Seventh graders practice dramatic acting skills, using three words - why, oh, and sorry in different contexts. Working in groups of two or three, they create scenes in which the three words are the only ones spoken and are used to convey...

Learners create and carry out a "modern day" version of the famous scene from Romeo and Juliet to help them build understanding of the plot and the two characters.

Students act out a fully realized Shakespearean play designed to be utilized by mid level elementary students.

Students describe three different aspects or life forms of the salt marsh. They compare and contrast the low and high marsh. Students explain what happens in different areas of the marsh at low and high tide; and explain the roles...

Students become familiar with Foley artists and sound effects as they analyze a scene from A Midsumer Night's Dream. They record their own sound for another scene.

Students identify the extent of the Roman Empire on a map of Europe and North Africa. They discuss the reasons behind Roman expansion and occupation. They read Cymbeline and write about the attitudes of 3 characters. Groups stage the scene.

Students study philanthropy and point of view while reading the novel Gentle Annie. In this point of view lesson plan, the learner writes a persuasive letter from a character in the novel. Students work in small groups to act out a skit...

Students assume the role of a crime scene detective and examine the lives of various immigrant groups. In this immigration lesson, students examine evidence, websites, and pull from existing knowledge to determine which group they are...

Students act out lines from King Lear to show a character's folly.  In this English literature lesson, students identify the 'folly' of a given character by choosing a passage from King Lear to demonstrate a time when the...

Students design and create photo albums that tell the story of the play, Twelfth Night, using pictures they take of themselves recreating various scenes of the play.

Students analyze and compare the poetic tools Shakespeare uses in the death scenes of Romeo and Juliet to those of Pyramus and Thisbe in Midsummer Night's Dream.

Students create plastic bag costumes for a short scene developed in the classroom. Performances and assessment occur at the end of this quick lesson. A very creative mini-project for theatre arts classes.

Students, after reading the book, "Esperanza Rising," create a virtual display by combining different story elements into a visual representation. They choose the setting and characters of a scene that will act as a springboard of ideas...

Students examine the vocabulary used to show friendship in Shakespeare's, Julius Caesar. For this Julius Caesar lesson, students discuss their idea of friendship and what it means to them. They work in pairs to determine how same sex...

Students explore the role of tone in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. For this literature lesson, students perform scenes from the play inflecting the tone that they believe Shakespeare intended. 

Students explore the role of protest songs. In this early American history lesson, students research the acts passed by the British that angered colonists. Students then listen to protest songs from contemporary American history prior to...

Learners discover how Shakespeare's play interprets Elizabethan attitudes toward revenge, as reflected in the structure of the Elizabethan revenge tragedy, one of the most popular forms of drama of that era. Students perform certain...

Students act as characters from Romeo and Juliet to carry on a cross-fire type discussion using contemporary language.

Students assess the importance of acceptance of self and others via the development of self-worth and the looking for the good in others not the bad. They explore the task of looking at the world through the eyes of others. In addition,...

Students act as reporters to develop interview skills. In this interview lessons, students develop the skills needed to use anecdotes and quotes to make an interview interesting. They practice asking questions over and above the 5 W's so...

Feel like a detective yet? Pupils first watch a brief clip from the movie The Bone Collector. Using a photo of the suspect's footprint next to a dollar bill, they then use proportions to determine the size of the suspect's shoe.

Young scholars research the social context of Elizabethan England for Shakespeare's "Hamlet". They identify cultural influences on the play focusing on the theme of revenge and then analyze and compare film interpretations of the play.

Plays are meant to be seen and so are these 12 elements that give plays the dramatic effect. Introduce young actors to these key terms and their explanations

How are films made? As part of their study of film, middle schoolers investigate the pre-production, production, and post-production process and consider the role of the director, the screenwriter, production designer, cinematographer,...