Students explore the language of Shakespeare. In this literature lesson, students examine words invented by Shakespeare as they interpret their meanings in drawings. Students pantomime the meanings and then write a short story...

Sixth graders explore figurative and literal language. They study literary devices through short pieces of Shakespeare's work. Then investigate Shakespeare's works and life.

Connect a scene from a class play to events in your middle and high schoolers' own lives. First, they act out a scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream in pairs. They work to role play a scene as an extension of the one they have read,...

How do different themes and motifs develop in Shakespeare's Macbeth? As your class begins reading Act Two, have them use the provided document to track themes such as ambition, conscience, and reality (among others). On the second page,...

Before beginning The Winter's Tale groups read and discuss a scenario that parallels the plot of Shakespeare's play. They then brainstorm possible solutions to the problem.

“Be glad that all things sort so well.” To make text-to-self connections to Shakespeare’s play, class members engage in a guided imagery exercise prior to reading Act IV, scene i of Much Ado About Nothing (the wedding of Claudio and...

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.

Eleventh graders discover the importance of the fortune teller in Shakespeare's Macbeth. After watching two interpretations of the play, they examine and compare the portrayal of the character. They create their own modern adaptation of...

Learners watch various interpretations of Shakespeare's Macbeth in film. In groups, they examine the setting, characters, music and sequence. They compare and contrast the various films and discuss the differences. They write an essay on...

Eleventh graders read and study Hamlet. Then they are introduced to close reading as a means of understanding what is being read--not only understanding the printed word, but also the nuances and connotations of language as it is used by...

Even for an honors class, there are a lot of difficult vocabulary words in Julius Caesar. Provide your class with this two-page vocabulary guide (text selection unspecified). Two exercises encourage a deeper understanding of words like...

Provided here is the third list of many for Romeo and Juliet. Twenty new vocabulary terms are introduced like masque, coy, and dirge. Through short-answer questions and fill in the blanks, your readers will develop the vocabulary...

Even by using context clues, readers won't understand all of the language in Macbeth. Prepare them for some of the tricky language in the beginning by providing them with this two-page vocabulary activity. Twenty new words are introduced...

Students design theater programs which show their understanding of William Shakespeare's plays. They design original art to include in the programs.

Reading Macbeth is tough, especially when such challenging vocabulary appears on every page! Don't send your class in blind; prepare them for intense reading by focusing on some of the more challenging vocabulary terms. Included here are...

How do themes and motifs build and develop through Act Five of Macbeth? With this two-page worksheet, readers record quotations that represent themes like ambition, conscience, and manhood. In addition, they speak to symbols like blood,...

The best way to learn vocabulary is to see it in context, right? That's exactly what this worksheet does; it presents 20 terms for Macbeth in context. For part one, learners answer a list of questions that use the target vocabulary. In...

Readers of Measure for Measure use words from Act II, scene 2 to complete a magic squares vocabulary exercise.  An answer sheet is included.

Did Shakespeare really write all that stuff? After viewing a trailer for the film, Anonymous and reading Stephen Marche’s article “Wouldn’t It Be Cool If Shakespeare Wasn’t Shakespeare?” class groups read articles about the Shakespeare...

Read this lesser-known play by William Shakespeare. When you get to Act III, provide your class with this two-page worksheet. First, encourage a self-to-text connection by having individuals record their top 10 priorities. Then, they...

High schoolers unearth multiple meanings based on connotation and cadence. After defining denotation, connotation, and cadence, readers evaluate similar words to compare connotations. They then play with how cadence affects meaning by...

You might not be able to put a girdle around the earth in forty minutes but you can generate interest in A Midsummer’s Night Dream in that length of time. As an introduction to Shakespeare’s comedy, pairs of students assume the roles of...

Comparing the more modern film Ten Things I Hate About You to The Taming of the Shrew leads to an understanding of how Shakespearean plots can be applied to modern-day situations and characters. As a culminating activity, groups select a...

For this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 5 short answer and essay questions based on The Tempest. Students may also access an online quiz on the selection using the link at the bottom of the...