Star-Crossed Love in Romeo and Juliet

Explore the universal themes of William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet.

Standards

SL.9-10.1SL.9-10.1.cSL.9-10.1.d

Create an infographic about William Shakespeare.

Standards

RI.9-10.2SL.9-10.2

Decode the language of Shakespeare, and write in the language of Shakespeare.

Standards

L.9-10.3RI.9-10.4

Analyze how Shakespeare develops the mood of the prologue for Romeo and Juliet.

Romeo and Juliet — Prologue, lines 1–14

Standards

L.9-10.5RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.4

Compare and contrast how the house of Montague and the house of Capulet are characterized in the opening scene of Romeo and Juliet in the original text as compared to a graphic novel.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 1, lines 32 (from "Draw thy tool")–105
Romeo and Juliet — pages 3 (panel 4)–12

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.7

Analyze how Shakespeare characterizes Romeo in the opening scene.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 1, lines 106–end

Standards

L.9-10.5RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Analyze how Shakespeare characterizes Juliet in her introduction to the play.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 2, lines 1–46; Act 1, Scene 3, lines 1–end

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Examine the diction and structure in the dialogue between Romeo and Juliet and analyze what it reveals about their feelings towards one another and the fate of their love.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 1, Scene 5, lines 18–end

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Analyze two film adaptations of Act 1, Scene 5, evaluating how each version interprets Shakespeare's text.

“Romeo and Juliet (1968) | Act 1, Scene 5 | Clip 1” — (01:35–08:13)
“Romeo and Juliet (1968) | Act 1, Scene 5 | Clip 2” — (01:20–4:40)
“Romeo + Juliet (1996) | Act 1, Scene 5” — (01:33–08:20)

Standards

RL.9-10.7

Writing

Overview

Write a one-paragraph response that compares depictions of teenage love in Taylor Swift's "Enchanted" and William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Day 1 - Brainstorming

Brainstorm by comparing ideas about depictions of teenage love in Taylor Swift's "Enchanted" and William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

"Enchanted" and Romeo and Juliet Brainstorm (G9, Alt U5, L10)

Standards

RL.9-10.1RL.9-10.2W.9-10.5

Day 2 - Drafting

Draft a paragraph using a Point-by-Point structure to compare two texts.

Point-by-Point Paragraph Outline (G9, Alt U5, L10)
Point-by-Point Structure Comparison Paragraph Mentor Text (G9, Alt U5, L10)
Self/Peer Feedback Form (G9, Alt U5, L10)

Standards

W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.1.e

Day 3 - Language Lesson

Revise a paragraph by using a dependent clause that begins with a subordinating conjunction to show cause or comparison.

Dependent Clauses and Subordinating Conjunctions Practice (G9, Alt U5, L10)

Standards

L.9-10.1.bW.9-10.5

Analyze how Shakespeare uses figurative language and characterization to portray Romeo and Juliet's relationship.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 2, Scene 2, lines 1–end

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Analyze various film and stage productions of Act 2, Scene 2, evaluating how each version interprets staging, characterization, and language.

“Romeo and Juliet (1968) | Act 2, Scene 2” — (00:00–04:10)
“Romeo + Juliet (1996) | Act 2, Scene 2” — (00:00–04:18)
“Romeo & Juliet (2009) | Act 2, Scene 2” — (00:00–02:56)
“Romeo and Juliet (2018) | Act 2, Scene 2” — (00:00–03:49)
“Pizza My Heart (2005) | Act 2, Scene 2” — (13:16–14:40)
“Gnomeo & Juliet (2011) | Act 2, Scene 2” — (00:00–01:10)

Standards

RL.9-10.7

Analyze how Shakespeare characterizes Friar Lawrence and the Nurse in Act 2.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 2, Scene 3; Act 2, Scene 5; Act 2, Scene 6

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Analyze Romeo's tragic flaw.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 3, Scene 1

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Explore modern adaptations of Romeo and Juliet and analyze the impact of directorial and authorial choices on inclusivity.

“West Side Story (1961) | The gangs fight scene” — (00:00–04:26)
“West Side Story (2021) | La Borinqueña (Sharks Version)” — (00:00–01:03)
“Steven Spielberg Refused to Subtitle the Spanish in West Side Story For This Important Reason”
“Rosaline (2022) | Official Trailer” — (00:00–01:33)
“Steve McQueen, Erica Whyman on Romeo and Juliet, Gender-swapped theatre” — (14:15–17:50)
“Romeo and Juliet—importance of a female Mercutio” — (00:00–00:52)
“& Juliet (2022) | Official Trailer” — (00:00–01:03)
Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix
“Redefining Juliet (2016): Retelling Shakespeare like never before” — (00:00–00:55)
Romeo and Juliet pp. 78–80

Standards

RI.9-10.7

Compare and contrast how the original text and the graphic novel develop the mood of Act 3, Scene 2 and Act 3, Scene 3, lines 1–118.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 3, Scene 2 and Act 3, Scene 3, lines 1–118
Romeo and Juliet pp. 81–87

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.7

Analyze Juliet's conflict between familial loyalty and romantic love in Act 3, Scene 5.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 3, Scene 5

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Analyze Juliet's character development since the beginning of the play.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 4, Scene 1 and Act 4, Scene 3

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Analyze the impact of dramatic irony on the audience's reaction to the events in Act 4, Scene 5 and Act 5, Scene 1.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 4, Scene 5, lines 1–101 and Act 5, Scene 1

Standards

RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.4

Assessment

Socratic Seminar

Engage in a Fishbowl-style Socratic Seminar with classmates, drawing evidence from nonfiction texts and the unit text and carefully explaining reasoning.

Romeo and Juliet
“What Is Fatalism?”
“What is Free Will?”

Standards

SL.9-10.1SL.9-10.1.aSL.9-10.1.bSL.9-10.1.cSL.9-10.1.dSL.9-10.4

Analyze how Shakespeare develops the connection between fate and the deaths of Romeo and Juliet in Act 5, Scenes 2–3.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 5, Scene 2 and Act 5, Scene 3, lines 1–175

Standards

RL.9-10.2

Analyze the mood, themes, and characterization at the end of the play.

Romeo and Juliet — Act 5, Scene 3, lines 176–end

Standards

RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4

Writing

Overview

Engage in a class debate on who or what is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

Day 1 - Planning

Prepare for a class debate on who or what is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet by collaboratively planning position statements supported by strong evidence.

Debate Planning Sheet (G9, Alt U5, L23)
Debate Planning Sheet for the Alternate Prompt (G9, Alt U5, L23)

Standards

RL.9-10.1SL.9-10.1W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.5

Day 2 - Planning

Prepare for a class debate on who or what is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet by collaboratively planning rebuttals.

Debate Planning Sheet (G9, Alt U5, L23)
Debate Planning Sheet for the Alternate Prompt (G9, Alt U5, L23)

Standards

RL.9-10.1W.9-10.1.bW.9-10.1.eW.9-10.5

Day 3 - Drafting

Prepare for a class debate on who or what is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet by drafting a script for the opening statement, arguments, rebuttals, and closing statement.

Team Debate Script (G9, Alt U5, L23)

Standards

W.9-10.1W.9-10.1.cW.9-10.1.d

Day 4 - Debate

Engage in a class debate on who or what is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.