Shakespeare into Writing: Romeo and Juliet
Upper Key Stage 2
Developed by Emily Clifford and Jackie Tait
Shakespeare into Writing: Romeo and Juliet
Upper Key Stage 2
Theme: Literacy
A short scheme of four lessons aimed at upper Key Stage 2 pupils. Using production images and films from
the NT Archive to explore the characters and the plot of Romeo and Juliet, pupils will write and perform
their own monologues/soliloquies from the point of view of various characters at key moments in the play.
Overall aims:
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To develop an understanding of key characters and the plot of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
To introduce the form of soliloquy and monologue in dramatic writing
To develop imaginative responses to material sourced from the NT archive
To draft and develop a soliloquy or monologue inspired by the archived material from the point of
view of a key character in a poetic style
This unit is broken down into four lessons but you can take as much or as little time over each exercise as
suits the needs of your class. Each exercise/lesson leads directly on from the last so you break the unit
down into smaller chunks.
Character name pronunciation guide:
Montague
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Mon – ta – gyoo
Capulet
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Cap – you – let
Mercutio
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Mur – coo – shee - o
Tybalt
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Ti – balt (‘i’ as in wicked, ‘a’ as in hall)
Lesson 1: What’s it all about?
Resources:
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Six groups of photographs from National Theatre productions of Romeo and Juliet (in the resource
pack)
Plot summary from the resource pack
Paper and pens
Learning intention/aim:
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To introduce students to the idea of interpretation of archive material
To familiarise the students with the plot of Romeo and Juliet
Activity summary:
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What do the students know about Shakespeare already? Ask the children for any facts that they
know about William Shakespeare
Explain about the different types of play that he wrote – Comedy, Tragedy and History. Explain that
we are going to be doing some work around Romeo and Juliet and that it is a Tragedy.
In groups, students look at production photographs and make notes on single words that each
image brings to mind and particular questions that each image poses for them
Using the plot summary provided, tell the story of Romeo and Juliet relating it to each group of
images
Each group creates three still images which tells the story of their section of the plot
1) Introduction
Firstly gauge what the students know about Shakespeare. Start by asking for any facts. Encourage them
to share any thoughts, feelings or experiences they have or have had regarding the works of
Shakespeare.
Explain the different main types of play that Shakespeare wrote: Comedy, Tragedy and History. Go
through some common features of each.
E.g. Tragedy – the main character (who is usually high status) has a flaw and is placed in a difficult
situation in which they make the wrong choice which often leads to their death and that of other
characters.
2) Question time
In the resource pack are six sets of production photographs from two different NT productions of
Romeo and Juliet. Divide the class into six groups of about five. Hand out one set of images to each
group. The sets of images are numbered in order of where they occur in the play.
Ask students to look at the images and to write down any key words that each image makes them think
of. Also ask them to write down any questions that each image brings up for them e.g. why are they
fighting?
3) The plot thickens...
Give each group the section of the plot summary which corresponds to their set of images. Ask the
students to read the summary within their groups and to try to place their production shots in the
correct order to match that section of the plot. In doing this they should try to work out who the
characters are in each of the production shots.
One student in each group should read their section of the plot aloud while other group members hold
up the appropriate production shots for the rest of the class to see. It may be an idea to go through the
names of the characters using the name pronunciation guide beforehand. You may wish to run through
this exercise twice to make sure the class understand the main plot points of the play.
4) Page to the stage
Ask each group to create three still pictures or tableaux using every member of the group in each
picture to represent their section of the plot. Ask the rest of the class to identify what they think is
happening in each picture. You can control when they move between pictures by clapping your hands.
You could try running all the pictures together to create a tableau version of the play.
Lesson 2: Who’s who?
Resources:
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NT Archive’s short films on character
Character notes sheet from the resource pack (one per student)
Six groups of production photographs
Notes on production shots from previous lesson
Four large pieces of paper (ideally about 1.5m long)
Pens and paper
Learning intention/aim:
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To recap the key plot points from the previous lesson
To discover more about the four main characters in Romeo and Juliet – Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio and
Tybalt
Activity summary:
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Students re-read their section of the plot summary and recall their tableau sequence from the
previous lesson.
Watch the NT Archive’s short films on the main characters and take notes on key words.
• Create a Character map using everyone’s contributions
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Begin to answer the questions they wrote down about each image, using knowledge of plot and
character
1. Re-cap
In the same groups as the previous lesson ask the children to re-create their tableau sequence
depicting their section of the plot. Ask the rest of the class to try to recall the plot using these
sequences as prompts.
2. Four films
Watch each of the NT Archive’s short films on character. In these films, the actors who played Romeo,
Juliet, Mercutio and Tybalt in the 2013 National Theatre production describe their character and how
they develop throughout the play. Ask the students to note down on the ‘Character Notes Sheet’ any
key words or phrases that they feel describe what each character is like. These can either be words the
actors use or words that come to mind as they watch the films.
3. Character map
Take the four large sheets of paper and ask for four volunteers to lie on the paper while another pupil
draws round them. Write the name of one of the main characters – Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio and Tybalt
– at the top of each drawing. Ask pupils to write the words they came up with from the previous
exercise on the appropriate piece of paper. Pin each drawing to the wall of the classroom. These
character maps will then be used in the remaining lessons.
4. Question time revisited
Hand out the production photographs once again and make sure that the students have the original
notes they made on the images, particularly the questions they wrote down in lesson 1.
Now that they have more knowledge of the plot and the main characters in the play, are they able to
answer the questions that they wrote down at the start of lesson 1? They should discuss these
questions in their group and write their answers down.
Lesson 3: What are they thinking? (Part 1)
Resources:
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Role-on-the-wall character maps for Romeo and Juliet
Romeo’s soliloquy and Juliet’s soliloquy from the resource pack
Production photographs from the NT Archive of Romeo and Juliet’s soliloquies
Pens and paper
Learning intention/aim:
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To understand the purpose of a soliloquy or monologue in dramatic writing
To introduce the imagery in the language of Shakespeare
To learn to step into the shoes of a character and be able to imagine a situation from their point of
view
Activity summary:
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Explain the terms soliloquy and monologue and their purpose in dramatic writing.
Look at the two short soliloquies from the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet. Ask the students to
read them aloud in their groups
Students try to physicalise the image-rich language in each soliloquy
Students write a stream of consciousness as either Romeo or Juliet about how they feel on meeting
for the first time
1. Soliloquy and Monologue
Explain the meaning of soliloquy and monologue and the difference between the two:
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Soliloquy literally means ‘by one’s self’. It is used to enable a character to communicate his or
her inner thoughts directly to the audience, usually in a speech
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Monologue is similar although it is usually addressed to one or more characters rather than
directly to the audience
2. The balcony scene
Hand out copies of Romeo and Juliet’s soliloquies from the balcony scene. Give three groups Romeo’s
speech and three groups Juliet’s speech. Explain that this scene takes place shortly after they have just
met for the first time and fallen in love at first sight. Ask the students to read the speeches aloud in
their groups two or three times and to see if they can understand the meaning of each.
3. Acting the image
Ask each group to work together to physicalise their soliloquy by finding an action for every important
word or image in the language. They should then perform their physicalised speech for the rest of the
class. Groups could assign two lines to each person or pair and then, as they perform their speech, they
move along the line. Discuss the images present in the speeches. Do they make it easier to understand
what the character is trying to convey? What form of writing does this image-rich language make them
think of? (Hopefully someone will suggest poetry.)
4. Stream of consciousness
Ask the children to work on their own and imagine that they are Romeo or Juliet and have just met the
other person for the first time. The Capulet party has just finished and they have gone back to their
bedroom, opened their diary and started to write about what has just happened. Depending on the age
of the students you may need to frame the notion of ‘falling in love’ in a way they can relate to. They
could use the role-on-the-wall character maps for Romeo and Juliet if they need some help.
Give each student a piece of paper and a pen and ask them to write continuously whatever comes into
their head whilst they imagine they are that character in that moment. Encourage them to keep writing
and not think too much about it or take their pens off the paper. They should only be given 5 minutes
for this exercise.
Ask them all to fold their paper and put it on a table. You can then randomly pick one or two to read
aloud, leaving them anonymous.
Lesson 4: What are they thinking? (Part 2)
This may take two lessons depending on the ability of your students and how far you wish to take the
exercises.
Resources:
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Role-on-the-wall character maps
Individual role-on-the-wall character maps from the resource pack (one per student)
Six groups of production photographs
Soliloquy guide notes (one per student)
Pens and paper
Learning intention/aims:
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To further develop the students’ ability to think and write from the point of view of a character
To understand the process of drafting and re-drafting in creative and dramatic writing
To experience their own dramatic writing in performance
Activity summary:
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Each student looks through their group’s production photographs and chooses one of the four
characters we have been looking at and a moment from their section of the plot involving that
character
Students complete an individual role-on-the-wall exercise for that character in that moment.
Students write a stream of consciousness (as in lesson 3) for that character in that moment. This
will act as a brainstorm of ideas.
Students shape this into a short soliloquy of no more than 10 lines imagining the character is
speaking their thoughts to an audience
Challenge the children to try to re-draft their soliloquy incorporating figurative language.
Perform the soliloquies in group order.
1. Choose your role
Hand out the production photographs once again to each group and ask each student to select a
moment from their section of the plot and one character who is involved in that moment from the
four that we have been looking at.
2. Character maps
Using the individual role-on-the-wall character map template, ask each student to complete this for
their chosen character at that moment. They should also use the group role-on-the-wall maps that
were created in lesson 2 when thinking about their chosen character.
3. Brainstorm
Repeat the stream of consciousness exercise from lesson 3 but for their chosen character and
moment. Again this should be a relatively short exercise that will act as a brainstorm of ideas from
which they will develop their final soliloquies.
4. What’s on your mind?
Using the soliloquy guide notes, students should order and condense their ideas into a short
soliloquy of approximately 10 lines which clearly conveys the main feelings and thoughts of their
chosen character.
5. Figurative language
Challenge the children to look again at their soliloquy and see where they can enhance their writing
with figurative language. Ask them to try to include one example of each of the following in their
work:
• Metaphor
• Simile
• Alliteration
• Personification
For some classes this instruction could be given as part of the brief from the start.
6. Performance
Once students have completed their soliloquies, they can perform them in order so that they match
the development of the plot. You could also try adding an appropriate piece of music underneath.
Suggested follow-on activity
Following on from this session, watch the archive recording of the 2013 NT production of Romeo and Juliet,
specially adapted for primary schools. Duration 1 hour. Currently available on Espresso.