Created for a high attainment Year 9 class working at GCSE level, this Much Ado About Nothing GCSE scheme of work contains a student-led week of work with resources. It includes a writing and reading assessment. You will also use the film to help students analyse the play.
Much Ado About Nothing GCSE learning objectives
- Learn details about the personalities of the main characters of the play, including Hero, Claudio, Beatrice, Benedick, Don John and more
- Understand the tone of the play and compare it to a performed version
- Understand the context of Much Ado About Nothing
- Apply understanding of euphuism to write a modern-day exchange of insults
- Create a witty exchange of insults, inspired by the play
- Secure understanding of language analysis within the play
- Understand the humiliation and damage to Hero’s honour in Act 4, Scene 1
- Analyse and evaluate Leonato’s reaction to Hero’s public shaming
- Analyse and interpret the theme of pride and honour within key scenes of the play
- Consider four areas of film analysis and comment on how films present characters
- Evaluate the progression of themes through character in Much Ado About Nothing
- Create a structured plan for controlled assessment
Writing assessment
- Sentence variety
- Technical accuracy and punctuation
- Appropriate and effective vocabulary
Reading assessment
- Deducing, inferring and interpreting information from the text
- Relating the text to social, cultural and historical traditions
Controlled assessment question
How does Shakespeare show the importance of pride and honour to one or two characters in Much Ado About Nothing?
You will use Act 4, Scene 1, the wedding scene, to explore the importance of pride and honour to the characters of Claudio and Hero, comparing it to the wedding scene in the film.
Kat Howard is an English teacher and founder of LitDrive.org.uk (@LitdriveUK) which helps English teachers connect and share resources. Read her blog at saysmiss.wordpress.com and follow her on Twitter at @saysmiss.
