mommyof3blessings Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 We are finishing up SOTW 2 and just read the chapter about Shakespeare that includes the synopsis of Macbeth. My kids (10, 8, & 5) LOVED it, begging me to tell them what would happen next! Considering that my undergrad degree was English and that I was a bit obsessed with the Bard, I was thrilled. My question is, have any of you used a curriculum or book that has Shakespeare's works on the elementary level? Not just a re-telling of the story, but with some of the lines kept intact, especially the well-known ones. I guess something that would ease them into Shakespeare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Well, for my birthday (yes, I am a nerd) I just got the book How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare. I haven't read it yet, but something for you to look at! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflyer Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ludwig has some great ideas for teaching the plays and memorizing some of the best lines. Nesbit's Beautiful Stories and Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare are great retellings with a few lines preserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 My little daughter loves the BBC Classics version of Midsummer Nights Dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 DS really liked Edcon Classic Worktexts "Julius Caesar". I was surprised because it's workbook-y but I guess he really got into the story part. I'm planning on using a couple more next year. Oldest DD is using Parallel Text Shakespeare and she has already requested Macbeth. I'm going to have the kids do one of the comedies as well, and I'll probably let DS choose which one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 poems? that is what ds elementary school is doing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Shakespeare for Kids is a great series for this. DD did Romeo and Juliet in 4th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie4 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 We have used No Fear Shakespeare, which puts the unabridged version right next to the "translated" version. And we have used Shakespeare Stories. With my 10 &9 year old we read the story version first, then we read the real thing with each of the children picking a part to read. They LOVE it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 We have used No Fear Shakespeare, which puts the unabridged version right next to the "translated" version. I looked at No Fear Shakespeare but went with Parallel Text Shakespeare for my 6th grader because of the workbooks with discussion questions and the TG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie4 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I looked at No Fear Shakespeare but went with Parallel Text Shakespeare for my 6th grader because of the workbooks with discussion questions and the TG.I am going to write that one down for the future when we decide to study it a little more in depth. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 We're in the middle of Parallel Text Shakespeare "Julius Caesar" now. My DD can do it, but she's not enjoying it. She doesn't like the play ("Brutus is too angsty!" "Caesar's death in Act III is anti-climactic!", etc., etc.) I picked it because it goes along with our study of ancient history this year, but I'm kind of regretting the choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I don't have a curriculum but we're on a Shakespeare kick right now. I really like the Bruce Coville books and they include some of the original quotes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 We have used Usborne's Stories from Shakespeare. It is a book of short retellings - more of a beginning plot synopsis - so that my son could choose one to see in greater depth. From there we went with the Young Reader's Shakespeare by Sterling Publishing. The books are meant to read like a story (not to be acted like a play) and in that sense are retellings, but much of the famous lines and dialog are very similar to the original. Our library has the series, so you might want to check it out. Amazon also sells them for under 5 dollars a piece. There are at least five of the works in the Young Reader's Series, and I think they are trying to produce all the major biggies over the next couple years. MacBeth: http://www.amazon.com/Young-Readers-Shakespeare-Macbeth/dp/1402711166/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397880291&sr=1-1&keywords=Young+Readers+Shakespeare%3A+MacBeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit (slightly easier) or Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb We've used Beautiful Stories from 1st grade-5th and Tales from Shakespeare from about 3 grade on up till they are ready to read the real thing in middle school. We didn't get study guides or anything, just read them. I would explain vocab as we were reading. If the amount of characters/relationships between characters became too complicated, we'd draw it out on the white board or use stuffed animals to help keep it straight (thinking of your younger ones for this.) My kids loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie4 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit (slightly easier) or Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb We've used Beautiful Stories from 1st grade-5th and Tales from Shakespeare from about 3 grade on up till they are ready to read the real thing in middle school. We didn't get study guides or anything, just read them. I would explain vocab as we were reading. If the amount of characters/relationships between characters became too complicated, we'd draw it out on the white board or use stuffed animals to help keep it straight (thinking of your younger ones for this.) My kids loved it. I love the stuffed animal idea, brilliant! My dd would love picking the stuffed animal to match the character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Just listening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyof3blessings Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 Thanks so much, everyone! While looking at all the suggestions, I noticed that amazon has the kindle version of Tales from Shakespeare free. I just downloaded it and will probably also get Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare--they look like we will love them. http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Shakespeare-Mary-Lamb-ebook/dp/B0082Z1QQM/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1397929676&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 I second Bruce Coville’s picture books. Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (BBC) – 1/2 hour cartoons based on 12 of Shakespeare’s plays. Macbeth is one of the twelve. We enjoyed A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare’s Storybook: Folk Tales that Inspired the Bard - the stories behind The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, As You Like it, Hamlet, King Lear, and the Winter’s Tale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 We have used Nesbit, Lamb, the Usborne book and Colville's picture books, plus whatever exposure to plays puppet shows etc that we can get. Dd8 has some Shakespeare in her memory work. She also read the Diane Stanley bio. We have linked appropriate Shakespeare plays with our history studies in SOTW. Our library system has a puppet theater and full time puppeteers. Every few years they do a Shakespeare year which includes The Tempest, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet. The Redeemed Reader website has had a bunch of posts recently about Shakespeare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Bardology Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Stories from Shakespeare retold by Nicola Baxter It's a beautifully illustrated read-aloud for elementary ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellieK Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 My girls are 10&8 and we are reading A Mid Summer Night's Dream. They were already familiar with the story because we read Lamb's version last year, watched the BBC animated version, and even a Mickey Mouse version I found on YouTube. We are reading a scene a day and we talk about it and act it our with our Lego people as we read it and then recap the scene when we are done for the day. We are having a good time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 My girls are 10&8 and we are reading A Mid Summer Night's Dream. They were already familiar with the story because we read Lamb's version last year, watched the BBC animated version, and even a Mickey Mouse version I found on YouTube. We are reading a scene a day and we talk about it and act it our with our Lego people as we read it and then recap the scene when we are done for the day. We are having a good time. This is awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 My dd10 LOVES Shakespeare so I've been adding quite a few Shakespeare resources to my Pinterest board. Most of them are for elementary age while a few are older than that. Shakespeare Studies Pinterest Board Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SierraNevada Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 We just barely listened to Jim Weiss Shakespeare for Children audio recording and really enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 I have run a Shakespeare play for the kids to perform in three years now - I took a break this year because it's a big undertaking. Last year, we performed at the Folger Children's Festival and that was a special experience to be on stage at the Folger's Globe recreation theater. For scripts, I really like Shakespeare with Children. The language is mostly original with a narrator part added for continuity. I've tweaked them each time though. I think performing Shakespeare is the way to go. Beyond that, I second the Coville picture books as the best "children's version" and you can find the BBC Animated Shakespeare on Youtube - some of them have pretty cheesy production values, but they also use the original language just really shortened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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