This animated Powerpoint presentation looks at the major influences and philosophies prevalent in Shakespeare's day, so that students come to a wider understanding of his work , his life and the society in which he lived. The Roman Catholic Church, Science and Astronomy, Voyages of Exploration,The Divine Right of Kings, Humanism and The Renaissance are covered here. The Great Chain of Being, the Zodiac, the Elements and Humours as well as the Wheel of Fortune all feature in this resource. This presentation could be used to provide information, putting Shakespeare into context before going on to examine his work in more detail. Similarly , it could be used to inspire students to go on and explore topics such as humanism in more depth. I include a worksheet which will provide a framework for pupils to do their own independent research about Elizabethan theatre. Suitable for ages 14+

This resource draws comparisons between an Elizabethan audience and a contemporary audience of a Shakespeare play. Comparisons are made between the size of an average audience, the age, the cost per ticket, the social class, their expectations of a play and their behaviour as audience members. In formation is given about the role of the fool, boy actors and the hierarchical nature of the performers within an acting company. This information is relevant particularly to Shakespeare and the Globe. Suitable for ages 12+

Turn over a new leaf and get to the bottom of some well known proverbs and idiomatic phrases, Students will enjoy matching the sayings to their meanings and even acting out such phrases as "Donald Trump doesn't sit on the fence" or "I wouldn't be seen dead wearing pink". This resource will be useful in those times when you want to have fun with the English language and demonstrate how peculiar some of our sayings really are... Suitable for ages 10+

This animated Power Point gives an overview of Shakespearean acting techniques and actors who would have performed in his day. The audience discover how a play like Romeo and Juliet would have been staged originally and also what an interactive experience it would have been to visit the theatre in Shakespeare's day. The audience go on to discover how this particular love story has inspired many different adaptations including musical and film representations. This resource is suitable for all ages and students of Shakespeare. It is particularly relevant to those studying Romeo and Juliet. I include a resource comparing an Elizabethan audience with a contemporary one and information about Theatre Companies and the Globe. A quiz relating to Romeo and Juliet can also be found in my shop.