Romeo and Juliet | Using an eNotes Lesson Plan

The eNotes lesson plan for Romeo and Juliet was created with three objectives in mind. First, the plan maximizes a teacher’s time by providing lecture topics, analyses, and copy-ready activities. Second, the plan stimulates students’ involvement in the learning process with meaningful discussions and participatory sessions for every class. Third, the plan fosters critical thinking skills for the high school and college student through pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading activities.

The eNotes lesson plan for Romeo and Juliet includes each of the following components:

  • 31 individual lessons
  • A traditional one-hour schedule with a clear sequence of activities
  • Links to eNotes summaries and analyses
  • Lecture information and references
  • Cross-curriculum activities
  • Suggested writing prompts
  • Supplemental assignments
  • Vocabulary enrichment
  • Homework assignments
  • Complete tests for all levels
  • Adaptations created specifically for students on advanced and remedial tracks

Pre-reading discussion and activities include strategies for approaching Romeo and Juliet and interesting background information that will help familiarize students with the text and the era in which it was written. Primary pre-reading activities include:

  • Improvisational acting
  • Discussion questions
  • In-class writing assignments

During-reading discussion focuses on issues such as character development and plot analysis, themes, and vocabulary. Relevant, teacher-tested activities are carefully selected to engage your class and encourage the participation of every student in the classroom. Lecture points will help you enrich students’ learning experiences by providing you with background information and discussion opportunities for each section of assigned reading. Primary during-reading activities include:

  • Discussion questions
  • Lecture points
  • Video assistance and suggestions
  • Small group discussion
  • Analysis of literary devices
  • Vocabulary reviews
  • Writing prompts

Post-reading helps the teacher assist his or her class in creating both broad connections as well as focused observations on one or several elements in the work. Post-reading discussion and activities hone critical-thinking skills that will be useful to students across the curriculum. Primary post-reading activities include:

  • Character review
  • Theme recognition
  • Creative vocabulary use

eNotes Teaching Methodology

In our lesson plans, you will find multiple opportunities for active discussion and analysis. Lecture topics are designed to encourage dialogue by asking a series of open-ended questions. These questions require students to think differently about texts while honing crucial analytic skills by supporting their interpretations with specific observations. Students will become better in their literary pursuits, and the analytic skills they acquire will benefit them in many other areas of the curriculum. Our teaching methodology includes close observation, analysis, and problem-solving skills that will be useful in math, science, and other language classes. In addition, students will become more confident as they learn to support and defend their interpretations.

Ask open-ended questions such as:

  • What makes you say that?
  • What else is happening in the text?
  • How can you tell that?
  • Can you describe that to me?
  • How do you know that?
  • Can you say more about that?
  • Does everyone agree?
  • Does someone want to respond to that?
  • What do you think about...?