This activity allows students to use music as a part of understanding the tone of writing. The activity seeks to have students look at music as a form of literature. The activity can be used in conjunction with other fine arts classes including dance.
This activity was developed as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
After reading the Balcony Scene (Act II, Scene ii) of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, students analyze multiple interpretations of the critical scene in different artistic mediums: a poem, a painting, and a movie clip. Students compare and contrast the various representations of Shakespeare's original scene using LucidChart's Venn Diagram tool.
This activity results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.
After reading William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, students study the lyrics and video of Taylor Swift's "Love Story" to analyze how she transformed the tragic Shakespearean drama into a love song with a happy ending.
At a time when nationalism and extremism are on the rise, questions about the importance of understanding and acceptance raised in the “Hath not a Jew eyes?” speech from The Merchant of Venice are particularly relevant. In these videos from Shakespeare Uncovered, explore what it means to be an outsider and the impact of persecution. Support materials engage students with contemporary connections through discussion questions and a handout analyzing Shylock’s speech.
Be sure to read the Discussion Questions and use the Handout, along with the other materials under the Support Materials for Use with Students section to fully teach the standard.
Learn how Shakespeare invented the structure and character types we have come to love in modern romantic comedies in this video from Shakespeare Uncovered. In the play Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare’s Beatrice and Benedick banter back and forth as sparring partners who seem to hate each other, but underneath it, all, are actually in love. Helen Hunt reveals how the play inspired countless romantic comedies in Hollywood and gave voice to a new kind of heroine, full of wit and the power of words.
Be sure to use the Discussion Questions under the Support Materials to help meet the standards.
In this lesson, students will explore the themes of grief and loss in William Shakespeare's Hamlet using a video from Shakespeare Uncovered. (This lesson is best used during a reading of Hamlet.)
In this lesson from Shakespeare Uncovered, students will examine the relationships between parents and children in Henry IV, Part I. (This lesson is best used after reading act 3, scene 2, of Henry IV, Part I or after reading the entire play.)
Using this media collection, students explore the theme of loss within Shakespeare's plays, particularly focusing on Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and Richard II. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, loss of power, or loss of identity, students examine how Shakespeare’s characters cope with loss. Students also question whether or not Shakespeare’s own life (and loss) influenced his writing.
Be sure to read the Discussion Questions, along with the other materials under the Support Materials for Use with Students section to fully teach the standard.
This series of videos from Shakespeare Uncovered explores parent-child relationships in Henry IV and The Tempest. The videos explore the relationship between King Henry IV and his son Hal, highlighting how the King is at first disappointed with Hal and how their relationship evolves and strengthens. The segments from The Tempest highlight Miranda's "moment of disobedience," Prospero’s efforts to protect her, and how the parent-child dynamic changes when the lead role is played by a woman.
This series of videos from Shakespeare Uncovered explores how Shakespeare uses language in his works. This gallery includes examples from Hamlet, Henry V, Macbeth, Richard II, and The Tempest and features actors and scholars discussing and debating the meaning of Shakespeare’s words. The videos highlight the way in which different phrases can have varied meanings, and illustrate how Shakespeare’s words come to life when read aloud. The collection also includes a video segment that shows where Shakespeare gained inspiration for his writing and one that raises questions about what version of Hamlet contains Shakespeare’s original text.
In this media collection, students explore the use of supernatural elements within William Shakespeare’s plays, focusing particularly on Macbeth, Hamlet, and The Tempest. Students examine supernatural beliefs during the 16th and 17th centuries, and they also identify how supernatural elements drive the plot of many of Shakespeare’s plays.
Students examine the importance of setting in this excerpt about the moors, from MASTERPIECE’s 2002 version of The Hound of the Baskervilles. The legend of the hound that haunts the mysterious landscape of Dartmoor captured Arthur Conan Doyle’s imagination. As students study the setting, they are also introduced to the cunning villain of the story, Stapleton, and what happens when the civilized Sherlock Holmes must solve a mystery set against such a wild and turbulent backdrop.
Learn about how Shakespeare uses rhetoric in his play Julius Caesar in two videos from Shakespeare Uncovered. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Antony and Brutus both do what they think is best to protect Rome. This resource works best after students have read Act III, sc. 2, to ensure they are already familiar with the speeches of Antony and Brutus before Caesar’s burial. How do the two characters frame their choices through language? How do they persuade or fail to persuade their audience? This resource also addresses how Shakespeare’s use of rhetoric can inform our understanding of how rhetoric is used today. During a time when our sources of information are increasingly fractured and curated, how do we make sense of opinions versus facts? How does rhetoric operate in the realm of social media? Support materials engage students with contemporary connections through discussion questions, teaching tips, and a background essay.
Be sure to read the Background Reading and Julius Caesar, Rhetoric, and Relevance | Shakespeare Uncovered - Activity, along with the other materials under the Support Materials for Use with Students section to fully teach the standard.
Learn about the long-held American fascination with Julius Caesar in two videos from Shakespeare Uncovered. Brian Cox states, “Rome is not a place, but an ideal,” and the play continues to resonate because it addresses issues that face any society that tries to uphold democratic principles. The videos and support materials explore the parallels between the play and the American experience. Since Abraham Lincoln’s assassination by John Wilkes Booth, an actor obsessed with Brutus, the play continues to hold a place in the political and cultural landscape of America.
Be sure to read Julius Caesar and the American Experience | Shakespeare Uncovered - Discussion Questions under the Support Materials for Use with Students section to fully teach the standard.
This media gallery from Shakespeare Uncovered will help your students understand the many plots in A Midsummer Night's Dream, how they move the play forward, and how they are intertwined. Videos, text-dependent questions, and graphic organizers will highlight what students need to know about the play's Athenian court as well as its lovers, fairies, and rude "mechanicals."
This video resource from Shakespeare Uncovered explores the character of Puck (also known as Robin Goodfellow) and how he impacts the play A Midsummer Night's Dream. Using video, graphic organizers, and text-dependent discussion questions, students will learn the origins of Puck while examining different interpretations of the character and how he moves the plot forward.
This resource guides students as they analyze the character of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
