Hi teachers, I am wrapping up Romeo and Julie this week, finishing act five on Friday. We've been reading the play aloud in class, and I want to end as such, but for the final scene, I'd like to do something a little different....still have them read aloud, but weave some interesting discussion points or another activity at the end to help wrap it up before starting the R & J analytic essay. I could really use some good advice here. Thanks a ton! Sincerely, New Teacher
Have they seen the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio? Watch that, especially the party scene. I got my class to improvise a modern version of a scene from the play. I set no limits, I just let them have some fun. They deserved it and really rose to the occasion. They were so pleased that they agreed to preform their scene at a school assembly. Theatre is all about action.
If you've never looked at the Folger Library curriculum, Shakespeare Set Free, I recommend it - one of the books has R&J, Macbeth, and Midsummer Night's Dream in it. It's very much performance-based. The Folger website has a ton of resources, too:http://www.folger.edu/index_sa.cfm?specaudid=2
I agree with the Shakespeare Set Free suggestion, with one caveat. Depending on your student population, you might need to scaffold it HEAVILY. I used the Hamlet one with my seniors, and it required some real manipulating. But, it has some awesome stuff. My students had a blast with everything we did out of there.
My essay question for R&J concerns fate vs freewill--the students must decide which they believe determined the outcome, and use specific examples from the play as evidence.
BTW~today my students created 6 word character memoirs for R&J...some were really funny. The class had a great time. The constraint of 6 words kills them, but then they begin to really get into it. ex: dangerous liason brings short lived love they lie together alive or dead juliet is a strangely daring lover desperate move leads to lasting love my name is mercutio, i'm strange
You can also teach the kids about Shakespeare's use of dramatic irony which puts the audience in the position of seeing how choices bring about consequences.
