This full lesson guides the class through the poem with an introduction to Shelley and context regarding the events at St Peter’s Field in Manchester in 1819. Students are shown the sonnet form for comparison with the innovative changes made by Shelley in England in 1819 and invited to discover the impact of the use of form and structure to add power to the language and ideas of the poem. Poetic techniques and their impact are explored and linked to understanding of meaning(s). The lesson closes with an exam-style comparative question and some suggestions about productive links and contrasts to observe in a response.

This full-lesson resource guides the class through the poem ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ considering form, structure, language and relevant context. It then suggests a comparative task to enable the learning to be applied to an exam-style question based on the Worlds and Lives section of the AQA Poetry Anthology.

This 29 slide full lesson on Julius Caesar Act 5 guides the class through the entire scene, focusing on key themes, character notes and considering the final acts of the major players. Context points are raised at relevant points and the lesson closes with a typical exam-style question and some suggestions for material and ideas to include in the response. Great for GCSE revision.

This teaching resource / full lesson of guidance and discussion points takes students through the complex scene (Act 4 scene 3) between Cassius and Brutus before they approach Philippi. Brutus is in the spotlight as a man and a commander; Cassius is shown as changeable and moody as well as a foil to the more heroically stoic Brutus. Contextual issues are considered, especially in terms of leadership and the financing of military campaigns; textual issues such as the confusing announcement of Portia’s death are also included. The session concludes with an extract question opening out to a larger question focusing on how Shakespeare works to present the Roman qualities of Brutus. 21 slides.

This PowerPoint lesson guides the class through two important scenes, Act 2 scenes 8 and 9, recounting the distress of Shylock and his likely vengeance and then observing the attempt of Arragon to choose the correct casket. Both figures are made to look fools. Time is spent considering the dramatic impact of reporting Shylock’s distress (as opposed to observing it on stage) and the possible bias as well as linking the probable vengeance against Antonio to Shylock’s earlier animosity. Context is key to understanding the mockery in the characterisation of Arragon. The discussion of characters ends with some consideration of Bassanio: romantic ‘ambassador of love’ or ambitious man on the make? The lesson closes with a series of exam-style questions (one in each of the styles suitable for GCSE with AQA, OCR and Edexcel) on the presentation of Shylock so far. Ideal for students of GCSE using the following exam boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR or for able KS3 classes.

This PowerPoint lesson guides students through the closing scene of Act 3 and the opening scene of Act 4 of Julius Caesar. Themes discussed: leadership, loyalty, mutiny, the power of the crowd, contrasts between Antony and Brutus. The lesson closes with an exam-style question followed by suggestions for features to include in a response.

This 31 slide PowerPoint forms an entire lesson focussing on Act 3 scene 2 and the rhetorical masterpiece that is Antony’s funeral oration. The lesson guides the class through the playwright’s craft in positioning the scene, in the ordering of the two speakers (Brutus followed by Antony), the different approaches to the speech presentation (prose vs blank verse) and the full range of techniques deployed by Antony as he wins over the Roman citizenry. The language of the speeches is explored along with the theatrical presentation so that students are fully prepared to write about the writer’s techniques in presenting character (assessment objective AO2) by the end of the lesson. Suitable for GCSE, in particular AQA.

This 10-page booklet guides the student through all the key context information useful for examination responses. It outlines important background material such as the Divine Right of kings, James I and witchcraft, the role of women and the presentation of Banquo as an ancestor to the King, as well as exploring the Gunpowder Plot, the real Macbeth and the religious elements of the play. It includes a detailed example of how to select and use relevant contextual information and a series of practice questions to encourage students to make use of the context provided in responses to each of the question themes.

This 5-page worksheet acts as a study guide and revision resource, showing students how best to approach the extract (part to whole) Shakespeare element of paper 1 - focusing on Act 1 scene 7 just before the murder of Duncan. Guidance includes hints and tips regarding how to foreground authorial technique, how to integrate context and how to manage expectations. Close analysis of the selected extract opens out to a wider study of the whole text by selecting relevant and easy-to-recall episodes.

This 4-page PDF provides A Level candidates with detailed notes and prompts as they prepare to tackle close analysis. It guides them through how to consider the dramatic effectiveness of the scene within the context and structure of the world of the play and then drills deeper into the craft of the writer to examine the language choices, prosodic features, rhetorical patterning as well as glossing the meanings of words that are now archaic or have altered in meaning since the time of the play. The notes provide and exemplify the correct terminology students can use to write efficient and effective analytical responses.

This detailed lesson guides the class through the pivotal scene of the play, showing the conspirators’ actions in the Capital, killing Caesar, and the aftermath, including the first of Antony’s soliloquys. The language of freedom and enfranchisement is considered and Antony’s public words are contrasted with his private ones. Students are advised about key aspects of Shakespeare’s sources as they impact on the drama and rhetoric of this scene and what follows. The lesson closes with an extract question and some suggestions about how to approach it. Particularly aimed at those studying the AQA syllabus.

This extended worksheet can be used either for each student to work through in class or to support the teaching of this scene with particular focus on the dagger soliloquy in Act 2 scene 1. The ten-page resource is ready-to-use and covers language points, presentational techniques, a little bit of context and a demonstration of how to write about the extract while remaining on task and highlighting the methods used by Shakespeare to present his character Macbeth. This could be helpful in initial teaching or as a revision lesson/homework task as it is fully supported and explains the terminology used. Especially suited for students working with the AQA syllabus.

This resource guides the class through the whole of the important Act 2 scene 1 with particular focus on the presentation of Brutus. Language, context, the world of the play, sources and more are tackled in a way that is accessible to GCSE students and helpful for their written work in examination. The lesson closes with an exam-style question and hints and tips about how to approach it. 27 slides.

This 17 slide powerpoint covers the detail of Act 1 scene 3 exploring the language and dramatic tension of the scene as well as Cassius’ rhetorical power. Context is considered, both that of the world of the play and the time of Shakespeare. The lesson closes with an exam-style question based on an extract, followed by some hints and tips about what to include in a response.

This lesson takes the class through the sequence of three scenes, focusing on Caesar and his reactions to warnings and advice from those around him. The theme of portents/warnings/omens is picked up from Act 1 scene 2 along with Shakespeare’s presentation of Caesar as a man changing under the influence of his popularity and increasing status. Students are guided to key quotations that indicate the confidence of Caesar in the face of his wife’s concerns and his priests’ advice. They are also encouraged to compare the presentation of Caesar in this scene with the way in which his character was spoken about in the previous scene (Act 2 scene 1) among the conspirators. The lesson closes with an exam-style question and hints about how to respond to it.

This resource guides students through Romeo and Juliet Act 4 scenes 2 and 3 where the Capulets are preparing for the wedding and Juliet is preparing to take the Friar’s potion and fake her own death. The lesson focuses on the language which shows that Juliet is clever, determined, fearful yet brave. Discussion considers the power of the fears that she articulates as she imagines what could go wrong with the Friar’s plan and her desperate act in taking the potion. Juliet’s character is understood to be increasingly isolated and having to act without the support of family or nurse. Foreshadowing, dramatic irony and tragic inevitability are features. The lesson closes with exam style questions (one AQA and one EDEXCEL with some suggestions for areas of focus in the answers (including context points).