10.4.3 Lessn 1 Intrductin In this first lessn f Unit 3, students explre Nicclò Machiavelli s The Prince by cnsidering the first tw paragraphs f chapter 17: Of cruelty and mercy, and whether it is better t be lved than t be feared r the cntrary (frm Turning t the ther qualities mentined abve t a dread f punishment that will never abandn yu ), in which Machiavelli discusses the virtues f being feared and lved. In this unit, students explre a nnfictin text that examines ne authr s thughts abut the traits that cntribute t successful rulers. T scaffld their engagement with Machiavelli, students recall the wrk they did with Macbeth, a fictinal accunt f hw a ruler s traits cntribute t his dwnfall. In this lessn, students grapple with hw sme f the many references Machiavelli uses in his writing supprt central ideas and hw Machiavelli relates varius central ideas in the text. Student learning is assessed via a Quick Write at the end f the lessn: What specific details reveal a central idea in paragraphs 1 2 f chapter 17? Fr hmewrk, students cntinue their Accuntable Independent Reading (AIR). They als read the first paragraph f the Dedicatry Letter f The Prince in rder t identify Machiavelli s pint f view in this text. Standards Assessed Standard(s) RI.9-10.2 Addressed Standard(s) W.9-10.9.b Determine a central idea f a text and analyze its develpment ver the curse f the text, including hw it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; prvide an bjective summary f the text. Draw evidence frm literary r infrmatinal texts t supprt analysis, reflectin, and research. b. Apply grades 9 10 Reading standards t literary nnfictin (e.g., Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacius reasning ). 1
Assessment Assessment(s) The learning in this lessn will be captured thrugh a Quick Write at the end f the lessn. Students will respnd t the fllwing prmpt: What specific details reveal a central idea in paragraphs 1 2 f chapter 17? Thrughut this unit, Quick Writes will be evaluated using the Shrt Respnse Rubric. High Perfrmance Respnse(s) A High Perfrmance Respnse shuld: Identify a central idea in the passage (e.g., it is better t be feared than lved). Select specific details frm the passage that supprt the central idea (e.g., a prince shuld nt be cncerned abut appearing cruel; fear mtivates lyalty; a few examples f cruelty versus mercy: Cesare Brgia, wh brught rder t the Rmagna, (paragraph 1) can have mre cmpassinate results than excessive mercy, as demnstrated by the Flrentines, wh allwed the destructin f Pistia (paragraph 1); etc.). Vcabulary Vcabulary t prvide directly (will nt include extended instructin) cntrary (n.) an ppsite r different fact, event, r situatin Flrentine (adj.) f Flrence, a city in Italy fickle (adj.) changing ften simulatrs (n.) peple wh pretend Vcabulary t teach (may include direct wrd wrk and/r questins) restred (v.) gave back, returned infamy (n.) extremely bad reputatin prudence (n.) careful gd judgment that allws smene t avid danger r risks insufferable (adj.) very bad r unpleasant; t unpleasant t deal with r accept lacking (adj.) nt having any r enugh f smething that is needed r wanted wretched (adj.) very bad r unpleasant sustained (v.) kept frm giving way 2
Additinal vcabulary t supprt English Language Learners (t prvide directly) prince (n.) a male ruler in sme cuntries merciful (adj.) treating peple with kindness and frgiveness cruel (adj.) causing r helping t cause suffering executin (n.) the act f killing smene, especially as punishment fr a crime Lessn Agenda/Overview Student-Facing Agenda Standards & Text: % f Lessn Standards: RI.9-10.2, W.9-10.9.b Text: The Prince by Nicclò Machiavelli, Chapter 17: Of cruelty and mercy, and whether it is better t be lved than t be feared r the cntrary Learning Sequence: 1. Intrductin f Lessn Agenda 2. Hmewrk Accuntability 3. Masterful Reading 4. Reading and Discussin 5. Quick Write 6. Clsing 1. 5% 2. 10% 3. 10 % 4. 55% 5. 15% 6. 5% Materials Student cpies f the Shrt Respnse Rubric and Checklist (refer t 10.4.1 Lessn 1) Learning Sequence Hw t Use the Learning Sequence Symbl Type f Text & Interpretatin f the Symbl 10% Percentage indicates the percentage f lessn time each activity shuld take. n symbl Plain text indicates teacher actin. Bld text indicates questins fr the teacher t ask students. Italicized text indicates a vcabulary wrd. Indicates student actin(s). Indicates pssible student respnse(s) t teacher questins. Indicates instructinal ntes fr the teacher. 3
Activity 1: Intrductin f Lessn Agenda 5% Begin by reviewing the agenda and the assessed standard fr this lessn: RI.9-10.2. Remind students that in 10.4.2 they read Shakespeare s Macbeth, a wrk f fictin in which the title character s traits cntributed t his rle as a leader and t his dwnfall. In this unit, students read several excerpts f Nicclò Machiavelli s The Prince, a nnfictin text that explres Machiavelli s beliefs abut the characteristics f an effective ruler. In this lessn, students read and discuss the first tw paragraphs f chapter 17 f The Prince, examining hw varius qualities impact a prince s ability t rule, and nticing hw Machiavelli intrduces and develps a central idea. Students lk at the agenda. Activity 2: Hmewrk Accuntability 10% Instruct students t frm pairs t share the vcabulary wrds they identified and defined fr the previus lessn s hmewrk. Students may identify the fllwing wrds: restred, infamy, prudence, insufferable, lacking, wretched, sustained. Definitins are prvided in the Vcabulary bx in this lessn. Activity 3: Masterful Reading 10% Have students listen t a masterful reading f chapter 17 f The Prince (frm Turning t the ther qualities mentined abve t nly he must seek t avid being hated, as I have said ). Instruct students t listen fr wrds and phrases Machiavelli uses t describe a successful prince. Differentiatin Cnsideratin: Cnsider psting r prjecting the fllwing guiding questin t supprt students in their reading: What makes a gd prince? Students fllw alng, reading silently. Activity 4: Reading and Discussin 55% Instruct students t frm small grups. Pst r prject each set f questins belw fr students t discuss. 4
Instruct student grups t reread paragraph 1 f chapter 17 (frm Turning t the ther qualities mentined abve t nr t much suspicin render him insufferable ) and answer the fllwing questins befre sharing ut with the class. These grups will be used thrughut the unit. Cnsider asking students t number the sentences in paragraph 1 fr ease f discussin. Differentiatin Cnsideratin: Cnsider prviding students with the fllwing definitins: prince means a male ruler in sme cuntries, cruel means causing r helping t cause suffering, and merciful means treating peple with kindness and frgiveness. Students write the definitin f prince, cruel, and merciful n their cpy f the text r in a vcabulary jurnal. Based n the title f chapter 17, what central ideas can yu infer Machiavelli will develp? Student respnses shuld include: Machiavelli will develp the idea f whether it is better t be merciful r cruel. Machiavelli will cnsider whether it is better t be lved r feared. If students struggle t answer this questin, prvide the fllwing definitin: cntrary means an ppsite r different fact, event, r situatin. Remind students t anntate their texts fr central idea, using the cde CI. Explain t students that anntating will help them keep track f evidence they will use later in lessn assessments and the Endf-Unit Assessment, which fcuses n central idea. This fcused anntatin supprts students engagement with W.9-10.9.b, which addresses the use f textual evidence in writing. What is the relatinship between the first paragraph f chapter 17 and the title f the text, The Prince? Student respnses may include: Machiavelli talks abut what a prince must and must nt d in this paragraph. Machiavelli gives special attentin t the new prince. What evidence des Machiavelli prvide in the third sentence f the first paragraph f chapter 17 t supprt his claim that a prince must take care nt t use mercy badly? Machiavelli uses the example f the Flrentines, wh wanted t appear merciful and ended up allwing the destructin f a city (sentence 3). 5
Remind students f the wrk they did with explanatry ntes in 10.4.2. Instruct students t refer t the explanatry ntes fr additinal infrmatin abut places, peple, and events. Pint ut the map f nrthern and central Italy (c. 1500) facing the title page, the Explanatry Ntes n pages 91 113, and the Glssary f Prper Names n pages 114 130. If students struggle t answer this questin, prvide the fllwing definitin: Flrentines means citizens f Flrence, a city in Italy. Hw des Machiavelli s statement that a prince must nt wrry abut the infamy f being cnsidered cruel (sentence 4) relate t the first sentence? The furth sentence means that a prince must nt wrry abut being cnsidered cruel, especially if he is being cruel s that he can keep his subjects united and lyal. This seems t cntradict the first sentence, that states, [E]very prince must desire t be cnsidered merciful and nt cruel. Differentiatin Cnsideratin: If students struggle with this questin, cnsider psing the fllwing questin: Hw des the phrase a prince must nt wrry help yu t make meaning f infamy in sentence 4? Peple wrry abut things that are dangerus r harmful in sme way, s infamy must be smething negative. Cnfirm that the wrd infamy means extremely bad reputatin. Paraphrase the claim Machiavelli makes in the fifth sentence f chapter 17, paragraph 1. A few examples f cruelty that harm a small number f individuals can smetimes enable a prince t be mre merciful than a prince wh refuses t be cruel and allws a large number f individuals t suffer as a result. Hw des Machiavelli supprt this claim in chapter 17, paragraph 1? Student respnses shuld include: Machiavelli says that a few examples f cruelty culd prevent disrders, which lead t murders and plundering, meaning that a few extreme punishments fr crimes will set an example that will keep peple frm cmmitting similar crimes that harm sciety. Machiavelli says that executins rdered by the prince injure specific individuals, but the disrder caused by excessive mercy usually injure[s] the entire cmmunity, meaning that an executin might seem harsh, but it kills nly ne persn. Allwing a criminal r traitr t 6
live might be shwing excessive mercy because it des nt discurage peple frm cmmitting crimes that will harm many peple in the cmmunity. Differentiatin Cnsideratin: If students struggle, cnsider asking the fllwing questins. Hw des Machiavelli s descriptin f hw Cesare Brgia brught rder t the Rmagna (in the secnd sentence f paragraph 1) help explain what Machiavelli means by the term disrder in the fifth sentence? In the secnd sentence Machiavelli describes Brgia s bringing rder t the Rmagna as unit[ing] it, and restr[ing] it t peace and lyalty. He must mean that disrder has t d with the ppsite: divisin, unrest, and dislyalty. Hw des the end f the fifth sentence f paragraph 1 ( With a very few examples f cruelty executins rdered by the prince injure specific individuals ) help explain what Machiavelli means by excessive mercy in this sentence? The end f the sentence mentins disrders, including murders and plundering that can result frm excessive mercy. Excessive mercy might mean an unwillingness t punish peple fr serius crimes fr fear f nt being cnsidered merciful (r f being cnsidered cruel ). What example f cruelty des Machiavelli use in this sentence? Machiavelli uses executins rdered by the prince as an example f cruelty. Differentiatin Cnsideratin: Cnsider pinting ut that the wrd executin means the act f killing smene, especially as a punishment fr a crime and is the nun frm f the verb t execute. In the first paragraph f chapter 17, hw des Machiavelli use evidence frm histry and literature t supprt his claim that [w]ith a very few examples f cruelty, [the prince] will prve mre cmpassinate than thse wh exhibit excessive mercy? Student respnses shuld include: Machiavelli uses the example f Cesare Brgia, wh was cnsidered cruel but brught rder t the Rmagna (sentence 2). This example supprts Machiavelli s claim because it shws that cruelty had the cmpassinate effect f bringing peace. If Brgia had nt been cnsidered cruel and had instead tried t shw excessive mercy, the Rmagna wuld have cntinued t suffer frm plitical unrest. Machiavelli uses the example f Did, a new queen, wh set guards ver her land in rder t prtect it frm the harshness f things during the newness f her reign (sentence 7). This example supprts Machiavelli s claim because it shws that the cruelty f set[ting] guards ver Did s land had the cmpassinate result f prtecting it frm the harshness 7
f things. If Did had shwn excessive mercy her cuntry wuld have suffered, s she wuld nt be shwing cmpassin fr her peple. Accrding t Machiavelli, what can a prince accmplish when he is cnsidered cruel? Student respnses may include: Machiavelli says that a prince wh is cnsidered cruel can be like Cesare Brgia, wh brught rder t his regin, united it, and restred it t peace and lyalty (sentence 2). A prince wh is cnsidered cruel can keep his subjects united and lyal (sentence 4). Based n the evidence in the first paragraph f chapter 17, what des Machiavelli believe abut the qualities f mercy and cruelty in a prince? Student respnses shuld include: Machiavelli believes it is better fr a prince t be cnsidered merciful and nt cruel (paragraph 1). Machiavelli believes it is pssible fr a prince t be t merciful r t use mercy badly, meaning that a prince wh is afraid t set a very few examples f cruelty may allw disrder and a prince wh is t eager t avid being cnsidered cruel can lead t destructin (paragraph 1). Machiavelli believes that thrugh a very few examples f cruelty, a prince can prve mre cmpassinate than if he shws excessive mercy, because thse examples can prevent disrders that injure the entire cmmunity (paragraph 1). Lead a brief whle-class discussin based n student respnses. Instruct student grups t read paragraph 2 f chapter 17 (frm Frm this arises an argument: whether it is better t be lved t a dread f punishment that will never abandn yu ) and answer the fllwing questins befre sharing ut with the class. Prvide students with the fllwing definitins: fickle means changing ften and simulatrs means peple wh pretend. Students may be familiar with sme f these wrds. Cnsider asking students t vlunteer definitins befre prviding them t the class. Students write the definitins f fickle and simulatrs n their cpy f the text r in a vcabulary jurnal. 8
What des Machiavelli believe is the answer t the argument f whether it is better t be lved than t be feared (paragraph 2)? In the secnd sentence f paragraph 2 Machiavelli says it is best t be bth ne and the ther, but since it is difficult t be bth tgether than the safer ptin is t be feared. Hw des Machiavelli use reasning t supprt his claim abut whether it is better t be lved than t be feared (paragraph 2)? Machiavelli says that that a relatinship f lve will be insincere and easily brken because men are ungrateful, fickle, simulatrs and deceivers (paragraph 2), while a relatinship f fear will be strng, because a dread f punishment will never abandn yu (paragraph 2). Differentiatin Cnsideratin: If students struggle t reach this understanding, cnsider asking the fllwing scafflding questins: Accrding t Machiavelli, what is the basis f lve? Machiavelli says a chain f bligatin is the basis f lve (paragraph 2). Accrding t Machiavelli, what is the basis f fear? Machiavelli says a dread f punishment is the basis f fear (paragraph 2). What is the relatinship between Machiavelli s advice in the secnd paragraph and his advice in the first paragraph? In bth instances Machiavelli first seems t give ne answer, but then he ges n t say smething that seems t cntradict the answer he gave initially. Fr example, in the first paragraph, after saying that a prince shuld wrk t be cnsidered merciful, Machiavelli demnstrates why, fr a prince, it is nt necessary t wrry abut the infamy f being cnsidered cruel (paragraph 1). In the secnd paragraph Machiavelli first says that a prince shuld be bth lved and feared, but then ges n t explain why it is much safer t be feared than t be lved (paragraph 2). Hw des Machiavelli s advice regarding cruelty and mercy, and whether it is better t be lved than t be feared relate t Macbeth? Student respnses may include: Duncan used cruelty t keep his subjects lyal when he executed Cawdr and gave the title t Macbeth, but he was nt feared enugh and Macbeth brke the chain f bligatin fr his wn self-interest (paragraph 2) and killed Duncan t gain the crwn. 9
Duncan s friendship with Macbeth was acquired by a price (the title f Thane f Cawdr) and s was easily brken (paragraph 2). Macbeth s actins demnstrate Machiavelli s belief that men are ungrateful, fickle, simulatrs and deceivers and greedy fr gain (paragraph 2). Macbeth did nt desire t be cnsidered merciful and as a result f his excessive cruelty, he was hated and he lst the crwn (paragraph 1). Lead a brief whle-class discussin f student respnses. Activity 5: Quick Write 15% Instruct students t respnd briefly in writing t the fllwing prmpt: What specific details reveal a central idea in paragraphs 1 2 f chapter 17? Instruct students t lk at their anntatins t find evidence. Ask students t use this lessn s vcabulary wherever pssible in their written respnses, and t practice using specific language and dmain-specific vcabulary. Remind students t use the Shrt Respnse Rubric and Checklist t guide their written respnses. Students listen and read the Quick Write prmpt. Display the prmpt fr students t see, r prvide the prmpt in hard cpy. Transitin t the independent Quick Write. Students independently answer the prmpt, using evidence frm the text. See the High Perfrmance Respnse at the beginning f this lessn. Activity 6: Clsing 5% Display and distribute the hmewrk assignment. Fr hmewrk, instruct students t read the first paragraph f the Dedicatry Letter f The Prince, frm In mst instances it is custmary fr thse thrugh t knw the nature f princes well ne must be f the peple, and respnd t the fllwing questin: Hw des this letter reveal Machiavelli s pint f view in The Prince? Differentiatin Cnsideratin: If students need additinal supprt, distribute the scafflding questins frm the Differentiatin Cnsideratin in 10.4.3 Lessn 2 s Hmewrk Accuntability sectin. 10
Remind students t use this lessns vcabulary wherever pssible in their written respnses. Students fllw alng. Hmewrk Write a shrt respnse t the fllwing prmpt: Read the first paragraph f the Dedicatry Letter f The Prince, frm In mst instances it is custmary fr thse thrugh t knw the nature f princes well ne must be f the peple, and respnd t the fllwing questin: Hw des this letter reveal Machiavelli s pint f view in The Prince? 11