Brianna's WebQuest

Introduction

This lesson is designed to engage 8th-grade students in a deeper understanding of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This will be done by encouraging them to interpret and perform selected scenes from the play. Through group work and reflective analysis, students will explore themes, character motivations, and emotional tone. The primary objective of this lesson is to support students in analyzing dramatic literature through performance and critical thinking. Students will work in pairs to select a meaningful scene from the play, perform it, and respond to reflective guiding questions that promote higher-order thinking. This approach aligns with Bloom’s Taxonomy, targeting the levels of understanding, analysis, evaluation, and creation. This activity also aligns with Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards for English Language Arts. 

 

Objectives

  1. Select and perform a scene from Romeo and Juliet that resonates with them.

  2. Analyze the scene’s meaning, themes, and character motivations.

  3. Justify their scene selection using evidence from the text and personal interpretation, answering the guiding questions 

  4. Work together effectively in pairs of two to rehearse, reflect, and present their work.

  5. Use writing to express their understanding and personal connection to the scene.

 

Guiding Questions

  1. Why did you choose this specific scene? 

  2. What do you think Shakespeare wanted the audience to feel or understand in this scene?

  3. What choices did you make in your performance (tone, movement, expression), and why?

  4. How does this scene contribute to the overall message or tragedy of Romeo and Juliet?

Task

In this project, students will work in pairs to choose a meaningful scene from Romeo and Juliet. Together, they will read and discuss the scene, focusing on the characters, emotions, and themes. After rehearsing, they will perform the scene in front of their class. Then, students will answer questions and explain why they chose the scene, what it means to them, and how it connects to the play as a whole. 

Process

Step 1: Form Pairs

  1. I will assign a partner to each student to work in pairs of two.

  2. Together, the students will complete every step of the project with their assigned partner.

 

Step 2: Select a Scene

  1. Read or review key scenes from Romeo and Juliet.

  2. Choose one short scene (around 20–40 lines) that you find meaningful or interesting.

  3. I will approve the student’s selection to ensure a variety of scenes across the class.

 

Step 3: Annotate & Analyze the Scene

  1. Together, the students will read the scene closely and annotate it (highlighting key emotions, tone shifts, or turning points)

  2. The students will discuss character motivation and relationships.

 

Step 4: Rehearse Your Scene

  1. Rehearse your scene several times.

  2. Focus on expression, tone, body language, and clear pronunciation.

 

Step 5: Performance 

  1. Each pair of students will perform the scene in front of the class. 

  2. Optional: Use simple props or costumes to enhance the performance for extra credit. 

 

Step 6: Guided questions 

After performing the scenes, all students will be asked to answer the following questions: 

  1. Why did you choose this specific scene? 

  2. What do you think Shakespeare wanted the audience to feel or understand in this scene?

  3. What choices did you make in your performance (tone, movement, expression), and why?

  4. How does this scene contribute to the overall message or tragedy of Romeo and Juliet?

Evaluation
Rubric
Category 4- Excellent 3- Proficient 2- Developing 1- Needs Improvement

Scene Selection &

 Understanding

 The scene is thoughtfully selected and shows a clear understanding of character emotions, conflict, and themes. The scene is appropriately chosen and shows a clear understanding of the character and the plot. The scene shows some understanding, but explanation or connection to the play is limited. The scene is not clearly understood or lacks connection to the play.

Performance

(Expression & Effort)

 The student performs with feelings and confidence, and brings the scene to life with clear expression The student demonstrates effort and suitable expression; the scene is clear and shows preparation. The performance lacks energy, clarity, or sufficient rehearsal The performance is rushed, missing, or shows little effort.

Narrated PowerPoint

 

(Content & Analysis)

 Slides are organized, clear, and cover all required tasks with thoughtful analysis and personal reflection. Slides are mostly complete, clearly explain key points, and include some reflection Some required slides are missing or contain minimal explanation or reflection. Slides are incomplete, disorganized, or show little effort in analysis.

Narration &

Presentation Skills

 Both students narrate clearly with strong expression, pacing, and confidence. Both students participate in narration with clear speaking and good pacing. Narration is uneven or rushed; one student may speak more than the other. Little to no narration; unclear or hard to follow.
Collaboration and Effort  Both partners worked equally and demonstrated strong teamwork throughout the project. Partners worked together with mostly equal contributions and good communication Some evidence of collaboration, but one partner did more work, or communication was limited. Little to no collaboration; partners did not work well together.

 

Scoring Guide

 

  • 20–18 points: Exceeds Expectations
  • 17–15 points: Meets Expectations
  • 14–12 points: Approaching Expectations
  • Below 12 points: Needs Improvement
Conclusion

Throughout this project, students explored the powerful language, emotions, and themes of Romeo and Juliet by selecting, performing, and analyzing a key scene. Students worked with a partner to interpret Shakespeare's words, express their understanding through performance, and present their ideas using narration. This experience helped them develop important skills like collaboration, critical thinking, and communication while connecting a classic text to their own ideas and feelings.

 

Enrichment Activity: Romeo & Juliet News Report

Using the same scene from their previous performance, each pair of students will write a news script or article reporting on the event as if it just happened.

  1. Include “interviews” with characters (you can write both the questions and responses).

  2. Must include a headline, byline, and dramatic details.

  3. Choose one format to present your report:

  4. Record a short video news segment (1–3 minutes)

  5. Create a newspaper front page using Google Docs, Microsoft word, Slides, or Canva

  6. Write a typed article with optional visuals (like crime scene photos or eyewitness drawings)