ideasforteachers

Here is a list of some of the things we have done in class**. With just a few adjustments, the activities may certainly be used for any book/author the children are reading. Please contact me with questions, comments, or suggestions!

After researching Shakespeare's life from several resources, compile a timeline of the major events of his life. Have children recreate journals, pictures and news articles from this event in the character of someone who was present.
Brainstorm pairs of characters (ie. Romeo and Juliet, Viola and Sebastian, Peter Quince and one of his actors, Puck and Oberon, etc) write Valentine letters to each other in character.
Act out specific scenes from plays in their own words.
Take a direct quote and show it to the class. Have them re-write it in their own words.
Write advice letters to characters such as Hamlet, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, etc. warning about making 'good' choices.
Design costumes for different characters.
Research Shakespeare's time and do past, present, and future comparisons.
Draw maps of areas mentioned in the plays or label a world map to look at the areas mentioned in relation to where the children live.
Draw favourite scenes from the plays.
Create menus from some of the banquet scenes based on what might have been eaten then.
Pick characters and give them modern day jobs.
Discuss female characters in the plays and look at characteristics we might admire and those we might not. Examine stereotypes.
Make posters for The Globe advertising upcoming plays.
Outline a stage on graph paper and using multiplication arrays decide how many squares items on the stage may take up. ie. a bed may be 6x3
Draw characters in scenes and give them thought bubbles telling what they are thinking.
Assign parts from adaptations of plays and read out loud as a group. Switch characters after each scene so everyone gets a chance and stays interested.
Write letters to characters as other characters.
Create lists of the ingredients that might go into some of the potions and brews.
Create T-tables of the pros and cons of the actions characters take. ie. Romeo and Juliet getting married secretly.
Select passages and choral read in groups. Have children be LOUD for one part, quiet for another, or have them divide themselves according to low, medium and high voice range.

**If you are going to use these ideas in a publication or workshop, please give us the credit! Thank you!