Shakespeare is FUN – introducing students into the world of the Bard

In sixth grade, the teacher told us to go home and read Hamlet. Now, I had always kind of wanted to read Shakespeare (mainly because it sounded like a pretty smart thing to do) so I figured that was my moment. And boy, did I hate it. It was a horrible experience, I still remember counting the pages left till the end. And that's really saying something about a play that's about 30 pages in full.

But then, I watched the BBC series 'The Hollow Crown' and fell in love with Shakespeare. He is one of my favorite writers today. And I couldn't help but wonder why?

I remembered I particularly liked Henry IV and Henry V, and suddenly I knew why the difference in attitude. It was because I understood what was going on.
Shakespeare, although a wonderful writer, is not meant to be read. His work is meant to be seen, in order to be understood.

And to get students to like it, they have to be able to relate to it. That's how people work, they like to read about things that are familiar to them. They don't want to read about some Danish dude ranting about arrows and slings, because they don't care about that.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Find the common ground

Henry IV is basically about the conflict between a father and his rebellious son. Now, I'm sure all your students have had, at some point in their life, a fight with their parents and they can surely relate with the clever, but wild Prince Hal. You just have to explain it in a way they can understand.
Other plays, like Romeo and Juliet or even Hamlet are even easier.

• Projects

People and children in particular, like to be active, to do things. And naturally, students will feel far more involved in the lesson if you give them something to do also, rather than spend the whole class talking non-stop.
You could assign projects to teams or individuals and give them all sorts of fun topics, such as Shakespeare's world – what was it like, what did they drink, what did they eat, what they did in their spare time. Things were very different four hundred years ago, so your students are bound to have fun.

• Movies

Now, I know this is a widely-known subject, so I won't dwell on it. But it would be a fun idea to show Shakespeare movies. Movies that are honest to the play (even if it is 3 and a half hours!) are good, but why not try an adaptation?
Like Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet? If only for the young Leo DiCaprio and your students will be a bit more interested. Not to mention that the modern setting will be definitely more appealing.
Or the film 10 Things I Hate about You? A partiular favorite of mine is the movie My Own Private Idaho, which is a modern retelling of Henry IV. This one is suited for older students, true, but it's a nice way to connect with them through the story of two young, much flawed heroes and their friendship.

• Rap Battles

If your students are into music, why not set up a rap battle? Say they have to choose a passage from a Shakespeare play and belt it out with their friends. Music is fun and learning should be fun too!

• Fun facts

Delight your students with fun tidbits about the Bard, like...

...he didn't know how to spell his own name! There are records of him spelling it in many diffferent ways, from Shakesper to Shekespeare. How's that for irony?

...many phrases we use on a daily basis, such as “love is blind” or “faint-hearted” were invented by Will!

...His dad was appointed “ale-taster of the borough”. Ale is a sweet sort of beer. So basically, Shakespeare's dad was a beer drinker.

• Shakespeare 2.0: The Rewrite!

Get your students involved by asking them to rewrite a Shakespeare play of their choice. Doesn't have to sound fancy (definitely doesn't have to resemble the original language!) or be too long, just get them to put their own print on Shakespeare. You can see it through their eyes, for a change!

• All the world's a stage

That includes your classroom. Acting is fun, children love to play-pretend. Don't make it serious, like a school play or anything, just choose a passage (or a whole act or even play, if they're up for it!) and get to work.
Divide the class into groups and let the actors prepare. Don't tell them how to say it or what to say. In fact, don't tell them anything!
Sit back and watch them experience Shakespeare!

• Theater outing!

The easiest and perhaps most obvious one is take them to see Shakespeare! There are a lot of wonderful productions out there which could help them get into the whole Shakespeare thing. If there's two dudes on stage trying to stab each other, kids are gonna watch.

Source

People tend to regard Shakespeare's plays as highbrow and very clever, which scares them away, or at the very least, puts them off it. Show your students Shakespeare was nothing but a dude who liked to write about everyday problems. Probably had zits when he was young – especially as they didn't wash very often in those days – and probably had love troubles, just like them.

Images: BuzzFeed