Curated OER
Shakespeare: Performance First
This instructional activity invites students to interact with the play from their first encounter, determine actions implied from the text and better comprehend Shakespeare's language.
Curated OER
History According to Shakespeare
Students read Shakespeare's, Julius Caesar while identifying a number of literary elements including simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole. As a response activity, they simulate a mock trial, and finally, compare and contrast...
Curated OER
Shakespeare: The Nature of Writing and the Writing of Nature
This lesson plan uses Shakespeare's writing as a model for elementary students, encouraging them use their imaginations to explore to the evocative powers of language. It gives them a manageable piece of text which they can master and...
Curated OER
The 32-Second Macbeth
Students read a very short script synopsis of Macbeth. They read the script, in small groups, trying to break the 32-second record, then write their own 32-second versions of one act from Macbeth.
Curated OER
Character in a Box
Partners choose, research, and analyze fictional or historical characters and design character life boxes to represent them. They also compose a rhyme royal, which they understand inductively by deconstructing examples. Based largely on...
Curated OER
"Tear him for his bad verses:" Cinna the poet and Shakespeare's Sonnets
Poor Cinna, the poet. His dream of “things unlucky” certainly comes true as the mob tears him apart, at first because they mistake him for Cinna, the conspirator, and then continue to “tear him to pieces for his bad verses.” As part of...
Curated OER
Much Ado About Something
Students view video clips of Shakespeare's plays. They discuss issues in his plays that challenge his authorship. They discuss the concept of a genius and identify what qualities a writer has.
Curated OER
Further Activities with Language
Students chose a favorite passage from a Shakespeare play. They write a letter from one character to another in a novel they have just read. They take a scene from a movie and write it in Shakespearean language.
Curated OER
Illuminating Our Human Experiences: Soliloquy from Hamlet
Students determine the meaning of a soliloquy and examine the themes in Shakespeare's, Hamlet. In this literature lesson, students read Hamlet's soliloquy and watch a Photo Story 3 text model of such. They write a personal soliloquy...
Curated OER
Much Ado About Nothing
Students read and analyze the works of Shakespeare. In this "Much Ado About Nothing" lesson, students deicper the play and research Shakespeare's works. Students create a quiz based on his life and re-enact a scene from the play.
Curated OER
THE GOOD AND THE BADDE: ARE STEREOTYPES A PERFECT FIT?
High schoolers examine stereotypes of women from The Good and the Badde in juxtaposition with the female characters in The Taming of the Shrew. Through this exercise, students locate evidence from the text of the play to support or...
Curated OER
Much Ado About Illumination
Students analyze the language and characters in the Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing. In this Shakespeare play lesson, students read section of the play and discuss the speech of Benedick and Claudio. Students record the speech...
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A New Look at Romeo and Juliet
Students explore life and language development in the Elizabethan Age. In this English lesson students complete web-quests and other activities surrounding Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
Curated OER
Romans in Britain, or Classical Colonialism
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.
Curated OER
Ice -T's Rap School
Students research the history of rap and gain an understanding of the components of rap music. They experience the correlation between Shakespeare's poetry and rap music of today.
Curated OER
Hark! The Sounds of Murder
Young scholars analyze the Macbeth murder scene through textual analysis and construct the murder scene of Duncan through the use of sound only. In this Macbeth lesson plan, students work in groups to analyze the murder scene of Duncan...
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MacBeth Activity Using Alanis Morissette's "Wake Up"
Students analyze Macbeth through the lens of a pop song. In this Macbeth lesson, students read Act I, Scene 7 of Macbeth and determine Lady Macbeth's viewpoint. Students read the lyrics to Alanis Morrissette's song 'Wake Up' and work in...
Curated OER
Macbeth - Analyzing Characterization in Drama
The writing activity in this lesson could be used to assess student understanding of previously taught concepts of how language reveals character.
Bantam Books
The Tempest: Chalk Talk
Discussion doesn't always need to be spoken. Before you begin The Tempest by William Shakespeare, have kids connect their ideas and experiences to central questions of the play with a silent discussion activity. Once they have...
Curated OER
The Tempest: The K-W-H-L Strategy
What does your class want to know about William Shakespeare's The Tempest? Host a discussion about the questions high schoolers have about the play with a KWHL activity in which they write down their inquiries, what they...
EngageNY
Grade 9 ELA Module 1: Unit 3, Lesson 16
"Thus, with a kiss, I die." After viewing a film clip of the events leading up to Romeo's suicide, class members analyze Act 5, scene 3, lines 88-120, in which Romeo drinks the apothecary's poison.
Curated OER
You Can't Go Home Again (or, If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Mother)
High schoolers read a scene from Hamlet, without stage directions. They recreate the scene using their own stage directions as they see fit for the scene.
Curated OER
Twelfth Night Act 2 Scene 5 Lesson Plan
Students read and complete activities for the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night. In this play analysis lesson, students discuss the themes, characters, and literary devices used in Act 2, Scene 5 of the Twelfth Night. Students complete a...
Curated OER
Twelfth Night Act 3 Sc 4
Students complete analysis activities for the Shakespearean play, Twelfth Night. In this play analysis instructional activity, students review a summary of the Twelfth Night, complete journal prompt writings, and a scene blocking...