Swansea High School
English Stage 4
William Shakespeare – Teaching ideas
The activities suggested here are designed to support an introductory unit of work on the plays and
language of William Shakespeare
Rationale:
 Students need to become familiar with Shakespearean writing in a non-threatening, story-driven environment.
 Students need to gain skills in performance with the aim of becoming more confident in public situations and of understanding
the skills necessary to performance.
Students gain skills in working together, negotiating and independent work.
Stage 4 Outcomes:
1 A student responds to and composes texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis and pleasure.
5 A student makes informed language choices to shape meaning with accuracy, clarity and coherence.
6. A student draws on experience, information and ideas to imaginatively and interpretively respond to and compose texts.
10. A student identifies, considers and appreciates cultural expression in texts.
Syllabus Content
Students learn about:
10.9
the ways culture and
personal experience position
composers and responders and
influence response to and
composition of texts
10.10 key cultural stories
including Dreaming, myths and
allegories, what they represent and
the ways they have influenced
other texts
Students learn to:
10.1 recognise and consider
cultural factors, including cultural
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
Cultural context
Class discussion:
Why we study Shakespeare.
Read extract from the novel and discuss to gain the
cultural context for the play. Students write relevant
notes into workbooks.
Feedback
Resources
Teacher
ensures
students are
aware of the
ideas of sources
for the plays.
King of Shadows by Susan
Cooper (novel)
Teacher led discussion of some of the interesting
incidents and incidentals regarding Shakespearean
plays and times. What do these historical facts reveal
about different values and beliefs in Shakespeare’s
time? Some carefully selected extracts from the film
Word bank for
classroom
display.
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<www.shakespearesglobe.org> (not many
pictures) includes
 Globe theatre
 Life in Elizabethan times.
Syllabus Content
background and perspective, when
responding to and composing texts
10.2 identify and explore
the ways different cultures, cultural
stories and icons, including
Australian images and significant
Australians, including Aboriginal
Australians, are depicted in texts
10.3 identify and describe
cultural expressions in texts
10.4
identify and describe the
ways assumptions underlying
cultural expressions in texts can
lead to different reading
positions.
Students learn about:
10.7 cultural assumptions in
texts including those about
gender, ethnicity, religion,
youth, age, sexuality, disability,
cultural diversity, social class
and work
Students learn about:
5.8 techniques for effective
speaking in formal and informal
contexts
5.9 the ways in which purpose,
audience and context affect a
composer’s choices of content,
language forms and features and
structures of texts
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
Shakespeare in Love (M) could be useful here. (Note:
MEMORANDUM 98/018 (S.013) Use of videos in
schools ).
Feedback
Top Ten Shakespeare
Stories by Terry Deary
(comic non-fiction look at
the ‘top ten’ Shakespeare’s)
Individually or in small groups, students read a
selection of Shakespeare’s stories. This could be
organised so that different groups read different
stories then retell their story to the rest of the class.
Shakespeare Stories by
Leon Garfield, Puffin, 1985.
Students complete the grid (Resource 1).
Resource 1: Everything old
is new again
Resource 2: Playing cards
Introduction to Shakespeare’s language
In pairs or small groups students play the card game
where they match a Shakespearean quote to its
meaning expressed in contemporary language.
Jigsaw (see Reflections on
Classroom Thinking
Strategies by Eric
Frangenheim, Rodin
Educational Consultancy.
ISBN 0-9577037-1-6)
Shakespeare tells tales
Listening
Teacher chooses an appropriate play for the class.
The teacher will take on the role of story-teller – such
as a travelling minstrel, story-time person.
Suggested plays:
A Midsummer Night’s
Dream
The Merchant of Venice
The Tempest
The Taming of the Shrew
Students sit on the floor to hear the tale of the play
they will focus on. They are informed before the
activity that they will need to write the story in their
books after the retelling.
Narrative writing:
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Resources
Teacher
provides written
Shakespeare’s Stories
Leon Garfield
ISBN 0-14-038938-5
(Puffin)
Syllabus Content
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
Students write their version of the story based on
their listening to the tale. These are edited and
published in their assessment books. Some students
may need to work in pairs.
Students learn to:
6.2 compose a range of
imaginative texts including
narrative, poetry, instructions,
scripts, advertisements and
websites
10.2 identify and explore the ways
different cultures, cultural stories
and icons, including Australian
images and significant Australians,
including Aboriginal Australians,
are depicted in texts
Students learn about:
6.10 the structures and features of
imaginative texts including
characterisation, setting, tension
and climax, chronology and time,
narrative voice, effective
beginnings and endings
Telling the story in another way:
Read selected scenes around the class or listen to
extracts from a recorded version. Teacher to explain
as necessary and fill in parts of the story not read.
Students learn to:
5.2 make oral presentations that
demonstrate a personal point of
view, including speeches and
drama performances
Shakespeare’s people
Teacher presents individual expositions on various
characters.
Character
Students: colour drawings of characters and / or
scenes from the play with an eye to costuming and
scenery. Decide before this activity whether the
staging and costume conventions of Shakespeare’s
time are to be followed or whether students can set
their play elsewhere.
Discussion of the very basic props in Shakespearean
theatres (show appropriate extracts from a BBC film
version of the play or extracts from Shakespeare in
Love (M) to show the sparseness of Shakespeare’s
stage).
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Feedback
Resources
feedback on the
narratives
based on the
relevance to the
story told by the
teacher.
Excellent story version of
many of Shakespeare’s
plays.
Feedback sheet
Display on
classroom wall
Mr William Shakespeare’s
Plays
Presented by Marcia
Williams
ISBN 0-7445-6946-X
Other resources:
Bravo, Mr William
Shakespeare!
presented by Marcia
Williams
ISBN 0-7445-8237-7
BBC film versions of the
play
Shakespeare in Love (M) –
appropriate extracts
Pictures of various actors in
Shakespearean character.
You could use a selection of
Syllabus Content
Students learn about:
5.13 the cleverness and joy of
invention
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
1. Looking at pictures/clips, students discuss what
they think certain characters are like.
2. Teacher explains/describes various characters.
3. Students are asked to perform an action as that
character eg. Sit like a king, walk like Caliban, die
like Caesar, wash your hands like Lady Macbeth.
Feedback
film versions of various
Shakespearean plays.
Students complete match up with character foils.
Students learn to:
6.3 explore real and
imagined (including virtual) worlds
through close and wide
engagement with texts
6.4 use the features and structures
of imaginative texts to compose
their own texts and engage their
audience
Students learn to:
1.4 manipulate, combine and
challenge different text types in
order to compose new texts that
address specific purposes,
audiences and contexts
Students learn about:
1.18 inference, figurative language
Resources
Teacher
ensures that
Teacher and students check through match ups and
class discussion
discuss. Introduce the idea of stereotypes. Can any of respects
the characters be matched to modern stereotypes in
different
film, TV or other media texts?
interpretations.
Shakespeare: man of words
Teacher demonstrates great opening lines of various
Shakespearean plays.
Students write a version in contemporary English.
Teacher and
Teacher – demonstrates other famous quotations
students
from Shakespearean plays.
discuss
Students – translate them and perform both versions translations and
for the class - one student reads the original then
applaud all
another reads their translation.
acting efforts.
Students – in groups of four, one student reads a
part while the other acts it out.
Resource 3: Character foils
Matching activity: Teacher provides quotes and
translations. Students work in pairs to match up the
quotes with the correct translation – students then
retell and explain meaning of quotes to others.
Resource 3: Shakespeare's
insults
Students learn some famous Shakespearean
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There are several websites
which specialise in famous
Shakespearean quotes.
Refer also to Resource 2:
Playing cards
and Resource 3:
Shakespeare's insults
It would also be fun to do
with ‘romantic’ quotes.
Audience
Syllabus Content
and alternative readings as
strategies for responding to and
composing texts beyond the literal
level
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
quotes/insults. Role play amusing conversations
using the famous quotes/insults.
Feedback
engagement.
Student
reflections on
the activity.
Teacher
guidance
required
Students learn to:
5.2 make oral presentations
that demonstrate a personal
point of view, including
speeches and drama
performances
5.4 compose personal texts in
literary forms such as narrative,
poetry, speeches and scripts
10.1 recognise and consider
cultural factors, including cultural
background and perspective, when
responding to and composing texts
Students learn about:
5.12 ways to engage an
audience and sustain their
interest and involvement
5.13 the cleverness and joy of
invention
6.12 textual and visual conventions
for composing dialogue
Assessment of learning
Students work in groups to prepare and perform one
short section of their Shakespearean play.
Best group in each class will perform in whole year
performances in Week 10 in our Drama performance
space.
Peer and
teacher
assessment of
the
performances.
Students learn about:
3.7 technical features of audio and
visual recording, word processing,
graphics and formatting used for
composing texts
4.8 the ways in which specific
language forms and features
and structures of text are used
to shape meaning including:
Additional content
Students may video their performances and edit
using i-Movie to present to the class.
May be displayed
on school intranet
(with relevant
permission forms
completed).
Students rehearse in class and then perform plays
for each other.
Discussion of use of film techniques.
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Teachers may
need to script
simpler versions
for the students.
Paraphrases
could be used.
Resources
An excellent series of
paraphrased Shakespeare’s
plays is Shakespeare can
be Fun! by Lois Burdett.
ISBN: 1-55209-124-4
Peer Assessment Sheets


i-Movie
digital video camera

in written texts: medium,
organisation, sentence
structures, grammar,
punctuation, vocabulary and
spelling, the use of formal or
colloquial language and
figurative language

in spoken texts: medium,
organisation, sentence
structures, grammar,
punctuation, vocabulary,
cues, nonverbal language,
tone, pitch, intonation and
volume
in visual texts: medium,
organisation, colour, layout,
perspective, focus, camera angles
and editing
5.13 the cleverness and joy of
invention
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Resource 1
Everything old is new again
Shakespeare’s play
title
General outline
Modern story/film
Idea:
Use as an orientation exercise, for example, An introduction to Shakespeare’s
World or The Globe Theatre.
This could be a homework task for students.
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Resource 2
Playing cards
Game one (group work)
Match the quotation with the translation. A time limit could be set, those
finished first gain a point. (Score on the board)
Play “snap”, the first person to match quotation and translation wins the pile.
The cards fall at random, each student having a set number to start with.
Several sets of cards could be made so that the whole class eventually
experiences all the quotations. This would facilitate matching at different
speeds.
Game two (group work)
Play ‘fish’ each taking a turn to ask for a quote or a translation (cards held in
the hand so others can’t see)
The configuration could be six groups, nine cards in each set, four - five
students per group. Or nine groups (three sets repeated), with three - four
students. Each set needs to be colour coded to keep the translation matching
the quote. The colour coding should make sure that the sets are kept intact
and each set should be stored separately.
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Out, dammed spot!
Out I say!
I cannot wash this spot of
blood from my hand
Macbeth
It is a wise father that
knows his own child…
Parents should
acknowledge that their
children may have faults
The Merchant of Venice
The quality of mercy is not
strained… It bleseth him
that gives and him that
takes…
Everyone should show
mercy as the giver and the
receiver both benefit…
The Merchant of Venice
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All that glisters is not gold
(glistens)
Don’t be deceived by
appearances
(appearances can be
deceiving)
The Merchant of Venice
Once more into the breach
dear friends, once more…
We must try again. Let’s
give it all we’ve got
Henry V
It is the green eyed
monster
Envy
Othello
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The path of true love never
did run smooth
People often face
difficulties in love affairs.
Relationships have their
ups and downs.
Romeo and Juliet
My only love sprung from
my only hate.
What bad luck! I have
fallen in love with someone
who is an enemy of my
family.
Romeo and Juliet
But soft! What light
through yonder window
breaks? It is the east, and
Juliet is the Sun!
Juliet is like the light from
the sun.
Romeo and Juliet
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The Merchant of Venice
November 2004
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What’s in a name? That
which we call a rose
By any other name would
smell as sweet.
It doesn’t matter what your
name is, a rose would
smell sweet no matter what
it was called.
Romeo and Juliet
Macbeth
Look like
the innocent
flower
But be the serpent under’t
Look more innocent than
you are
Macbeth
All the perfumes of Arabia
will not sweeten this little
hand.
Nothing will remove my
guilt.
Macbeth
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Nothing will come of
nothing.
You have to give if you
wish to receive
King Lear
How sharper than a
serpent’s tooth it is
To have a thankless child
Children who do not
appreciate their parents
cause them a lot of pain
King Lear
Some are born great;
Some achieve greatness;
Some have greatness
thrust upon them.
Some people are naturally
great, others earn
greatness and some
people are pushed into
greatness.
Twelfth Night
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There are moments in our
lives when tough decisions
have to be made. We
should grasp opportunities
when they come or we
may not get the chance
again.
There is a tide in the
affairs of men
Julius Caesar
The lady doth protest too
much, me thinks
She seems to be hiding
something
Hamlet
I will speak daggers to her,
but use none
I will speak critically but I
won’t hurt her physically
Hamlet
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I am a man more sinned
against than sinning
I have been treated worse
than I deserve
King Lear
As flies to wanton boys,
are we to the gods;
They kill us for their sport
We are subject to fate and
chance in our lives
King Lear
First Witch:
When shall we three meet
again?
Second Witch:
In thunder, lightning and in
rain.
Third Witch:
When the battles lost and
won
A chant which is a puzzle
Macbeth
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Double double toil and
trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron
bubble
A witch’s potion or spell
using all the trouble they
can find
Macbeth
Frailty, thy name is
woman!
All women are
faithless/fickle; not to be
trusted.
Hamlet
Hamlet
Give every man thy ear,
but few thy voice
Listen to many people, but
don’t tell others your
business
Hamlet
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The fault dear Brutus, is
not in our stars
But in ourselves, that we
are underlings.
It is our own fault if we let
people walk all over us
Julius Caesar
A plague o’both your
houses! They have made
worms’ meat of me
A curse on your family,
they have caused my
death
Romeo and Juliet
All’s well that ends well
Even though there were
problems, the outcome
was okay.
All’s well that ends well
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Something is rotten in the
state of Denmark
There is something corrupt
in our country
Hamlet
It is a custom more
honor’d in the breach than
the observance
It is a custom which is
usually ignored
Hamlet
This above all to thine own
self be true
The most important thing
of all is to be your own
person. Do not try to be
someone you are not
Hamlet
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All the world’s a stage
And all the men and
women merely players
The world is just a theatre
and the earth is a stage
where all people play a
part
As you like it
I have not slept one wink
I did not sleep at all, not
even for a minute
Cymbeline
Get thee to a nunnery
Join a convent so you are
no longer a part of our
society
Hamlet
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If you prick us do we not
bleed?
We are all the same under
the skin
The Merchant of Venice
There are more things in
heaven and earth Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your
philosophy
We can’t expect to
understand everything in
our world
Hamlet
To hold, as ‘twere, the
mirror up to nature
Having behaviour that we
see in the natural world
Hamlet
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Alas! Poor Yorick. I knew
him (well)
This death was a sad one
because he was a friend
Hamlet
Now cracks a noble heart!
Good night, sweet prince
He was noble in life.
Farewell good prince
Hamlet
This is the short and the
long of it.
This is all there is to it no
matter how you say it
The Merry Wives of Windsor
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It is better to get into a little
bit of trouble now, than to
continue and make it
worse later
Better a little chiding
Than a great deal of
heartbreak
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Words, words, mere
words, no matter from the
heart
You just speak empty
words and do not mean
what you say
Troilus and Cressida
Troilus and Cressida
My friends were poor but
honest
My friends may not have a
lot of money but they are
reliable
Alls well that ends well
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I am a true labourer:
I earn what I eat
I work for my living and
look after myself
As you like it
To do a great right, do a
little wrong
Sometimes you have to
break the rules in order to
make things right
The Merchant of Venice
To be, or not to be:
That is the question?
To face life with all its
difficulties or “to give up
and die”.
Hamlet
Hamlet
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I must be cruel only to be
kind
This might hurt but it is for
your own good.
Hamlet
Brevity is the soul of wit
It is better to be brief.
Don’t be too long winded!
Hamlet
Friends, Romans,
countrymen lend me your
ears
Everyone, please listen to
me.
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
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What’s mine is yours and
what is yours is mine
We will share equally
Measure for measure
But I will wear my heart
upon my sleeve
Show emotions too
obviously
Measure for measure
How poor are they that
have not patience
Tolerance and self control
are worthy assets
Othello
Hamlet
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It is the stars,
the stars above us, govern
our conditions
We are ruled by fate
King Lear
I cannot tell what the
dickens his name is
I have no idea what he is
called
The Merry Wives of Windsor
If you have tears, prepare
to shed them now
What I am going to tell you
will make you cry.
Julius Caesar
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Resource 3
Character foils: join the dots
Hint – some make more than one connection.
CALIBAN – Low minded,
animal, instinctive, plotting,
wants/needs, untrusting,
cruel, cold, disloyal servant,
slack worker.
PORTIA – Acts out of
friendship, defends a
friend, merciful.
FALSTAFF – Drunkard,
coward, honourless, petty
thief, king of the pub.
KING HENRY – obsessed
with god, government,
doing duty, serving the
country, King of England.
ANTONIO – Schemer,
usurper, uses power
unfairly.
MIRANDA – Sweet,
innocent, loving. Trusting,
warm.
HAL – Wasting
opportunities, not doing his
duty as future King,
deep/well balanced
character.
MARK ANTHONY – A
loyal friend.
SHYLOCK – greedy,
vengeful, money hungry,
aggressive, merciless.
DESDEMONA – A faithful
wife.
BRUTUS – disloyal friend.
PROSPERO – Intelligent,
wise, honest, just,
complex thinker, fair.
OTHELLO – jealous
husband.
HOTSPUR – Obsessed
with honour, fighting,
battles. A shallow
character (one
dimensional).
ARIEL – Loyal servant,
does his duty
well/faithfully.
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