1. How does literature help us better understand ourselves? What does Romeo and Juliet have to say to a teenager of today?

2. Why Do We Read/Write Stories, Poems, Books, Plays…? [examples/partial list of student responses] Author’s Reasons Communicate feelings Communicate feelings Pass on history Pass on history Provide entertainment Provide entertainment Share ideas Share ideas Reader’s Reasons Validate own feelings Validate own feelings Pass classes Pass classes For fun (entertainment) For fun (entertainment) Understand new ideas Understand new ideas

3. Why do you think Shakespeare is still read today? [examples/partial list of possible student responses] It is required by teachers It is required by teachers His plays have been around for a long time His plays have been around for a long time Action, plot is interesting Action, plot is interesting Strong characters Strong characters

4. Why do you think Shakespeare is still read today? Other ideas [teacher response] His plays talk about life and our ability to control our own destiny. His plays talk about life and our ability to control our own destiny. Other writers and elements in our culture refer to his stories; need understanding of them to understand our culture, stories…even newspaper articles/TV shows/movies. Other writers and elements in our culture refer to his stories; need understanding of them to understand our culture, stories…even newspaper articles/TV shows/movies. They help us see our own relationships in strong dramatic terms and help us to better understand ourselves and those around us. They help us see our own relationships in strong dramatic terms and help us to better understand ourselves and those around us. Shakespeare is a master at creating new words that we still use today. Shakespeare is a master at creating new words that we still use today. Quoting Shakespeare Quoting Shakespeare Quoting Shakespeare Quoting Shakespeare

5. What experience do you have with Shakespeare? Have read Have read Midsummer Night’s Dream Midsummer Night’s Dream Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet Hamlet Hamlet Poems (Sonnets) Poems (Sonnets) Saw Saw Live play Live play Movie based on Shakespeare’s play Movie based on Shakespeare’s play

6. What Do You Think You Know about Romeo and Juliet? [examples of student responses] They die at the end. They die at the end. He shot himself and she stabs herself. He shot himself and she stabs herself. Their families didn’t like each other. Their families didn’t like each other. They lived on the beach. They lived on the beach. Juliet was really young, like 16. Juliet was really young, like 16. She was really rich and he was poor. She was really rich and he was poor. Romeo kills a guy. Romeo kills a guy.

7. Where did you hear it? Personal knowledge Media—TV, books, movies Other people Read the play in 6 th grade Saw the Leonardo movie My sister was in another Shakespeare play Heard about it from someone

8. What Do You Want to Know? [examples/partial list of possible student responses] Why do they talk funny? Why do they talk funny? How do you understand what they’re talking about? How do you understand what they’re talking about? Do R&J both die in the play, too? Do R&J both die in the play, too? Why is this play so famous? What is so good about it? Why is this play so famous? What is so good about it?