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Message in a Bottle
Students read acts from The Tempest and complete analysis activities for the play. In this Shakespeare lesson, students read the first four acts of The Tempest and choose one of the characters to write a rescue message from their point...
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Now, Unto Thy Bones, Goodnight.
Students read Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing to learn about epitaphs. In this Shakespeare lesson, students read sections from the play and piece together Shakespeare's epitaph using index cards. Students create a 4 line epitaph in...
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Screwing Courage in Macbeth
Learners 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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"Strike a Pose:" Music and Vogueing in The Winter's Tale
Students read Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. In groups, they "perform" Act 3, Scenes 1-3 by "striking a pose" that best depicts the characters in that scene and by bringing in music that would best accompany the scene.
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Words, Words, Words
Students discover Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In this drama lesson, students read the first act of the play and then rewrite the original passages in today's English.
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Illustrated Quotes of Julius Caesar
Third graders read and study William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and make a booklet of twenty illustrated quotations from William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.
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War and Remembrance: St. Crispin's Day speech from Henry V
Students discuss their opinions about war. In this political science lesson, students use a video about war to analyze their own ideas about war. They discuss the terminology Shakespeare used in reference to war, and examine the...
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In Search of Caesar's Ghost
Students collaborate in small groups to choose a scene that they write in place of a scene in Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar". In this dramatic expression lesson, their scripts include roles, lines and stage directions. Students...
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Literary Response and Analysis: Romeo and Juliet's
Tenth graders complete characterization analysis for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. In this characterization lesson, 10th graders work in learning tiers to analyze the characters and plot in the play. Students work under, at, and above...
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Macbeth Madness
Students participate in various social studies activities in correlation to William Shakespeare's Macbeth. In this Macbeth lesson plan, students study maps of Scotland, England, and Norway to identify locations mentioned in Macbeth....
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Relationship Role Plays
Students connect a scene from a play they are reading to events in their own lives. Working in male/female pairs, students act out a scene from "Hamlet." Pairs work to role play a scene as an extension of the one they have read, using...
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Macbeth: What's Up with the Crime Scene?
High schoolers are introduced to Macbeth by having them act out the scene where Duncan's murder is discovered. This activity enable students to use dialogue only to discover the structure and format of a scene and explain plot.
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Where Do They Stand?: Perspectives on Othello's Marriage
Students 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 class.
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Tempest in the Lunchroom
High schoolers act out opening shipwreck scene of The Tempest, or watch and direct others doing it.
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Trustworthy Reputation
Seventh graders explore psychology by writing reflections about quotations. In this human behavior lesson, 7th graders read a list of famous quotes about trust by men such as Benjamin Franklin and William Shakespeare. Students complete a...
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Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene 4
Students journal in response to reading act 1, scene 4 of Shakespeare's The Twelfth Night. In this literature lesson, students read the play, discuss characterization and other literary elements, and create a list of persuasive...
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Calling All Directors
Interpret Shakespearian scenes with your middle and high school classes. Groups select scenes from plays that they are familiar with to perform for their classmates. They should attempt to recreate the emotions they think the characters...
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Literary Response and Analysis Theme Literature
Analyze the central idea or literary theme found in a series of quotes from the Shakespearean play, Hamlet. For literary analysis, learners paraphrase excerpts from the play and then identify the characters' motivations for their speech.
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Lady Macbeth's Cure
Students role-play the position of Lady Macbeth's nurse. They are to create a project or service that can cure her sleepwalking. They create their own commerical to sell their product.
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Romeo and Juliet Debate
Who is responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? After generating a list of the six characters most responsible, class members prepare for and engage in a formal debate. Prior knowledge of basic rules for debate would be necessary.
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Julius Caesar Background
Students discover Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In this drama instructional activity, students read the first act of the play and discuss the historical background of the play. Students also respond to questions about the characters.
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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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Analyzing Solutions in Julius Caesar
Students investigate Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In this drama lesson plan, students read through Act IV of the play and then collaborate to determine Brutus's role in the military. Students write their evaluations.
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Who's There: Acting in the Dark
Learners participate in a performance of Macbeth using the lighting techniques that were employed during the Shakespearean era. Working in groups, student reenact a scene. Afterward they discuss the challenges of working with limited...