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Shakespeare
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I am looking for a book, lesson plan, activity, etc. in which to teach my son about the works of Shakespeare. He is in 6th grade. This is the one area I have note delved into with regards to Ms. Mason’s teachings and would like a good resource before we begin.
I would start with Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare. It presents Shakespeare in story form for young people. You could pick a play, read the story and then take turns reading parts from the actual play with your son.
My daughter is in 7th grade and we are sticking with Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare and videos. We will read more of the actual plays in highschool but right now I’m comfortable with her just becoming familiar with them.
Lamb’s and Nesbit’s retellings are very good.
A book I bought that I really like is How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare. It is a great resource for someone who is just beginning with Shakespeare.
We did A Midsummer Night’s Dream last year and this year we are doing (gasp!!) Macbeth. Having lots of fun with it.
PBS has a new series in which actors retell Shalespeare plays. I haven’t seen an episode yet but an excited to check it out.
Nebby
I have a 5th grader reading Lamb’s Tales this year and she’s enjoying it much more than she anticipated. I assigned 2 tales per term so she can complete the book in one school year. I think we’ll go to the Nesbit book next year.
I have to respectively, passionately disagree with the other posts. I think that those two versions are lovely for the very, very young, but reading the originals is essential. In my way of thinking these were not written as stories; they were written as plays. They weren’t written in modern language; they were written in Elizabethan English. If you start a 2nd grader trying to read Hamlet … well, that’s just a little silly. But at the right age (and only you know your child) the originals are the way to go. The “Shakespeare light” versions gut the original plays. The language and the scene is vital to “getting” Shakespeare. When the child is receptive (atmosphere set by us, mood and tone of openness expressed by us) and ready (they read well, they’re not struggling in comprehension, no other hiccups, etc.) it’s magical to watch it come alive.
Realize how much of the modern “stuff” (songs, movies, literature, plays, poems, themes, etc etc.) has basis in these plays and you can’t hide from their magnitude.
It’s something like that debate in CM about annotated classics to wet their appetite for the real thing later. My opinion is to give them the real thing first and foremost. Always. I’ve always wondered why these easier versions of everything were created and if maybe that’s not a statement in and of itself? I remind myself that it’s not necessary or possible to become an expert on something from one exposure. If I approach the originals that way, then I’m not setting myself up for failure, I’m simply exposing myself and being open to receive.
The Folger Library resources can be adapted nicely. I’ve used those. We read aloud a small section or scene, we dig like explorers in to it (look up words here, and here, and here ) and then we watch a reputable production. Dioramas are are great narration tool during Shakespeare studies. Working each time to enrich their scene … it’s really fun. One time we made miniature Globe theaters too. Kind of silly but this stuff is hard and you need to lighten it up with more diverse activities.
Sorry I rambled. HIH …
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