Romeo & Juliet Lesson 5: The Prologue - Lesson Plan

The lesson plan for Romeo and Juliet Lesson 5 is designed to deepen students' understanding of the character Mercutio, a pivotal figure in Shakespeare's classic play. The learning objective is clear: to discuss, analyse, and write about Mercutio's character, exploring how Shakespeare presents him throughout the drama. To assess progress, the lesson includes a specific task titled 'Introducing Mercutio,' where students must convey their knowledge of the character at varying levels of complexity. The expected outcomes are tiered to accommodate different learning abilities, with the 'must' outcome requiring a basic knowledge, 'should' aiming for a sound knowledge, and 'could' targeting a detailed understanding of Mercutio's portrayal.

The lesson begins with a starter activity that prompts students to share their first impressions of Mercutio, setting the stage for deeper analysis. The main teaching activity spans 40 minutes and is divided into two parts: finding evidence to support character analysis for 10 minutes followed by a 5-minute session to feedback and discuss findings. The core 'Introducing Mercutio' task then takes 25 minutes, during which students are encouraged to use quotations from the text and explain them in detail to demonstrate their understanding. Differentiation opportunities are woven throughout the lesson, allowing for the PowerPoint to be edited or adapted as necessary, tasks to be selected or omitted, and a balance to be struck between teacher guidance and independent learning. The lesson concludes with a 10-minute plenary where students feedback and discuss their paragraphs on Mercutio, synthesising their learning and addressing any remaining questions or misconceptions.