THE TEMPEST

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: Rock Paper Scissors

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

A. COMPETITION: Rock Paper Scissors

1. Play Rock Paper Scissors (RPS) to introduce William Shakespeare.

2. Explain this is a contest — make two teams. Keep a tally of the score to declare a winner. Invite opponents up front, play RPS, winner gets to answer the question!

B. RPS QUESTIONS

1. William Shakespeare was a famous author from — Egypt, Ecuador, England.

2. Shakespeare lived at the same time as — Michael Jackson, Galileo, Vincent Van Gogh.

3. How many plays did William Shakespeare write — 7, 37, 77?

4. Shakespeare wrote many famous plays. Which one does not belong — Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, American Idol, Hamlet?

5. Shakespeare was 17YRS old when he married. His wife Anne was — 16YRS or 26YRS.

6. Shakespeare built the famous Globe Theatre in London. The motto of the theater was — please clap or all the world’s a stage.

7. If you search “William Shakespeare” on Google there are over (2,000, 2 million) pages about him.

8. Shakespeare was (right or left) handed.

9. We do not really know what Shakespeare looked like! No portraits were painted of him while he was still alive! TRUE/FALSE.

10. Shakespeare’s (children or grandchildren) all died – so he had no descendants.

 

3. THE KING OF NAPLES: 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 Script 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. Evil: Bad conduct or character.

B. Storm: Wind, rain, lightning, and thunder.

C. Magic: Mysterious power. Unusual.

D. Duke: A ruler of a kingdom.

E. Betray: To be disloyal or unfaithful.

F. Sorry: Regret. Apology.

G. Admit: To tell the truth. To confess.

H. Guilt: Feel sorry for doing something wrong.

I.  Forgive: To pardon someone for doing wrong.

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. THE TEMPEST: 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 Prospero, Odysseus, Hamlet, Romeo, or the Merchant of Venice! Save them–change the costumes for each classic. Clothes do make the person!

 

YOU TUBE

Search for BBC Shakespeare Animated Tales The Tempest

http:/www.youtube.comwatchv=2XZ091CEgNU&feature=PlayList&p=29F70B5693DD171A&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

 

6. QUESTIONS: Jingle Bells

Questions can teach students HOW to think rather than WHAT to think.

Ask questions that will require reason and imagination.

Make two teams. The first person on each team stands with their hands on the desk with the bell between them. Ask a question. The first person to ring the bell answers the question – 1 point. Those 2 people go to the end of the line and the next person in each line comes up. Try candy as a prize!

A. TRUE/FALSE: A tempest is a storm.

B. TRUE/FALSE: The prince died in the storm.

C. Which people in the story are good and which people are bad?

D. Whose idea was it to betray Prospero and take his kingdom?

E. What newspaper headline would you write for this story?

F. Did Prospero use magic for good or for evil?

G. Why did the story have a happy ending?

H. What do you think it would be like to live on an island?

I. If you were Prospero–would you have forgiven Antonio and Alonso?

J. If you were a CCTV reporter, what question would you ask Prospero?

 

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. FORGIVE: You Tube Video

Apply the ideas in the lesson in an imaginary YOU TUBE Video.

Forgive: To pardon someone for doing wrong.

QUESTIONS

A. Why is it hard to forgive?

B. Is there ever a time when a person does not deserve to be forgiven?

C. How many times should we forgive each other–7 times 70?

D. When was a time you were forgiven?

E. When was a time you forgave someone else?

YOU TUBE VIDEO

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

 

9. EVIL ANTONIO’S E-MAIL

Correspondence is revealing. Some E-MAILS are polite. Some ask questions.

Some are confessions. Some express wishes.

 

A. Read this E-MAIL from the evil Antonio to the King of Naples.

Dear King,

Why did you do that?

Why did you tell Prospero you were sorry?

Why did you admit your guilt?

I would never say that. I don’t care if he did forgive me.

The Evil Antonio

B. Explain that everyone will pretend to write an E-MAIL from:

1. The evil Antonio to Prospero.

OR

2. The handsome prince to the beautiful Miranda.

C. These are not long epistles–allow 2-3MIN.

D. Then everyone find a group, exchange the E-MAILS, and read them aloud.