FLEX: Romeo y Julieta: Una nueva mirada a una vieja historia

**This is an Outschool FLEX version of a course I have taught homeschooled teens**

Romeo and Juliet was one of Shakespeare's first plays and it can be argued that it is his best play.
On the surface this play seems to be about two lovesick, over-emotional teenagers.

But it is much, much more.  

This play is about:

A family feud that isn't a feud
An unreligious friar who speaks in sonnets and sidelines as an herbalist
A cousin with anger problems
A bestie who runs his mouth
A friend who always plays peacemaker
A teenage girl who knows what she wants
A young man who learns what real love is
And a plague.

In this FLEX course, learners will watch an introductory video to each section of the play.  
They will read as they listen to an audio version of the play, offer initial thoughts from each section and participate in a discussion after a second video.  
Learners will also complete a few additional activities to enhance their knowledge of Shakespeare.

Through these video lectures, readings, discussion and activities:

We will form opinions of the major characters in the beginning and see if our assumptions pan out as the play goes on.
We will watch clips of important parts of the play and decide which versions were true to the play.
We will discuss minor characters (Shakespeare never did anything without a purpose)
Try our hand at Shakespearean insults.
We will marvel at the beauty of the language and learn about iambic pentameter and sonnet form.
We will discuss what flaws, if any, the characters have.
We will ask "What if?" to see how events could have changed and been prevented.

A syllabus of the class reading schedule is available to download.
 
Here is the breakdown of this course:
Week 1:  Video: Introductions and Overview of the course
                          Discuss the types of play and where Romeo and Juliet fits
                          Background of the play
               Activity:  Share Experience
               Activity:  Read/listen to Edith Nesbit's story version of the play  
              Video:  Discussion questions
              Activity: Character list
               
Week 2:  Video:  Review the story plot, read Prologue
                           Sonnet mini lesson. 
                           What to to look for in Scenes 1 and 2
               Activity: Read other Shakespeare sonnets
               Activity:  Read/listen to  Act 1 Scenes 1 and 2
               Activity:  Shakespearean Insults
               Video:  Video clip of street brawl, discussion questions over Scenes 1 and 2
           
Week 3:  Video: Review prologue, 1 & 2
                           What to watch for as we read. Lady C, Rosalind, Tybalt
               Activity:  Read/Listen to Act 1 Scenes 3,4,5
               Activity:  Iambic Pentameter 
               Activity: Watch clips of the party scene.  Which do you like better?
               Video:  Discussion questions: What do you learn about these characters?  The strange bit about Queen Mab

Week 4: Video:  Review Act 1
                          Go over second Prologue
                          What to look for: Where the friends think he is vs where he actually is. 
                           What Juliet is trying to say.
               Activity:  Read/listen to Act 2 Prologue, Scenes 1 and 2
               Activity:  Watch clips of Balcony Scene, which one do you like?
               Video:  Discussion:  Compare Prologues, What Juliet meant.

Week 5   Video:  Review Review Balcony Scene  
                           What to look for as we read:  The Friar's motives vs the Nurse's motives
                           Romeo mans up.
                           Iambic Pentameter mini lesson
               Activity:  Read/Listen to  Act 2 scenes 3, 4, 5, 6
               Activity: Iambic Pentameter
               Video:  Discussion questions about the Friar, Nurse and Romeo

Week 6  Video:   Review Act 2   
                          What to look for as we read: Whose side is Tybalt on anyway?  What is Romeo thinking?  
             Activity:  Overacting much?  Watch clips of the fight scene and compare.
             Activity:   Read and  Act 3 Scenes 1 and 2
             Video:  Discussion questions about Scenes 1 and 2

Week 7 Video:  Review Romeo's big oops from Act 3 Scene 1
                         Explore What ifs.  
                         What to look for as we read:  Friar to the rescue?  A rushed wedding.
             Activity:  Discussion:  What if....
             Activity:  Read/Listen to Act 3 Scenes 3-5
             Video:  Discussion questions and  more what ifs.....

Week 8  Video:  Review Act 3.   
                          What to look for as we read
                           The build up to Act 5,  
                          The Friar's plan
                          A really rushed wedding
                          The strange bit about the musicians...
             Activity:   Read/Listen to  Act 4 Scenes 1-5 
            Activity:  Watch clips of Juliet's monologue and compare
            Video:  Discussion questions, Who is the shining star of Act 3?

Week 9 Video:  Review Act 4 
                         How this could have played out...
                         What to look for in Act 5
                         The one thing that would have made all the difference (hint...a plague on both your houses!)
            Activity: Read/listen and weep over Act 5   
            Video:  Discussion questions:  How did you hope it would end?
           Activity: (Optional) watch full length play with a parent.

Week 10   Video:  Discuss major characters and compare to first impressions.  Did our view of them change?
                  Activity:  Watch different clips of the death scene.  Which version was best?
                 Video:  Final thoughts:  Not just a silly romance, amiright??