Merchant of Venice Literature Learning Camp #2

We started with Shakespeare Poetry - the Rhyme Scheme of a sonnet is ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG 

Using this outline for the sonnets, they created a sonnet in groups of 3 or 4. 

I divided this Shakespeare magnetic poetry kit into 4 groups using baking sheets for the students to build their sonnets. Some used many of the words others only used some, but all did a great job! Here is the list of words that the students had to choose from.

It was challenging doing a complete poem, but some teams managed it. Others did just one quatrain. 

We reviewed the types of characters - I used this list and the character list from this unit study and had the students mark the characters with one or more of the traits.

I was hoping the students would get to this Character Analysis, but there just wasn’t time. If your student is interested in doing it here is the link. 

I had the students pick an index card for their group on the cards I reversed the religion of each of the main characters and then the groups were to discuss how would the plot be different if the religion of their characters was different? For example… How would the plot have been different if Shylock had been a Christian or if Antonio had been a Jew etc? These were great discussion starters with the students. 

The students then did another run-through of the play getting prepared for next week's dress rehearsal and performance.