How I Use Famous Shakespeare Quotes to Teach Literary Elements

Visit Brevity on TPT!

Just a few more hours to scoop up savings at Brevity and other stores on Teachers Pay Teachers at the Back to School sale! I've already found lots of great resources to help inject some Core-aligned energy into my lesson planning.

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!

Purchasing Shakespeare wall docs and other teacher resources from Brevity helps keep me blogging and helps keep ads on ChristianTeacherPublicSchool to a minimum. To take advantage of the Back to School Sale, just enter code BTS2017 at checkout! Thanks for your support!

Back to School Sale at Brevity on Teachers Pay Teachers

Welcome to August, teachers!

I'm excited to announce the Back to School sale at my shop, Brevity, on Teachers Pay Teachers! It's the first time I've participated in this fun sale, and I'm offering a 20% discount off all items in my store! The sale runs for just two days, so I hope you'll swing by and check out all the great deals and steals August 1-2! Remember, TPT shops offer freebies, too, so do yourself a favor, stock up and make your life easier this school year.

What will you find at Brevity on TPT?

• Resources for teaching literary elements in Shakespeare using famous quotes (Common Core aligned!)
• Encouraging e-cards for teachers
• Lesson plan and resources for teaching about bullying prevention at all grade levels
• Leadership in Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose unit plan for high school (Common Core aligned!)
• Core-aligned literature and writing resources and more

8 Encouraging ECards for Teachers, Summer/Fall Collection

What else is new at Christian Teacher, Public School?

Dalene Parker (left) with Amy Ballard

I just got back from a wonderful visit with family in South Carolina and Kentucky. One of the added blessings of the trip was finally getting to meet my friend, author Dalene Vickery Parker, for the first time! Dalene and I talked about teaching, family, faith, and lots of other things over coffee at Due South Coffee in Taylors, SC. It was great to see her and talk with her instead of just exchanging emails and texts. 

If you haven't had a chance to read Dalene's books, please visit her on Amazon. Christian Teachers in Public Schools is a fantastic resource and an encouragement for the heart of the busy teacher. Words to Live By is a devotional focusing on one spirit-building word per week.

During my stay at my parents' home in Kentucky, my sister took me to an open mic at Etcetera Coffeehouse in Paducah. I got to read several poems from my chapbook, Landlocked. The room wasn't packed, but the crowd was great. And I highly recommend the coffee!

In other news, I decided to get off Facebook, so that means Christian Teacher, Public School is also off Facebook. You can still reach me by clicking on "Comments" below each post, or through my Web site, amyballard.com. Thanks for following!

I was recently challenged to organize a prayer walk to invite God's watchcare over staff and students at my school for the upcoming year. We'll see if my busy life can take that on, but in the meantime, let's all stop and pray right now for the new school year. I wish you all the best as you begin teaching soon!

Blessings,

Amy

Teachers Pay Teachers

Find lessons and activities to end the year on a high note at Brevity, my store on Teachers Pay Teachers. The shop's motto is "Short and sweet for busy teachers."

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.