Experiencing Shakespeare in 7th Grade
As a capstone to reading A Midsummer Night's Dream, 7th grade English students plan, memorize, rehearse, and act out a scene from the play in small groups. Using recycled and/or recyclable materials from the middle school IRC (Information Resource Center), they design and craft costumes, props, and sets.
Every student has both an on-stage and off-stage role, and students have near-complete creative control over the process. With guidance from teacher Matt Akers, the class of 2024 came up with imaginative interpretations of their scenes that included an episode of Dr. Phil, a kindergarten talent show, and even a (very finicky) fog machine. This was most of the students' first experience with Shakespeare, and now they are already professionals!