Any ideas would be great. So far we've only unpacked the prologue, so I could use some help once the play starts rolling.

Thanks in advance...

ALWAYS, ALWAYS allow your students to get creative with Shakespeare and apply it to modern day. Absolutely allow them to perform bits and pieces in class. If you have the time in your lesson plan, plan out days where your students can all participate and read the play aloud through performance. I promise you, your students will have a much better understanding of the material. Shakespeare is tough stuff. And your students will have a lot more fun. Especially those with learning difficulties. Break a leg!

OOH. also. Allow them to experience different versions of Shakespeare's work in the film industry. Definitely use Leo Dicaprio's romeo and juliet as an example. For other Shakespeare plays...there's Get over it based on Midsummer Night's dream. There's Ten things I hate about you based on The Taming of the Shrew. There's the Hamlet movie with Ethan Hawke, and then there's the Lion King based on Hamlet. And maybe use Westside Story as a comparison to Romeo and Juliet.

When I taught R&J the first thing I did was have students write a couple of paragraphs about being Romeo's buddy or girlfriend, based on what they'd heard about the story.

Then about the middle of the play when he falls for Juliet, hand them the paper back and have them write on the back what they think at that point.

We had some good discussions following that writing assignment.