Jekyll and Hyde Unit Plan (Grades 9–12): Lesson Ideas, Activities, Discussion Questions, and Quick Assessments

Jekyll and Hyde Unit Plan (Grades 9–12): Lesson Ideas, Activities, Discussion Questions, and Quick Assessments

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of the most efficient Gothic texts to teach in Grades 9–12: it’s short enough to fit real pacing, but rich enough to support serious analysis of duality, repression, reputation, secrecy, and consequence.

This post gives you a one-week unit structure you can run immediately—plus a dual-track approach (original + adapted) that keeps mixed reading levels aligned to the same Parts 1–5 arc.

Unit link:
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — Differentiated Gothic Lit Study Guide (Grades 9–12)

Essential questions (built for argument writing)

  • Is Hyde a separate being—or the revealed self?
  • What does “respectability” require people to hide?
  • When does explanation become an excuse?
  • How does secrecy distort what characters believe is true?

5-day unit plan (Parts 1–5 pacing)

  1. Day 1: Part 1 + Gothic toolbox (secrecy, threat, atmosphere) + discussion
  2. Day 2: Part 2 + quick quiz + cause/effect response
  3. Day 3: Part 3 + “public vs. private” evidence chart + discussion
  4. Day 4: Part 4 + quick quiz + theme claim drafting
  5. Day 5: Part 5 + final worksheet + short argument paragraph

Differentiation (dual-track, one storyline)

  • Supported readers: adapted Parts 1–5 for clarity and pacing
  • Advanced readers: original chapters mapped to the same Parts
  • Whole class: shared prompts, shared checks, shared final tasks

High-impact activities (easy to run, easy to assess)

  • Duality evidence log: collect moments where the text suggests divided identity; explain the pattern.
  • Reputation vs. reality chart: what society believes vs. what the narrative implies.
  • Compromise chain: map how one secret forces the next moral concession.
  • Mini-seminar: Is the experiment the cause of evil—or the method of revealing it?

What this novel study format includes

  • Original text + adapted text aligned to Parts 1–5
  • Discussion questions (per Part)
  • Self-graded exit quizzes (per Part)
  • Final worksheet (vocabulary, short answers, challenge questions)
  • Teacher guide + answer keys

Extend into a full Gothic unit (8 texts)

If you’re building a genre study, Jekyll & Hyde pairs naturally with ethics/creation (Frankenstein), fear and social threat (Dracula), and corruption/consequence (Dorian Gray).

Bundle:
8 Differentiated Gothic Literature Study Guides for High School (Bundle)

Start here (FREE):
[FREE DOWNLOAD] Frankenstein — Differentiated Gothic Lit Study Guide

Shop the 8 Gothic novel studies

FAQ

Is the text “too short” for a meaningful unit?
Not when tasks target theme, motivation, and structure. Short length lets you run high-rigor discussion and writing without losing pacing.

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