How I Use Famous Shakespeare Quotes to Teach Literary Elements

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Me and Will Shakespeare

One of the units I teach every year in 9th, 10th, and 12th grade English is Shakespeare. They say "Necessity is the mother of invention," and necessity certainly inspired some of the Shakespeare unit resources I've created. I wanted a memorable way to teach literary elements and introduce students to the plays they would be reading before they ever got to the prologue.

Romeo and Juliet: Wall Docs

I also wanted a way to build character through quotes from the play and the discussions the quotes would ignite.

The wall docs I created for Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar help make connections for students, which is always a good thing. They build understanding of terms students will work with throughout the Shakespeare unit, and they help students remember what they learn.

How I Use Literary Elements in Famous Quotes Wall Docs in My Classroom

At the beginning of the semester, I hand out the full list of quotes and their corresponding literary elements, such as metaphor, symbol, or rhyming couplets. I explain that students will not be expected to memorize the quotes, but that they will need to be able to match the literary element to the quote that demonstrates it.

I then post the first quote doc on the wall and ask the class to read the quote aloud with me, either from the wall doc or from the handout. We then discuss the quote, the literary element, and how the language of the quote exemplifies the literary element. That's it for Day One. 

Macbeth quotes on my classroom wall

Each day, we repeat the reading and discussion for one week. On Monday of the next week, I introduce a new quote. Periodically, we review previous quotes and the terms that match them.

I assess students on terms and quotes as I see fit. This resource allows the teacher to use informal assessment daily without imposing an extra quiz on stressed-out students.

The beauty of working with specific famous quotes in a targeted way is that before students even read a line of the play, they become familiar with some of the famous lines and plot elements. Then, when we read the play and come across these quotes, light bulbs go on all around the room. Students see the quotes in context, understand the richness of the language, and remember the mechanics behind the poetry of Shakespeare. As an added plus, my students often tell me, "I was watching Sponge Bob and they quoted Shakespeare!" I love it when kids recognize literary allusions in the world around them. It's all about making connections!

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Shakespeare's First Folio Comes To Boise, Idaho

Learn about school trips

A rare First Folio is coming to Boise! Visit the First Folio Web site to plan a class trip or other visit. There are lots of fun activities for kids and adults, as well as PD opportunities for teachers.

From the school trip registration page:

"Free Field Trip Opportunity from Boise State University, Albertsons Library and The Arts and Humanities Institute
You are invited to encounter Shakespeare's 1623 First Folio. Help theater, poetry, and literature come alive for your students at this once-in-a-lifetime event.
In celebration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's 1616 death, the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. has arranged the ultimate book tour, with a Folio stopping in each state for a limited time.  As the only stop in Idaho, Boise will play host to the book that gave us The Bard as we know him.  Don't miss this unique chance to share Shakespeare with your students!"

Dates: Monday, August 29 - Friday, September 16

To find out more, contact the First Folio team at firstfolio@boisestate.edu.

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Julius Caesar Wall Docs

Find lessons and activities to start the year right at Brevity, my store on Teachers Pay Teachers. I create teacher resources for character education, Shakespeare, writing, bullying prevention, and classroom management. There are several fun freebies to brighten your day. The shop's motto is "Short and sweet for busy teachers."

Teaching Literary Elements with Famous Shakespearean Quotes

Famous quotes from Julius Caesar

Before I introduce a Shakespeare play to any of my classes, I familiarize students with some of the famous quotes from the play. In addition to giving them a glimpse of what's ahead and building anticipation, it's an opportunity to teach literary elements. I start as much as a semester before reading the play in class.

Famous quotes from Macbeth

Students enjoy memorizing short, easy quotes, especially since many Shakespearean quotes are already familiar from movies and cartoons. As a bonus, when you later read the play, the quotes appear in context. It's like meeting up with an old friend.

Visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store, Brevity, to purchase the wall docs for quotes from Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Julius Caesar.

Brevity

Stop by my shop on Teachers Pay Teachers for resources on bullying prevention, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Julius Caesar. Watch for freebies, too! The shop is called Brevity--short and sweet for busy teachers.