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"Twelfth Night": What's so funny?
Students brainstorm and discuss elements of modern humor. They compare humor in their own lives to the humor that Shakespeare used in "Twelfth Night". They perform portions of "Twelfth Night" focusing on its humor.
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The Secret life of Minor Characters
Students read Julius Caesar line by line. They discuss what is going on in a particular scene. Each student in a group takes the role of an assassin and comes up with a clear characterization and motivation. They share and watch within...
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Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's Tortured Sonnet
Students read four of Shakespeare's sonnets and determine whether they are read from Macbeth's or Lady Macbeth's point of view. They support their decision using evidence from the text.
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Original Line or Familiar Find?
Young scholars examine a primary source document from 1684 that includes many of the same lines found in Romeo's speech to Juliet from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Students compare the texts and discuss authorship during the sixteenth...
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Inside Hamlet
Students examine how tone and inflection shape the character of Hamlet. In this Shakespeare lesson, students summarize what they know of Hamlet and complete a read around. Students discuss the inflection patterns and tone in the reading...
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Choosing Sides
Students examine the alliances in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In this drama lesson, students read the play and act out the conflict and controversy among Brutus, Caesar, Cassius, and Marc Antony.
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The Macbeth Tango
Young scholars examine how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth relate to each other in individual scenes and throughout the play. By taking elements of that relationship and making them physical, students analyze the Macbeths' marriage on many...
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"What are these...?"
Learners discuss the "witches" of Shakespeare. In this literature analysis lesson, students research the influence of Macbeth's sisters on his behavior. They examine various terms used to describe the sisters, and discuss...
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Screwing Courage in Macbeth
High schoolers read, analyze, and act out the scenes 1.7.29-79 of the William Shakespeare play, "Macbeth." They discuss motivation, tactics, and obstacles, and improvise scenes suggested by the class.
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Divinity of hell: Soliloquies, Cutting and Computers
Students use a computer to read text from Shakespeare's "Othello." They attempt to read through his soliloquies, and reduce the amount of words in each bit of text.
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Where Do They Stand?: Perspectives on Othello's Marriage
High schoolers read and discuss Act one, scene three of the play, Othello. They examine the text in small groups, determine each character's attitude toward Othello, identify text to justify their conclusions, then recite lines to the...
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Romeo And Juliet: Act V Reading And Study Guide
In this reading and study guide worksheet, students define 4 vocabulary words, define 2 literary terms, and respond to 15 short answer questions pertaining to Act V of "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare.
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Hamlet on the Ramparts: A Pre-reading Activity
Students explore the first act of Hamlet. In this Shakespeare lesson, students pantomime important events from Hamlet in a pre-reading activity. Classmates observe the performances and write reviews.
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Their Names Are Pricked
Students discuss areas of ambiguity in Julius Caesar and analyze the language as a tool to illustrate complex desires. In this Shakespeare lesson, students define subtext and use a neutral scene to act out subtext. Students create their...
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Remembrance of Yours--Analyzing Characters Using Mementos
Students choose two characters in Hamlet and symbolize the characters with an object, or find an object that the characters might carry. In this Hamlet lesson, students find an object to represent each character they choose. The object...
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Trust
Young scholars read and discuss Romeo and Juliet Act IV, Scenes 1 and 2. They compare the unfolding action with yesterday's predictions. They consider the concepts of trust, fate, and self-determination.
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Hamlet Anticipation Guide
Here's a short anticipation guide for Hamlet. Before reading the text, learners will mark the things they believe will happen in the text. Then, after they read, they will revisit the guide to see what actually happened.
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Romeo and Juliet Quiz
"Wherefore art thou Romeo?" These simple multiple-choice questions focus on Romeo and Juliet. Focusing on reading comprehension, this quiz can be a quick check to see if students are reading. A few are tricky!
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Othello Quotes
Studying quotations is a great way to explore the text on a deeper level. Use this document to have students identify the speaker of certain quotes and then extend the activity by having them write a paragraph detailing why a quotation...
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Romeo and Juliet- Matching Worksheet
For this Shakespeare matching worksheet, student match words associated with the play Romeo and Juliet with the phrases that describe them.
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Mapping Shakespeare
Twelfth graders read a Shakespearean play focusing on a character. They create "Mind Maps" of their characters and act out a selection of the play.
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Divinity of hell
Students have to look at the text of the play Othello and cut the text in half. Each group then moves to the computer to their right and continues on with what that group wrote. They then have to stage the final script and perform in...
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Picturing Shakespeare: Creating Illuminated Texts
Students experiment with illuminating important text. In this fictional literature lesson, students research Shakespearean sonnets. Students identify key elements of the sonnets, and examine the relationship between...
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Playing it Straight
Pupils view live theatre. In this play productions lesson, students visit selected venues online or in person to see up to 32 plays in the United Kingdom.