Lesson Plan: “Romeo, Romeo!”
Name: Miss Weaver
Subject: English Language Arts
Grade: Mixed-Level 9th
Time: 45 minutes
Context and Objectives:
This lesson will start the analysis part of the play. Students will explore an excerpt from the
famous balcony scene of Romeo & Juliet through a demonstration and a game that will help
them visualize some important lines to understand it better. This is important so that students can
break down scenes to get a feel for figurative language and to learn to make meaning out of it.
We designed the room by drawing a huge window on the board with colorful flowers around it
and garland hanging above it. We also put up the various costumes and masquerade masks
around the room. Students should be able to summarize what happened in this scene, explain its
importance and what it means for the rest of the play, and begin to examine figurative language.
Materials:
 Romeo & Juliet book
 Cut out pieces of the balcony scene lines
 Balcony scene script
 Charades game handout
Curriculum Frameworks:
3.10 Present an organized interpretation of a literary work, film, or dramatic production
4.20 Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues (contrast, cause and effect)
18.4 Develop and present characters through the use of basic acting skills
Procedure:
Motivating Learning Activity: Students will begin class by watching two of their classmates act
out pieces of the famous balcony scene in Romeo & Juliet. I have selected an excerpt from this
balcony scene that was given to the pre-selected students a few days ahead of time. I pre-selected
the text and wrote comments in bold so that I could stop in to explain. This basically served as a
translation for students as appropriate reading material to promote further learning—they could
see it being performed, hear it, and then get an in-depth explanation afterwards. This made it is
easy for students to follow along and they weren’t skipping around to find the lines—the script
was right there already typed out and for timing purposes, we didn’t have class time to read all of
it, so that was the homework, so in class we could focus in on the important parts of it.
Primary Activity: Students will participate in a Romeo & Juliet Charades game that analyzes the
language in the balcony scene that two students just acted out. This charades game has been
adopted and modified from a teacher, Lisa McDonagh, in Watertown, MA. A copy of the
balcony scene will be shown on the projector throughout this activity. Students will get into
groups of 3-5 depending on the class size; each group will get a slip of paper with 2 lines of the
balcony scene printed on it. The groups will have a few minutes to read it and decide what they
think it means. They will think of a way to “act out” or rather gesture their lines since like
charades, they will not be allowed to use words. The groups will present their gestures and after
each group goes the class will try to guess which line they had. After everyone goes, we will
discuss how people chose to portray their lines and what they thought it meant. We will talk
about the power of images and how it may or may not coincide with the power of language. How
is this important in Romeo & Juliet specifically this balcony scene?
Closing Learning Activity: Students will fill out an Exit Slip explaining 2-3 things they have
learned about how images may or may not help people understand the meaning of words relating
it back to this balcony scene. This will be collected.
Assessment and Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated by their participation in the charades game but more importantly in
their responses in the Exit Slips. Their responses will show what they took from this lesson and
how they view the balcony scene differently. This is a form of formative assessment because it
concludes this lesson plan by showing what students learned and how they related the lesson
back to Romeo & Juliet.
Adapting to Diverse Students and Learning Environments:
If students need scaffolding to further learning then their group may only do 1 line instead of 2 in
the charades game. They also may receive help like clues in guessing during the game if
necessary (IEPs). If students desire more challenges then they may add 3-4 things they learned in
the Exit Slip and give an example of how this lesson relates to their own life.
Follow-up:
This lesson could be used in future lessons by altering the topic. The charades game could be
used to analyze important speeches, monologues, or paragraphs of a novel. It’s a great way to
dissect a piece of writing so that students can examine it in an easier more visual way.
Read your line(s) with your group and try to figure out what it means. You will then “act
out” or rather gesture your line(s) for the rest of the class to guess. Like charades, you may
not use words so be creative! The translated version of each line is directly below it for
additional help. Have fun  You may point to things, draw on the board, or use props!
But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
But wait! What light is coming through that window?
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon.
Rise up, beautiful sun, and make the jealous moon invisible
My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words of thy tongue's uttering, yet I know the sound.
I have not listened to even a hundred words
With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls;
I flew over the walls on the wings of love;
There lies more peril in thine eyes than twenty of their swords
I see more danger in your eyes
I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes
The dark night will hide me from their eyes
It is too rash, too unadvis’d, too sudden, too like the lightning which doth cease to be ere one can
say it lightens
Our love is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, too like the lightening which has faded before
you can even say, ”It’s lightening!”
This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath, may prove a beauteous flower
Our bud of love, ripened by summer’s breath
My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep
My desire to give you love is as broad as the sea
Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books, but love from love toward school with
heavy looks
Love is drawn toward love the way schoolboys are drawn away from their books
Adapted from Lisa McDonagh, Watertown, MA