Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

List any titles of literary works we attribute to Shakespeare, along with any biographical facts you know. For what reasons do we still study him?

Teaching Suggestion: Students who have studied Shakespeare previously might first share what they know with a partner or small group who has not. Some students might have strong opinions about why we should or should not still read his works. Opening up the discussion by sharing familiar titles can allow all voices to be heard while grounding ideas in commonly recognized works. Building background knowledge of the times helps students enter the worlds Shakespeare writes about.

• Shakespeare Biography: The Royal Shakespeare Company’s information about Shakespeare’s life
• “The Uneducated Author Who Made Literary History”: A 5-minute video about Shakespeare’s life and contributions  

Short Activity

Seeing and hearing Shakespearean language can unlock the mystery of the plays. Employ the use of any 2 or more quotes from Shakespeare in a brief skit. By watching your skit, we should understand the meaning behind the quotes.