Detailed character profiles for five of the main characters in The Merchant of Venice: Antonio, Bassanio, Shylock, Portia and Jessica. These profiles contain a description of each character and some of their important quotes. They could be used for revision or for learning about the characters before reading the play. If you would like the lesson which includes these character profiles, click here. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

Fully resourced 1 hour lesson in which students learn a history of slam poetry, discuss an example and then plan their own. Easily adaptable for KS3 and KS4. This lesson includes: - Detailed instructions on how to write a slam poem - Graphic organiser for students to plan their poems - List of Youtube links to recommended slam poems as extension work Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

In this lesson, students are guided through the court room scene in Act 4 Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice. Students will consider the implications of justice and mercy and then consider how a Shakespearean audience would have viewed Shylock’s fate as compared to a modern one. Learning Objective: Compare and contrast how a Shakespearean audience and a modern audience would respond to the trial scene in Act 4. Learning Outcomes: Students will discuss the implications of justice and mercy in practice. Students will answer comprehension questions about Act 4 Scene 1. Students will compare the response of a Shakespearean audience with a modern audience to Shylock’s fate. Students will write a paragraph to address the question of to what extent do they feel pity for Shylock. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Students write their ideas on a post-it note examining a quote by the Duke about Shylock. Starter: Introduction to key vocabulary (justice and mercy) and discussion around them. Activity 1: Read and discuss a summary/extracts from Act 4 Scene 1. Questions are interspersed. Activity 2: Class discussion exercise. Students share their opinions on to the extent that feel sorry for Shylock followed by an outline of the contextual differences between a Shakespearean and a modern audience. Plenary: Students write a paragraph to answer this question: “Shylock is the true victim of The Merchant of Venice”. To what extent do you agree with this statement?” More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

An engaging hour-long lesson which introduces students to the main characters and themes in The Merchant of Venice before studying the play. This is aimed at students in Key Stages 3 and 4. This resource includes: A full Powerpoint including all teacher instructions (including printing instructions) A graphic organiser for students to record their notes. 5 detailed character profiles: Antonio, Bassanio, Shylock, Jessica and Portia. Learning Objective: Understand the main themes and characters in The Merchant of Venice. Learning Outcomes: Students will consider the title and posters of the play to mind-map themes. Students will work in groups to use an example summary and success criteria to write their own summary of a character from the play. Students will share features of their character with other students in the class. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Mind-map your ideas about the play based on the title. Starter: Look at these covers and posters; add your ideas you have about themes and ideas in the play to your mind-map. Think-pair-share ideas with the class. Activity 1: Modelling of an effective summary. Students read character profiles in groups and write a summary. Activity 2: Students circulate, share information and write down notes about the other characters. Plenary: Character quiz. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

An hour long engaging lesson in which students are introduced to the main characters and themes in Macbeth. Through individual and group work, students will practise reading skills - in particular comprehension, inference and summarising - and collaborate with each other to share information that they have gleaned from profiles about the key characters in the play. Students will also be shown images representing Macbeth and prompted to infer themes they think will be evident in the play. Learning Objective: Get to know the main characters and themes in Macbeth. Learning Outcomes: Find and highlight key information about your character in the play. Re-write information about your character and share it with others in your own words. Question others about their characters and make connections between different characters. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Think – Pair – Share question about ambition Starter: Students look at five images representing Macbeth and infer themes from them. Activity one: Students are assigned a character from Macbeth. They read the information sheet and take bullet points notes in their graphic organiser. Activity two: Students circulate around the room swapping facts until they have completed all five character profiles. Plenary: Mini quiz based on the characters in the lesson. This lesson contains a 16-slide PowerPoint and five printable character profiles. Leave a review and choose any other resource, of up to the same value, for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

In this comprehensive lesson, students are guided through how to understand and interpret Shakespeare independently using word roots and context clues to unpick meanings of familiar words. They will work through Act 3 Scenes 3-5 with varying levels of support. Learning Objective: Independently comprehend and interpret scenes from The Merchant of Venice Learning Outcomes: -Students will be guided through how to comprehend and decipher Shakespearean English using word roots and context clues. Students will work both in pairs and individually to interpret scenes. Students will make a prediction about what will happen next in the play. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Students infer details from image. Starter: Overview of differences between Shakespearean and modern English. Task one: Teacher modelling of how to interpret Act 3 Scene 3. Task two: Students work in pairs to interpret Act 3 Scene 4. Task three: Students work individually to interpret Act 3 Scene 5. Plenary: Students predict what will happen next in the play. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring different interpretations of Shylock through the analysis of his “Hath not a Jew” monologue. Learning Objective: Consider different interpretations of Shylock in Act 3 Scene 1. Learning Outcomes: Students will use a worksheet to independently analyse Shylock’s speech to find language devices and consider their effect. Students will consider the multiple ways that Shylock’s character can be interpreted in this scene. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Students complete questions individually on definitions of tension and suspense. Starter: Summary of Act 3 Scene 1 followed by reading of Shylock’s speech. Activity one: Students individually analyse the scene using the worksheet followed by class discussion and suggested answers. Activity two: Watch different interpretations of Shylock’s monologue followed by discussion of what different emotions they portray. Plenary: Students perform excerpts of the speech applying different emotions to it each time. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced one hour lesson to introduce students to the character of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice in the context of the history of anti-Semitism. Students will read the scene and consider how Antonio and Shylock treat each other as well as considering how Shakespeare presents Shylock. Students will be scaffolded to independently find quotes from act 1 scene 3 and explain what this shows us about the characters. Learning Objective: Explore Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock. Learning Outcomes: Students will understand a basic history of anti-Semitism. Students will understand the events of act 1 scene 3 and consider how Shylock is introduced. Students will work in pairs to independently find and analyse quotes to show what they learn about Shylock. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Think – Pair – Share: What do we learn about Shylock from his opening quote? Activity 1: The history of anti-Semitism teacher explanation and student discussion of anti-Semitic propaganda. Group and class discussion of propaganda posters. You may want to edit this down if you feel it would be distressing to members of your class. Activity 2: Read act 1 scene 3. Activity 3: In pairs, students complete worksheet by finding quotes and considering what this tells us about the characters. Plenary: Who do you have more sympathy for: Antonio or Shylock? Class discussion More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced one hour lesson to introduce students to the character of Jessica in act 2 scene 3 of The Merchant of Venice . Students will complete a guided annotation and then consider different ways of staging the scene to make Jessica appear more or less sympathetic. Learning Objective: Explore Jessica’s Character in Act 2. Learning Outcomes: Students will read a summary of act 2 scenes 1 and 2. Students will read act 2 scene 3 and be guided through annotation of the scene before participating in a class discussion. Students will consider different ways of staging the scene to make Jessica more or less sympathetic to the audience. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Summarise act 1 in five sentences and then five words. Starter: As a class, read a summary of Act 2 Scenes 1 & 2. Then as a class, read Act 2 Scene 3. Students then answer questions and share in a class discussion. Activity 1: Guided annotation of scene. Activity 2: Stage the scene with Jessica portraying different emotions to make her sympathetic to the audience. Plenary: Personal response – to what extent is Jessica a victim? More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A detailed knowledge organiser to support students studying ‘The Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare. It includes the following: A brief section on William Shakespeare Key quotes Overview of all the important characters Important literary terms for studying the play Key terminology used This is suitable for any age group studying the play. It is an excellent resource to be used for setting homework, quizzing in classes or as a support mat. If you find this helpful, have a look at my other resources for The Merchant of Venice: 1) A BUNDLE of lessons plus extras (knowledge organiser and revision posters) which can be bought for a big saving. 2) A 40 Question Shakespeare Quiz 3) Introduction to Characters and Themes in The Merchant of Venice 4) Act 1 Scene 1 (Antonio and Bassanio) 5) Portia’s Choice in Act 1 Scene 2 (FREE) 6) Shakespeare’s Portrayal of Shylock in Act 1 Scene 3 7) Jessica’s Character in Act 2 Scenes 1-3 8) The Casket Test in Act 2 Scene 7 9) Shylock’s Portrayal in Act 2 Scene 8 10) Prince Arragon in Act 2 Scene 9 11) Interpretations of Shylock in Act 3 Scene 1 12) Dramatic Irony in the Casket Scene in Act 3 Scene 2 13) Independently Interpreting Shakespeare Using Act 3 Scenes 3-5 14) Act 4: The Courtroom Scene 15) Evaluate the Ending of the Play in Act 5 Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the <a href="https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/LikeAnExpert ">LikeAnExpert</a> shop.

Engaging and ready to teach one hour lesson to cover chapter thirteen of ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne. This lesson requires students to consider how John Boyne creates tension in the dinner party scene and to compare how this is shown in the book and the movie. Students will then devise their own drama scene to put into practice tension-building devices. Learning Objective: Analyse how writers and directors create tension. Learning Outcomes: Bronze: Understand which techniques can be used by writers and directors to create tension. Silver: Explain clearly how these techniques create tension. Gold: Use some of these techniques yourself to construct a dramatic performance. Lesson Outline: Do It Now: How might a movie director create tension? Starter: Reading focus – how does John Boyne create tension? Activity 1: Students complete an analysis table based on quotes from this chapter with teacher support. Activity 2: How is tension created in the film? Activity 3: Devising their own scene in groups and performing. Plenary: What do you think happened to Pavel? What do you think will be the consequences for Lieutenant Kotler? Freebies: Two pre-reading lessons to introduce students to the context of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A lesson on chapter 1 of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A scheme of work for teaching the entire novel is available for free here. If you find this lesson useful, please consider purchasing this ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ Bundle or have a look at other resources available in my shop. . Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from my shop.

A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring how Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in Act 3 Scene 2 to create tension as Bassanio chooses a casket. Students will be guided through and discuss the scene. Learning Objective: Understand how Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to build tension in Act 3 Scene 2 Learning Outcomes: -Students will experience dramatic irony through a class demonstration. Students will understand how dramatic irony can be used for humour or to create tension. Students will discuss Act 3 Scene 2 and interpret the meaning of Shakespearean language. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Recall questions about the casket tests from Act 2. Starter: Dramatic irony explanation and examples. Activity one: Think – pair – share after students watch and discuss two examples of dramatic irony. Activity two: Summary of scene with discussion and interpretation tasks interspersed. Plenary: Students answer questions on mini-whiteboards or scrap paper. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A 35 question quiz on The Merchant of Venice! This quiz has four rounds: characters, quotes, the casket tests and literary techniques. Many questions are multiple choice to scaffold learners and the quiz includes a range of more accessible and more challenging questions. More Merchant of Venice Resources: A complete bundle of resources for The Merchant of Venice which includes lessons to take you through the entire play, a quiz, knowledge organiser and revision posters. . This bundle includes: 1) A 40 Question Shakespeare Quiz 2) Introduction to Characters and Themes in The Merchant of Venice 3) Act 1 Scene 1 (Antonio and Bassanio) 4) Portia’s Choice in Act 1 Scene 2 (FREE) 5) Shakespeare’s Portrayal of Shylock in Act 1 Scene 3 6) Jessica’s Character in Act 2 Scenes 1-3 7) The Casket Test in Act 2 Scene 7 8) Shylock’s Portrayal in Act 2 Scene 8 9) Prince Arragon in Act 2 Scene 9 10) Interpretations of Shylock in Act 3 Scene 1 11) Dramatic Irony in the Casket Scene in Act 3 Scene 2 12) Independently Interpreting Shakespeare Using Act 3 Scenes 3-5 13) Act 4: The Courtroom Scene 14) Evaluate the Ending of the Play in Act 5 15) A 35-Question Quiz on the Play with Answers Included 16) A knowledge organiser with key information for studying the play. Merchant of Venice Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A detailed PowerPoint with accompanying printable worksheets for students to explore the context of Shakespeare’s Macbeth before embarking on their reading of the play. This lesson prompts students to dive deep into the historical and cultural backdrop of the play while honing critical skills like summarising, analysis, and collaboration. The lesson includes a thorough exploration of Macbeth’s context, including the reign of King James I, the Gunpowder Plot, witchcraft and the supernatural, family life, and gender roles. Through teacher modelling, students learn effective summary writing techniques, equipping them with the tools to distill complex information into concise and impactful summaries. They then put this into practice by using one of the worksheets to summarise information on their given topic. Students then engage in a carousel activity, where they delve into each of the context topics, learning from their peers, and collaboratively constructing their understanding. Learning Objective: Summarise contextual information about British society in the Jacobean period. Learning Outcomes: Students will read and comprehend new information and life in Jacobean times. Students will summarise this information in their own words. Students will clearly articulate what they have learned to your classmates. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Students think – pair – share about the importance of understanding a text’s context. Starter: Walkthrough of how to write an effective summary using an example text about James I. Activity 1: Students write their own summary of one of the contextual topics (King James I and the Gunpowder plot, Witchcraft, Family Life and Gender – these are differentiated by ability as shown by notes on PPT slide). Students spend 15 minutes creating their summary and then self-assess. Activity 2: Summary carousel – students move around the classroom sharing their summaries and taking notes on the various topics. Plenary: Mini whiteboard questions on the topic from this lesson. Leave a review and choose any other resource, of up to the same value, for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A 15 lesson scheme of work designed to support students through the entire play of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. This is aimed at high-ability key stage 3 (it was originally designed for a high ability year 9 class), but it would be easily adapted for key stage 4. It contains a range of tasks that have been modelled on GCSE literature tasks. All of the lessons are available to download - some of them are free. Resources for the lessons on the scheme of work: Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. 1) A 40 Question Shakespeare Quiz 2) Introduction to Characters and Themes in The Merchant of Venice 3) Act 1 Scene 1 (Antonio and Bassanio) 4) Portia’s Choice in Act 1 Scene 2 (FREE) 5) Shakespeare’s Portrayal of Shylock in Act 1 Scene 3 6) Jessica’s Character in Act 2 Scenes 1-3 7) The Casket Test in Act 2 Scene 7 8) Shylock’s Portrayal in Act 2 Scene 8 9) Prince Arragon in Act 2 Scene 9 10) Interpretations of Shylock in Act 3 Scene 1 11) Dramatic Irony in the Casket Scene in Act 3 Scene 2 12) Independently Interpreting Shakespeare Using Act 3 Scenes 3-5 13) Act 4: The Courtroom Scene 14) Evaluate the Ending of the Play in Act 5 15) A 35-Question Quiz on the Play with Answers Included 16) A knowledge organiser with key information for studying the play. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Please leave a review as I value all the feedback I receive, and have a look at other resources available in my shop.

Revision cards/posters for the five main characters in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare - great for quizzing, introducing characters or as prompts for lessons or homework. These posters contain visual clues about the characters plus four important character quotes for students to remember. The characters included are: Antonio Bassanio Shylock Jessica Portia More Merchant of Venice Resources: A complete bundle of resources for The Merchant of Venice which includes lessons to take you through the entire play, a quiz, knowledge organiser and revision posters. . This bundle includes: 1) A 40 Question Shakespeare Quiz 2) Introduction to Characters and Themes in The Merchant of Venice 3) Act 1 Scene 1 (Antonio and Bassanio) 4) Portia’s Choice in Act 1 Scene 2 (FREE) 5) Shakespeare’s Portrayal of Shylock in Act 1 Scene 3 6) Jessica’s Character in Act 2 Scenes 1-3 7) The Casket Test in Act 2 Scene 7 8) Shylock’s Portrayal in Act 2 Scene 8 9) Prince Arragon in Act 2 Scene 9 10) Interpretations of Shylock in Act 3 Scene 1 11) Dramatic Irony in the Casket Scene in Act 3 Scene 2 12) Independently Interpreting Shakespeare Using Act 3 Scenes 3-5 13) Act 4: The Courtroom Scene 14) Evaluate the Ending of the Play in Act 5 15) A 35-Question Quiz on the Play with Answers Included 16) A knowledge organiser with key information for studying the play. Merchant of Venice Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced engaging English or Drama lesson which explores the narrative of act 1 scene 2 of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Portia’s choice of suitors. It also prompts students to consider the importance of exposition and spacing on stage when performing a play. This lesson is ready to teach and easily adaptable. It develops both English and Drama skills. Learning Objective: Explore the Scenario of Portia’s Choice in Act 1 Scene 2. Learning Outcomes: Students will consider how spacing and staging can be used to show character and setting. -Students will understand Portia’s dilemma in act 1 scene 2. Students will understand the features of a script and will put these into practice by writing their own. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Mind-map features of a script Starter: Thinking about exposition, the students create freeze frames of different scenarios in large groups. Activity 1: Summary of act 1 scene 2. Drama task where students act as Portia and her suitors. Activity 2: Modelling of script layout and script-writing task in pairs. Performances and peer assessment More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. I am grateful for all reviews and feedback. If you found this helpful, have a look at the other resources in my LikeAnExpert shop.