Ole School Text to Modern Day Text Messaging:

Understanding Romeo and Juliet in Modern Times

Students are to recreate the famous balcony scene between Romeo and Juliet. By breaking down the language, students will have a greater understanding of the conversation, the context of what is taking place, and a way to relate more to Romeo and Juliet. Being able to fully understand what Romeo and Juliet would look like during our time will help students to really understand our characters and nature of their love.

What students will do:

  • Read Act II Scene ii – students will be starting the text messages when Romeo finally shows himself to Juliet and reveals that he is there.
  • Students will get with a partner of their choice
  • The partners will need to begin a rough draft of their text message conversation on a lined sheet of paper. Each partner should have their own copy of the recreated scene.
  • Once together, students should walk through the conversation and decide how each quote could be altered into a text message that could be received today. STUDENTS ARE NOT REWRITING EVERY LINE.
  • Students should be pulling the main message/idea from each quote. They also need to pull key words out. For example, if Romeo is telling Juliet she is as beautiful as the moon, the text message should say something like, “Jules, you are more beautiful than the moon, gurl.”
  • Students should be creative and also open to using text language.
  • Once the rough draft is created, students will gather supplies to create the conversation on a poster. The students need to be creative about their design. They can make the poster look like a phone or a text message.

Grading/Rubric

Content: 10 points

  • Text messages mimic the conversation from Act II Scene ii
  • Text messages should contain modern day language/text language

(No copying sentences from the play)

  • Should be well thought out and contain messages that match the main message of this scene

Final Draft: 10 points

  • Students should have a poster that shows time and thought put into it.
  • No pencil should be showing on the poster (if you use it for an outline, go over it with a marker)
  • Audience should know which person is talking while reading the poster (text messages need to be labeled)

Posters must be turned in on time. Any late assignments will result in points lost. Teacher has the right to remove points if students work is incomplete or looks thrown together last minute.

Total Possible Points: 20

Total Points Received: ______

Final Grade (%): ______