ROMEO AND JULIET

By William Shakespeare

 

1. WORKSHEET: Ideas are tricky to convey in a second language class! Illustrations can be more powerful than words–especially in the realm of ideas! Print a “cartoon” worksheet for each student to fill in and keep.

 

2. THE CURTAINS OPEN: Wheel of Fortune

Preview the ideas and issues in the lesson with a contest.

A. COMPETITION: Wheel of Fortune
Play Wheel of Fortune to introduce the plot, action, characters, and vocabulary for this classic.
B. GAME WORDS/PHRASES: Romeo and Juliet, star, love, dead.

 

3. SHAKESPEARE: Visitor

A sudden, unexpected knock at the door creates delight and wonder in a classroom.
Surprise visitors interrupt the daily routine, tell their story, pose dilemmas,
and answer questions.

Rehearse the Visitor ahead of time and put together a costume. Knock on the door, burst in the classroom, and portray the visitor! Engage the class by asking them questions and allowing them to ask you questions, too! Make a flamboyant exit!

 

4. VOCABULARY: Learning new vocabulary words often becomes tedious drill — students can recite the definitions but they have no clue what the words really mean. Try exercises that train students to think and use reasoning skills while they learn new vocabulary.
A. Feud: A long bitter quarrel.
B. Rival: A person who wants the same thing.
C. Love: A strong feeling or affection for someone or something.
D. Chance: Beyond human power or control.
E.  Star-crossed: Doomed from the start.
F.  Betray: To be disloyal or unfaithful.
G. Potion: Magic drink.
H. Vow: To promise.

COMPETITION

A. Before class write the list of words on the board.
B. Pronounce each word. Students repeat.
C. Explain the contest! Teams of 2-3 race to look up the words and compose one example sentence using the word. First team to give the definition and use the word correctly in a sentence scores 2 points. Other teams can score 2 points for a correct sentence.
D. Do all the vocabulary words in turn.

 

5. ROMEO AND JULIET: Theater on a String

Theater is riveting. Before the curtain rises the plot, action, characters, and setting
are only a script on paper. Theater relies on the audience’s imagination and
suddenly there is magic. This is theater on a string!

INSTRUCTIONS
A. Stretch a rope/line across the front of the room. Get two students to hold the two ends — hold it up high so all can see!
B. Use the props to tell the story by hanging them on the line with clothes-pins as you tell the story.
C. Find clever ways to clarify the plot, action, characters, and ideas in the story. Let the class repeat the names and the story line! Go back to the beginning often and check their memory then resume the story!

PROPS

1. The props must be big enough for the students in the back to see!
2. The paper dolls should be 20IN-24IN tall. The same paper doll can be Hamlet, Odysseus, Romeo, Prospero, or the Merchant of Venice! Save them–change the costumes for each classic. Clothes do make the person!

YOU TUBE: Search: The Death of Romeo and Juliet (10:54) – final scene of the play.

 

6. QUESTIONS: Tic Tac Toe

Questions can teach students HOW to think rather than WHAT to think.
Ask questions that will require reason and imagination.

Draw the Tic Tac Toe Board on the blackboard. Make two Teams: Ask the first person from Team “X” a question. If correct, that team puts an “X” on the Tic Tac Toe Board. Team “O” gets the next question. Continue asking questions until one team wins.
A. Spell “feud.”
B. If the families had not been feuding, how would the story have been different?
C. Have you ever seen a movie with this same idea?
D. What is the proof that Romeo and Juliet are star-crossed lovers?
E. What does Juliet drink?
F. What does Romeo drink?
G. What did Juliet pretend to do?
H. TRUE/FALSE: Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy.

 

7. RE-TELL THE STORY
Now it is the students’ turn! Take all the clothes-pins and props off the line. Hold up each prop in turn and ask the class to explain the plot, action, characters, and ideas in the story. Prompt them if necessary.

 

8. LOVE: You Tube Video

Apply the ideas in the lesson in an imaginary YOU TUBE Video.
LOVE: There are three types of love in Romeo and Juliet.

1. Lustful love: This is love for the purpose of sexual pleasure.
2. Infatuation: An intense feeling or wish to be in love.
3. True love: 100% pure love. Love changes people. True love lasts through hardships.
QUOTE: Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not selfish. Love is shown through actions.
QUESTIONS: True/False
A. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”
B. Sometimes it is O.K. to hate.
C. Parents know what’s best for their children.
D. Love is the most powerful emotion.
E. Emotions often influence people’s actions.
F. People understand their emotions.
F. People in love act on impulse and on emotion.

YOU TUBE VIDEO

Small groups create a 30SEC pretend YOU TUBE video about love. Perform for the class.

 

9. ROMEO’S BLOG

Blogs are revealing. Some are polite. Some ask questions.
Some are confessions. Some express wishes.

My sweet Juliet is gone. DEAD! I am in shock. Our stars were crossed in the sky.

How can stars rule over people’s lives? How can stars keep us apart?

I will never sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star again.

Who is left to love me? My heart is split in two like a watermelon.

My hope is gone.

Romeo

A. Explain that everyone will pretend to reply to Romeo’s blog.

B. Blogs are not long epistles–allow 2-3MIN.

C. Then everyone find a group, exchange the blogs, and read them aloud.