Romeo and Juliet Project Choices
Task: Demonstrate your understanding of William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet
and its historical context by choosing one project from the list below to complete.
1. The setting of the play is fourteenth century Italy, but actors in Shakespeare’s time
would have worn Elizabethan costumes. Make a costume catalogue. Draw at least one
authentic costume for Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Prince Escalus, Nurse, Friar Laurence,
Lord Capulet, Lord Montague, Lady Capulet, and Lady Montague. Label each costume
with the character’s name, act, and scene. Write a one paragraph explanation of each
costume. Include a Works Cited page to show the sources of your information.
2. Draw a detailed blueprint for the Globe Theatre. Base the blueprint on research. Label
the various parts of the blueprint. Type a two to four page paper that gives the history
and explains the theatre. Include a Works Cited page to show the sources of your
information.
3. Design and sew a minimum of three costumes for characters in the play. Dress dolls
in the costumes and label each costume with the character, act, and scene. Attach the
dolls to a base or platform so they can stand and be displayed. Design your costumes
based on research. Write a one page paper that explains each costume. Include a Works
Cited page to show the sources of your information.
4. Illustrate five scenes from Romeo and Juliet. Display the scenes on a poster or as a
diorama. Label each scene according to act and scene. Arrange the scenes in
chronological order. Include a ½ page explanation for each scene. Research the setting
and costumes and include a Works Cited page to show the sources of your information.
5. Select twelve to sixteen scenes from the play and create a quilt. Make the quilt out of
paper squares. For each quilt square, create an illustration and write a caption which
includes the act, scene, and a quotation. Create a border and tie/string the panels
together to form a wall hanging. Make sure the acts and scenes are in chronological
order.
6. Select a scene with at least four characters from the play. Create puppets to
represent all the characters in the scene. The puppets can be made out of brown paper
bags, construction paper, cloth, markers, etc. Draw a background to be used for the
puppet show. Write a one page paper that include the act and scene number, a detailed
summary of the scene, and an explanation of why you designed the puppets to look the
way they look. Present the show to the class. Use feeling, expression, and vocal variety
into the presentation.
7. Memorize and perform two or three monologues and/or soliloquies. Type a one to two
page paper describing why these excerpts are important to the play as a whole.
Explicate (identify and respond to figurative language, sound devices, and explain the
meaning) of the excerpts.
8. Work with three classmates to choose a scene and perform it. Each member should
type a one to two page paper describing why they chose the specific scene, the
importance of the scene in the play as a whole, and why they chose to perform each line
the way they did.
9. Design a comic book or illustrated children’s book that tells the story of Romeo and
Juliet. You may use the words of Shakespeare, or you may write and illustrate a more
modern version of the story. Type a one to two page paper which explains why you
chose to represent the scenes the way you did. The finished book must contain at least
15 pages.
10. Design a board game based on the play Romeo and Juliet. Include all game pieces
and directions for playing the game. The game should be enjoyable and educational. You
will demonstrate the game and show classmates how it works.
11. Write a song about Romeo and Juliet. Display the words of the song on a poster or
scroll. Sing the song to the class.
12. Develop a project idea of your own. Think about how you could use technology
(computer, website, video, sound recording, etc.) to complete the project. You must get
my permission first, and then complete the project.
Georgia Performance Standards
ELA9RL1: The student identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of the themes, structures, and elements of dramatic literature
and provides evidence from the text to support understanding; the student:
a. Identifies and analyzes types of dramatic literature (i.e., Shakespearean tragedy and comedy).
b. Analyzes the characters, structures, and themes of dramatic literature.
c. Identifies and analyzes dramatic elements, (i.e., exposition, rising action, climax, denouement, dialogue, monologue,
soliloquy, aside, dramatic irony).
d. Identifies and analyzes how dramatic elements support and enhance interpretation of dramatic literature.
ELA9RL3: The student deepens understanding of literary works by relating them to contemporary context or historical background.
The student:
b. Relates a literary work to non-literary documents and/or other texts relevant to its historical setting.
ELA9W3: The student uses research and technology to support writing. The student:
d. Integrates quotations and citations into a written text while maintaining the flow of ideas.
e. Uses appropriate conventions for documentation in the text, notes, and bibliographies by adhering to an appropriate style
manual such as the Modern Language Association Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style, Turabian, American
Psychological Association, etc.
ELA9C1: The student demonstrates understanding and control of the rules of the English language, realizing that usage involves the
appropriate application of conventions and grammar in both written and spoken formats.
ELA9LSV2: The student delivers focused, coherent, and polished presentations that convey a clear and distinct perspective,
demonstrate solid reasoning, and combine traditional rhetorical strategies of narration, exposition, persuasion, and description.
c. Delivers oral responses to literature that incorporate the same elements found in written literary analysis.
d. Uses props, visual aids, graphs, or electronic media to enhance the appeal and accuracy of presentations.
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, Creating