Introduction to Shakespeare Middle School and High School Shakespeare's Language

Looking for an engaging way to introduce William Shakespeare's background and context and prepare students to better understand Shakespeare's language? These editable, no prep, Google Slides Intro to Shakespeare activities are the perfect way to introduce Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, and any Shakespeare play, sonnet, or unit!

This mini-unit includes a presentation about William Shakespeare's background and historical context, a collaborative mini research project about the time period, and an activity that addresses the four major challenges to understanding Shakespeare's Language.

This activity is editable, printable, and digital, so you can meet the unique needs of your students and your own teaching style.

What is included in this resource?

✅ Detailed lesson plan with step-by-step directions

✅ Editable, done-for-you teaching slides on Shakespeare's background

• Who was William Shakespeare?
• Shakespeare in Question (addressing the 'conspiracy theory' of authorship)
• Shakespeare's Sonnets
• Shakespeare's Plays
• The Old Globe Theater
• Shifting Attitudes Towards Theater
• Historical Context of William Shakespeare (English Renaissance, Elizabethan Era, Jacobean Era, King James I, etc)
• ...and more!

✅ Historical Context Mini-Research Project & Presentation

✅ Editable, done-for-you teaching slides on Understanding Shakespeare's Language

• The top 4 reasons Shakespeare's language is challenging for students
• Several practice opportunities addressing each of the 4 challenges
• PLUS examples & quotations from a range of Shakespeare's work

✅ Sample research project & answer keys

✅ Guided notes to keep students engaged
✅ Templates, scaffolds, & graphic organizers to support all learners

Activity Duration:

This activity will take 4-6 hours, depending on variables such as class size and the amount of time spent researching, presenting, and discussing. 

What is Growing Bundle?

A growing bundle means I am still adding resources to this bundle. You pay for the current resources and get access to any new resources I add for FREE! Each time I add a new resource to the bundle, I will notify all buyers (and raise the price for any new buyers in order to reflect the new value of the bundle). This is the lowest price this bundle will be offered for, so the sooner you buy the more you save!

Final Notes and Details:

**All slides are EDITABLE so you can edit them to meet the needs of your unique classroom

**These resources are in Google Slides. However, they can also be downloaded from Google Slides as POWERPOINT files or PDF files if you prefer (file, download as, choose your format). Please Note: You must have access to Google Drive in order to access these resources.

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Terms of Use:

This work is copyright. Your single-user license which allows you to use this resource with YOUR students only. If you'd like to share this resource with a teacher-friend, please provide them with a link to my store, so they can download their own. Thank you for being part of the Teachers Pay Teachers community and for supporting a fellow teacher!

Cover Credit: Thank you to Aneta Designs for the watercolor strokes in the product cover!