William Shakespeare,
Romeo and Juliet
Lesson plans and other teaching resources
| For introductory, background and other resources, try Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Age . For links to other plays, try the Shakespeare Main Page. |
Teacher Guide to
Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
How might students use storyboards to demonstrate and to extend their learning? Check the resources here. Includes essential questions, plot diagram, character maps, Aristotelian elements of the tragic hero, conflict analysis, themes, symbolis, and motifs, more.
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Comparing Primary Source Documents and
Romeo and Juliet
Students will identify literary techniques in Romeo's speech to Juliet in 1.5. Students will compare imagery and diction in Romeo's speech to Juliet and Gough's Academy of Complements (1684). Designed for one 45-minute class session.
Crash Course, English Literature:
Author John Green discusses central issues from Romeo and Juliet in these engaging (downloadable) videos at YouTube.
Double Teen Death Horror
On this page, a tabloid-style summary of the play from the BBC. Follow links to learn how your students can produce something similar.
English Class in Performance
If you want your students to get up and perform Shakespeare, here are some abridged scripts:
The Merchant of Venice
,
A Midsummer Night's Dream
,
Macbeth
,
Romeo and Juliet
, and
The Tempest
.
Gangs Throughout Literature
This WebQuest asks students to analyze the impact of gangs and to explore conflict resolution strategies. It uses both
Romeo and Juliet
and the Hatfields and the McCoys as sources.
Green Eggs and Iambs
from Mrs. G's Internet Adventures
Dr. Seuss meets the Bard, and students investigate the power of rhythm.
A Host of Heroes
This TED-ED video (4:54) uses examples from
Beowulf
,
Oedipus
,
Romeo and Juliet
,
Star Wars
,
Zorro
, and
King Arthur
to explore the differences between the epic, tragic, and romantic hero. Captioned, includes follow-up questions.
The Interactive Folio:
Romeo and Juliet
On the left, hyperlinked text of the play. Click on a link, and multimedia support appears on the right -- definitions, graphics, sometimes a video. Many thanks to the Canadian Adaptations of Shakespeare for this resource!
Juliet Trumps Laura: Shakespeare and the Petrarchan Sonnet
A lesson for just after Act I, with emphasis on the idealized woman.
Juliet vs Laura: Analyzing Sonnet Structure in
Romeo and Juliet
Students will analyze Petrarchan conventions within the three sonnets in
Romeo and Juliet
. They will evaluate whether Juliet adheres to or rejects these conventions. Designed for two 45-minute class sessions.