Romeo & Juliet: ASSURE Lesson Plan

Mr. Simon-Joseph Querimit
English 09 (Freshmen Literature)
George Washington High School
Lesson Title: Dissecting Romeo and Juliet
Lesson Time: 5 weeks (Instructional Time: 45 mins.)


Analyze Learners:

Number of Students: 28
Gender: 15 males, 13 females
Age Range: 14-20 years old
Students must have prior experience with Microsoft Office, i.e. Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.
A majority of students are visual learners, and are easily distracted when given a strict reading and writing curriculum.



State Objectives:


1. Students will read William Shakespeare’s classic play, Romeo and Juliet.
2. Students will watch five films that are similar to that Shakespearean play: West Side Story (1960s), Love Story (1970s), Ghost (1980s), Titanic (1990s), and The Notebook (2000s).
3. Students will identify the five themes that are similar in both the play and the five films: forbidden love, love as a cause for violence, the individual versus society, tragic fate, and death.
4. Students will use Microsoft Word to transcribe their notes of the play and the films.
5. Students will use Microsoft Excel to create a chart that will display how many themes from Romeo and Juliet were incorporated into each film.



Selection of Media, Materials, and Methods

1. Freshmen Literature book, Glencoe, 2000.
2. Notebook
3. Pen/ Pencil
4. DVDs: West Side Story, Love Story, Ghost, Titanic, and The Notebook.
5. Television
6. DVD player
7. Speakers
8. Computers with the Microsoft Office program



Utilize Media, Materials, and Methods


1. Students will be assigned Literature books to read the play, Romeo and Juliet in class.
2. Students will use the DVDs, DVD player, and speakers to watch the five films.
3. Students will use their notebooks and writing utensils to take notes while watching the five films.
4. Students will use the Literature book for references.
5. Students will use the Microsoft Word program in the computer to input their notes from the play and the films.
6. Students will use the Microsoft Excel program to input data on what themes from each film are similar to Romeo and Juliet.



Require Learner Participation

Week 1 and 2

Students will read Romeo and Juliet together in class with the teacher. After the end of each act, the teacher will discuss which of the five themes were covered in each act. Students will be required to take notes. Daily response discussions are to take place for the first and last five minutes of class.

Week 3 and 4

The films will be screened for the following two weeks. Two to three days will be dedicated towards each film, depending on the running time of each film. While watching the films, students will take down notes on what and how many themes from Romeo and Juliet are incorporated into each film, which spans several decades of Hollywood filmmaking.

Week 5

Monday: The student will transcribe data from the play and the films onto a Microsoft Word document.
Tues-Wed: The student will use the Microsoft Excel program to create a chart that will demonstrate the five main themes of Romeo and Juliet. The student will decide which themes were used in all five films.
Thurs-Fr: Each student will present their results using a chart that will be created using Microsoft Excel.



Evaluate and Revise

Student Performance

The lesson will demonstrate to the students how relevant Romeo and
Juliet has remained over the years. After how many decades, films still
incorporate and base their main themes on the infamous Romeo and Juliet.

The lesson allows the students to analyze the similarities and differences from each film to Romeo and Juliet play. The student will learn the main themes of Romeo and Juliet and see how they are applied in modern romantic films.

The in-class reading helps the students improve their reading and acting skills. The lesson also allows the student to sharpen their observation and note-taking skills. The lesson is designed to promote critical thinking and comprehension skills.

Teacher Performance

The lesson will demonstrate to the teacher what worked and what didn’t.
By doing so, the teacher will be able to make modifications, whether it be the time frame or the film choice, to help improve the lesson if it is continued the following year.


Media Effectiveness

This lesson will give students a chance to practice using their computer and typing skills by using the Microsoft office program, such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. This lesson also gives the students a chance to take a break from reading and utilize audio visual materials such as the DVD, the DVD player, and the TV to further expand their comprehension of the play through modern films.