This 40-slide lesson explores the context and background of Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’. Designed as both an introduction to the play and a revision resource for students to use when recapping the play’s context, this is a comprehensive and detailed exploration of Shakespeare’s sources and influences, as well as the play’s key themes, ideas and critical debates. Students are also equipped with important and precise vocabulary for analysing the play with sophistication. Among other key ideas, students are introduced to elements of tragedy, Jacobean ideas of kingship, Shakespearean staging and stagecraft, Christianity vs. Paganism, and the play’s preoccupation with absurdity and meaninglessness. The anonymous ‘King Leir’ is referenced along with other points about the play’s textual history, and contemporary debates around succession and the unification of Britain are discussed in detail. Images from various productions of ‘King Lear’ are included for discussion, and questions for students are included throughout the resource. The file is included here both as a PDF and PowerPoint. The latter file will not retain precise font choices and formatting.

This 20-slide PowerPoint is an introductory lesson on the context of Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’, aimed primarily at A level students (particularly those studying the genre of comedy). The lesson contains information on Shakespeare, Commedia dell’Arte, Elizabethan acting, Illyria in context, religious satire, and more. Questions and tasks are featured for students, including a potential homework task. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

How does Shakespeare explore deception and performance in ‘Macbeth’? This 27-slide lesson explores this pivotal question. Things are never what they seem in ‘Macbeth’: fair is foul and foul is fair when it comes to the much-contested fate of the crown. Explore how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth commit regicide through endless deception and performance, but also how they ultimately become trapped in their own web of lies. Questions, discussion points and tasks are included. An essay question (based on an extract from the play) is featured at the end of the lesson. This lesson is perfect for those studying the play at GCSE, but could be used for other year groups too. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This PowerPoint is perfect for introducing Greek Tragedy to KS3 pupils in either English or Drama lessons. Originally designed to introduce a lesson series on ‘Antigone’, this PowerPoint is easily adaptable to consider any Greek tragedy.

This lesson explores various elements and features of comedy as a genre. Students are introduced to various aspects of comedy, including wit/wordplay, satire, misunderstandings, and disguise - among many others - with detailed definitions of each and explanations for how writers use them. Key vocabulary is integrated throughout the lesson, as are some tasks for students to complete to test and consolidate their knowledge of the comedic genre. Students are invited to think about comedic films to make the genre more readily accessible. This lesson is particularly applicable for those studying the ‘Aspects of Comedy’ English Literature A level course with AQA, but it is easily applicable to other needs too, particularly Drama/Theatre Studies and general explorations of genre. PowerPoint is saved as PDF.

This 35-slide lesson explores the character of King Duncan in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’. Analysing the role of Duncan alongside the Divine Right of Kings and Great Chain of Being, as well as James I’s personal ideas of Kingship, this lesson deconstructs how Shakespeare uses Duncan to represent an idealised and legitimate image of the monarchy in the wake of the Gunpowder Plot. Students are encouraged to consider Duncan’s characterisation as Macbeth’s foil, how Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to heighten the tragedy of Duncan’s death, and how Duncan links to the play’s key themes. High-grade vocabulary is featured too. Questions, discussion points and tasks are included for students, and the lesson ends with an essay question based on an extract from the play. This lesson is ideal for those studying ‘Macbeth’ for GCSE. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 31-slide lesson explores the context behind Tennessee Williams’ classic play, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Designed to introduce students to key ideas essential to understanding the play’s historical and literary background, this lesson features discussions around key vocabulary, themes and techniques relevant to Williams’ theatrical vision. Students think critically about stagecraft and theatrical technique before learning about expressionism and the Deep South of the early 20th century (including an exploration of what is meant by a ‘Southern Belle’). There are further discussions of tragedy, the American Dream, post-war masculinity, homophobia, and psychiatry of the 1940s. The play’s key themes are outlined before students are given some examples of sophisticated vocabulary to enable precise analysis of the play. Questions, images and discussion points are included throughout the lesson. A research task is included at the end. This lesson is saved both as a PDF (to retain original design) and editable PowerPoint.

A lesson designed to revise the character of Eva Smith in J.B. Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’. Lesson includes a thorough study of what life would have been like for someone of Eva Smith’s class in the Edwardian era. At the end of the lesson is an essay prompt for analysing ‘class’ within the play. Perfect for those studying AQA English Literature GCSE, especially high-attaining students. Lesson is PowerPoint pdf.

Here are 22 mock essay questions on Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ for students to practise their exam technique and sharpen their analysis of the text. These questions are particularly aimed at those studying the play within the comedic genre with AQA at A level, but they are easily applicable to any course offering detailed analysis of the play.

This 43-slide lesson explores the character of Malvolio in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. With academic scrutiny, the lesson analyses one of Shakespeare’s most famous and complex characters, beginning with an overview of his key lines, attributes, and role in the plot. This then leads to analysis of Malvolio’s name, key vocabulary that we might use to describe him, and how his ‘gulling’ threatens the comic spirit of the play. Important historical and theatrical context is explored alongside Malvolio’s character, and we look at how Shakespeare uses him to satirise Puritanism. Using Elizabethan debates surrounding acting and its influence, we think about how Malvolio functions as a metatheatrical symbol of anti-theatricality. Interesting viewpoints from a range of critics, directors, and actors are discussed. Crucially, we also explore how Malvolio’s character relates to the key themes of the play and is central to the comedy of ‘Twelfth Night’. We look at how Malvolio interacts with other characters in the play, the vivid imagery used in his gulling, and how his famous ending might be interpreted from a range of critical lenses. The Carnivalesque atmosphere of the play is analysed in light of Malvolio’s character. Questions, discussion points, and essay questions are featured throughout. Students are encouraged to consider Malvolio’s character at a high level, so this lesson would be ideal for students aged 16+. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 38-slide lesson explores the character of Olivia in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. With academic scrutiny, the lesson analyses one of Shakespeare’s most complex female characters, beginning with an overview of her key lines, attributes, and role in the plot. This then leads to analysis of her name, key vocabulary that we might use to describe her, and how there may be more than meets the eye to Olivia’s excessive mourning. Important historical and theatrical context is explored alongside Olivia’s character, and we consider the debates around how subversive and ‘proto-Feminist’ Shakespeare’s presentation of Olivia really is. Interesting viewpoints from a range of critics, directors, and actors are discussed. Crucially, we also explore how Olivia’s character relates to the key themes of the play and is central to the comedy of ‘Twelfth Night’. We look at how Olivia interacts with other characters in the play and debate modern interpretations of whether homoeroticism is integral to her character. Her connection to Queen Elizabeth I is considered, and the Carnivalesque atmosphere of the play is analysed in light of Olivia’s character. Questions, discussion points, and essay questions are featured throughout. Two exemplar paragraphs are included, too. Students are encouraged to consider Olivia’s character at a high level, so this lesson would be ideal for students aged 16+. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 20-slide lesson explores how props and stagecraft are used in Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. Important theatrical context is discussed in order to analyse how Wilde’s play relates to ideas of farce, melodrama, and Naturalism in the late 19th century. Students are encouraged to reflect upon the various props used in the play and their symbolic significance. Costumes, entrances, exits, asides, off-stage characters, and dramatic irony are also considered. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 30-slide lesson provides detailed and comprehensive analysis of Priestley’s dramatic devices throughout ‘An Inspector Calls’. Considers the role of lighting, costume, pace, entrances/exits, dramatic irony, tension, props, and much more. The clever structure of Priestley’s play is unpicked and analysed. Questions, discussion points, and tasks are included for students. This lesson is perfect for high-attaining students studying the play for GCSE. PowerPoint saved as pdf.

This crossword on Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ provides an enjoyable but academic activity for pupils to test their knowledge of the play. It always works as a great starter or plenary task.

This word search is a fun and stimulating activity for those studying ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to help consolidate knowledge of characters, key themes, and their spelling.

This word search is a fun and stimulating activity for those studying ‘An Inspector Calls’ to help consolidate knowledge of characters, key themes, and their spelling.

This three-part workbook on the key themes of ‘Macbeth’ is an ideal revision or consolidation task. The first page asks students to annotate images representative of key themes in the play. Students could surround each image with words, quotations, analysis, etc. The second page asks students to retrieve key quotations from the play linked to each theme. The third page is another series of images, this time linked to key quotations from the play. Students are asked to write down the quotations beside the image.

This 30-slide exploration of the Witches in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ makes for a comprehensive and detailed revision lesson. The lesson includes key context, as well as focus on the Witches’ language, appearance, and function in the play. Links are made to wider themes (including gender and the supernatural), and questions and tasks are included for pupils throughout. Students are encouraged to deconstruct historical depictions of witches and witchcraft - particularly with reference to misogyny - while considering how Shakespeare exploits/subverts stereotypes. The lesson ends with a practice essay question, which is ideal for those studying the play at GCSE (especially those studying with AQA). PowerPoint is saved as PDF.

A crossword on Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Ideal for KS3.