ENG3UB

Romeo and Juliet

Inquiry Unit

Goals:
Writing:
1. Locate and select information to effectively support ideas for writing, using a variety of
strategies and print, electronic and other resources as appropriate
2. Generate, expand, explore and focus ideas for potential writing tasks, using a variety of
strategies and print, electronic and other resources, as appropriate
3. Establish a distinctive voice in writing, modifying language and tone skillfully and
effectively to suit the form, audience and purpose for writing

Reading:
4. Extend understanding texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by making
appropriate and increasingly rich connections between the ideas around them and
personal knowledge, experience and insights, other texts, and the world
5. Analyze texts in terms of the information, ideas, issues or themes they explore,
examining how various aspects of the texts contribute to the presentation or development
of these elements
6. Identify a variety of elements of style in texts and explain how they help communicate
meaning and enhance the effectiveness of the text
7. Use decoding strategies effectively to read and understand unfamiliar words, including
words of increasing difficulty

Media Studies:
8. Interpret media texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, identifying and
explaining the obvert and implied messages they convey
9. Explain which of a variety of strategies they found most helpful in interpreting and
creating media texts, then evaluate strengths and weaknesses as media interpreters and
producers to help identify the steps that could be taken to improve skills

Oral Communication:
10. Communicate orally for several different purposes, using language appropriate for the
intended audience
11. Communicate in a clear, coherent manner using a structure and style effective for the
purpose, subject matter and intended audience
12. Use appropriate words, phrases and terminology and a variety of stylistic devices to
effectively communicate meaning and engage the intended audience
Task: The Big Idea – Love
In small groups, you will work together to explore the many aspects of a Shakespearean tragedy.
In the process, you will use a variety of resources (print, web, video) to gather information about
the context of the play, as well as the components that develop the plot and theme. We will work
through this activity with a short lesson each day that will direct your investigation for that class.
Your final product will consist of four parts:
 A large group mindmap that contains all the information your group has gathered on
Romeo and Juliet
 An individual mindmap that summarizes what you consider to be the key elements of the
play.
 A series of letters you will write to illustrate the thought processes and motivations of the
characters at key moments in the play
 An exit interview where we will conference on what you have learned about
Shakespearean tragedies in the course of this activity

Components: each class (or so) you will be given some direction by me about how to
investigate a different aspect of the play. We will approach it using the following components:

 Historical Context of the Play (life of women and children in the Middle Ages)
 Tracking the Plot in a Five-Act Play (plot charts)
 Character Development of the Protagonist, Antagonist and Foils (text – No Fear
Shakespeare)
 Use of Rhetorical Devices: Imagery of Twinkling Lights (Romeo and Juliet movie,
TED lectures)
 Dynamics: Character Relationships, Settings, Time and Conflict (text – No Fear
Shakespeare)
 Themes of Love, Defiance and Punishment (text – No Fear Shakespeare)

You will have opportunities to explore other resources as well.

Each component will form a ‘branch’ of your mindmap. From it, you will list all the subsidiary
information that explains, explores or supports your observations about it.

As a group, you will read the play together, though you will be expected to do some reading on
your own. Key scenes will be assigned for the group to read together, with one person being the
‘keeper’ of the No Fear version of the play, which provides a modern interpretation of the text.
(This version is also available online). However, you are to read the original text as much as
possible so as to maintain the ‘voice’ of the playwright (ie. William Shakespeare).
This play is written in five acts, or sections; each act contains a number of scenes, designated
usually by either setting and/or character and/or plot. For each act, we will be focusing on the
following aspects:

Act One – setting, character and plot

Act Two – the public and private world of the play

Act Three – comedy and tragedy

Act Four – conflict and character development

Act Five – resolution and the fall of the tragic protagonists

Your group will generate your mind-map on chart paper (up to three pieces taped together). In
the middle you will have the title of the play, Romeo and Juliet, and then the individual branches
of your map around it.

Historical Context

Dynamics Plot Devices

Romeo and Juliet

and Love

Characters Themes

Rhetorical Devices

Your individual mindmap will also follow this basic format, but will be on 11’ by 17’ paper
(provided by me). At the end of the unit, you will meet with me to discuss your understanding of
the play, and explain your reasoning for including the information that you did on your
mindmap. As a result, you will also be assessed for your oral communication skills.
This mindmap will then give you all the information you need to complete the culminating
activity, series of letters from the characters, Romeo and Juliet, to each other.

Success Criteria:

Mind-Maps
 Use of primary source quotes to support observations
 Equal entries for each branch of the web
 Clear, coherent arrangement of entries showing connections between ideas
 Colour-coding of ideas
 Use of images to explain observations
 Clear headings and sub-headings for each branch

Letters
 Five point in the play
 Clear statement of time
 Tone appropriate to the action
 Use of primary source quotes within the letters
 All elements of the epistolary style
 Reflection of action

Interview
 understanding and explanation of all branches of the mind-map
 complete, coherent sentences
 use of relevant terms and definitions
 input on strengths and weaknesses of the mind-map

Assessment:

 Mind-maps: checklist of criteria

 Letters: rubric
 Interview: responses to questions