Why Shakespeare? People who have studied Shakespeare: Have a broader view of the world in general. Have little trouble in other literature classes. Do well in logic and philosophy. Appreciate other art forms as well: music, drama, art, costume, writing. Have an easier time grasping the concepts of character, plot, irony, universal truth, advanced vocabulary, etc. Usually go on to college studies; can better judge what is a good book. Understand concepts in clear speaking. Have a broader view of important historical events. Have a greater understanding of human nature (greed, faithfulness, love, power, gentleness, poor choices, honesty, integrity, popularity, danger, patriotism, selfishness, self-sacrifice, etc.)

How far can you go?  5 th grade students at Sommer perform at the UT Shakespeare Festival 

First, analyze the script...  Online script is available at  Edit script before giving it to students.  Students use the right half of the page to show their thinking. 

Differentiation  Content- summaries, timelines, web quests, research  Process- using reading strategies and Bloom’s Taxonomy  Product- Showing through the multiple intelligences that student understands the topic

Content Differentiation  Summaries of Acts or Scenes  Timelines  Web Quests (see Wiki)  Research on Shakespeare’s life, Globe Theatre, Renaissance period, Queen Elizabeth I, the story behind the play, etc.

Process Differentiation  Knowledge- summarizes, rereads  Comprehension- makes personal connections, creates mental images  Applications – identifies themes, draws generalizations  Analysis – identifies figures of speech, analyzes characters  Evaluation/ Synthesis – compares and contrasts texts

Figurative language – higher level differentiation Alliteration Onomatopoeia Simile Metaphor Pun Oxymoron Paradox Euphemism Apostrophe Personification Understatement Hyperbole Irony Anaphora Synecdoche Allusions

Examples from Macbeth... Figure of SpeechExample Simile“Your face, my thane, is as a book where men/ May read strange matters.” Metaphor“I have no spur/To prick the sides of my intent” Paradox“Lesser than Macbeth, and greater” Personification“Was the hope drunk/ Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept since? Understatement“A little water clears us of this deed: How easy is it, then!” Allusion“Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapp'd in proof” Hyperbole“Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood/ Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather/ The multitudinous seas in incarnadine,/ Making the green one red.”

Questions to ask when discussing analysis...  What reading strategies did you use?  How are emotions portrayed?  How is language used to differentiate between characters? (Prose vs. Poetry vs. Verse)  How do you know what actions should be used on stage? (Movement, facial expression, etc.)

On to acting! How to choose parts...  Allow students choose parts to memorize.  For the next scene, students with minor roles get the major roles.  Break up a big speech into manageable sections and have multiple students memorize it.  Do NOT allow acting until parts are completely memorized.

Practice delivery of words and acting...  Study Iambic pentameter.  Read in complete sentences. Sometimes, words wrap around to the next line.  Allow free interpretation of intonation, inflection, and emphasis on words.  Last word is the loudest in a sentence.  Students should practice with a partner and provide suggestions.

Product Differentiation  Acting  Creating backdrops  Creating brochures and bills  Making costumes  Blogging  Talk Like Shakespeare Day (April 23)  Writing thank-you notes to Shakespeare  Creating kid-friendly books about the plays  Reflecting

Special Needs Students How can you accommodate their needs?  Do not assume they cannot understand or memorize Shakespeare. They can!  Shakespearean works can be modified to fit their level of learning.  Provide a copy of the script to the teachers working with them.  Pair them up with a fellow student to provide support.

Opportunities for Performance  Shakespeare at Winedale Outreach ( treach_index.php )  UT Festival of Play  Your school (work with the specials team)  Community events (retirement homes, etc.)  School district gatherings  PTA meetings

Organization and Classroom Management  Determining number of lines  Each student has a Shakespeare folder  Memorization checklist  Enlist parent help  Sample Timeline: Memorization begins before winter break By Spring Break, memorization is complete Acting practice starts after spring break Winedale and UT Shakespeare festival - 1 st week of May Schedule school performance.

Possible Starter Works  Sonnet 18 (14 lines)  “All the world’s a stage,”-As You Like It (28 lines)  “Friends, Romans, countrymen,”-Julius Caesar (35 lines)  Complete plays- Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet Sample scene

Resources  Wiki ( sommershakespeareans.wikispaces.com/)  Texts (Simply Shakespeare, Shakespeare Made Easy, etc.  Use United Streaming to show segments of plays  People to contact: Revathi BalakrishnanClayton Stromberger  Grants for Field Trips and Resources Target PTA

Plan your Shakespeare Class!  Do you have to sell this idea to your principal?  Will it be a one-time, week-, month-, nine-week period-, or year-long project?  Will you work with someone in your school?  Do you want to work on a single play or small scenes from various plays?  Are you just going to analyze the play or are you also going to act?  Set a date for your first Shakespeare class – if possible within the first month of school.