A 24-page teacher's guide to Romeo and Juliet includes scene-by-scene plot summaries, focus, discussion questions, and suggestions for individual and group projects.

Concepts

romeo and juliet, william shakespeare, tragedies, literary analysis, dramatic plays, iambic pentameter

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Instructional Ideas

• Have class members, individually or in groups, write a rap prologue that includes rhyme, rhythm, and all the key details of the play in 14 lines
• To demonstrate the balance in the play and explain why Lady Montague dies, create a three-column poster listing the Capulets on the  left, the royalty in the center, and the Montagues on the right; place a large red X on the name as the characters die
• Assign a journal in which pupils reflect on the one life-mate their parents could absolutely not accept and explain why
• As a final writing exercise, ask individuals to craft an argument essay in which they identify who or what they feel is most responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet

Classroom Considerations

• The guide provides a very academic approach to the play

Pros

• Provides links to virtual tours of the Globe Theatre
• It also includes prompts viewers can use to compare the Baz Luhrmann and the Zeffirelli film version of the play

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.10a RL.9-10.10b RL.11-12.10a RL.11-12.10b