Lesson Plan

Active Shakespeare: Making Shakespeare Accessible

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Two sonnets, both alike in theme and story, break from ancient language to new glory. The prologue to Act I of Romeo and Juliet provides scholars with an opportunity to examine the language Shakespeare uses to create timeless stories. Class members translate the prologue into modern language and act out portions of the sonnet before crafting their prologue.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Use the activity to launch a study of Romeo and Juliet
  • Use the PowerPoint to guide the progress of the lesson
  • Challenge partners to craft their prologue in either iambic pentameter or a rhythm of their choice
  • Award extra points to pairs that use the Shakespearian Sonnet format
Classroom Considerations
  • Requires a projection device for the PowerPoint slides and copies of several worksheets
Pros
  • Scholars make real-world connections to the play by listing music, films, and stories with similar themes
Cons
  • None