Exploring Act III Scene 1 in ‘Romeo and Juliet’
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can work out the meaning of Shakespeare’s language in Act III Scene 1 and I can act out parts of the scene, showing appropriate emotions.
Key learning points
- The conflict between the Montagues and Capulets comes to a head in Act III Scene 1.
- In this scene, Tybalt kills Mercutio and Romeo kills Tybalt in revenge, leading to his banishment from Verona.
- We can infer the meaning of Early Modern English when we know the meaning of certain key archaic terms.
- Lines in the original script also give us clues for how characters feel and think.
- When acting, we can show these emotions through our movements, tone of voice and body language.
Keywords
Conflict - a serious disagreement over a period of time
Duel - a contest with deadly weapons between two people, used to settle an argument
Play script - the written version of a play
Early Modern English - the stage of English language used from approximately the late 15th century to the late 17th century
Common misconception
Pupils may struggle to 'translate' the Shakespearean language.
Model your thinking as a reader, applying your knowledge of the scene to the words and drawing on your knowledge of familiar words to deduce the overall meaning.
Teacher tip
Only allow pupils to use the first page of the additional materials to complete Task A. The second page of the additional materials offers a 'translation' of the Shakespearean language, which is the task set out for them to complete in Task A.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a 'feud'?
Q2.Which of the following characters are on the Montague side of the feud?
Q3.Match each character to their relationship to Juliet.
responsible for looking after Juliet
her father
her cousin
the man her father wants her to marry
Q4.What was Tybalt's reaction to Romeo's presence at the Capulet ball?
Q5.What happens the next day after the balcony scene?
Q6.True or false? Attending the ball helped Romeo become accepted by the Capulet family.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which characters survive the duel in Act III Scene 1?
Q2.What is the best Modern English 'translation' of the following line? 'I see thou knowest me not.'
Q3.Which of these are lines spoken by Romeo in Act III Scene 1?
Q4.Why does Romeo say he loves Tybalt?
Q5.Who speaks the following line? 'A plague o’ both your houses!'
Q6.Match the following Early Modern English words to the Modern English versions.
swords
turn and fight me
are you
yes
yours
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Exploring Act III Scene 1 in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Exploring Act III Scene 1 in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet': diary and narrative writing unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.