An Introduction to Shakespeare

An Introduction to Shakespeare – Year 7: His World, Words and Plays

Give your Year 7 class an accessible introduction to Shakespeare with this six-lesson KS3 English unit. Pupils discover who Shakespeare was, what life was like in Elizabethan England and how plays were performed at the Globe Theatre before exploring examples of his comedy, tragedy and language.

The unit introduces A Midsummer Night’s Dream through Puck, Bottom and comic misunderstandings, then turns to the witches in Macbeth to explore atmosphere, prophecy and performance. Pupils also investigate familiar expressions used in Shakespeare’s works and consider why his plays are still performed today.

The resource includes a 163-slide PowerPoint and accompanying worksheets. Activities combine reading and discussion with drama, creative writing and supported analytical responses. Pupils write an imagined Shakespeare autobiography, a guide to Elizabethan London, a report on the Globe fire, a comic scene and an ambiguous prophecy.

The six lessons cover:

Shakespeare’s life and times
Elizabethan England
The Globe Theatre
Shakespearean comedy
The witches from Macbeth
Shakespeare’s language and legacy

Ideal for introducing Shakespeare before a class begins studying a complete play.