Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 25/02/2026
Subject: English Literature
Lesson Topic: Exploring the characteristics of different text types: for example, tragedy, comedy and satire.
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the key conventions, structures and language features of tragedy, comedy and satire.
  • Analyse how these techniques create specific emotional and intellectual effects.
  • Compare the purposes and audience responses of the three text types.
  • Apply knowledge by identifying genre markers in selected excerpts.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • Handouts with genre comparison table
  • Selected excerpts (Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Modest Proposal)
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Sticky notes for group activity
 Introduction:
Begin with a short video clip that shifts from a tragic scene to a comedic moment, prompting students to notice the tonal change. Ask learners to recall previous work on literary genres and how conventions shape meaning. Explain that today they will unpack the defining features of tragedy, comedy and satire, and set the success criteria: identify structures, language and purpose of each genre.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – Complete a Venn diagram on three genres using prior knowledge.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Teacher presents key conventions, structures and language features of tragedy, comedy and satire with examples.
  3. Text‑analysis stations (15’) – Small groups rotate through excerpts, noting genre markers on worksheets.
  4. Comparative discussion (10’) – Whole‑class comparison of findings and fill a comparative table on the board.
  5. Guided practice (10’) – Pairs answer two study questions focusing on structure and irony.
  6. Check for understanding (5’) – Quick Kahoot quiz to differentiate genre features.
Conclusion:
Summarise how each genre uses structure and language to achieve its purpose, reinforcing the success criteria. Students complete an exit ticket writing one characteristic that distinguishes each genre. For homework, they read a short excerpt of a chosen genre and prepare a brief annotation of its conventions.