Summer Term Shakespeare Project
Year 7 and 8
Research the life and times of Shakespeare.
Create a Knowledge Organiser including all the
important information such as: Shakespeare’s life,
Shakespeare’s plays, the Globe Theatre and common
phrases we now use because of Shakespeare.
What are the three kinds of plays Shakespeare wrote?
Find an example of each. How do you know what kind
of play it is? What are the features of each kind of play?
Think about typical plot features, typical character types
etc.
Year 7 Only- Research the play, A Midsummer’s
Night’s Dream.
Year 8 Only- Research the play Much Ado about
Nothing
What is the play about?
Who are the main Characters? Create a facebook style
profile for the main characters
What kind of Shakespeare play is it? How do you know?
*Watch the Globe performance or a film adaptation if
you can.
Get creative-
 Design the costumes for some of the characters.
 Create a diorama or draw an image of a key
scene from the play.
 Imagine you are one of the characters- write a
diary entry for them.
Write a review of a play you have seen (this can be one
of the plays you have seen online from the website
below or one you have seen before)
Write a brief summary of what it was about.
What did you like about it?
What criticisms do you have?
Would you recommend it?
Useful websites
Free study guides on Shakespeare plays-https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/
Access plays in full-http://www.shakespeare-online.com/
Watch globe performances-https://www.timeout.com/london/news/the-globe-is-streaming-a-shakespeare-play-for-
free-every-fortnight-and-34-foreign-language-productions-033020
Year 9-10
Research the differences between Shakespeare’s time
and modern day. Consider the following:
The role of women
The role of men
Religion and beliefs
Key historical events
What is a Tragic hero?
Research tragic heroes in Shakespeare. What do they
have in common?
Extra Challenge-Why might Macbeth be considered a
Tragic Hero? Write a list of key reasons he might be seen
as tragic hero.
Find out the plot, characters, themes of Romeo and
Juliet and Macbeth. Create a knowledge organiser for
each play.
*if you are able, try to read each play or watch a
performance/film adaptation. Write a review- do you
think it was a good adaptation of the play? Why? Why
not?
Find an example of a soliloquy from either Romeo and
Juliet or Macbeth.
Analyse it closely- What thoughts and feelings of the
character are being revealed?
Find any language devices that have been used. What is
the effect? What is being shown or suggested by using
that device?
‘Many of Shakespeare’s plays have just as much
relevance today as they did when they were first
performed: they are just about the human condition’
Write an article for a school newspaper arguing your
viewpoint on this statement.