Title – Characters’ actions in “Romeo and Juliet”

By – Jamie Klores

Primary Subject – Language Arts

Grade Level – 11 – 12

Topic to Teach: Understanding the actions of the characters in the play.

Standards Addressed: This addresses the standards of reading, literary response, literary concepts, evaluation, research, and presentations. 110.45.B11, 110.45.B12, 110.45.B13, 110.45.B17 of the TEKS.

General Goals: This lesson is to help the students understand the play and the actions of the characters. It will help them understand why the characters do what they do and how to relate to the characters.

Specific Objectives: Students will be able to discuss the characters’ actions with the class. They will be able to determine alternative actions for the characters to take. They will relate the characters to modern times through research and development.

Required Materials: A copy of the play, 1968 movie version of the play by Ali McGraw for selected scenes, Cliff Notes for those have to understand places in the play and for reference

Lead In: Decorate the room from a scene from the play or just divide the classroom up into the two houses of the play, Montague or Capulet. Act out different characters from the play and let the students decide from which house they are from. Turn it into a game with prizes like pencils and pens.

Procedures:

1. Show the students selected scenes from the movie where Romeo and Juliet make their decisions.

2. After discussing each characters’ actions, divide the students up for a jigsaw activity with 4 to 5 in each group. Give them each a different character or let them draw from a hat. Groups might have to be larger considering the size of your class.

3. Let them research each character and determine alternative actions that they could have taken during the play. They must consider the period of the play and what was available for the character’s use.

Closure: Let a representative from each group share the findings with the rest of the class. They must give the alternative action and results that might have happened due to this new action.

Assessment: As long as everyone participated and shared one alternative action or consequence, this would be a way for assessment. To further enhance this, give the students homework over a different character. To show that they understood, let them each right an essay depicting their character in modern times and what his or her actions and consequences would be today.

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