Instruct students to focus on standard L.11-12.4.a, c and to talk in pairs about what they think this standard means. Lead a brief discussion on the similarities between L.11-12.4.a, c and RL.11-12.4. Student responses may include: Both standards talk about determining the meaning of words as they are used in a text. Standards L.11-12.4.a, c focus on the strategies for determining word meaning, including using context and reference materials like dictionaries. RL.11-12.4 talks about how to find the meaning of the word but also asks for its impact on the text overall. Activity 2: Homework Accountability 10% Instruct students to volunteer their responses to the homework from Lesson 2: reread lines 9 and 10. What do you learn about the portrait? How does this develop your understanding of the Duke’s character? Students volunteer their responses to the Lesson 2 homework. Student responses may include: No one is allowed to move the curtains hiding the painting except for the Duke. This demonstrates that he guards his possessions carefully and, since he’s telling his listener, we can assume he takes pride in that fact. The fact that the painting is kept behind a curtain that only the Duke can draw suggests the possibility that the Duke has a jealous and controlling character. Instruct students to give a show of hands to indicate which students have already selected their AIR text. Remind those who haven’t that their title selection is due in the next lesson. Activity 3: Masterful Reading 5% Play or perform a masterful reading “My Last Duchess” in its entirety, instructing students to focus on how Browning develops the character of the Duchess. Students follow along, reading silently. Activity 4: Lines 21–34 Reading and Discussion 40%
Transition students into groups for reading and evidence-based discussion. Instruct students to select one member of the group to read aloud lines 21–25 and ask the others to annotate the text as that person reads. Instruct students to revise or add to their annotations as they discuss the following questions. Consider modifying reading technique if necessary, to whisper or group reads, to promote fluency. Reread lines 21–22: “She had a heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad / Too easily impressed…” What is the effect of the repetition in these lines? The effect of the repetition of “too” is to emphasize that, in the Duke’s opinion, the Duchess was too easily pleased or satisfied. What is the effect of “how shall I say?” in these lines? The Duke appears to be pausing to think about the right words. In the next lesson, students consider a similar instance of a verbal interjection by the Duke (“Even had you skill in speech—(which I have not)…”), which suggests the Duke’s false modesty. Consider revisiting “how shall I say?” as another example of false modesty, after completing 11.1.1 Lesson 4, when students will have more context to understand the Duke’s character and mannered tone. Instruct groups to read lines 25–29, from “Sir, ‘twas all one! my favour at her breast” to “the approving speech / Or blush, at least,” answering the questions that follow. Consider offering students the following definitions of favour: a gift bestowed as a token of goodwill, kind regard, love, etc., as formerly bestowed upon a knight by his lady. What does the Duke mean by “the dropping of daylight in the West” (line 26)? The sunset. What does “bough” mean in the line “the bough of cherries some officious fool / Broke in the orchard for her” (line 27)? What words are associated with “bough” that can help to define it? A bough is a branch or, in this case, a bunch of cherries. “Orchard” and “cherries.” What is happening in line 27? Someone is giving the Duchess a gift of a branch of cherries. What is the connotation of the word “officious”? How do you know?