Suggestions for Adapting this Course for Grades K-6

I haven't taught this particular course for Grades K-6, but you can certainly use much of what is here for them. Here are a few tips:

  1. Start with what's already included here in the course. Read the lessons in How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare (which the author wrote to be used with elementary students) and watch the videos. Determine whether you think it's something your students can handle. Leave out what you think is too difficult and will go over their heads.
  2. I think that most elementary students would enjoy the play A Midsummer Night's Dream that's included in the lessons. They may not understand it very well, so you can take a little more time to explain it to them.
  3. Two books of Shakespeare's plays written as stories for children include Usborne Stories from Shakespeare by Anna Claybourne and Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb. Choose a different story to read each time you get together to study Shakespeare.
  4. Do some "hands-on" activities to help the younger students understand the stories better. Dress up and act out some scenes, rewriting the dialogue to make sense for them. Or, use puppets, paper dolls, Barbie/Super hero dolls, or stuffed animals to act out the stories.
  5. Use the Shakespeare resources from Everyday Graces. You'll find copywork, printables, games, speeches, quotes, lists of characters, character analysis and drawing sheets, vocabulary cards, etc. These are great for helping with speaking and memorizing.
  6. Check "Resources" in the Appendix for more script ideas, including Readers Theater scripts that can be read for an audience without adding in costumes, blocking, props, or scenery.
  7. See "18 Amazing Resources for Teaching Shakespeare to Your Kids."

Do you have any other suggestions for how this course can be adapted for Grades K-6? Please leave them below in the comments!

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