Winthrop University

Richard W. Riley College of Education

Middle Level Lesson Planning Sheet
Name: Autumn Hawkins
Grade level: 8th Grade Subject: English 1H
Title of Lesson: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Objective(s) Assessment of objective (s)
The student will also be able to summarize the The objective is assessed through discussing the first act,
major events that take place in Romeo and as well as through the sonnet students have been working
Juliet’s first act. on through the week.

Connection to SC Content Area Standards: The activity allows students to have a discussion about the
first act where they think analytically.
➢ RL.5 Determine meaning and
develop logical interpretations by
making predictions, inferring,
drawing conclusions, analyzing,
synthesizing, providing evidence, and
investigating multiple interpretations
➢ RL.6.1 Determine a theme of a text
and analyze its development over the
course of the text including how it
emerges and is shaped and refined by
specific details; provide an objective
summary of the text
➢ RL.8.1 Analyze how characters or a
series of ideas or events is
introduced, connected, and developed
within a particular context
➢ RL.9.1 Determine the figurative and
connotative meanings of words and
phrases; analyze the impact of
specific word choices on meaning
and tone
➢ RL.11.1 Analyze and provide
evidence of how the author’s choice
of point of view, perspective, and
purpose shape content, meaning, and
style
➢ RL.12.1 Determine the significance
of the author’s use of text structure
and plot organization to create the
effects of mystery, tension, or
surprise citing support from the text.
➢ RL 12.2 Analyze how an author’s
choices concerning how to structure a
text, order events within the text, and
manipulate time create different
effects.
➢ C.1 Interact with others to explore
ideas and concepts, communicate
meaning, and develop logical
interpretations through collaborative
conversations; build upon the ideas of
others to clearly express one’s own

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 views while respecting diverse
perspectives.
How are you addressing the contextual factors of your students in this lesson?

I picked this activity because it allows students to think critically about what they have read/watched this
week and how it will connect to the rest of the script. This also will help students think about what
connections the prologue will have to the rest of the act in terms of foreshadowing.
Academic Language
● Language Function: Describe
● Language Demands (Vocabulary): Shakespeare, Verse, Iambic, Pentameter, Sonnet
● Language Demands (Discourse): Annotating the prologue of Romeo and Juliet
● Language Demands (Syntax): Using critical reading skills to analyze the plot devices used to
introduce the characters and story in the prologue
● Language Supports: Guiding students through how to annotate the prologue of the first act of
Romeo and Juliet

Rationale:
This lesson is important because it will allow students to decode the language in the prologue in order to
learn more about the foreshadowing and other plot devices that are used during the story’s setup. build
spacial awareness of how the characters in Romeo and Juliet Having a grasp on this context would make it
easier for students to understand how the story will progress throughout the unit.
Materials
For this lesson, students will need a copy of the prologue from Act I of Romeo and Juliet, a pencil, two
pens of different colors, and their Chromebook.
Instructional Procedures: Analysis
Introduction (~5minutes) Facts
At the beginning of the class, students will be expected to listen as I Concepts
read the first chapter of a novel from the classroom library. If Skills of Inquiry
students are interested in reading past the first chapter, they will
write their name on a scrap of paper and they will be entered into a
fair drawing of who will be able to check it out first.
Instruction (~20 minutes) Facts
Once the students have entered the drawing, we will annotate the Concepts
prologue of Act I. During this, students will need to follow the Skills of Inquiry
instructions that I am modeling to ensure that they comprehend the Analyzing Sources
plot of the prologue. As students annotate their prologues, I will
model each step for them using a document camera so that they
know exactly what to do. Students will need to take their pencil and
underline any words in the prologue that they do not know the
definition of; we will define the words and write these definitions in
the margins. Next, students will take one of their colored pens and
circle any words/phrases in the prologue that they associate with
romance or the relationship that Romeo and Juliet pursue. They will
then take their other colored pen and repeat this process with
words/phrases that they associate with violence/the tragic aspect of
Romeo and Juliet. After ward, they will need to answer
comprehension questions at the bottom of their copy of the prologue
1. What are three important details that the prologue tells the
audience?
2. Create three hashtags that summarize what the prologue is
telling us.
3. Is the prologue centered more around the relationship
Romeo and Juliet will later begin or the hatred that their

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 families have for each other? Explain using textual
evidence.
Once students have finished this, then they will be instructed to work
on their stems assessment or their sonnet assignment if time allows.
Closure Facts
I will remind students that they need to finish their stems assessment Concepts
by Tuesday, and that we will continue reading Romeo and Juliet on Skills of Inquiry
Monday. Assessment
Homework assigned: Facts
Students are expected to study a set of stems and complete an Concepts
assessment based on these stems by next Tuesday. Skills of Inquiry
Extension Facts
As students can take this home/work on it during their free time, Concepts
there is not a need for a formal extension. Skills of Inquiry

Accommodations/Modifications:
GT services are not needed, as this class is inherently a gifted class that students are receiving high school
credit for. For students who did not purchase their own copy of the text, they will be able to do their
annotations on sticky notes instead of writing in the margins. For students who have attention deficits,
verbal redirections and nonverbal cues will be used as a way to manage their behavior.

Reflections:
This lesson would allow me to see how well the students are able to analyze and annotate the prologue of
Act I. During this, I would help students answer questions about the plot/language in order to gauge their
knowledge, and what we will need to review on Monday. This would also allow me to see how to adjust
future lessons where we read Shakespeare because I may need to come back to the basics of decoding
Middle English if the majority of students do not fully understand.

Spring 2023