Modern Love

“My only love sprung from my only hate…”

Upon creating a multimedia lesson plan, I chose to focus on the brilliant works of William Shakespeare. As a ninth-grade English teacher, I’ve learned that most students tend to lose interest when it is time to cover William Shakespeare. And the reasons are pretty obvious. Many students tend to find the prose and diction of William Shakespeare difficult to read, even worse, difficult to comprehend. In certain situations such as this, teachers need to incorporate various methods and tools to enhance the learning environment.

I could have gone through the dry and lazy route by having the students read the play out loud in class, and then have them answer questions at the end of each act. But how do we evaluate whether or not the student is truly comprehending the material. I’m sure that class discussions and lectures can guide the student to better understand the play, but by doing so, students will eventually lose interest in the material.

In this modern day and age, where the next generation is ruled by the technological advances of cell phones, i-pods, and the sort, it is essential and necessary to mesh with such a continual evolution. This multimedia lesson plan was designed to incorporate the NETS*T standard: “demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies;” and “apply technology to develop students’ higher order skills and creativity” through the production of a rough draft and a final script using Microsoft Word as well as the production of a short film using various tech tools such as digital cameras and film editing programs.

The lesson enables students to display their understanding of Romeo and Juliet: the themes, the characters, the setting, and what not. The story of forbidden love remains timeless, but how do you incorporate modern elements to modernize such a centuries-old play? The main assignment is not meant to be a challenge, but merely a catalyst to instigate creativity and critical thinking amongst the students.



Works Cited.

ISTE Standards

http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2000Standards/NETS_for_Teachers_2000.pdf