The Wonderful World of Shakespeare

"I can't wait for English class so I can learn about Julius Shakespeare!"

~an anonymous student in my 7th period English 10 class

As this semester begins, most of my classes are delving into the wonderful world of William Shakespeare. My freshmen classes are preparing to read Romeo and Juliet, with a field trip to see the play on Janurary 28th. Similarly, my sophomores are revisiting Shakespeare with the play Julius Caesar.

All classes are currently completing research projects that require them to dig more deeply into the historical backgrounds associated with their learning. For freshmen, this means exploring Renaissance England and the life and times of Shakespeare himself. For sophomores, this project requires a mental trip back in time to ancient Rome, which was the inspiration for Shakespeare's play about the infamous ruler Caesar.

Although there's some natural trepedition about reading Shakespeare, I hope my students will discover a love of theater, language, and iambic pentameter as we begin this dramatic journey into Shakespeare's realm.