Learning is never boring with the Bard!
Born in 1564, William Shakespeare is one of the world’s best known playwrights and poets. His plays have been translated into every major modern language and are performed to this day across the globe, remaining some of history’s most read, watched, and reinvented.
Originally from the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare moved to London to become an actor and playwright. Over his lifetime, he penned 154 sonnets—14 line poems written in iambic pentameter—and 39 plays, including Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, and Macbeth. He also wrote several narrative poems, considered to be “high-art” in his day. William Shakespeare produced many of his works between 1589 and 1613, retiring back to Stratford at the age of 49. Dying only three years later on April 23, 1616, the author’s immense catalogue of written works lives on in the public’s imagination and heart, proving he was “not of an age, but for all time”.
Explore resources examining the history, plot, characters, and contemporary interpretations of Shakespeare’s timeless plays with the PBS LearningMedia resources and collections below. And then, check out articles, videos, and activities to bring poetry and drama alive in your classroom or home!
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Explore Shakespeare on PBS LearningMedia
Great Performances: Shakespeare collection
Grades 6-12
This collection combines history, biography, diverse performances and new analysis to interpret the stories of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. Classroom-ready resources drawn from a range of productions include Shakespeare Uncovered, Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Merry Wives, Making Shakespeare: The First Folio, and Hamlet.
Shakespeare or Taylor Swift? | Great Performances: Romeo and Juliet
Grades 6-12
Test your ability to identify if a line is from Shakespeare or Taylor Swift in this video from the National Theater. Cast members from Great Performances: Romeo and Juliet are presented with quotes and have to decide whether they are from the bard of today or the past! Support materials ask students to extend the game by coming up with their own version using a different songwriter.
Popular Words Invented by Authors | Otherwords
Grades 6-12
When authors create words for a one-time usage, they’re known as nonce words: words to be used only once. It can be very difficult to discern why some nonce words have survived and spread while others didn’t. At one time William Shakespeare was credited with inventing over 2,000 English words. Learn about the literary origins of common words we use today, including some of the Bard’s own inventions!
Shakespeare Can Be Mine: Reclaiming Classic Text | Joe Papp in Five Acts
Grades 9-12
Joe Papp was the founder of The Public Theater and Free Shakespeare in the Park in New York City. In these two videos from AMERICAN MASTERS: JOE PAPP IN FIVE ACTS, hear some of Free Shakespeare in the Park’s most celebrated actors—including, Meryl Streep, Martin Sheen, and James Earl Jones—discussing how it felt to start the theater and perform the 400-year-old plays with authenticity to their lived experiences and cultures.
Learn About Drama & Poetry
Your Child’s a Poet, and Here’s How to Show It
Grades PreK-3
There’s a really easy way to spice up your child’s reading and writing routine: poetry! Sprinkling poems into your usual mix can keep reading time fresh while boosting literacy skills.
7 Ways for Kids to Learn Empathy Through Acting
Grades PreK-3
Although acting may just seem like a fun game to your kids, it’s also giving them amazing practice at understanding emotions and developing empathy.
Drama Arts Toolkit Glossary
Grades 3-12
Want to learn the A-B-C’s of acting? Check out this handy glossary of commonly used drama arts terms and vocabulary.
History of Theater
Grades 3-12
Instructor Elizabeth Jewell discusses the history of theater from ancient Greece to the 20th century. She covers the Greek development of the stage, the Roman contribution of pantomime, the processionals of the Middle Ages, commedia dell’arte, Shakespeare, 17th century French comedy, and the contributions of Henrik Ibsen and Anton Chekhov to the modernization of theater.
Poetry Everywhere collection
Grades 6-12
Explore the power of language, look at the world with a fresh sense of wonder, and build reading and writing skills. These video segments, drawn from the PBS Poetry Everywhere series, capture some of the voices of poetry, past and present.
Games, Activities & More
Grover’s Rhyme Time Game
Grades PreK-K
Learn all about rhyming with Grover in this fun train game! Conductor Grover leads the way as you drive the train and pick which words rhyme. Don’t forget to blow the whistle! Choo Choo!
Theater Warm-Up Games | Ford’s Theatre
Grades PreK-12
Energize your class, or household, for learning and performance! These games and vocal warm-ups get everyone moving, thinking creatively and working together.
Exploring Shakespeare: An Immersive Experience | Great Performances: Romeo and Juliet
Grades 6-12
Explore the world of Shakespeare using this immersive interactive featuring Great Performances: Romeo and Juliet. Interactive slides include video clips, infographics, graphic organizers, and different activities to engage students through a visual and immersive setting. Enter the Globe Theater and click on objects to explore the space and learn more about Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet.
“Shakespeare is Too Big” | Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
Grades 9-12
Shakespeare is not just for one type of actor or audience member. In the clip “Bringing Myself to Shakespeare” from the American Masters film Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage, Raúl Juliá explores what it means to bring his own voice, culture, and experiences to Shakespeare. The second video, “All the World’s a Stage,” features prominent actors such as Rita Moreno and Andy Garcia performing a compilation of the film’s titular monologue from Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It. The accompanying Activity encourages students to bring their own voices to the same monologue, in an arts-based activity that invites creative expression.