William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet

9th Grade Literature

Prepared by:
Matthew Mahalak
for
Dr. Feather
EDFOUND 291.03: Principles of Teaching
Spring 2012 , BU

Introduction
The students will be exposed for the first to Shakespeares most popular play, The Tragedy of
Romeo and Juliet. This unit is extremely important because there are several themes and morals
that Shakespeare creates which are not explicitly shown through just reading. The students will
analyze the story and dig deeper into the meaning behind Shakespeares words. The themes are
ones that the students can relate to; the individual versus society is masterfully employed
throughout the text.
As mentioned above, the students will be exposed to many themes, but one main theme that
will be a vital is the individuality. In 9th grade, this is prime time for many students. This story
will relate feelings and situations that may have or will have an influence on them. The idea of
forceful love overpowering the socioeconomic status is Shakespeares biggest theme in this play.
The students will be interested in this material because it is relatable which is imperative in a
unit.
This unit is crucial because not only does it organize the teachers plans and assessments, but
it shows the progress and expectations of the students learning regarding Shakespeare.
Especially for a class that is covering Shakespeare for the first time, a unit plan is detrimental
because of the complex writing style that they will be exposed to. A unit plan will be very
helpful because the teacher will be covering a longer story with more complex ideas. Overall, the
unit plan for Romeo and Juliet will include what needs to be covered and how it should be
covered. Furthermore, the teacher will aim toward their assessment which will guide them
throughout the course of the unit.

General Objectives
1. Upon completion of the unit on Romeo and Juliet, students will compare and contrast
Romeo and Juliets tragic ending to their own lives.
2. After reading Romeo and Juliet, students will summarize the major themes and key
concepts of each act.
3. After completing the Sequence Chart, students will list 5 major events in their correct
order.

Preassessment
Romeo and Juliet
Please write a response to the best of your knowledge.
1. Where and during what time period was Shakespeare born?
2. What do you know about stages (ex. lighting, seating, structure)?
3. What is a rash decision?
4. What is fate?
5. Define and/or give an example of either metaphor or simile.
6. Define and/or give an example of either oxymoron or personification. 7. What do you know
about the play Romeo & Juliet?
8. What are some literary techniques Shakespeare uses in his plays?
9. Does Shakespeare write his plays in sequential order?
10. How does society play a role in peoples lives?
This preassessment will allow the teacher to see where the students are when discussing
Shakespeare. The preassessment includes questions regarding Shakespeare and the new style of
writing that he implements is his work. The students will write anything about theatre and/or
Shakespeare when asked about the style of his writing. As for the questions about literary
techniques and themes, the teacher will see how much the students know about these more
complex ideas. Consequently, the teacher will get an accurate amount of data of the students
knowledge before starting the lesson on Romeo and Juliet.

Body

Motivational Device for the Unit Plan:

For this unit, the teacher will present a PowerPoint presentation of specific images.
Knowing that Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeares most popular plays, the teacher
will have a slide with that most famous line, O Romeo O Romeo, Wherefore art thou
Romeo? Then, the teacher will show them a video clip from the recent movie, Romeo
and Juliet. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio star as the loving couple and appeal
very much to the younger society. Therefore, an orientation set will be designed to get the
students thinking about Shakespeare and his most famous play, Romeo and Juliet.

Topical Outline:
Lesson 1: Romeo and Juliet Act I

Academic standards for the lesson:

-

1.2.9.A: Evaluate text organization and content to determine the authors purpose,
point of view, and effectiveness according to the authors theses, accuracy,
thoroughness, and patterns of logic.

1.7.9.A: Analyze the role and place of standard American English and informal
language when used in speech, writing and literature.

Assessment anchor descriptor for the lesson:

-

R11.A.1.2: Identify and Apply Word Recognition Skills

Lesson methodology: Presentation

Supporting point or points of the lesson content

-

Presentation on William Shakespeare

Introduce three literary techniques

Read Act I of Romeo and Juliet

Lesson 2: Romeo and Juliet Act II

Academic standards for the lesson:

-

1.2.9.A: Evaluate text organization and content to determine the authors purpose,
point of view, and effectiveness according to the authors theses, accuracy,
thoroughness, and patterns of logic.

1.7.9.A: Analyze the role and place of standard American English and informal
language when used in speech, writing and literature.

Assessment anchor descriptor for the lesson:

-

R11.A.1.2: Identify and Apply Word Recognition Skills

Lesson methodology: Role play

Supporting point or points of the lesson content

-

Organize groups for role play

Hand out costumes and props

Read Act II of Romeo and Juliet

Lesson 3: Romeo and Juliet Act III

Academic standards for the lesson:

-

1.2.9.A: Evaluate text organization and content to determine the authors purpose,
point of view, and effectiveness according to the authors theses, accuracy,
thoroughness, and patterns of logic.

1.7.9.A: Analyze the role and place of standard American English and informal
language when used in speech, writing and literature.

Assessment anchor descriptor for the lesson:

-

R11.A.1.2: Identify and Apply Word Recognition Skills

Lesson methodology: Cooperative Learning

Supporting point or points of the lesson content

-

Organize groups for work stations

Introduce the four themes to each work station

Read Act III of Romeo and Juliet

UNIT: William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet

DATE: 04/09/12

LESSON: Act I

TIME LENGTH: 40 mins

PA ACADEMIC STANDARDS:
1. 1.2.9.A: Evaluate text organization and content to determine the authors purpose, point
of view, and effectiveness according to the authors theses, accuracy, thoroughness, and
patterns of logic.
2. 1.7.9.A: Analyze the role and place of standard American English and informal language
when used in speech, writing and literature.
ASSESSMENT ANCHOR DESCRIPTORS:
1. R11.A.1.2: Identify and Apply Word Recognition Skills
MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE:

Students will enter the class and take their seats, while the teacher plays old medieval
music on the radio and is dressed as Romeo. The teacher will say with enthusiasm, O
Romeo, O Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo? This line is very popular from the story
which will trigger anything the students already know about the play. The teacher will
speak to them in Shakespearean language and engage them immediately. The teacher will
ask the students if they have ever read Romeo and Juliet and if so what they can recall
from the story. The students will be handed a sequence sheet which will guide them
throughout the play.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
1. Without using notes, the student will write an accurate summary about Shakespeares
techniques with no fewer than four sentences.
2. After reading the Shakespearean sonnet, the student will write down one correct form of
a literary technique each time asked.
3. Without using a sequence chart, the student will write down the main conflict from Act I
with no fewer than six sentences.
MATERIALS NEEDED: The literature textbook, sequence chart handouts, Romeo outfit,
and writing paper.
TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Radio, computer, projector, and white board

RESOURCES USED:

Applebee, A., Bermudez, A., Blau S., Caplan, R., Elbow, P., Hynds, S., , & Marshall,
J. (2002). The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The Language of Literature: British
Literature (pp. 148-196). Evanston, IL: Littell, McDougal.

Beach & Myers, (2001). Inquiry-Based English Instruction: Engaging Students in Life
and Literature. New York: Teachers College Press.

Moulton, I. F. (2006, Spring). Romeo and Juliet: Texts and Contexts. Shakespeare
Quarterly, 57(1), 86. Retrieved April 3, 2012, from Proquest Learning: Literature
database.

LESSON TYPE (Pedagogy): Presentation

LESSON OUTLINE:
I.

Introduction (5 mins)
A. Who is Shakespeare?
1. The teacher will start with the PowerPoint presentation and ask a few questions
before beginning the lesson.
2. The students should take down some notes on the slides that are going to be
covered.
B. Ask the students if they have ever heard of the play Romeo and Juliet.
1. The teacher will emphasize the importance of Shakespeares style and techniques
and explain how it will relate to the story they are going to start. (see PowerPoint
slides)
2. Students will receive their sequence charts and be divided up into groups of two.

II.

Shakespeare PowerPoint Presentation (10 mins)

A. Three Different Literary Techniques
1. Symbolism
2. Imagery
3. Mood
B. The teacher will show the students PowerPoint slide 6 and have them find one literary
technique being used in the sonnet.

C. Group work
1. Students will work together and talk about the sonnet. The teacher should give
examples like the ending rhyme schemes and the use of repetition.
2. Each student will write their own response to which literary technique they found.
III.

Begin Act I of Romeo and Juliet (15 mins)

A. The teacher will begin reading the play to the students.
1. The teacher will point out the specific words that are unknown to the students and
explain them in detail. (See side notes in teacher edition of the textbook)
2. Explain to the students the style that is being used and show the similarities to the
sonnets they worked on earlier.
B. Pause and reflect after Act I, Scene III
1. Ask students what the conflict is so far and if they can relate.
2. Remind the students to keep up with their sequence charts.
C. Finish all of Act I
1. Call on some students read the ending scenes so they become familiar with the
style.
2. The teacher will now have the students get back into their individual seating
arrangements.

IV.

Overview of the key points in Act I (5 mins)

A. Literary Techniques
1. Go over the three techniques that were covered in the beginning of class. (See
PowerPoint slides)
2. Ask students what they think of the story and if they can find Romeos position
relatable.
B. Plot/Characters
1. The teacher will say, The main difference between the Montagues and the
Capulets is their socioeconomic status within the community and that it is preventing
Juliet from seeing Romeo.

V. Summary (includes closure) (5 mins)

A. The students will complete a writing response of the main conflict that was presented
to them in Act I. The student must hand this assignment in before they leave the
classroom.
KEY QUESTIONS (Include three high level questions):
1. How does Shakespeare use structure and language in the sonnet in Act I Scene V to
reflect romance in Romeo and Juliets relationship?
2. What are the main themes explored in Act I of Romeo and Juliet?
3. I covered symbolism, imagery, and mood; give me one example where Shakespeare uses
one of these literary techniques.
CLOSURE: The teacher will reinforce the three main literary techniques that were covered in
the beginning of the class.
DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES (Include at least three):
1. Students with visual impairments will have print outs with larger font and use a different
text that will help them see more clearly.
2. Students with hearing impairments will have a translator.
3. Students with ADHD will be placed in the front of the classroom so he or she can focus
more.
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS (Include at least two):
1. If the teacher sees the student having trouble finishing their writing response, they will ask
the student to think back to the main points that we covered. Without giving the answer, the
teacher will lead the student in the right direction.
2. If the teacher asks the class at the end of the lesson, What is symbolism and how does
Shakespeare use it? and there is no response, the teacher will reinforce what symbolism is and
how it is used in todays society.
HOMEWORK: Students will be assigned to read up to Act II, Scene III and asked to write in
their journal. They are expected to write one example of symbolism, mood, or imagery and keep
up with their sequence charts.

10

REFLECTION (Include at least three questions):

1. How was the lesson effective and did it cover the main points that were addressed in the
beginning?
2. Did the teacher create engaging activities that kept the students interest?
3. What others ways can Shakespeare be presented to the class?

11

Activity Sheet (Sequence Chart)

Name____________________________________________________ Date_________ Sec____
Please fill in the sequence chart in chronological order when reading each act. For each act
marked, there should be one main event that happens to be filled in.

Sequence Chart for Romeo and Juliet

Act 1 Sunday

Morning

Romeo lovesick for Rosaline

Act 1 Sunday

Afternoon A street fight between the Montague and Capulet factions

Act 1 Sunday

Evening

The Capulets make ready for their masked ball (masque)

The Montague faction gatecrash the ball - Romeo is disguised by a mask. Romeo sees beautiful
Juliet - it is love at first sight.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Act 2 Sunday

Night Romeo and Juliet meet and learn they belong to the opposing

families of Montague and Capulet. Despite the conflicting loyalties to their families they swear
their love for each other and decide to marry
Act 2 Monday

Morning

Plans are made for the wedding

Act 2 Monday

Early Afternoon Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are married by

Friar Laurence
The Nurse helps Romeo with plans to provide ropes to enable Romeo to climb into Juliet's
bedchamber as her husband later that night...
_____________________________________________________________________________
Act 3 Monday

Late Afternoon

Benvolio and Mercutio (Montague faction) meet Tybalt

(Capulet faction). Mercutio is killed by Tybalt.

Act 3 Monday

Early Evening Romeo revenges the death of Mercutio and kills Tybalt.

Act 3 Monday

Night Prince of Verona banishes Romeo from Verona.

Unaware of the wedding Capulet arranges for Juliet to marry Paris on Thursday
Act 3 Tuesday

Dawn Having spent the night together the lovers, Romeo and Juliet, part

______________________________________________________________________________
Act 4 Tuesday

Morning

Juliet refuses her father's wishes to marry Paris and decides she

will commit suicide rather than betray Romeo

12

Act 4 Tuesday

Afternoon Friar Laurence advises Juliet to pretend to take poison and fake

her death, allowing her to escape to Romeo. Knowing she will escape Juliet "agrees" to marry
Paris. Her delighted father brings the wedding forward to Wednesday
Act 4 Tuesday

Night Juliet takes the fake potion

Act 4 Wednesday

Morning The Nurse discovers the "dead" Juliet. The Capulet family

learn that their daughter Juliet is dead. The wedding preparations are changed to those of a
funeral.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Act 5 Wednesday

Romeo learns of Juliet's death - devastated he plans to return to

Verona to see the dead body of Juliet - he plans to commit suicide

Act 5 Thursday Evening

Romeo looks at Juliet in her coffin. Paris sees him, they fight

and Paris is killed. Romeo then takes the poison - just as Juliet awakes. Romeo dies and then
Juliet stabs herself to death.
Act 5 Thursday Evening

The tragic love story ends as the Montague and Capulet

families end their feud

13

UNIT: William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet

DATE: 04/10/12

LESSON: Act II

TIME LENGTH: 40mins

PA ACADEMIC STANDARDS:
1. 1.2.9.A: Evaluate text organization and content to determine the authors purpose, point
of view, and effectiveness according to the authors theses, accuracy, thoroughness, and
patterns of logic.
2. 1.7.9.A: Analyze the role and place of standard American English and informal language
when used in speech, writing and literature.
ASSESSMENT ANCHOR DESCRIPTORS:
1. R11.A.1.2: Identify and Apply Word Recognition Skills
MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: The teacher will start the class by having the students get into
their groups they formed the previous day. The teacher will ask, Has anyone gone through what
Romeo is going through? To be more specific, Has anyone felt individualized in their own
society? The students will discuss their own personal feelings about mistreatment and relate that
to Romeos situation.
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
1. Without using a dictionary, students will evaluate the impact of word choice and explain
it to the class.
2. Without using their sequence charts, students will compare and contrast Act I from Act II
by writing a short open ended response.
3. Given certain outfits/props for role playing, students will identify (point to) their
symbolic value.
MATERIALS NEEDED: The literature textbook, writing paper, costumes, and props.
TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: The white board
RESOURCES USED:

Applebee, A., Bermudez, A., Blau S., Caplan, R., Elbow, P., Hynds, S., , & Marshall,
J. (2002). The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The Language of Literature: British
Literature (pp. 148-196). Evanston, IL: Littell, McDougal.

Cruickshank, D. R., Jenkins, D. B., & Metcalf, K. K. (2012). The act of teaching (6th
ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

14

LESSON TYPE (Pedagogy): Role play

LESSON OUTLINE:
I.

Introduction (5mins)
A. Has anyone taken theatre or been involved in the drama club?
1. The teacher will go to each group and pass out the assigned costumes and props to
each group.
2. The group will have the decision to pick the main characters for their group.
B. Modeling for the students
1. The teacher will use group one and two as an example for the class.
2. The teacher will say, each group has the same costumes and props, but for each
scene a different group will act out the play. So group one will read Act II, Scene
I, and then group two will read Act II, Scene II. The teacher will ask that all
students participate and be enthusiastic when reading.

II.

Begin Act II (15 mins)

A. Group one will begin acting out the scene.
1. Each member should be actively involved when in front of the classroom.
2. The other classmates are to act as the chorus when listening and reading to the
students.
3. The teacher should explain that the chorus serves as the townspeople and citizens
of Verona.
B. The teacher should be watching the other classmates and see how they react to their
peers.
C. After a major theme is brought up in the play, the teacher should stop the students and
go over this topic.
3. The teacher should ask the students what they think is the theme that is being
developed here.
4. The group that is role playing is the only group to answer the questions. If they
are all stuck with no answer, the teacher should implement error analysis and try
to lead them in the right direction.
5. The students must then talk about the words that Shakespeare is using in their
scene and explain their affects.
15

III.

Continue with Role Play (15mins)

A. Group Two
1. They must follow the same rules and process as group one.
2. The students should point to their colored outfits and explain the significance to the
characters. For instance, Juliets character will have gold on which symbolizes royalty
and wealth. Romeos character will have worn out and dark colors which will signify his
plight condition.
B. Act II, Scene II
1. The teacher should intervene throughout the scene and ask the group what is
happening. This is a perfect time for reciprocal teaching.
2. The group could talk to each other about what Romeo is doing to Juliet and what
his reasons might be for doing so.
C. Group Three
1. The teacher should ask some questions before the group starts role playing. So at
this point in the story, what is happening to Romeo and Juliets relationship?
2. The group should explain something about their outfit and the props in this scene.
Keep in mind, the students should have a different response for each scene because time
progresses which means there are different meanings to their props because of that
specific moment.

IV.

Overview of Act II (10 mins)

A. The teacher will have the students get back into their individual seats.
1. The teacher should ask the students what they think of the play so far and get a
clear response from them using details.
2. Reinforce the main themes that each group picked out and embellish them for the
class.
B. Literary Techniques
1. Go over some of the same types of techniques that Shakespeare uses in this Act so
the students become familiarized with the techniques from the first lesson.
2. The teacher should say two examples from Act II and call on one or two students to
see if they know what the correct literary technique is. Id the student responds

16

incorrectly, the teacher should reinforce the correct technique and why it is the right
choice.
C. Shakespeares vocabulary
1. Go over some of the words that the groups picked out and talk about their meaning.
2. The teacher should reinforce Shakespeares purpose for his verbose vocabulary and
explain why he uses that style. For example, Shakespeare uses the term, foil, which
means a conflicting character whom possesses the same qualities and characteristics of
that character.
V.

Summary (includes closure) (5mins)

A. The students will be asked to write a short response that must be handed in before
they leave the classroom. They students should compare and contrast Act I from Act
II without any notes or sequence charts.

KEY QUESTIONS (Include three high level questions):

1. What is a character foil and who in the play would be considered one?
2. What effect does dressing up and using props have when reading this play? Why might it
be better than just reading?
3. What is the main conflict in Act II and what might it foreshadow for Act III?
CLOSURE: The teacher will reinforce the importance of getting to know the characters in the
play. Dont just read Shakespeare, but act it out too.
DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES (Include at least three):
1. ASL signer is available for any hearing-impaired students.
2. For students that have ADHD, the blinds and door can be closed to limit distractions.
3. Provide students with visual impairments a larger font of the text.
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS (Include at least two):
1. Observe the students act out the scene, if they have trouble with the pronunciation of a
word the teacher should give them the correct pronunciation. However, the students should use
the context clues to figure out the meaning of that word. The teacher can aim them in the right
direction.
2. Ask the first key question, if the students are confused then review what a character foil
is and who possesses that title.

17

HOMEWORK: The students should write a writers response to Act II and explain what they
think will happen in Act III. They must use supporting details from the first two acts for their
reasoning.
REFLECTION (Include at least three questions):
1. Did the students get involved during the lesson and did they seem interested?
2. What other way could role playing be implemented for a Romeo and Juliet lesson?
3. Did the teacher provide enough information for the students to complete the closing
readers response?

18

UNIT: William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet

DATE: 04/11/12

LESSON: Act III

TIME LENGTH: 55 mins

PA ACADEMIC STANDARDS:
1. 1.2.9.A: Evaluate text organization and content to determine the authors purpose, point
of view, and effectiveness according to the authors theses, accuracy, thoroughness, and
patterns of logic.
2. 1.7.9.A: Analyze the role and place of standard American English and informal language
when used in speech, writing and literature.
ASSESSMENT ANCHOR DESCRIPTORS:
1. R11.A.1.2: Identify and Apply Word Recognition Skills
MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE:

Students will enter the classroom and be instructed to get into their specific groups for
todays lesson. The teacher will ask the students, Being that this is a tragedy and
finishing the first two acts, what do you think will happen? Some students should share
their thoughts with the class. The teacher will tell the class what he or she thinks will
happen and support it with details. The teacher then will relate it to a current movie or
story that he or she read so the students can see it from a different perspective.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
1. After finishing the play, students will interpret the ironic situation at the end with no
error.
2. After handing in the worksheet, students will be able to list four themes with supporting
detail with no error.
3. Upon completion of the play, students will write an accurate readers response about why
Romeo killed himself with no fewer than six sentences.
MATERIALS NEEDED: The literature textbook, worksheets, and writing paper.
TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: The white board
RESOURCES USED:

Applebee, A., Bermudez, A., Blau S., Caplan, R., Elbow, P., Hynds, S., , & Marshall,
J. (2002). The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The Language of Literature: British
Literature (pp. 148-196). Evanston, IL: Littell, McDougal.

19

Elliot, J., & Dupuis, M. (2002). Young Adult Literature in the Classroom: Reading
it, Teaching it, Loving it (p. 139). Pennsylvania: International Reading Association.

Gardner, H. (2000). The Disciplined Mind: Beyond Facts and Standardized Tests, the
K-12 Education that Every Child Deserves. New York: Penguin Group.

Shakespeare, W. (2001). Hamlet. New York: Washington Square Press.

LESSON TYPE (Pedagogy): Cooperative Learning

LESSON OUTLINE:
I.

Introduction (5mins)
A. Students will get into groups and wait for instructions.
B. Each group will teach themselves the material as the teacher acts as the facilitator.
1. There will be four stations which means each station represents a different theme.
2. Whichever work station the group is placed at first will start with that theme.
Students are to begin with Act III, Scene I and explore the theme they are
presented. When they move to the next station, they will be presented with
another theme to explore.

II.

Begin Act III (20 mins)

A. Work station one
1. Each group should begin reading Scene I and exploring there theme that was
presented to them.
2. The four themes are: The forcefulness of love, love as a cause of violence, the
individual versus society, and the inevitability of fate.
3. The teacher should clarify any questions about the themes if the students do not
fully understand them.
B. Students will have a couple minutes to discuss after each act and write down their
response on their worksheet.
C. Work station two
6. Students should move to the next work station when the teacher announces the
time interval change. For example, Okay class, please move to the next work
station, you have ten minutes.
7. At this point, the students should be on Act III, Scene II and be on their next
theme topic.
20

8. The teacher should be observing each group working together to find the theme
and the supporting details.
III.

Continue Act III (20 mins)

A. Work station three
1. Students should move to the next work station and work on their next theme.
2. The teacher should look for error analysis opportunities if he or she sees the
students having trouble with any concepts.
B. Filling in their worksheets
1. The teacher should reinforce that the worksheet is to be handed in for a grade and
to be fully answered with complete sentences.
2. The students should collaborate with each other about their thoughts after each
scene and discuss their current theme.
C. Work station four
1. The students should move into their last work station to find their final theme.
2. Students should be writing out their complete thoughts about the theme and
connecting them to the story.

IV.

Overview of Act III (10mins)

A. Students should have their worksheets completed.
1. The teacher will have the students stay in the seats they end up in and talk about
the themes.
2. The teacher will collect all of the worksheets from the students.
B. Review the four themes
1. The teacher should ask the class about each theme and reinforce the main points.
2. The teacher will explain each theme to the class and their importance to the play as
a whole.
C. Wrap up Romeo and Juliet
1. The teacher will ask the students, So what was the main conflict at the end of
Romeo and Juliet? The teacher should explain the literary techniques that Shakespeare
uses too. For instance, he uses dramatic irony at the end when Juliet and Romeo both kill
themselves.

21

2. The students should ask any questions about the ending and the main lesson that
Shakespeare wanted to convey to his readers.
V.

Summary (includes closure)

A. The teacher will pass out a sheet of paper so the students can complete a readers
response. The students must write with no fewer than six lines about why Romeo
killed himself. The students must hand this in before they leave the classroom.

KEY QUESTIONS (Include three high level questions):

1. What is dramatic irony and how does it differ from situational irony?
2. How do the four themes that were presented today still have an impact in todays society?
3. How do Romeo and Juliet develop throughout the play? What makes them fall in love with
one another?
CLOSURE: The teacher will reinforce the main themes that were covered and explain
Shakespeares intentions when writing this story.
DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES (Include at least three):
1. Students with visual impairments will have worksheets with larger font.
2. The teacher will use a microphone for students with hearing impairments.
3. ESL students will be provided with a translator.
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS (Include at least two):
1. Observe the students working in their groups, if they are confused about the specific theme
then the teacher should go over and help them understand it.
2. If the teacher asks key question one and students do not respond, the teacher should review
dramatic irony again.
HOMEWORK: Students will be asked to write a one paragraph response to the ending of
Romeo and Juliet. They should explain their feelings toward the finale and answer why Romeo
did what he did. They should include supporting detail and their own personal thoughts when
completing this assignment.
REFLECTION (Include at least three questions):
1. Was cooperative learning the best way to teach this lesson?
2. Were the students engaged in their groups and interested in the material?
3. Was enough time given to the students to discuss their ideas?

22

Name________________________________________________ Date_____________ Sec____

Students should work in their groups and complete all of the questions for each theme with
complete sentences. Students may work together.
ACT III, SCENE I
THEME ONE:
What is happening in the scene that supports this theme?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What characters are involved and how do they influence the theme that is being employed?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
How does the conflict in this scene help the reader fully understand the theme that
Shakespeare has created?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Is this theme common in todays society? If so, what are some examples? If not, why is not
common anymore?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
ACT III, SCENE II
THEME TWO:
What is happening in the scene that supports this theme?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What characters are involved and how do they influence the theme that is being employed?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
How does the conflict in this scene help the reader fully understand the theme that
Shakespeare has created?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Is this theme common in todays society? If so, what are some examples? If not, why is not
common anymore?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
ACT III, SCENE III
THEME THREE:
What is happening in the scene that supports this theme?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What characters are involved and how do they influence the theme that is being employed?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
How does the conflict in this scene help the reader fully understand the theme that
Shakespeare has created?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Is this theme common in todays society? If so, what are some examples? If not, why is not
common anymore?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
ACT III, SCENE IV
THEME FOUR:
What is happening in the scene that supports this theme?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What characters are involved and how do they influence the theme that is being employed?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

24

How does the conflict in this scene help the reader fully understand the theme that
Shakespeare has created?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Is this theme common in todays society? If so, what are some examples? If not, why is not
common anymore?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

25

Test Blueprint

Test Blueprint for Unit Based on Instructional Objectives

(Cognitive Domain)
Instructional Know.

Comp. Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

Totals

Objective
1-1

1-2

1-3

2-1

2-2

2-3

3-1

3-2

3-3

Totals

26

23

Name___________________________________________________ Date__________ Sec____

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
Unit Test
TEACHERS KEY
Bold = correct answer
For questions 1 through 20 please select the best answer choice.
1. To which city does Romeo go after being exiled from Verona?
(A) Padua
(B) Rome
(C) Venice
(D) Mantua
2. Why is Romeo exiled?
(A) For killing Tybalt
(B) For marrying Juliet against her fathers will
(C) For killing Mercutio
(D) For publicly admitting his atheism
3. Who performs Romeo and Juliets marriage?
(A) Friar John
(B) Friar Lawrence
(C) Father Vincentio
(D) Mercutio
4. Who is the fairy that Mercutio says visits Romeo in dreams?
(A) Puck
(B) Queen Mab
(C) Beelzebub
(D) Jack o the Clover
5. What does the Nurse advise Juliet to do after Romeo is exiled?
(A) Follow her husband to Mantua
(B) Wait for Romeo in Verona
(C) Act as if Romeo is dead and marry Paris
(D) Commit suicide
6. Where do Romeo and Juliet meet?
(A) At Capulets feast
(B) At Friar Lawrences cell
(C) At Montagues feast
(D) At the pier from which Malvolio is departing for Spain

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7. Who kills Mercutio?

(A) Benvolio
(B) Sampson
(C) Romeo
(D) Tybalt
8. Which character first persuades Romeo to attend the feast?
(A) Mercutio
(B) Benvolio
(C) Lady Montague
(D) Juliet
9. What, at first, does Juliet claim that Romeo hears the morning after their wedding night?
(A) The owl
(B) The dove
(C) The nightingale
(D) The lark
10. To what does Romeo first compare Juliet during the balcony scene?
(A) The moon
(B) The stars
(C) A summers day
(D) The morning sun
11. Who discovers Juliet after she takes Friar Lawrences potion?
(A) Lady Capulet
(B) Capulet
(C) Paris
(D) The Nurse
12. Who proposes that a gold statue of Juliet be built in Verona?
(A) Montague
(B) Lady Capulet
(C) Paris
(D) Romeo
13. To which powerful figure is Paris related?
(A) Capulet
(B) Montague
(C) Prince Escalus
(D) King Vardamo

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14. How and where does Romeo commit suicide?

(A) With a dagger in the orchard
(B) With a rope in the public square
(C) With a sword in Juliets bedchamber
(D) With poison in Juliets tomb
15. Who is the last person to see Juliet before she stabs herself dead?
(A) Paris
(B) Friar Lawrence
(C) Tybalt
(D) Romeo
16. Why is Friar John unable to deliver Friar Lawrences message to Romeo in Mantua?
(A) He is killed by a Capulet servant.
(B) He is attacked by bandits on the road.
(C) He is held inside a quarantined house, and is unable to leave.
(D) Romeo is stopped in Padua and never makes it to Mantua.
17. Why does the Apothecary agree to sell Romeo poison?
(A) He is poor, and needs the money.
(B) He can see that Romeo is passionate.
(C) He is afraid that Romeo will hurt him if he refuses.
(D) He is a friend of Friar Lawrence.
18. On what day do Romeo and Juliet meet?
(A) Saturday
(B) Tuesday
(C) Sunday
(D) Wednesday
19. With whom is Romeo madly in love for the first two scenes of the play?
(A) Himself
(B) Mercutio
(C) Juliet
(D) Rosaline
20. In what decade was Romeo and Juliet written?
(A) 1570s
(B) 1600s
(C) 1610s
(D) 1590s

29

For questions 21 through 25 please use the following Shakespearean sonnet to select your best
answer.
So am I as the rich, whose blessed key,
Can bring him to his sweet up-locked treasure,
The which he will not every hour survey,
For blunting the fine point of seldom pleasure.
Therefore are feasts so solemn and so rare,
Since, seldom coming in the long year set,
Like stones of worth they thinly placed are,
Or captain jewels in the carcanet.
So is the time that keeps you as my chest,
Or as the wardrobe which the robe doth hide,
To make some special instant special-blest,
By new unfolding his imprisoned pride.
Blessed are you whose worthiness gives scope,
Being had, to triumph, being lacked, to hope.
21. What are two literary techniques found in this sonnet?
(A) onamonapia and imagery
(B) anaphora and mood
(C) symbolism and imagery
(D) mood and alliteration
22. What is the correct rhyme scheme for the first 4 lines?
(A) ABAD
(B) ABBC
(C) ABCB
(D) AABB
23. What is the tone Shakespeare conveys to his readers?
(A) dreary
(B) hopeful
(C) gleeful
(D) intense
24. How many lines are in a Shakespearean sonnet?
(A) 7 lines
(B) 12 lines
(C) 14 lines
(D) 16 lines

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25. Where is the couplet located in a Shakespearean sonnet?

(A) At the beginning of the sonnet
(B) Near the middle of the sonnet
(C) The last two lines of the sonnet
(D) The first four lines of the sonnet
For questions 26 through 32, put the following events into the order in which they appear. Start
with 1 being the first event and 7 being the last event.
2
6
4
1
3
5
7

Romeo meets Juliet at a party

Tybalt is killed by Romeo
Romeo is sent away from Verona forever
Romeo is sad because he loves someone who does not love him
Romeo and Juliet are married
Mercutio is killed by Tybalt
Paris asks Juliets father if he can marry her

For question 33, please write a full page response with supporting details from the play.
33. Compare and contrast the characters of Romeo and Juliet. How do they develop throughout
the play? What makes them fall in love with one another?
Romeo is a passionate, extreme, excitable, intelligent, and moody young man, well-liked
and admired throughout Verona. He is loyal to his friends, but his behavior is somewhat
unpredictable. At the beginning of the play, he mopes over his hopeless unrequited love for
Rosaline. In Juliet, Romeo finds a legitimate object for the extraordinary passion that he is
capable of feeling, and his unyielding love for her takes control of him. Juliet, on the other
hand, is an innocent girl, a child at the beginning of the play, and is startled by the sudden
power of her love for Romeo. Guided by her feelings for him, she develops very quickly
into a determined, capable, mature, and loyal woman who tempers her extreme feelings of
love with sober-mindedness. The attraction between Romeo and Juliet is immediate and
overwhelming, and neither of the young lovers comments on or pretends to understand its
cause. Each mentions the others beauty, but it seems that destiny, rather than any
particular character trait, has drawn them together. Their love for one another is so
undeniable that neither they nor the audience feels the need to question or explain it.

31

Bibliography
Applebee, A., Bermudez, A., Blau S., Caplan, R., Elbow, P., Hynds, S., , & Marshall, J.
(2002). The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The Language of Literature: British Literature (pp.
148-196). Evanston, IL: Littell, McDougal.
Beach & Myers, (2001). Inquiry-Based English Instruction: Engaging Students in Life
and Literature. New York: Teachers College Press.
Cruickshank, D. R., Jenkins, D. B., & Metcalf, K. K. (2012). The act of teaching (6th ed.).
Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.
Elliot, J., & Dupuis, M. (2002). Young Adult Literature in the Classroom: Reading
it, Teaching it, Loving it (p. 139). Pennsylvania: International Reading Association.
Gardner, H. (2000). The Disciplined Mind: Beyond Facts and Standardized Tests, the
K-12 Education that Every Child Deserves. New York: Penguin Group.
Moulton, I. F. (2006, Spring). Romeo and Juliet: Texts and Contexts. Shakespeare Quarterly,
57(1), 86. Retrieved April 3, 2012, from Proquest Learning: Literature database.
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2012). Clear standards. Standards Aligned System.
Retrieved from, http://www.pdesas.org/Standard/Views
Shakespeare, W. (2001). Hamlet. New York: Washington Square Press.

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