Morgan Pressley
Romeo & Juliet
English I
9th grade
10 days
Day
Title
Activities

1
Learn background
information on
Shakespeare’s
Romeo & Juliet
through video,
introduction from
the textbook and
internet research
Objectives
TEKS
Resources
TLW: Analyze the
influence of mythic,
classical and traditional
literature on 20th and
21st century literature
9.2A,
9.2B,
9.2C,9
.5D,9.
24A

Youtube

Internet

Elements of
Literature
Third Course
(William
Shakespeare
Collection 13)
9.1D,
9.1E,
9.4A


Elements of
Literature
Third Course
(William
Shakespeare
Collection 13)
Smart Board

Youtube
Elements of
Literature
Third Course
(William
Shakespeare
Collection 13)
Elements of
Literature
Third Course
(William
Shakespeare
Collection 13)
Romeo & Juliet
(Access to
Shakespeare)
Elements of
Literature
Third Course
(William
Shakespeare
Collection 13)
TLW: Relate the
figurative language of a
literary work to its
historical and cultural
setting
Introduction

2
TLW: Use a dictionary,
glossary or thesaurus to
determine or confirm
the meaning of words
TLW: Read Act I of
Romeo & Juliet in
textbook with fluency
and comprehension.
9.1B,
9.1C,
9.1D,
9.1E

The students will
read Act I as a
class

The students will
read Act II as a
class
TLW: Read Act II of
Romeo & Juliet in
textbook with fluency
and comprehension.
9.1B,
9.1C,
9.1D,
9.1E


The students will
read Act III and
complete a
character analysis
graphic organizer
with textual
evidence
TLW: Read with
fluency Act III of
Romeo & Juliet in
modern translation
book
9.1B,
9.1C,
9.1D,
9.1E,
9.5B,
9.19B

9.1B,
9.1C,
9.1D,
9.1E,9
,19A

4
5

6
TLW: Explain how
dramatic conventions
(e.g., monologues,
soliloquies, dramatic
irony) enhance dramatic
text

3
The Play
The students will
learn common
literary elements
and vocabulary
words, and
elements of drama
before reading the
play
The students will
listen to Act IV
(audio) and in
groups predict and
share how the play
will end
TLW: Determine and
record characters’ traits
from what is said in
narration, dialogues,
and soliloquies
TLW: Read Act IV and
in groups, predict and
share the ending of the
play

Elements of
Literature
Third Course
(William
Shakespeare
Collection 13)

The students will
watch Act V and
journal their
reactions and
feelings toward
concluding events
in Romeo & Juliet
TLW: Share and
compare their
predictions to the actual
conclusion of the play

Students will
creatively rewrite
and act out an
alternate ending to
the play
TLW: Create and
perform an alternate
ending to the play

Students will play
a review game for
the Romeo &
Juliet test
TLW: Participate in a
simulation review game
Students will take
an exam on Romeo
& Juliet containing
plot, vocabulary,
character analysis
and dramatic
conventions
TLW: Complete exam
on Romeo & Juliet
7
8
9
Review Day

10
Summative
Unit exam
9.17A
,
9.17B,
9.17C,
9.18A
,
9.18B,
9.19A
9.25,
9.17A
,
9,17B,
9.17C







DVD player
Romeo & Juliet
(movie, 1996)
DVD player
Elements of
Literature
Third Course
(William
Shakespeare
Collection 13)
Smart Board
Projector
Elements of
Literature
Third Course
(William
Shakespeare
Collection 13)
Lesson Plan
_____________________________________________________________
Subject: English I
Grade Level: 9th
Unit: Romeo & Juliet
Time Estimate: 1 day
Topic: The Play
Goal(s): Students will learn how to support findings by documenting textual evidence
Objective(s): TLW: Read with fluency Act III of Romeo & Juliet in modern translation book.
TLW: Determine and record the characters’ traits from what is said through
narration dialogues, and soliloquies
TEKS: 9.1B, 9.1C, 9.1D, 9.1E, 9.5B, 9.19B
Materials/Resources/Technology needs: Romeo & Juliet (Access to Shakespeare).
Elements of Literature Third Course (William Shakespeare Collection 13
_______________________________________________________________________
Instructional Procedures
Focusing Event: Ask questions. How has the rivalry of the family hindered Romeo and
Juliet’s love? If you were either Romeo or Juliet would you continue to pursue the one you
love? Describe Mercrutio.
Teaching/ Learning Procedures: Inform students that Act III will be read out of the
modern translation book. After reading there will be a brief class discussion about Act III. The
students will then be given a character analysis chart to complete with textual evidence. The
evidence will be found in the textbook instead of the modern translation that was read today.
Formative Check(ongoing or specific): Ask questions. Where can it be found that
Mercrutio is witty? Walk around while students work, looking over their shoulder checking if
the chart is being completed correctly and asking if they need help.
Reteach (alternative used as needed): If graphic organizer is too tough to complete and or
confusing, we will fill out the organizer collectively in groups or as a class instead of
individually
Closure: As a class recap on the events read in Act III (predictions, character analysis,
literary elements used, linear plot etc.). Assign the graphic organizer as homework if not
completed.
Assessment/Summative Evaluation: Graphic Organizer assigned as homework if not completed.
________________________________________________________________________
Modifications/Notes: GT: continue to analyze the characters not listed in the graphic organizer.
Learning Disabled: Work with a partner for assistance in completing the graphic organizer.
Lesson Plan
_____________________________________________________________
Subject: English I
Unit: Romeo & Juliet
Grade Level: 9th
Time Estimate: 1 day
Topic: Introduction
Goal(s): Students will understand dramatic conventions and its importance to dramas.
Objective(s): TLW: Use a dictionary, glossary or thesaurus to determine or confirm the meaning
of words.
TLW: Explain how dramatic conventions (e.g., monologues, soliloquies, dramatic
irony) enhance dramatic text.
TEKS: 9.1D, 9.1E, 9.4A
Materials/Resources/Technology needs: Elements of Literature Third Course (William
Shakespeare Collection 13), SmartBoard, Youtube
_______________________________________________________________________
Instructional Procedures
Focusing Event: I will open lesson by showing famous speeches from movies they are familiar
with such as Remember the Titans on Youtube. After numerous examples of modern day
speeches, I will explain to the students that the famous speeches made are like soliloquies
and monologues in dramatic plays. From there I will continue the lesson by revealing
more vocabulary words and dramatic conventions and relate them to modern movies and
life situations so that the students can better understand the terminology.
Learning Procedures: After using focus event I will handout a packet with vocabulary terms and
dramatic conventions for the students to fill out. We will do the first few as a class, and
then the remaining terms are to be done individually for the rest of the class period
Formative Check(ongoing or specific): When asking students how familiar they are with specific
terms I will use the Fist to Five method. I will also ask questions and circulate the room
offering my assistance in looking for a term and or understanding the meaning of a term.
Reteach (alternative used as needed): If terminology is too difficult to understand, we will
complete the packet as a class or in groups instead of individually.
Closure: To close the lesson I will give the class modern day examples of dramatic conventions
(soliloquy, dramatic irony, monologue, chorus etc.) and have the class chorally respond
with answers.
Assessment/Summative Evaluation: The packet that was worked on in class will be homework if
was not completed during class.
________________________________________________________________________
Modifications/Notes: GT: Have students explore other Shakespeare plays and look for dramatic
conventions within those. Learning Disabled: Allow students to work with a partner, or be in a
group with similar learners and myself for more help.
Lesson Plan
_____________________________________________________________
Subject: English I
Unit: Romeo & Juliet
Grade Level: 9th
Time Estimate: 2 days
Topic: The Play
Goal(s): Students will appreciate the first two Acts of Romeo & Juliet
Objective(s): TLW: Read Act I and II of Romeo & Juliet in text book with fluency and
comprehension.
TEKS: 9.1B, 9.1C, 9.1D, 9.1E
Materials/Resources/Technology needs: Elements of Literature Third Course (William
Shakespeare Collection 13)
_______________________________________________________________________
Instructional Procedures
Focusing Event: For the first day of reading Romeo & Juliet I will use the selection of roles be
the focusing event for reading the play (ex. Who is reading Romeo, Juliet Friar
Lawrence, lady Capulet, Montague, etc.). For the second day of reading the play I will
ask questions to the students to jog their memory of the events that were read in Act I the
previous day, introduce new characters that may appear in Act II and ask students what
they will think is going to happen next in Act II.
Teaching/ Learning Procedures: Textbooks and dictionaries will be distributed to each student.
Students will be asked to have their Dramatic Conventions& Vocabulary packet out to
reference words that are not familiar and to identify dramatic conventions as they appear
while reading the play. I will then ask for volunteers to read the parts of characters that
appear in the act read. We will then read as a class with a different student reading a
different character of the play.
Formative Check(ongoing or specific): Throughout reading the play I will periodically stop and
ask the class or a specific student what is happening in the play, analyze characters, and
make predictions based on what has been read. Why did that character react in that way?
What dramatic convention just took place? Tell me again why this character is angry?
Do you believe this character was being sarcastic?
Reteach (alternative used as needed): If students do not understand the plot I will have to reread
the Act over, stop the reading more often for formative check questions, or try to read out
of another book, such as the modern translation Romeo & Juliet for clarity
Closure: Quickly summarize the events that occurred in the Act, and on statements that were
made about characters and predictions during the formative check discussions.
Assessment/Summative Evaluation: In groups, the students will share predictions of what will
happen in the upcoming Act.
________________________________________________________________________
Modifications/Notes: GT students can discuss in their summative groups the dramatic
conventions not found or mentioned during the formative assessment discussions. Learning
Disability: Can read the Acts with the modern translation book instead of the textbook.
Rationale
This unit of study is important to ninth grade students because reading and analyzing
Romeo and Juliet will help students develop analytic reading skills. This is a skill that
they will need in order to be responsible and informed members of society as well as
excel in higher education or the job field. Through this play, students will be able to
analyze themes that relate to them such as fate, young love, conflict between and within
families, the effects of violence, and suicide. This will give students a voice and an
avenue to explore difficult subjects that many have experienced and/or are currently
experiencing. Because the unit focuses on whether fate or personal decisions have the
most impact over the characters’ lives, by the end, students should realize that they have the
power to improve or destroy their lives and the lives of others. They will also learn more about
the historical period in which Shakespeare was writing. Lastly, I believe that Shakespeare’s plays
have intrinsic value in and of themselves, and Romeo and Juliet is a great piece of authentic
literature to experience.
Goals:
The students will appreciate Shakespearean plays
The students will understand dramatic conventions and its importance in dramas
The students will learn how to identify literary and dramatic elements in the play
The students will learn Elizabethean terminology
The learners will understand the importance of decision making
Students will understand the difference between fate and willed decisions
The learners will appreciate the commonalities between today’s issues with teenagers and the
adolescent issues in Shakespeare’s era
The students will understand the author’s purpose for writing the play
Students will learn how to support findings by documenting textual evidence
Initiating Activities:
To introduce the unit I will first have to arrange the desk in the class. I will arrange the desk in a
half circle of rows facing the front of the class. This arrangement will give the room a stage and
audience appeal. This will allow students to feel as though they are in a theatre and a play is
being performed. It also helps for further activities in the unit for example when the students
will be allowed to rewrite and perform an alternate ending to the play. Another way to introduce
the class to this unit is to get their interest. To accomplish this I will create a video explaining
that what the students think they already know about the story of Romeo & Juliet is only the
surface and that as a class we will discover deeper meaning and go beyond the well popular plot.
I believe incorporating these main components will bring a positive introduction to the unit and
will assist in promising results in the student’s engagement and learning.
Culminating Activities:
My unit is closed out in three main ways. After reading the entire play the students are allowed
to get into groups and create and perform their own ending to the class. This allows the students
to express their creative side and utilize the stage simulated classroom. Another way I close out
this unit is with a review game and test. Before the day of the test the students will play a game
to help them study for the unit exam. The game is a fun way to study with peers and gain insight
from one another. The final activity to close out the unit is the Romeo & Juliet test. The
students will have a multiple choice exam on plot, dramatic conventions, vocabulary, and
character analysis.
Resources
For this unit the textbook was not the only resource used. The internet, the Smart Board, and a
modern translation of Romeo & Juliet and a movie were used for this unit. The internet was
used mainly for focusing events. I used websites such as You Tube to find informational and
entertaining videos to grasp the attention of the students to introduce a new lesson. Many of the
different resources needed for this unit was to give the students a variety of venues to read the
play without it becoming redundant. For instance, the DVD player was used to play the audio
version of the play so that the students can listen to the play and follow along in the book. A
DVD player is also needed for the students to watch the play. Another way to keep a variety of
ways to read the play was to have a modern translation of the book. The modern translation
allowed the students to read the play in today’s language and context so that it may be read with
more clarity and fluency. Lastly, the Smart Board and projector were used in the classroom.
The projector screen was used for the review game the students played.
The Smart Board was
important to the unit because it allowed me to explain worksheets to the class by demonstration,
for example how to document quotes from the play properly. It also was used to brainstorm
ideas for an alternate ending, the students had to create and perform to the class. The various
resources and technology used for this unit mainly assisted in grabbing the attention of the
students, keeping the approach for reading assignment for the day different, and explaining
assignments with precision. Using the many resources only made the learning process smoother
for the students for this unit.

Smart Board

Projector

DVD player

Internet (YouTube, Teacher Tube, etc.)

Elements of Literature Third Course (William Shakespeare Collection 13)

Romeo & Juliet (movie, 1996)