Elements from the Teaching Philosophy
Discover:
Students are given the opportunity to discover their identity, discover the nature of the world and their relationship to it. In this lesson, the students are asked to take a position on an issue or theme in the play, and defend it.
Motivation: (Discuss the Likert Scales homework assignment. Create Likert Scale in classroom by drawing a line across the board. Read each statement aloud and ask students to stand where they marked their paper.) When I read the statement, stand where you think the character falls on the scale. Why did you choose this?
Connects students to the text
The jigsaw activity provided numerous examples of outside sources for students to make connections with the text.
-- Honor: Read poem entitled Sherman and complete worksheet relating the “honor” poem to Henry
IV.
-- Rebellion against the law: Look at political cartoon comparing England and France. Compare the
idea of rebellion given in the cartoon to the concept of rebellion in Percy’s rebellion and in
Falstaff’s propensity to steal.
-- Good king/bad king: Review a section of the Declaration of Independence. What did our
Founding Fathers believe made a good king? What does Henry IV think a good king is?
Hotspur? Prince Hal? Complete graphic organizer.
--Father/son relationships: Listen to “Father to Son” by Queen while following along with the lyrics.
Complete worksheet. Students will write a letter from King Henry to Hal, speculating on what
message Henry might pass down to Hal as the future King. They will then share the letter and the
reasoning behind it with the rest of their group.
Interaction with the text
Students, in reading/listening to the outside sources, are then asked to relate the material to the text. By comparing and contrasting these elements, the play comes alive for them.
Professional but Personal
In selecting materials that have meaning for the students (i.e. the "Father to Son" song by Queen, The Declaration of Independence), I demonstrate that I have a knowledge of the students' backgrounds and interests. In order to maintain the professional but personal relationship with the students, I also needed to demonstrate a strong level of authority in giving directions and assignments.