Curated OER
Elizabethan England Worksheet
Set the stage for your next literary or historical adventure into Elizabethan England with this straightforward worksheet, which includes questions covering the political, social, and economic situation of the period. Ask your class to...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Hamlet and the Elizabethan Revenge Ethic in Text and Film
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.
Curated OER
Welcome to Renaissance England
Prepare your seventh through ninth graders for their first Shakespearean experience. This slide show provides a series of vocabulary words in context and a brief history of one of the world's most prolific playwrites, William...
Shakespeare Globe Trust
Fact Sheet: Indoor Theatres
Pull up a cushion, grab an apple or some nuts, light a candle, and get ready to explore indoor theatres from Elizabethan England. Readers use a handout to distinguish between indoor and outdoor theatres and the types of actors who...
Shakespeare Globe Trust
Fact Sheet: Actors
Back in Shakespeare's time, the public considered actors unruly, unlike the prestige they enjoy today. An informative handout outlines more about the acting profession in London during the Elizabethan era. Pupils discover how actors...
Curated OER
Elizabethan England To Glorious Revolution
Students explore the development of England from 1500 to 1689 in this eight lessons unit. The various parts of history affected by both political and religious factors are synthesized in this unit.
Shakespeare Globe Trust
Fact Sheet: Audiences
In Shakespeare's time, people could attend a play at the local theatre for as little as one penny. Using an informative handout, scholars learn about the typical London audience member during the 1600s. Readers explore how theatre...
Curated OER
Elizabethan Monarchy
Fifth graders explain the difference between democracy and monarchy. They see how the Queen Elizabeth and her Privy Council ran England. They explain the different terms involved in the Elizabethan government.
Curated OER
Dealing With The Problem of Poverty: The Elizabethan Poor Law
In this English history worksheet, students read a detailed one page text with information about poverty and the laws regarding deserving and undeserving poor during the 1600s in England. Students answer 10 multiple choice and essay...
Shakespeare Globe Trust
Fact Sheet: Playhouses
Laborers used common materials to build London's first performance venues, including sticks, plaster, and ... hair? Using an informational handout, scholars learn about the construction of different types of playhouses where actors...
Shakespeare Globe Trust
Fact Sheet: Writing Plays
Who were some of the popular playwrights of Elizabethan England? Using the provided fact sheets, scholars research playwrights, explore three different types of plays, and learn about censorship in Elizabethan England.
Shakespeare Globe Trust
Fact Sheet: Costumes and Cosmetics
Theatre producers in Shakespeare's time didn't have the special effects that are common today, so they had to get creative. Using the handout, pupils explore the topic of costume design. Additionally, readers learn about the stage makeup...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Hamlet Meets Chushingura: Traditions of the Revenge Tragedy
Students read texts, view film and video and conduct research in an analysis and comparison of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and the Kabuki piece "Chushingura". They focus their analysis on the theme of revenge.
Curated OER
Til Death Do Us Part
Ninth graders read Romeo and Juliet. They complete a character analysis on one of the major players and present it in an informative and entertaining way. They rewrite and perform one scene from another character's point of view.
Shakespeare Globe Trust
Fact Sheet: The First Globe
Where did actors perform plays during Shakespeare's era? Using the handout, pupils learn about London's historical Globe Theatre and discover which of Shakespeare's plays actors performed there. Scholars also explore the cause of the...
Shakespeare Globe Trust
Fact Sheet: Shakespeare
When it comes to William Shakespeare, there seem to be more questions than answers! Using the fact sheet, pupils uncover information about the Bard's home and family life, as well as his schooling and career. Readers also learn about his...
Curated OER
Fifth Grade Music: An Ancient Round, Vocal Music in the Renaissance
Fifth graders sing the melody for Sumer Is Icumen In, in unison and as a two-part round. They listen to a madrigal from Renaissance Italy and a lute song from Elizabethan England.
Curated OER
English Constitutional Monarchy
Whether you are teaching British Literature, British History, or are simply interested in the history of English politics, this presentation takes the viewer on a journey through 600 years of England's royal and political upheavals....
Curated OER
Shakespeare Scavenger Hunt
Students complete an Internet scavenger hunt to research William Shakespeare. In this Shakespeare research lesson, students discuss Shakespeare and Elizabethan England. Students then research online biographical facts about Shakespeare...
Shakespeare Uncovered
All the Globe’s a Stage: Shakespeare’s Theatre
“All the world’s a stage,” exclaims Jaques in As You Like It, but it is the structure of the Globe stage and how that structure influenced Shakespeare’s plays that is the focus of an on-line research project. Class members visit a series...
Curated OER
Much Ado About Shakespeare
Lesson ideas to introduce pupils to the life, language, and works of William Shakespeare.
Reed Novel Studies
The Shakespeare Stealer: Novel Study
Have you ever been stuck between a rock and a hard place? That is where Widge, a character of The Shakespeare Stealer, finds himself. Readers find out how Widge handles his situation by answering comprehension questions, completing...
Curated OER
Shakespeare Stealer: Design a Set
In groups, learners design sets for the play, "Shakespeare Stealer." They sketch a scale model of a set and present it to the teacher, who will choose which group gets to design the entire set.
Curated OER
Listening to Poetry: Sounds of the Sonnet
High schoolers experience and enjoy the sounds of poetry. They erform sound experiments with sonnets and closely read and analyze a sonnet by Shakespeare. Students write an analysis of how sound affects meaning in a sonnet chosen from...