups identify key quotes reflecting Lysander and Hermia’s feelings and reasons for eloping.
Each group notes down their findings on a poster (focus on motivations, conflict with Egeus, love for each other).

Extension: Advanced learners identify Shakespeare’s use of language or poetic devices in the extracts.

Differentiation: Use audio recordings of the extracts for students who struggle with reading.

Main Activity Part 2: Role-Play Performance (20 minutes)

Objective: Develop performance skills through exploring character decisions and emotions.

Groups prepare a short role-play (3-5 minutes) showing the crucial scene(s) where Lysander and Hermia discuss running away.
Encourage use of body language, tone, and eye contact to express emotions clearly.
Circulate to offer specific feedback on clarity of communication and group collaboration.

Differentiation: Support students who find improvisation difficult by providing role scripts with key lines.

Success Criteria for Performances:

Clear portrayal of conflict and affection between characters.
Use of persuasive or emotional language from the text.
Collaboration and equal participation from group members.

Extension: Encourage advanced learners to experiment with alternative character motivations or modern adaptations.

Plenary: Reflection and Quick Quiz (10 minutes)

Objective: Consolidate learning, assess understanding, and plan for the upcoming assessment.

Quick group quiz on Lysander and Hermia’s motivations and the obstacle of Egeus (true/false and short answer).
Students write one sentence reflecting on what they learned about the characters and one question they still have.
Quick whole-class feedback on answers and student reflections.
Teacher shares tips for assessment focusing on the themes discussed and reminds students where to find extra support materials.

Differentiation: Provide sentence starters or pictorial prompts for reflection if needed.

Differentiation Strategies

Reading: Provide dyslexia-friendly texts with larger fonts, bullet points, and glossaries.
Writing: Allow use of speech-to-text software or supported sentence structures.
Performance: Flexible grouping; supportive scaffolding scripts; opt-out of speaking roles with observer/reflection task.
Higher Ability: Challenge with language analysis and alternative scene interpretations.

Assessment Opportunities

Informal formative assessment through group discussions and role-play performances.
Understanding gauged by quiz responses and reflective sentences in the plenary.
Teacher observation checklist to note confidence, collaboration, textual understanding, and expression.

Extension Activities

Write a diary entry from Hermia’s perspective explaining her feelings about running away.
Explore modern equivalents of family conflict and forbidden love through a creative writing task.
Create a short video diary or podcast as Lysander explaining their plan.

This lesson capitalises on drama as a tool for deepening literary understanding and promoting speaking and listening standards specified in the National Curriculum, fully preparing students for their assessment on A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Teaching Instructions