A Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare Drama Circle. If you are teaching A Midsummer Night's Dream or want an intro to Shakespeare teaching resource, this Shakespeare play circle is a great way to explore Shakespeare’s language from the play and perform the story.
 
This 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Shakespeare Drama Circle comes with 65 drama circle cards with instructions and script for students to perform the story in a fun and energetic way. Students will perform the whole play in a shortened version (a performance should take around 15 minutes but the class can then play around with different delivery methods) and develop speaking and listening skills in an accessible Shakespeare format. A perfect way for middle school and high school drama students to delve into this fantastic Shakespeare play! Use this as a standalone Shakespeare drama lesson or add it to a Shakespeare unit.
 
A Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare Machine Drama Circle includes:
Drama Circle Acting Script Cards (students are given cards to perform in sequence to tell a story. The Shakespeare Machine Cards provide an instruction on when and how to say each line and a line (script) for each student to perform when it’s their turn)
Teaching Instructions (including how to enhance the Shakespeare drama activity and further activities + ideas to adapt the Shakespeare machine)
Instructions to bring in whole class chorus elements to the performance!
 
***ENGLISH / LITERACY TEACHERS: This drama circle activity is based on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' will work beautifully alongside and enhance your Shakespeare English curriculum. It is a fun and energetic way to perform the whole play and explore the story in a whole new way so why not add some drama to your English lessons?
 
More about this Shakespeare resource: This is a shortened version of the play, with some narration added and actual lines from the play (sometimes amended). Each student will be given 2+ cards and begin to tell the story from the cards, in order around the circle. Actions are also added (some on the cards). No one student will play a character; it will just depend on where they stand in the circle. It’s a very fun introduction to the play, it’s plot and the characters. I find that that Shakespeare plays can be long and that students can find the language difficult so miss the plot / fun. This is a fun way to introduce the language with a plot overview... lines have been purposefully edited for good flow in this activity. It can be implemented on the spot (no rehearsal) as students simply read the cards in order (they are numbered).
 
WHAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT THIS DRAMA CIRCLE:
 
"Great!"
 
"My 8th grade class LOVED this. They were cracking up the whole time but also getting to hear a lot of original Shakespearean language. Great alternative to assigning roles. It got everyone engaged." 
 
"I am very excited to use this resource in my classroom this year, along with the script!"
 
If you are looking for nicely formatted PDF's of Shakespeare Plays - you can download some HERE! You can find more drama lesson plans, drama games and more for teens (middle school and high school) HERE!