NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum
9.1.3
DRAFT
Grade 9 • Module 1 • Unit 3 • Lesson 4
Lesson 4
Introduction
In this lesson, students continue to build their close reading skills as they explore the excerpt from Act
1.3, lines 64–100 in which Lady Capulet discusses marriage with Juliet.
This lesson is the students’ first introduction to Juliet in the play, and, though her dialogue is brief in
this scene, a close reading here will give insight in later lessons about her development as a character.
Students will focus their analysis on a comparison of Juliet and Lady Capulet’s attitudes toward love
and marriage. Students will consider word choice, imagery, and language to frame their analysis.
Students will engage in rich discussions with a partner, a small group and the whole class, as well as
complete a brief writing assignment to close the lesson. For homework, students will continue to read
their Accountable Independent Reading texts.
Standards
Assessed Standard(s)
RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting
motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and
advance the plot or develop the theme.
Addressed Standard(s)
RL.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of
specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense
of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
ELA-Literacy.
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including
CCRA.R.7
visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
Assessment
Assessment(s)
Quick Write: What does Juliet’s interaction with her mother reveal about her attitude towards
marriage? How does this attitude compare to her mother’s? Offer at least two pieces of text-based
evidence to support your answer.
High Performance Response(s)
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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum
DRAFT
Grade 9 • Module 1 • Unit 3 • Lesson 4
High Performance Responses might include:
• Juliet doesn’t care that much about marriage, she doesn’t have anything to say about it, and she
says she hasn’t thought about it, that it is an “honour that I dream not of” (line 67).
• She doesn’t talk very much and she uses the word “like” instead of “love” when agreeing to meet
Paris at the party (line 98).
• Her mother thinks marriage is very important, she describes Juliet’s suitor as “valiant,” “fair” and
“precious,” and she uses “love” several times. Juliet’s mother gives several reasons that Juliet
should get married, like other girls from good families are already married and she commands
Juliet to “think of marriage now” (line 70).
Vocabulary
Vocabulary to provide directly (will not include extended instruction)

esteem (adj.) – well-bred, from a good family (see footnote)

valiant (adj.) – full of courage, brave

lineament (n.) – distinctive feature of the body, especially of the face

margent (n.) – archaic use of 'margin' meaning outer limit
Vocabulary to teach (may include direct word work and/or text-dependent questions)

dispositions (n.) – frame of mind, attitude, temperament

consent (n.) – permission
Lesson Agenda/Overview
Student-Facing Agenda
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Standards: RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4, ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7
Text: Romeo and Juliet, Act 1.3, lines 64–100
Introduction of Lesson Agenda
Homework Accountability
Opening Activity
Film: Romeo + Juliet [13:36–17:05]
Text-Dependent Questions and Activities
Quick Write
Closing
Materials
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Film Tool: Stylistic Choices (see Lesson 2)
Film: Romeo + Juliet [13:36–17:05] DVD
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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum
DRAFT
Grade 9 • Module 1 • Unit 3 • Lesson 4
Learning Sequence
Percentage Teacher Actions
of Lesson
5%
Students look at the agenda.
Homework Accountability
Instruct students to talk in pairs about how they
can apply their focus standard to their text. Lead
a brief share out on the previous lesson’s AIR
homework assignment. Select several students
(or student pairs) to explain how they applied
their focus standard to their AIR text.
5%
Instructional Notes (extensions,
supports, common
misunderstandings)
Introduction of Lesson Agenda
Begin by reviewing the agenda and sharing the
standards for this lesson: RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.3,
RL.9-10.4, ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7.
5%
Student Actions
Students (or student pairs) discuss and share
how they applied their focus standard to their
AIR text from the previous lesson’s homework.
Opening Activity
Display the following question as students enter
the classroom: How did Romeo describe Rosaline
in yesterday’s lesson?
Students should record their answers.
Students respond to the opening question in
writing.
Students may say Romeo described Rosaline as
beautiful, pretty, or good looking.
Briefly discuss students’ responses.
Share the target standards for this lesson: RL.910.1, RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4, ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7.
This activity asks students to recall
that Romeo described Rosaline’s
beauty in the last text.
It may be helpful to explain to
students that reviewing their work
from the previous lesson will help
them make connections between the
excerpts and boost their
comprehension of the play.
This activity in particular will be
helpful as students learn that Lady
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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum
Grade 9 • Module 1 • Unit 3 • Lesson 4
DRAFT
Capulet and the Nurse describe Paris
(Juliet’s suitor) in much the same
way.
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Film: Romeo + Juliet
Distribute blank copies of the Film Tool: Stylistic
Choices introduced in Lesson 2. Pause the film at
strategic points so students can generate their
observations.
Students view the film, recording their
observations on the tool.
Show the film. (See Unit Overview.)
[13:36–17:05] (DVD)
Lead a brief class discussion, asking students to
offer their observations about the film.
70%
Students to summarize details of the plot:
Paris and Capulet talk about Juliet; Romeo and
Benvolio find out about the Capulet ball and
decide to go; Lady Capulet and the Nurse search
for Juliet, and then bring her into Lady Capulet’s
room to have a talk.
Text-Dependent Questions and Activities
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4
If students offer too few observations
after viewing the film, consider
asking:

Where is the scene set?

How does the setting influence
the action of the scene?

How were the characters
dressed? What might their
apparel suggest about the
characters?

What sounds did you hear? What
effect does the filmmaker create
with them?

What did you notice about the
lighting in the scene? Why do you
think the filmmaker made these
choices?
NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum
Have students reread lines 64–75 in small groups.
Alternatively, you may choose to play an audio
version of this section.
Display the following questions for students to
discuss in their groups before sharing out with
the class:
1. What words or phrases in line 66 can help you
make meaning of the word dispositions? What
synonyms can you offer for dispositions?
2. What is Lady Capulet asking Juliet? What can
you infer about Juliet from her response?
Have students reread lines 70–75 in their groups
and complete these activities:
3. Find and circle the references to motherhood.
Student responses may include the following:
1. Students recognize the root word position in
dispositions and its connection to the preceding
word stands. Lady Capulet asks Juliet about her
position toward marriage. Students offer
synonyms such as opinion, view, attitude, or
position.
2. Lady Capulet asks Juliet what she thinks
about marriage (“how stands your dispositions
to be married” line 66). Juliet doesn’t “dream”
about marriage; she hasn’t begun to consider
marriage. Juliet has one very brief line, while
her mother uses three lines to ask her the
question. Juliet is probably quiet and
thoughtful, and she might not have a close
relationship with her talkative, overbearing
mother.
3. Lady Capulet refers to motherhood twice in
these lines, “made already mothers,” and “I was
your mother.” Students should infer that
according to Lady Capulet, the purpose of
File: 9.1.3 Lesson 4 Date: 8/31/13 Classroom Use: Starting 9/2013
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Grade 9 • Module 1 • Unit 3 • Lesson 4
DRAFT
5
Have students form small,
heterogeneous groups for the
purpose of discussing the text in
more depth and recording insights.
You may choose to create these
groups ahead of time, to ensure they
are diverse. Assign, or have students
assume, a role within the group, such
as Facilitator, Reader, and Recorder.
During discussions allow time for
each group to share their
collaborative work with the class.
Extension Question:

How old is Juliet? How do you
know?
Students should point to supporting
examples from the text, such as Lady
Capulet’s use of the word maid and
the play on the word in "younger
than you...are made already
mothers” (lines 70–72). Additionally,
the Nurse refers to Juliet as a young
lady.
To help students make meaning from
the text, reread Act 1.2, lines 8–11,
and Act 1.3, line 13, where it
explicitly states that Juliet is not yet
fourteen.
NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum
Based on these references, what can you infer
about Lady Capulet’s attitude toward marriage?
4. According to Lady Capulet, why should Juliet
begin to think about marriage?
Have students reread lines 76–95 in their groups.
Then, ask the following questions, allowing
sufficient time for students to discuss in their
groups before sharing out with the whole class.
DRAFT
Grade 9 • Module 1 • Unit 3 • Lesson 4
marriage is to produce children.
4. Lady Capulet believes that Paris wants to
marry Juliet (“the valiant Paris seeks you for his
love”).
Students read and discuss in their groups.
Students may benefit from having
vocabulary words from this dense
passage displayed or written on the
board. (See Vocabulary chart.)
Remind students to use their
footnotes for clues.
5. When and where will Juliet see Paris for
herself?
6. What is the cumulative effect of the words,
phrases and comparisons used to describe Paris?
7. What can you infer about Lady Capulet’s
attitude toward marriage? Circle vocabulary or
phrases that can help you make a claim about
Lady Capulet’s attitude toward marriage. Write
down any observations you make about the way
she is speaking in this passage.
5. Juliet will see Paris at the Capulet party on
that very night (“this night you shall behold him
at our feast,” line 81).
6. Lady Capulet describes Paris’s face as a
precious book of love. Paris is “valiant, a man of
wax, a flower.” Lady Capulet and Nurse describe
Paris in terms of his physical appearance and his
strong character. The cumulative effect is
almost overwhelmingly positive.
7. Students should circle works like precious,
fair, glory, pride, golden. Students should also
notice that Lady Capulet has begun to use end
rhymes, and speak more poetically. Students
should infer that Lady Capulet thinks marriage is
good and important, and she is trying to
convince Juliet to think about marriage in the
same way through her poetic language and
detailed descriptions of Paris’ beauty.
Have students finish reading lines 95–100 in their
groups.
Now that students have an
understanding of Lady Capulet’s
attitude toward marriage, they will
Have students discuss these questions in their
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6
NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum
DRAFT
groups, before sharing out with the whole class.
8. What difference in word choice do you notice
between Lady Capulet in line 97 and Juliet in line
98?
9. Consent as a noun is generally defined as
“permission.” How is Juliet using consent in line
100? How would line 100 be different if consent
was replaced with “command”?
10. What can you infer about Juliet’s reply based
on your understanding of her use of consent?
5%
unpack Juliet’s attitude toward
marriage.
8. Lady Capulet asks if Juliet can “like of Paris’
love” but Juliet doesn’t use the word love, she
only uses the word like. She’s agreeing to look
at him, but only to see if she “likes” him, not to
fall in “love.”
9. Juliet is using consent to imply that her
mother has given her permission for Juliet to fall
in love with Paris, even though it was her
mother that brought up the idea. It would be
different if Juliet said “command” because Juliet
would be saying explicitly that her mother is not
giving her a choice about whether or not she
wants to marry Paris.
10. Juliet is saying she will do what her mother
is asking her to do, since it seems like she
doesn’t have a choice.
Quick Write
Have students briefly respond in writing to the
following prompt:
What does Juliet’s interaction with her mother
reveal about her attitude towards marriage? How
does this attitude compare to her mother’s? Offer
at least two pieces of text-based evidence to
support your answer.
Students complete a Quick Write. See High
Performance Response at the beginning of this
lesson.
Inform students that you will collect their Quick
Write at the end of class and use it to evaluate
their comprehension of the text read in this
lesson.
File: 9.1.3 Lesson 4 Date: 8/31/13 Classroom Use: Starting 9/2013
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Grade 9 • Module 1 • Unit 3 • Lesson 4
7
NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum
5%
DRAFT
Grade 9 • Module 1 • Unit 3 • Lesson 4
Closing
For homework, instruct students to continue
their Accountable Independent Reading
through the lens of their focus standard and
prepare for a 3–5 minute discussion of their
text based on that standard.
Students continue to read their Accountable
Independent Reading text for homework.
Homework
Students should continue to read their Accountable Independent Reading through the lens of their focus standard and prepare for a 3–5 minute
discussion of their text based on that standard.
File: 9.1.3 Lesson 4 Date: 8/31/13 Classroom Use: Starting 9/2013
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8