ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Select any one of the following options to present to the class. Each presentation
should last at least four minutes. The presentation will be graded on: voice quality,
preparation, artistic creativity, eye contact, and relevance to Romeo and Juliet.
Individual projects:
Oxymoron—Create a list of at least ten oxymora used in Romeo and Juliet.
Translate these into modern English and give the audience the context of the
oxymoron. Also, find at least 10 modern oxymora and share these with the
class.
Eulogy—Select a character who deserves a eulogy. The viewpoint should come
from that of a friend of the character, and your words are for the recently
departed so be somber and thoughtful. Be honest about events that occurred
in his/her life but be sure to explain how he/she was a good person (even if
he/she wasn’t). This should certainly not be read!
Shakespearean Sonnet—Shakespeare uses many sonnets within Romeo and Juliet.
Create your own sonnet that appeals to a theme in the play. You can get a
hint from any of the sonnets in the play. Here are three examples of sonnets:
1) the prologue found at the beginning of Act I (p. 735), 2) at the end (p. 764)
of Act I; and 3) in Act I, Scene 5 when Romeo and Juliet first meet (lines 95-108).
Remember! Shakespearean sonnets have 14 lines. These lines are broken into
three quatrains and one couplet. The rhyme scheme is: ABAB, CDCD, EFEF,
and GG.
The Cause—Present your conclusion as to what the root cause of the tragedy is.
What would you say is the main reason so many people die? Explain how you
came to this conclusion and be sure to avoid hasty generalizations,
oversimplification, stereotyping, and other types of faulty logic.
Modern day—Find an instance of a publicized, modern-day Romeo and Juliet.
Bring an article that explains the situation and share how it relates to
Shakespeare’s tragedy. Be sure to explain how this modern-day tragedy could
have been prevented!
Tombstone—Create tombstones for at least two of the deceased. These
tombstones should include: date of birth and death, a quote that epitomizes
the character, the cause and place of death, and it should look like a
tombstone.
Artistic rendition—Design a visual representation of each of the five scenes. As you
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present each artistic “snapshot” to the class, make sure you include why you
chose the scenes, colors, texture, and medium. This visual progression should
symbolize the important moments of each act and does not have to include
any written words.
CD Jacket—Design a CD jacket for the play. The CD should have at least five songs
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(one song that expresses the focus of each act). These “songs” can be original
or not, but each song needs to include lyrics. You do not have to
perform the songs, but you do have to explain why you chose the song title
and the lyrics. Also, be sure your jacket has an artistic cover on it!
Children’s book—Create a children’s book that explains the events of Romeo and
Juliet so a child could understand it. Like all children’s books, it should have
pictures. It should also cover the five acts of the play.
Individual or group projects:
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Song—Sing a song to the class. This original or covered tune should capture an
important theme of the play. Be sure to have the lyrics printed, and explain
how the song relates to the play.
Insults—Create a list of insults found in Romeo and Juliet. You should
create at least 15 insults, and these insults should not be ones commonly heard
today. Consequently, it is necessary that the insults be explained and the
context clarified.
Group projects:
Re-enactment—Choose an appropriate scene in Romeo and Juliet and act it out
for us. If you’d like to videotape the project, that is also acceptable. Of course,
however, I will expect to see a better project if it is videotaped. Extra credit is
awarded for scenes expressed using Shakespearean language or costumes.
(Some ideas inspired by Cambridge School’s Romeo and Juliet. Created by A. Bradburn)