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Shakespeare Lesson Plans

A library of lesson plans to help you effectively plan your workshops and classes.

Acting Shakespeare Style

by Lindsay Price

Students will perform a modern scene the same way that Shakespearean actors performed text. They will compare and contrast the experience to preparing a scene for class.

# Shakespeare # acting # Shakespeare
Lesson 3 of 5 in Performing Shakespeare Unit

Acting Shakespeare Style

by Lindsay Price

Students will perform a modern scene the same way that Shakespearean actors performed text. They will also compare and contrast the experience to preparing a scene for class.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 3
# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 1 of 5 in Unlocking Shakespeare's Text Unit

Approaching the Text

by Anna Porter

As a class, students will explore the tools of context, meaning of words, and imagery to unlock meaning in a Shakespearean text. Students will then use these tools to create a modern translation for their text. Students will also be introduced to resources and begin work on a monologue that they will continue to use throughout the unit.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 3 of 11 in Shakespeare Performance Unit

Approaching the Text

by Anna Porter

As a class, students will explore context, the meaning of words, and imagery used to unlock meaning in a Shakespearean text. Students will use these tools to create a modern translation for their own text. Students are also introduced to resources and will become familiar with their story through doing the Actor’s Homework.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare

Character Development in the Shakespearean Monologue

by Lindsay Price

To demonstrate how modern character development exercises apply to Shakespearean characters.

Students apply exercises to a character from Shakespeare by examining at the character’s foreground and background, answering character questions, and creating the character’s physicality. This will demystify the process of preparing a Shakespearean monologue and give students the tools they need to prepare a monologue on their own.

# Shakespeare # character development # monologue # Shakespeare
Lesson 2 of 9 in A Midsummer Night's Dream Unit

Character Development in the Shakespearean Monologue

by Drama Teacher Academy

There are many things to pay attention to when preparing a Shakespearean monologue. So much so that character development often falls by the wayside. In this lesson, students apply exercises to a character from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by examining the character’s foreground and background, answering character questions, and creating the character’s physicality. This will demystify the process of preparing a Shakespearean monologue and give students the modern tools they need to prepare a monologue on their own later in the unit.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 2
# Shakespeare

Close Reading: Shakespeare

by Lindsay Price

Close reading is a text-dependent analysis tool that allows students to read a text for in-depth comprehension. Students focus on the text to understand what’s being said, how it’s being said, and why. This tool can be an excellent method for getting students to connect to Shakespeare. Where students take a left turn with understanding Shakespeare is that they can’t see past the language. They can’t see using the same tools analyzing a Shakespeare play as they would a modern play. So use close reading to break the language down, move past it, and treat Shakespeare like a modern
text.

# Shakespeare # Analysis # close reading # Shakespeare

Compare and Contrast: "To Be or Not To Be" on Film

by Lindsay Price

In this lesson plan, students will compare four different film versions of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark using the same scene: Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech. How do the four versions tackle the same text? Film is a visual medium – what visuals do they use to tell the story? Do they cut or adapt any of the text? Students will discuss their findings and write a Reflection.

A slide deck is provided as part of the materials for this lesson.

  • View Slide Deck
# Shakespeare # analysis # Shakespeare
Lesson 9 of 9 in A Midsummer Night's Dream Unit

Culminating Projects and Reflection

by Drama Teacher Academy

There are two choices for a culminating project for the play. You can have everyone complete the same project, which is to have groups work on a reimagined version of the play for the 21st century, OR you can give students a choice board of activities and have them choose their final projects.

# Shakespeare
Lesson 3 of 5 in Unlocking Shakespeare's Text Unit

Finding Emotion and Action in Text

by Anna Porter

Students will explore Outbursts, Action Words, and Emotion Words through structured activity and textual analysis.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 5 of 11 in Shakespeare Performance Unit

Finding Emotion and Action in the Text

by Anna Porter

Students will explore emotional outbursts, action words, and emotion words by doing a structured activity and textual analysis.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 2 of 5 in Unlocking Shakespeare's Text Unit

Imagery and Insults

by Anna Porter

Students will use insults and compliments to explore sound and imagery created in Shakespeare’s texts. Students will also practice this form, then create a short scenario where they must use their voice and body to bring Shakespeare’s imagery to life to achieve a specific emotional response.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 1 of 11 in Shakespeare Performance Unit

Introduction to Shakespeare

by Anna Porter

Students will take a pre-quiz on some of Shakespeare’s plays, then find 5 things they did not already know about Shakespeare during a group discussion and presentation. This lesson includes a presentation for students to introduce Shakespeare and his time period.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 10 of 11 in Shakespeare Performance Unit

Memorization Quiz and Preview

by Anna Porter

Students will take a memorization quiz and perform for their peers. Students will also critique each other based on what they have worked on during this unit.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 5 of 9 in A Midsummer Night's Dream Unit

Monologue Performance

by Drama Teacher Academy

In this lesson, students will choose a monologue from Act I or II and apply the performance elements they’ve have learned so far: character development exercises, punctuation, and keywords to develop, memorize, and perform a monologue.

# Shakespeare
Lesson 4 of 11 in Shakespeare Performance Unit

Paint with Words: Imagery and Insults

by Anna Porter

Students will use insults and compliments to explore sound and imagery in Shakespeare’s texts. Students will also participate in a choral reading, then create a short scenario where they must use their voice and body to bring Shakespeare’s imagery to life to achieve a specific emotional response.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 5 of 5 in Unlocking Shakespeare's Text Unit

Performance

by Anna Porter

Students will demonstrate their understanding of textual analysis, painting with words and imagery, and physicalizing punctuation by preparing and performing a staged reading of a Shakespearean monologue in a group presentation.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 11 of 11 in Shakespeare Performance Unit

Performance

by Anna Porter

Students will demonstrate their understanding of textual analysis, painting with words and imagery, creating a character, and preparing a monologue by performing a Shakespearean monologue and reflecting on their experience.

# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 9 of 11 in Shakespeare Performance Unit

Performing a Monologue with Focus and Stage Pictures

by Anna Porter

Students will review how to use stage pictures that communicate character, story, and emotion to help them create appropriate blocking for their performance. Students will create an appropriate focus for their character to look at while performing their monologue.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 9
# Shakespeare # Shakespeare
Lesson 1 of 9 in A Midsummer Night's Dream Unit

Pre-Read Exploration

by Drama Teacher Academy

In this lesson, students will explore a variety of methods for learning about Shakespeare from a specific character warm-up, fast facts, using Shakespeare’s words as the jumping off point for a tableau, and reflecting in role as they take on acting “Shakespeare style.” Finally, students will read a synopsis of A Midsummer Night’s Dream so that everyone is on the same page with the story and characters.

  • Slide Deck Lesson 1
# Shakespeare