Planning the duel scene
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can plan the structure and content of a piece of narrative writing, showing the duel from Act III Scene 1 of 'Romeo and Juliet'.
Key learning points
- We are planning a narrative retelling of the duel scene in Act III Scene 1, using the same events.
- Narrative includes overlapping elements of dialogue, description, emotion and action.
- We can include all of these narrative elements in our plan in order to ensure we have covered all the content we need.
- Our plan is written in note form, in the third person and the past tense.
- We are following a structure of four paragraphs, tracking the key events of the animated version of the scene.
Keywords
Action - events or things that are done by characters in a narrative
Description - where we use words to help someone imagine what something is like
Dialogue - a conversation between two or more people, written in a text or story
Emotion - strong feelings that result from a person's circumstances, mood or relationships with others
Common misconception
Pupils may find it challenging to distinguish between the narrative elements.
The elements often overlap - we use action to show emotion, for instance. Encourage a relaxed approach to this; the main aim is to ensure that we have covered a wide range of content in our plans.
Teacher tip
The series of events in the Animated Tales version is slightly simplified from the play script - you may wish to choose either version and adapt your plans accordingly.
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.Why is the duel scene in Act III Scene 1 part of the climax of the narrative in 'Romeo and Juliet'?
Q2.Which events would be covered in a narrative retelling of the duel scene?
Q3.Which pair of words best fills the gaps in the following sentence? 'As Mercutio __________ to the side of the street, Tybalt __________ quickly off into an alleyway.'
Q4.Which of the following duelling moves are defensive moves?
Q5.Which pair of words best fills the gap in the following sentence to show pain? 'As Mercutio __________ in pain, he __________ softly.'
Q6.Which words best describe the atmosphere of the duel scene?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Put the events of our plan in order.
Q2.Match each characters to what they might say in the scene we've described.
Q3.Which element of a narrative is shown here? 'Mercutio’s sharp rapier glittered in the bright sun of the city square.'
Q4.Which element of a narrative is shown here? 'Romeo rushed towards Mercutio and held his arms. At that moment, Tybalt struck.'
Q5.Match the events of the scene to the emotions Romeo feels during each event.
Q6.Which pair of words best fills the gaps in the following sentence? 'Tybalt __________ at Mercutio, who __________ too late.'
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Planning the duel scene, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Planning the duel scene, 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.