Teaching Shakespeare to 6-7th graders

[LinaJ]

I have an almost 12yo son and 13yo daughter. I would like to do a semester of Shakespeare. I looked into Tales from Shakespeare (Puffin Classics by Lamb). I think that would be understandable by them. But I am not good with Shakespeare myself, so I certainly need a curriculum of some sorts. Any tips and advice on teaching Shakespeare would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

I meant to add I have a book by Ken Ludwig "How to teach your children Shakespeare" - anyone followed his advice?

Edited December 13, 2015 by LinaJ

[Apple Bean Tripod School]

Many many years ago, I taught middle school briefly and I used a series put out by The Folger Shakespeare Library called Shakespeare Set Free.  It's been a while since I looked at it, but if I recall correctly, the first part is kind of a grown-up cliff's notes for teachers on the play, and the second part addresses the classroom.  Yes, it's geared towards classroom use.  I don't recall if any of the activities require more students (like, acting out a scene), as the focus of the books are to take Shakespeare off the page, since they are plays and were never meant to be read.  Might be worth taking a look at.  I'm not sure that they are generally available in libraries.  It's not a curriculum, but a guide.

[TracyP]

We have been using How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare to study 1-2 plays per year.

 

First we read a couple different versions. So far that has meant Coville's picture books (I love these - even for older kids) and Nesbit's Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare (same idea as Tales from Shakespeare). Then we use the above linked book to memorize and analyze different parts of the play. We end by watching a DVD version(s). Live would be better but I have limited options in my area.

 

I had essentially no experience with Shakespeare when we started. But my kids and I are all loving these studies. My dd has even gone on to read A Midsummer's Night Dream (the original) a couple times for fun.

[Miss Tick]

Is there a show you can see live? What has worked for us (slightly younger students) is this: I find a live show, either high school or university production in our neighborhood. The first thing we do is go through the shortest version I can find so everyone is familiar with the general story. Sometimes they make popsicle stick puppets which get a surprising amount of casual use. About two weeks before the live production they start reading selections of the Lamb book and writing summaries. On alternate days they look up vocabulary words and copy and discuss famous sayings from the play. I have a copy of Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare which I read through for interesting bits to share/discuss/explain while they are working. The weekend before the live production which watch a video version that we can discuss or pause as needed. We have done the of the comedies this way over the last 9 months. My long term goal at this point is just general familiarity with the plotlines.

[EmilyGF]

We've been doing Shakespeare with a Charlotte Mason group my kids are 9 and 10 and actually enjoyed (!!!) The Tempest.

 

First, they read a Lamb's retelling.

 

Then, I bought them a Folger Library (it has notes) version of the full play. We spread out the play over 8 weeks, reading about 10-15 minutes of the play per week. To "read" it, they would follow along in their books while listening to the Arkangel version on Audible. Every 5-8 minutes, I would stop the audio and have them narrate (retell) what had just happened. At the end, they put together pictures of their favorite scenes.

 

Along the way, they memorized a short monologue.

 

I'm really happy with this because they actually understood the play. No, not just understood, enjoyed. They made jokes about it, and especially about Caliban and Trinculo. They would randomly bring it up as it related to everyday life. If you will, they had time to digest the play, not just gulp it down and get a stomach ache, like I did in high school lit when I did Shakespeare.

 

Did I think they would be successful? It seemed like it would go way over their heads. But the slow pace really let them savor it, and reading along with the Arkangel production helped them not spend their time struggling through difficult words and names (one of my Shakespeare memories) but understanding while gaining visual input that will help them be more fluent readers of other difficult works.

 

Now we're moving onto Midsummer Night's Dream, which should be much easier!

Emily

[Haiku]

Here is how we did Shakespeare. I posted this in another thread.

 

I'd start with A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet (or Macbeth). We are the the midst of aShakespeare unit study right now. My kids have been familiar with Shakespeare since they were preschoolers. Bruce Coville has some good picture book adaptations. There is also a book I got from the library calledShakespeare for Beginners that is helpful. It has a historical background and synopsis, a critic's corner, lines to listen for, and 5 facts for each play. We have also really enjoyed Shakespeare: The Animated Tales. Each is about 20-25 minutes long and animated by famous Russian animators.

 

The pattern we have followed for our unit study:

 

Memorize a sonnet (we chose Sonnet 18, and the best part of it was that we got to watch a video of Tom Hiddleston/Loki reciting it) and learn about if via Shmoop

 

Read Will Shakespeare and the Globe Theater (a Landmark book)

 

Watch Michael Wood's In Search of Shakespeare

 

Begin working our way through Animated Tales, first reading about the selected play in Shakespeare for Beginners and reading a picture book adaptation

 

Choose a passage from a play to memorize and learn about via Schmoop (we chose a passage from Richard III, which is my son's favorite of the plays we have studied)

 

Watch a documentary on the discovery of Richard III's bones in a carpark in 2012 (an unscheduled bunny trail because of the kids' interest in Richard III)

 

Watch all the Horrible Histories episodes that relate to Shakespeare, his time period, or the characters in his plays

 

Select several plays to watch in movie form (so far we have Orson Welles' Macbeth, David Tennant/Patrick Stewart's Hamlet, and two versions of Romeo and Juliet: the Franco Zeffirelli version from 1968 and Romeo + Juliet from 1996 with Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio [i want the kids to see how interpretation makes all the difference])

 

We will cap off our unit study by watching a teenage friend of ours play Falstaff in The Tempest later this summer (at an outdoor theater, no less!).

 

We have specifically NOT read any of the original plays, as I am a diehard believer that reading them is the surest way to kill a love of Shakespeare. The plays were never meant to be read. They were meant to be performed. If my kids make it all the way through high school without ever actually reading a play, I will be thrilled.

 

ETA: We have since watched a live production of Macbeth, also outside.

Edited December 13, 2015 by TaraTheLiberator

[EndOfOrdinary]

The Great Courses saved my non-humanities self! First I listened to the lectures (there are several different courses), then if the content wasn't too racey, Ds and I would listen together. I frequently stopped to discuss and soon he was stopping the audio as well to add in his thoughts. At 30 minutes a lecture, it was very doable. When we really got to talking it was an hour probably. Two lectures a week worked for us.

[Another Lynn]

Slightly off topic, Tara - have you read Daughter of Time?  It's a novel which takes a slightly different look at Richard III.  Your kids might enjoy it since they're familiar with Shakespeare's portrayal.

 

Back on topic:  As far as Shakespeare curricula goes, OP, you might look at Simply Charlotte Mason.  I think the approach is much like those here - start with Lambs, etc., includes possible video suggestions, etc. 

[Haiku]

Slightly off topic, Tara - have you read Daughter of Time? 

 

No, I haven't, but I just put it on reserve at the library. Thanks!

[Bluegoat]

THe Lamb or the Nesbitt overviews are both good for getting a sense of the plot.  But based on your kids age, I would aim to read the plays themselves.

 

I would make your first choice by looking around and seeing what you can find in terms of a locally produced play.  Failing that, I would look and see if there is something at your local movie theatre from the National Theatre or some other theatre - the National Theatre has As you Like It in February and March, for example.  It's a popular one with kids, I took my dd to see it when she was 8 and she loved it.  If that isn't possible, find a film version at the library.

 

THen I would just read the play together, maybe a scene a week.  Choose a few bits to memorize.  If you can get a copy that is annotated to give you words that might be unfamiliar, Bob's your uncle. 

[LinaJ]

Thank you. I was thinking that reading a lot of Shakespeare at once might be too much, but a few here and there should be good. I really don't remember reading his works at school at all, how bad is that? Either my memory is terrible, or the teachers did not care to make it fun to study. I will look up all the suggestions here, thank you!

[LinaJ]

you might look at Simply Charlotte Mason.  I think the approach is much like those here - start with Lambs, etc., includes possible video suggestions, etc. 

 

I love how she gives a guideline which plays to read what grades and how to progress with age. Thank you for this recommendation.

For those who are interested : https://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/curriculum-guide/shakespeare/

[LinaJ]

We have been using How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare to study 1-2 plays per year.

That's the one I have, good to hear it's usable. :)

[Holly]

We are attempting to study Shakespeare this year.  So far we've been reading through the Poetry For Young People's Shakespeare.  

 

I have the Ken Ludwig book but haven't done much with it.  I'm hoping I'll be more confident later this year.  

[kiwik]

When I was about 12 or 13 I just sat down with a complete Shakespeare and read all the ones that looked interesting to me [turned out to be all the histories] .  I think I saw a recording of one on TV at my grandad's first which made me interested and then I read and watched a few more.  While I am sure I would have got more out of it with some tutoring/discussion/notes I didn't find them that hard to read and of course I skipped the ones that didn't appeal.  I should think your kids could manage the real thing even if you choose to introduce using something else.

Edited December 17, 2015 by kiwik

[laughing lioness]

Here are some of the resources we've used to study Shakespeare.