“Compared to war all other forms of human endeavor shrink to insignificance.” “War is not healthy for children and other living things.” These two views of war, embodied in George Patton’s statement and Lorraine Schneider‘s famous 1966...

“There is nothing that becommeth a maid better than soberness, silence, shamefastness, and chastity, both of body & mind.” This line, from Thomas Bentley ‘s The Monument of Matrons published in 1582, typifies the way women were...

Is justice blind? Is love blind? Before beginning The Merchant of Venice, readers decide whether they agree or disagree with statements that encapsulate key elements of the tragic comedy. The class then predicts whether Shakespeare will...

“. . . one man in his time plays many parts,/His acts being seven ages.” Jaques famous speech from Act II, scene vii of As you Like It sets the stage for an examination of the roles people play. Class members not only consider the roles...

Do your class members’ questions lack depth? “Sigh no more . . .sigh no more.” Use a questioning strategy based on Bloom’s taxonomy to encourage readers to create questions that probe the themes of any text. The model discussion...

Is falling in love easy or hard? Challenge your class to consider seven statements about love and relationships before reading Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Then, as you work your way through the play, revisit the sheet to record...

“The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?” Prediction, verification, judgment, and extensions of thought are all part of a Directed ReadingThinking Activity (DRTA) developed for Measure for Measure. The rationale, assessments...

The value in this Macbeth study guide is that it asks readers to not only chart events, but to also consider the significance of those events. The worksheets could be used as preparation for a full class discussion or the basis or a...

Be bold and never fearful! Tempt your scholars with an Anticipation Guide for Measure for Measure. Before reading Shakespeare’s problem play, class members label a series of statements as either true or false in their opinion. (It’s okay...

Are you about to launch into one of William Shakespeare's plays or a collection of his sonnets? If you doubt your class has read much Shakespeare, have them complete this attitude and interest survey. A lot of preconceived notions swirl...

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,...

“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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

In this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 14 multiple choice questions based on various Shakespearean sonnets. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

In this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 8 short answer and essay choice questions based on various Shakespearean sonnets. Students may also access an online quiz on the sonnets using the link...

In this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 15 multiple choice questions about Shakespeare's Richard III. Students may submit their answers to be scored.