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English KS3: Shakespeare's Times and Theatre

Price: £39.95
Age Range: KS3

Young people settle into learning Shakespeare much more quickly when they have some context to the culture for which he was writing. Use this pack as a menu of lessons to explore the society of the day. There is a good balance of material to engage both boys and girls, and lots of opportunites for extension work.

Topics include: Before permanent theatre; Shakespeare arrives in London; Physical difficulties of writing; Hobbies and sports; Travel and transport; Food and drink; Structure of the theatre; Boys in female roles; An actor's day; Audience behaviour; Costumes; Special effects.

The pack includes 25 web-based homeworks which can be set, completed and marked online using our Yacapaca assessment platform. List of homeworks (requires free Yacapaca membership).

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Size: 62 Pages
ISBN: 978 1 86025 408 6
Author(s): Sheila Walsh
Code: EKST
Popularity rank: 65

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Contents List

LESSONS

SECTION ONE

  • 7 BEFORE PERMANENT THEATRES Students consider how the need for theatres first came about.
  • 9 THE THEATRE Students learn about the development of theatre in England, and the benefits this provided for actors.
  • 11 SHAKESPEARE ARRIVES IN LONDON Students will understand that Shakespeare was an ordinary person with dreams and ambitions, before he became a literary icon.
  • 13 QUILL, INK AND PARCHMENT Students come to understand some of the practical difficulties in Shakespeare's times by trying out traditional pen and ink techniques.
  • 15 HOBBIES AND SPORTS Students will appreciate that people in the past did have some spare time during which they pursued various sports and hobbies.
  • 17 TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT Students investigate how people travelled around in a world without cars, bikes or aeroplanes.
  • 19 FOOD, DRINK, CUSHIONS AND NUTS Students find out about refreshments and seating in Elizabethan theatres, and how these differ from today.

SECTION TWO

  • 21 THE OUTSIDE OF THE THEATRE Students discover that theatres in Shakespeare's time had very basic facilities - and no toilets!
  • 23 THE INSIDE OF THE THEATRE Students will appreciate how it feels for an actor to go on stage in front of 2,000 people.
  • 25 THE STAGE Students will get a good idea of what it was like in the Pit of the Globe Theatre.
  • 27 BACKSTAGE AND THE TIRING HOUSE Students learn about the part of the theatre that the audience doesn't see, and appreciate its contribution.
  • 29 A THEATRE MUSICIAN IN THE GALLERY Students learn about theatre musicians and their contribution to the performance.
  • 31 A CRAFTSMAN MAKES A PROP Students learn how the theatre provided employment for local tradesmen.
  • 33 FLYING THE FLAG Students learn how information can be conveyed non-verbally.

SECTION THREE

  • 35 TOM STUBBS JOINS THE GLOBE Students learn about actors and their training.
  • 37 TOM'S FIRST ROLE Students consider the problems faced by actors in cross gender roles.
  • 39 PLAYING A FEMALE ROLE Students learn how complicated women's costumes were in the 16th century, and have a chance to experiment with make-up.
  • 41 TOM'S FRIENDS AND FAMILY VISIT THE THEATRE Students consider how Tom might feel about his life as an actor.
  • 43 AN ACTOR'S DAY Students learn that actors were not entirely confined to performing within the theatre.
  • 45 AUDIENCE REACTION Students discover the ways that popular and unpopular actors were treated differently.
  • 47 LETTER HOME Students learn more about what Tom's life was like when he wasn't on stage.

SECTION FOUR

  • 49 MEN'S COSTUMES Students learn about male clothing in the 16th century.
  • 51 DESIGN A MAN'S COSTUME Students learn how social class was conveyed through male dress.
  • 53 WOMEN'S COSTUMES Students learn about female clothing in the 16th century.
  • 55 DESIGN A WOMAN'S COSTUME Students learn how social class was conveyed through female dress.
  • 57 HATS, WIGS AND CLOAKS Students design costumes for some of Shakespeare's characters.
  • 59 HOW DO WE BRING MOONSHINE? Students learn how some special effects were created in Shakespeare's theatre.
  • 61 TRAPDOORS AND WINCHES Students learn which features of the theatre could be used for special effects.
  • 62 APPENDIX Figure outlines (for use with pages 49, 51, 53 and 55).