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10 Activities for Teaching Romeo and Juliet

romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

Romeo and Juliet is one of those classic pieces of literature I think everyone has read. Even students who haven’t read the Shakespeare play have probably heard of the story or will relate to the plot as it has been retold in various films and literature. If you need some fresh ideas before you start this unit, read on. 

Here are 10 activities for teaching Romeo and Juliet

1. relatable bell ringers.

If you’re going to focus on a Shakespeare play, you must go all in. Immersing students into a unit from start to finish is such a perfect way to help students understand a topic in-depth. Start off each class with these Shakespeare Bell Ringers . Each one includes a famous Shakespearean quote and a quick writing prompt. Students will explore various writing styles based on the quote.

2. Character Focus

Help your students identify and organize characters with these graphic organizers . This resource has two sets for almost every character in the play. Students will identify characters as round or flat, static or dynamic, and other basic qualities. This will also require them to provide textual evidence. The second organizer focuses on tracing emotions and motivations throughout the play. It’s a creative way for students to organize the play’s characters and is also a great resource for ESL students and struggling readers. 

3. Get Interactive

I can remember interactive notebooks becoming all the rage. And while the paper notebooks are creative, a motivator for some students, and it’s generally pretty easy to put an interactive spin on old ideas already at hand. Having a digital version is just one more layer to add something unique to the interactive notebook. My digital notebook resource can work as its own unit and includes analysis activities covering characters, symbols, major events, writing tasks, and response questions. Digital notebooks are great for classrooms trying to limit paper use, use more technology, prepare students for tech demands, and for any classes that need to work with mobile options.

4. Engaging Writing Tasks

Help students understand and analyze the play by giving them unique writing assignments. Have students explore different writing styles, analyze universal themes, and study character development. My Writing Tasks resource does all this and more. Each act has its own unique writing assignment, and I’ve included brainstorming organizers for each. You’ll be able to use this with differentiated instruction, and there are several additional resources and organizers included. 

5. Read “Cloze”ly

Prep passages for students to summarize to help them understand events from the play. This is an ideal activity for review, comprehension, or even assessment. Cloze reading is an ideal way to help students understand what is happening. Cut your prep time down by using this resource, with 6 passages ready to use AND written in modern-day English. Use as an individual assignment or collaborative activity. 

6. Use Office Supplies

Increase student engagement with hands-on activities using sticky notes. You can use various colors to coordinate different aspects of study (literary elements, major events, character development, etc). It’s an easy and quick way for students to organize thoughts and notes, and the bits of information can be manipulated and moved around for different assignments. Students can gather relevant information for various essays, or can organize their sticky notes in a way that makes sense to them (by topic, or chronologically, as an example). Check out my Sticky Note Literary Analysis activity that includes 12 sticky note organizers. 

7. Make Use of Bookmarks

There are many creative avenues when it comes to bookmarks. Have an activity where students pick a favorite quote, draw a scene, or draw what they know about the play prior to reading (they can use the back to draw after reading the play). Consider a foldable version like this one where you can jam-pack a variety of questions, vocabulary, literary analysis and more. These are foldable, interactive, fun, engaging – and it saves you time passing out one activity to be used throughout the play. 

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8. Plan an Escape 

Escape rooms live up to the hype. Challenge your students with a fun and engaging review escape challenge. Have students work together in groups to complete collaboratively and spark authentic discussion. This escape room activity includes 40 timeline events to sort from the play correctly.

9. Don’t Forget Vocabulary

Vocabulary is an important aspect of understanding any work, but Shakespeare is on a whole other level. In addition to reading an older version of English in poetic form, students must grasp key vocabulary to understand the play more deeply. Engage your students with hands-on activities to learn vocabulary, whether that be through graphic organizers, visual dictionaries, or word puzzles. Check out my ready-to-print vocabulary packet that includes word lists, puzzles, organizers and quizzes for the entire play. 

10. Practice Annotations

Start at the very beginning with an engaging activity for the prologue. This will allow students to explore the Shakespearean language and the set-up to the drama that is Romeo and Juliet’s tragedy. Using this resource , students will read and annotate the prologue, be introduced to Elizabethan English, and have context and background information before reading the play. Students then will rewrite the prologue in modern-day English following the same sonnet form. I love having students explore language, and this activity fits perfectly into the unit. 

If you’re starting fresh with activities to fill a unit, or you’re looking to refresh your tried-and-true activities, check out my 5-week unit plan for Romeo and Juliet here . It’s full of goodies including a pacing guide, pre-reading activities, bookmarks, vocabulary, passages, writing tasks, essays, review activities, and more. 

Put a new spin on the classic tragedy by refreshing your activities and finding new ways to present to students. Just a few simple updates and changes can keep students engaged and help them relate to the material. I love seeing what others do in their classrooms, so please share your favorite ideas in the comments below. 

Is Teaching Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Still Revelant?

In an earlier blog post , I discuss if teaching Shakespeare is still relevant.

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Commaful Storytelling Blog

1001 Writing Prompts About Romeo and Juliet

March 18, 2021

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Romeo and Juliet are arguably the most popular and influential star-crossed lovers in literature. They are so well-known that even though it had been centuries since Shakespeare wrote the tragic play, people from around the world still make adaptations of it—from books and short stories to film and even web series. In fact, there was even a fantasy anime called Romeo x Juliet made in 2007, loosely based on the Shakesperian play. What’s more, there was also a British-American animated movie released in 2011 called Gnomeo and Juliet that portrayed the iconic couple as garden gnomes.  

The characters’ popularity is no surprise though because a lot of people enjoy stories that highlight eternal love even though they end in tragedy. 

If you are interested in making your own version of Romeo and Juliet, you might find these writing prompts helpful: 

  • What would things have been like if the 2 families were on friendly terms?
  • Give Juliet a boyfriend
  • How would Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet be different if they both lived?
  • What if Juliet did not store the poison in her mouth?
  • Who is your favorite character in romeo and juliet?
  • Romeo hates Juliet’s family
  • Write a novelization of what happened after the ending of the play
  • Why did Romeo and Juliet fall in love with each other anyway?
  • Write an alternate ending to Romeo and Juliet
  • What if instead of Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio ended up married to Tybalt?
  • What if their families got along?
  • Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
  • 1. Write Juliet’s letter to Romeo.
  • Which character represents you? Write a scene that you would live out in the play from that character’s point of view.
  • Write from Romeo’s perspective.
  • What if others weren’t chasing Romeo and Juliet?
  • Write a sequel about the next generation
  • What is Juliet’s point of view?
  • What if Tybalt was killed by a different person?
  • Write about whether or not Juliet should’ve listened to nurse
  • What would Jesus say about Romeo and Juliet?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet ran off to Las Vegas instead?
  • What if Juliet was a guy?
  • Write a letter as Juliet to her cousin Benvolio
  • What if Romeo was paralyzed?
  • Write about Verona without gangs
  • What if instead of Romeo and Juliet, the star-crossed lovers were Brad and Angelina Jolie-Pitt?
  • Write a love story between a vampire and a human
  • What if Juliet died?
  • Write about what happened to Mercutio and Benvolio after the play
  • What happens if Romeo and Juliet lived happily after?
  • Write a Romeo and Juliet story from the point of view of a minor character
  • How do you solve this eternal slang match that is to be or not to be questioned? Write a scene where they both change their minds.
  • Write from the point of view of a minor character
  • Write an ending where Romeo and Juliet live and they end up sitting in their home through the window watching their neighbors.
  • Write a interpretation of the balcony scene
  • A Kiss of a Book lover’s Dream
  • It is in Verona, Italy that we find the protagonists of Shakespeare’s timeless tale, Romeo and.
  • What if Tybalt survived and became a monster like he was before Romeo killed him?
  • Use at least one of these prompts to start your essay.
  • Write a happy ending for Romeo and Juliet where they live happily together
  • Write a poem about the balcony scene of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Juliet had not been forced to drink the potion and had accepted her fate?
  • Write an alternate ending to Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if gangs fought over turf?
  • Write a future Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a funny version of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a love story for Juliet.
  • Write a modern twist on Romeo and Juliet.
  • Write a secret crush poem.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were in The Hunger Games?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were from a rival school
  • Romeo dresses as Juliet for Halloween
  • Write a scene in which Romeo breaks up with Juliet
  • Reread Romeo and Juliet and black out all the lies. Add more lies.
  • What if Romeo married Mercutio?
  • What if Romeo didn’t die at the end?
  • Write a moment in Romeo and Juliet in the style of an epic poem
  • Where is Romeo Juliet and Paris buried?
  • What does Romeo need to go on after the death of Juliet?
  • I’ll practice, plan, and see you soon with some not-so-short short scenes in Italian about Romeo and Juliet!
  • Any other ideas? Please comment below. Thank you.
  • Write about a person who makes a Romeo and Juliet seem tame
  • What if it was Romeo and Courgette?
  • Write about trouble in paradise
  • What if Romeo and Juliet had children?
  • Different Families
  • What if Romeo and Juliet Were Vampires?
  • Write a Utopian view of romeo and juliet?
  • Have Romeo and Juliet meet in a bar in the present day.
  • Write a happy ending for Romeo and Juliet
  • Do we ever see Romeo, alone, in the book?
  • Write a sequel to Romeo and Juliet
  • Anyone can edit this list to come up with guidelines for act four two, so that all know what to expect to pay a service to two, see should there be more than one attempt or should all be tried on writing the first poem.
  • What if Tybalt didn’t care about his family’s feud?
  • What if maybe Mercutio died in Romeo’s place?
  • Write about the roles of family and friends in modern day Romeo & Juliet
  • Write a sequel or prequel.
  • Alfie slowly turned from the crestfallen Georges Pagot, and went for a walk above Rochegaderre to look out at the beautiful ocean. He sighed and punched a giant squid.
  • Write a parody about the balcony scene or about how one of the two families convinces their child to marry someone different.
  • Write a rap/hip-hop song about Romeo and Juliet.
  • Dare your child write a paragraph about Romeo and Juliet as if the characters were real people and came to see a therapist because they just couldn’t work it out.
  • Write another ending to Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a short story that loosely matches the plot of Romeo and Juliet
  • What if the Friar betrayed them?
  • What if Romeo was Juliet?
  • What if Petruchio and Kate were the star-crossed lovers?
  • Do a new spin of Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo and Juliet went on a murder hunt?
  • What if Romeo snuck in through a window?
  • Write about a day in the life of Romeo and Juliet before or after the play of Romeo and Juliet occurred.
  • Write a story about a sister or brother rivaling each other in love
  • Write a Romeo and Juliet expanded universe where they live on. You can do whatever you want with this.
  • Why didn’t they happily ever after happen the first time?
  • Write an essay about how annoying you find Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a modern love story that parallels Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a scene that would have happened if Romeo and Juliet’s parents would have just listened to them in the first place.
  • Write an alternate ending to R&J – what if Romeo was ok with the duel? Write one.
  • Would Romeo fall in love with someone else? Write a short story about it. Write about Romeo and Juliet taking a road trip across America. Write a modern day Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo and Juliet decided to move to Nogales instead?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet had owned a Blackberry and a hot English accent?
  • How would Romeo have reacted if somebody told him about his relationship with Juliet?
  • Romeo and Juliet fighting comically
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were siblings?
  • If Romeo and Juliet were siblings or first cousins?
  • What if parents weren’t featured in the play?
  • Write a biography as if it was Old French with iambic pentameter, speeches and all
  • Who missed being an actor just before starring as Romeo and Juliet?
  • Write a descriptive love scene as part of the love affair of Romeo and Juliet
  • You have a choice to write a tragedy about family feuding and forbidden love, or the best Bromance ever. What do you choose and why?
  • Write a Romeo and Juliet from a different point of view.
  • What if instead of killing themselves, they ran away together?
  • Write a sequel to the play
  • Write a sequel to april twice if you are a woman script
  • How did Romeo and Juliet get connected?
  • Write a romeo and juliet myth
  • How does this story relate to your life?
  • What if Romeo was dumb?
  • Write about your interpretation of the play.
  • Other amazing sites
  • Write a different ending to “Romeo and Juliet.”
  • Write a story about the nurse, Felice
  • Write about the funeral.
  • How much money could both families make if they held a six month wedding that included two funerals and a wedding?
  • Write a new ending for Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Juliet’s nurse didn’t take a drink at the Capulet’s party?
  • If Romeo had crashed into Juliet rather than the tree?
  • Why do we call them “star-crossed lovers”?
  • What if Juliet was stronger than Romeo?
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet from somebody else’s perspective.
  • What if Romeo didn’t think about avenging Mercutio’s cruel death?
  • Copy the Romeo and Juliet characters into a modern setting
  • What if Romeo didn’t really love Juliet?
  • Explain why you want to teach Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a raunchy screenplay version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’
  • How would a girl react when her father forces her to become a “guest” at the Capulet’s estate?
  • Write a comedy/revision of Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” by Paking
  • Write a short story about what happened after the play ends!
  • Write a modern day romeo and juliet with an unfaithful lover
  • Write a story from Romeo’s point of view
  • Write a follow-up scene that wasn’t included in the play or movie.
  • What if Romeo found out that Juliet was actually a dude?
  • What if they used a double?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were teenagers now?
  • Write an argument between Benvolio and Tybalt
  • Write about different couples’ relationships
  • Write a romantic scene with the detective in the play.
  • Write a scene about the star crossed lovers overcoming a conflict.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet got revenge on the Capulets and Montagues?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were played by the same person?
  • One boy, One girl Apart.
  • Write a modern day Mercutio story
  • Imagine you’re Romeo and write a break-up letter in iambic, pentameter, to Juliet.
  • Write a spin-off about one of the side-characters in Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a bonus scene of romeo and juliet!
  • Rewrite the play from the fathers point of view.
  • 8. Using this line of thinking, prescribe to me the greatest contemporary novel written in Marathi
  • Write a love story with the same characters as Romeo and Juliet but set it in Vegas
  • What if Juliet stopped eating lettuce?
  • Write one of the street scuffles that happen between the rival families.
  • And many, many more. If you want your description and reviews displayed here, you can opt to get the free listing for your website on the Christian-romance-books-blog .
  • Add modern technology to the leads.
  • How would Shelbie and Paris react if Romeo and Juliet didn’t do so?
  • How have young people in the last couple decades rebelled against their parents in the same similar ways that Romeo and Juliet rebelled against theirs 500 years ago?
  • While traveling through the woods their car breaks down. They start walking and come to a long winding driveway. This leads to a large house and a party going on. It is to raise scholarship funds for local students.
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet as old people
  • Where does Romeo and Juliet take place?
  • What if Romeo was actually a werewolf?
  • What if Jaques and Mercutio survived?
  • What if Romeo had to win Juliet’s parents’ blessing?
  • Which character is most like you?
  • What if Romeo had a twin brother named Aaron and Luise had a twin sister named Olivia?
  • Write about the modern orgy scene
  • What if Romeo and Juliet’s first kiss wasn’t what they expected?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were brothers and sisters?
  • Juliet, why did you drink the poison?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet got married and lived happily ever after with a baby?
  • Write about how these two met
  • What if Juliet woke up?
  • What if Romeo wasnít Italian, he was African American?
  • Take one of the minor characters and create a story about them
  • The Shakespeare’s Juliet BBC Television Movie
  • Write a scene between Juliet and one of the parents
  • Change the type of person Romeo and Juliet were
  • Is there a new Romeo and Juliet in your high school?
  • Write a love poem to another person in Juliet’s place.
  • What if Romeo went to a different high school?
  • Write a dialogue between Juliet and Romeo’s parents with each parent believing that the other is responsible for their children’s deaths.
  • What if Romeo went looking for Juliet?
  • Write about the first day that Romeo and Juliet met
  • What would the world look like if they didn’t die?
  • Describe a time when you felt so angry you weren’t sure what to do
  • What if one of them went off to war – and then died?
  • Write a Shakespearean version of Fight Club.
  • Write a poem about their lives after the play.
  • Looking more like a king than a prince!
  • What if Paris killed Romeo?
  • A Romeo and Juliet dream sequence
  • What if one of the rival families kidnapped Juliet and asked for a ransom, but then Romeo saved her?
  • Did Romeo get to go to the prom?
  • Write an alternative ending to Romeo and Juliet
  • What is one thing you would change about romeo and juliet?
  • What if Romeo had met Juliet at the ball instead of her?
  • The following is a list of writing prompts based on The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
  • Write about a Romeo and Juliet you know
  • What if Shakespeare was your grandpa?
  • Write another ending to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
  • “Verona Beach”
  • What if they lived happily ever after?
  • What would you have done if you were in Romeo & Juliet’s place?
  • Write a scene where Romeo and Juliet challenge Paris to a game of football
  • Visit the Romeo and Juliet category page for even more writing prompt ideas.
  • Write about Laura and Dante
  • What do you think really happened between Romeo and Juliet after their deaths?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet watched reality TV before they fell in love?
  • Write a sequel to Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were sworn enemies?
  • Write a new ending to Romeo and Juliet
  • Being that this is a SHAKESPEARE REVIEW we have to get to my thoughts on the movie adaption!
  • Write a Romeo and Juliet plot-twister
  • Take the bad guy from Romeo and Juliet and rewrite it without the supernatural elements and see how differently the story will play out.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were 15-17?
  • Write “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” from Mercutio’s point of view.
  • What if Juliet doesn’t get to take her potion?
  • What are some interesting things you notice about Romeo and Juliet?
  • Write a scene in which Romeo deserts Juliet
  • Write the conversation Juliet had with her mother that leads to Juliet faking her death and climbing out the window.
  • What if Juliet didn’t drink the poison?
  • Romeo attends cheerleader tryouts and thinks he’s going to get cut.
  • The Most Interesting Love Story of All Time
  • What if the Capulets and Montagues were like the Hatfields and McCoys?
  • WORD STRENGTHS
  • Write a love story between Romeo and Juliet’s parents.
  • What if Juliet’s dad grew marijuana and MacBeth grew cannabis?
  • How could Romeo and Juliet serve in the military?
  • Write a piece inspired by Inside/Out
  • The fall out of their relationship
  • How would Romeo and Juliet be different if they were alive today?
  • Write an alternate ending.
  • What if Tybalt and Juliet were secretly lovers?
  • What if Romeo had decided that Juliet was a little far for him?
  • If Romeo and Juliet had smartphones?
  • What if Juliet killed herself?
  • How would the plot differ from Shakespeare’s story?
  • How would you change the ending to the play?
  • Write a story about why Romeo and Juliet died.
  • What if they did?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were computers?
  • Write the story from another person’s point of view
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were a couple of bitter old people?
  • Write a love sonnet to your favorite book
  • What would happen if Romeo himself killed Tybalt?
  • Juliet’s dad thinks it is inappropriate for Romeo to call Juliet by her first name. Who does he think he is though, his daughter is at the crux of the entire familial conflict, she’s the one who’s been impregnated by a lothario who can barely keep his name straight. It’s to laugh.
  • What if Juliet was disappointed by Romeo?
  • If Romeo and Juliet are alive today, how would they plan to meet?
  • Write about a moment in Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet met differently?
  • Write about an alternate ending
  • Write a poem about Romeo and Juliet
  • What advice can Juliet give to Romeo?
  • Write about the characters when they are older.
  • Romeo and Juliet’s deathbed monologues
  • What if Romeo never met Juliet?
  • What if Romeo met Juliet after she died?
  • How might things have changed if Romeo was 16 and Juliet was 14?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were still alive today?
  • You have been forced to choose love as your theme for a play.
  • Write about Shakespeare failing math.
  • Write a verse novel…
  • What if Juliet was already married to Paris?
  • A woman sees her family fighting and can only take so much and escapes to Rome where she falls in love with a man whose family happens to be fighting with her family as well. The title of the movie is ” Capulet and Montague “
  • Write about a character of any age from about 13 till about 16 or 17?
  • Write a tragedy using modern technology/setting.
  • Compare and contrast Romeo and Juliet to William Shakespeare to today’s teens
  • Write a sequel to the “Romeo and Juliet”-type relationship you selected the prompt for.
  • Write about “what happened next?”
  • Write a story about Romeo and Juliet in middle school
  • Did Romeo and Juliet have any children?
  • Write the Dr. Seuss version of Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Juliet woke up from “O Romeo, Romeo!”
  • What if Tybalt didn’t die? Write a story imagining things from his point of view, trying to get revenge against the Capulet family.
  • Write about Romeo as a homeless person
  • How would things be different today if Romeo and Juliet hadn’t died?
  • Break into conversation about the story of Romeo and Juliet.
  • Make a short film about Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Nero found out about the affair?
  • How would Romeo react to Juliet Act 3, Scene 5?
  • How would the story have turned out if Romeo and Juliet were alive today?
  • rewrite the ending of romeo and juliet
  • Write a story of why Juliet committed suicide
  • Have you ever stolen anything, if so do you feel bad about it?
  • Describe the theme of Romeo and Juliet in a present-day setting.
  • Write about a character that has never loved anyone or anything
  • How would the movie play out if it was in Modern times?
  • Write a parallel play to Romeo & Juliet, so they both play it and they watch each other’s play
  • What if Friar knows nothing?
  • Write a tragedy where Romeo and Juliet survive
  • Write a love story between two pets
  • Write a story about a vampire child hungering for a sip of human blood
  • You could write from a different character’s perspective
  • What if Romeo returned to sing a romantic duet with Juliet? In Act 5 of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Romeo hastens to the Capulet’s tomb to visit Juliet there. Exhausted from days of travel, loneliness, and anguish … he tenderly opens the door to their resting place and walks inside. It is dark with only a little moonlight providing the only light … just enough so that Romeo can make out the two graves. Here he talks to his sweet Juliet and he hears her answers back in a sort of echoey way. He tries to embrace her, embracing only air. Then … Romeo wipes his tears and kisses Juliet’s lips … drawing blood again for himself, tasting and drinking his own love’s blood. Here the romance is not only deep but individual … Romeo talks with Juliet … he hears and sees her and feels her presence… Juliet is a real breath-of-life character here. She lives in the tomb with Romeo … reality disappears and
  • What if Romeo had been fat? What if Juliet had been skinny? Would they still have gotten together in the play?
  • After the balcony scene, what if Romeo and Juliet remain beneath the balcony?
  • Write a monologue for Romeo to Juliet
  • What if Juliet and Romeo were brother and sister?
  • What if the tomb scene took place in a seedy motel today?
  • What if it was all an act?
  • Write a serious, epic and more traditional story in the style of the play.
  • How would the lives of either Romeo or Juliet differ if they hadn’t died in each of these hypothetical scenarios?
  • How would Romeo and Juliet have grown up?
  • Write seven reasons why that is a stupid idea
  • Write an alternate ending for Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo had a twin?
  • What if Romeo was a jerk?
  • Write about the differences between Romeo and Juliet and Emma and Mr. Knightly or Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
  • Why do you think we still study the story of Romeo and Juliet?
  • Write a summary of how Romeo and Juliet could have ended
  • What did Juliet have in mind in the scene where she’s making a potion and Romeo comes in?
  • Write your own ending of romeo and juliet
  • Write a scene involving someone other than romeo and juliet that happened during Act 2
  • What if Romeo met Juliet when they were an old married couple?
  • How would you rewrite Romeo and Juliet if they were jocks?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet never met?
  • What if Juliet didn’t take the potion?
  • Write from Romeo’s  perspective
  • What if Romeo and Juliet ended up together, but Daggett was kidding?
  • Write about the story from one character’s point of view.
  • Write about your favorite moments from Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Shakespeare didn’t write his play?
  • Romeo and Juliet are modern day high school students.
  • Write the missing book scene.
  • Write a companion piece to Romeo and Juliet
  • Write about Juliet and her parents
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet’s kids meeting.
  • Write a song about it
  • List things that are double-edged swords
  • Make it a wedding and describe how hot it was in there
  • How would the world be different today if Romeo and Juliet had a happy ending?
  • Is Romeo gay?
  • What if Romeo was bisexual?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were superheroes?
  • What if Romeo was gay?
  • Have both Romeo and Juliet die at the end of your short story.
  • Explain why Romeo and Juliet should still be together.
  • Write a script for a play based on Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Romeo was betrayed by someone?
  • How would your family react to you marrying someone already in a relationship?
  • Write a fantasy story with Romeo and Juliet characters and creatures.
  • Write a tale in which Juliet is “forever thirteen” and deals with the grown-up troubles first hand.
  • What did they do after they got married?
  • Write about a family feud
  • Make up a character for Romeo to fall in love with.
  • In this form, you are writing a letter to a dead person, only it will be a person that has still been alive at one time. The page linked above has the table you will fill out. Next is a blank form for you to write on. And finally a worksheet for you to fill out, too. At the end, there is an analysis of Anne Frank’s diary.
  • What if Shakespeare didn’t write Romeo and Juliet?
  • Write the story of Romeo and Juliet’s children
  • Write a 100 word controversy
  • What if Romeo and Juliet had a happy ending?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet are reincarnated?
  • How do you get around those pesky deaths in the prologue?
  • Bree Bolton of the “Notting Hill Review” called it a “fun and creepy modern day retelling”.
  • What if Juliet was only pretending to die?
  • Write a story that starts off a day in Romeo and Juliet’s life.
  • What if there was a mix up on the days it was supposed to take place? Write about the results.
  • How would Juliet tell her parents about Romeo?
  • Write a journal entry as someone related to someone in the story romeo and juliet
  • Write a romeo and Juliet scene from a different character’s point of view.
  • What if Juliet drank the potion and became immortal?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet became superheroes?
  • Write a sequel to Montague and Capulet
  • What if Mercutio and Benvolio were Romeo and Juliet’s friends?
  • Write a goodbye letter to the characters of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a better ending to Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a modern day Juliet and rewrite the balcony scene.Have them meet in the parking lot and drive straight to Vegas?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet was set in space?
  • How would the play be different if you changed it into a musical?
  • Write a multi character version of Romeo and Juliet with the Starcrossed Series characters
  • What if Shakespeare wrote
  • What if Romeo and Juliet fell in love with other people?
  • Write a story about Jaques
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were high school students?
  • How does Mercutio die in the movie?
  • What happens between the famous balcony scene and the end?
  • Write a science fiction hijinks version of Romeo and Juliet, where everyone ends up happily ever after.
  • What if Romeo didn’t smash Tybalt’s head in?
  • What if Romeo discovered he was gay?
  • What if Mercutio had lived instead?
  • What if Tybalt didn’t die?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet met 20 years later, how do they still feel about each other?
  • What happened next?
  • What if Juliet rocked it and became a Bounty Hunter and tracked down people like her and Romeo?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet didn’t say anything on the balcony?
  • Write a scene where Romeo and Juliet aren’t named Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if the story of Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy to be recorded by Gildeon” Gloudsbard, the greatest storyteller of Ankh-Morpork and hero of his time?
  • What if these families lived on the same street today?
  • What if Romeo went to the Capulet party? What if Juliet had a friend like friar Lawrence?
  • What if Juliet didn’t drink the poison?….
  • What if Romeo was an editor at a publishing house? What happens?
  • What if someone other than Romeo killed Tybalt?
  • What if Lord and Lady Montague were gay?
  • Romeo and Juliet of Old Drunk City
  • Write how Romeo and Juliet met.
  • Write a scene of Romeo and Juliet from Paris’ POV.
  • Write a story according to what you see in Sonnet 73
  • Write about the real romeo and juliet
  • A Nurse’s Guide to Romeo and Juliet …
  • Write a Romeo and Juliet story from a parallel universe.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were actually robots?
  • What if Romeo didn’t follow Juliet into the tomb and she died all by herself?
  • What if Romeo was a bitch? What if Juliet was a player?
  • Write about a time on the street you could have met Romeo or Juliet
  • What if Romeo and Juliet wasn’t a tragedy?
  • Write a secret diary entry from Romeo or Juliet.
  • Write about a sibling of Romeo and/or Juliet
  • Explain to your child just what exactly what is going on with Hamlet
  • What if Romeo was killed by Juliet?
  • What if Romeo didn’t listen to his family and instead went with Juliet?
  • Why do you think Shakespeare didn’t include Romeo’s lines during the balcony scene?
  • What would you do to make Romeo and Juliet jealous?
  • What if Dr. and Mrs. Capulet joined the marriage?
  • Write a 30 second commercial for  Romeo and Juliet just after…
  • Write about a group of lovers during a time of war, or during a reign of terror
  • What if there was a third Shakespearean character?
  • Write an alternative ending
  • Write a funny take on both families trying to decide who gets to marry their child.
  • What’s the one line Shakespeare forgot to include in Juliet’s famous speech?
  • What happened to Romeo and Juliet after Act 5?
  • Write a scene in which Romeo and Juliet speak to one another before they actually meet.
  • How about if Olivia was the one to fall for her cousin?
  • What would the timeline of Romeo and Juliet have looked like had their relationship lasted?
  • What if Juliet was the Prince/Princess?
  • Write a twisted take on the play “Romeo and Juliet”.
  • Write a scene where Romeo and Juliet take a road trip across the country?
  • Write a poem or song about Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a parody of Romeo and Juliet
  • Why do you like or loathe the “Romeo and Juliet”?
  • Where is Friar Lawrence buried?
  • Are Romeo and Juliet bad people?
  • Write a dating website ad about Romeo and Juliet you’d post on Craigslist
  • What was a romantic tragedy like before Romeo and Juliet?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were framed?
  • Write about a time in your life when you experienced first love. Add new scenes from romeo and juliet and so on.
  • Write about your interpretation of what happened between Romeo and Rosaline.
  • What if Juliet didn’t drink the poison and pretended to die and ended up with Romeo?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were teenagers in the 60s?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet lived in different countries?
  • Write a post rock epic music number
  • Write a telenovela version of Romeo and Juliet
  • “Juliets” is a play on the words that end the famous line in romeo and juliet
  • Write the next 10 lines of Romeo and Juliet after”… and fair is foul, and foul is fair…”
  • What would happen if Romeo and Juliet woke up from their death seamless slumber?
  • Romeo meets Juliet’s mom
  • Write a children’s version of this play
  • Write about a high school version of Romeo and Juliet?
  • What if Romeo decided not to commit suicide? Would he live happily with Juliet?
  • Write about how Romeo and Juliet met for the first time.
  • Write a story from one of the character’s viewpoints.
  • What if Romeo wasn’t so sad after Juliet died?
  • How would Romeo and Juliet have been different if it was set in the present?
  • Write a scene about Romeo and Juliet’s parents
  • Would Romeo and Juliet have survived in this current decade?
  • Why was Mercutio killed? What does this reveal about sword fighting in Shakespeare’s time?
  • Write about an affair between Rome and Juliet.
  • Write a modern script for the play, Romeo and Juliet .
  • Write a scene from a Romeo and Juliet movie
  • Write a love story in six words
  • What if either Romeo or Juliet had siblings? If so, what would it be like?
  • What if Romeo didn’t have a driveby shooting death?
  • Write a modern and/or erotic version of Romeo and Juliet.
  • What’s the ending to Romeo and Juliet?
  • What if Romeo was a voyeur?
  • You can fuel your brain with an extra dose of creativity by playing with…
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet’s children.
  • Write a telegram message to Juliet from Romeo
  • What if Romeo didn’t drink the drug, and decided to spend his life with Juliet?
  • Plot the movie Romeo and Juliet you’d make.
  • Is there still such a thing as true love, and if you believe so then what can be done to achieve it?
  • Jealousy is always a fun topic
  • Write a novelization of an alternate ending of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a story about a supporting character from Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo and Juliet died peacefully in their sleep at age one hundred?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet had competed for Miss/Mr. Right?
  • List all the ways Juliet is smarter than Romeo.
  • Write a story from Juliet’s point of view. What if Romeo wasn’t real?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet as animals?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet lived Happily Ever After?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet went to a high-school prom?
  • Write a story where William hears about what is going on behind his back!
  • Write a play with two starring characters only
  • Romeo and Juliet beg the prince to make them husband and wife
  • Write a love story inspired by Romeo and Juliet but with different young…
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet’s summer fling
  • What if the play was more modern like how William Shakespeare actually wrote the play?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet ended up together?
  • Write from the perspective of a villager or citizen of Verona.
  • What if everyone lived happily ever after?
  • Write a true account of the afterlife of Juliet.
  • Write a secret ending to Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a link to Romeo and Juliet in this day and age.
  • Write a short story beginning with “Juliet was so bored…”
  • Write an angsty scene between Romeo and Juliet.
  • Write a sad story. Then turn it into a happy story.
  • Teenage love
  • Write a scene from the perspective of Romeo’s cousin who wants Juliet for himself.
  • What if the families never met?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were looking around the cemetery next to Friar Lawrence’s Friar’s barn?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were really vampires from across the tracks?
  • Write a historical drama of Romeo and Juliet
  • What was the real reason for the feud?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet survived?
  • When you set up your board, make sure it is interesting and enticing for the reader to pick up your book. At least be able to interest one person in your novel.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were alive today?
  • After the wedding, write a short story about how Juliet feels about her new husband. Ask yourself, does she love him? Why?
  • What if Romeo was gay? What if Juliet was a guy?
  • Explain why the story of Romeo and Juliet has been so popular for the past 400 years.
  • The Montagues and Capulets decide to start afresh. Their kids fall in love with each other. Write about that.
  • What would happen if Juliet was a man?
  • Write a love letter to your crush
  • Write a scene where Juliet talks about Romeo’s untimely death.
  • Create a resolution to their story.
  • Why did Romeo choose Juliet?
  • Write a dialogue between Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a story where the two main characters are perfectly happy with the circumstances of their relationship.
  • Write about a modern day girl who kills herself over the lack of a guy
  • What if Romeo had come first?
  • Write a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Mercutio didn’t die?
  • Write a parody of the end of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write an alternate ending
  • Below is a list of elements you should expect to find in a Wuthering Heights essay.
  • Now that you have finished writing for today you can rely on your selected writing prompt and begin to write.
  • How would their story end?
  • What would happen in a modern version of Romeo and Juliet?
  • Write a story where their parents don’t die because of the feud
  • What would Shakespeare say to his/her audience?
  • Romeo and Juliet are time travellers. What is the future like?
  • If Shakespeare had lived would he have been murdered like Romeo?
  • Write a fantasy story approximately a Juliet in a modern-day setting
  • Write a parallel remstar story with…
  • Write a piece from one of Mercutio’s points of view.
  • What if Romeo didn’t fight Tybalt?
  • Write about a version of Romeo and Juliet in which Tybalt and Mercutio are the main characters
  • Write a fictional story about the origins of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a short story for Valentine’s Day
  • Write the reconciliation scene of Romeo and Juliet
  • Someone gets stabbed and someone gets shot.
  • What are other ways Romeo and Juliet’ could have ended?
  • Write  a love poem from Juliet’s perspective
  • What if Juliet lived with her parents and Romeo with the Montague family?
  • What if one of the families betrothed a child to a family that they had a feud with?
  • Write an alternate ending to the play.
  • Just survive a school shooting
  • What if Mercutio was sleeping with Juliet all along?
  • A Romeo and Juliet Story
  • Write a post-apocalyptic vision of Romeo and Juliet
  • In what way would Romeo be used as a verb and suggest that he is a seasoned lover and great Romeo?
  • Write a new ending using the text of the play, but have them kill each other
  • Write a different ending to Rome…
  • Was anyone else involved in the feud between the families?
  • What if the nurse had brought Romeo in to see Juliet before she was pronounced dead?
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet on their wedding day.
  • Write your own dialogue between Romeo and Juliet
  • Re-write an original story different countries use to make it modern
  • Why is death so important in the two tales?
  • Write about your relationship with your significant other inspired by the witty love story of Juliet and Romeo
  • Write a prequel to Romeo and Juliet
  • What would have happened had there never been a Romeo and Juliets?
  • What would it be like to read Romeo and Juliet for the first time?
  • What if Juliet was still alive?
  • What if Romeo was killed in Paris?
  • Write a love poem/song using Shakespeare’s language, but about food.
  • Write about a candlelit Shakespeare recital!
  • What if Mercutio was the main character for the story…
  • What if it was Romeo’s birthday and Juliet came to surprise him?
  • What if Juliet was actually a man?
  • Write a cinderella juliet
  • Romeo and Juliet was ‘a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.’ Discuss.
  • Write what happened the morning after they got married, but they both woke up with a huge hangover.
  • What if Romeo hadn’t been banished?
  • Write a poem that could have been what Romeo said at the beginning of Act 1, scene 1, when Friar Lawrence interrupts his eight lines with “There is no time to lose.”
  • Describe the relationship between Juliet and her Nurse.
  • Write a love poem about someone you haven’t told you’re in love with.
  • Write one true sentence.
  • Who do you think did the killing?
  • Create a modern day version of an antagonist in Romeo & Juliet
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were preteens?
  • Write about Juliet as “The Tragedy Queen Writing all Wrongs”
  • Alternate endings to Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin Tybal?
  • Write a scene where Juliet says no to Romeo.
  • What if there were a sequel to Romeo and Juliet?
  • What if one or both of them was immortal?
  • Write a romeo and juliet reenactment
  • What if Romeo and Juliet still liked each other, but were from the McCarthy trial?
  • Write about the star-crossed love between a geek and a cheerleader Write about the star-crossed love between a zombie and her boyfriend
  • Write a modern day Romeo and Juliet story. This can be done by anyone. The requirements of the story is that Romeo and Juliets parents are both alive, the two main characters are not related in any way, they are not made for each other, there is a impediment that keeps them from their love and other than being called Romeo and Juliet, no more mention is made of Shakespeare’s characters or story .
  • What if Juliet lied to Romeo?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were the happy couple?
  • 9. Write a story where “Dead! Dead! Dead!” is the refrain that repeats
  • What if Romeo and Juliet only got married to please their parents?
  • Write about someone who commits suicide before or after the main character of Romeo and Juliet dies.
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet’s first date
  • Write a verse sonnet about being left over from a boy and a girl
  • Write about your very own St. Valentine.
  • How would you solve Romeo’s and Juliet’s problem?
  • Write about the leading up to the ending, write it from another character
  • What modern play is Romeo and Juliet most similar to?
  • My favorite scene in Romeo and Juliet is when…
  • What if the roles were reversed – Romeo was the Capulet, Juliet was the Montague?
  • What if Mercutio was a vampire?
  • How would the audience look at Romeo and Juliet differently if they didn’t die and were stuck together for eternity?
  • Write the Romeo and Juliet sequel
  • What would you name the baby that resulted from the union of Romeo and Juliet?
  • Create a love triangle involving any members of the famous love duo.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet lived?
  • Write about what your parents would have done if you had dated someone from school out of caste?
  • Introduce a new character to the tale.
  • Translate Romeo’s soliloquy into Shakespeare’s native language, or any language.
  • What type of job did Romeo have?
  • How would the play play out if Romeo and Juliet didn’t die?
  • Write a romance sequel to Romeo and Juliet
  • Shakespeare Theme
  • Do you get the same “shipping” vibe as me? If so tell me about it!
  • Write a poem about Romeo, Juliet, and a chainsaw
  • Write a modern love story about two people of different social status
  • What If Romeo didn’t go to Tybalt?
  • A collection of monologues that illustrates the relationships in Romeo and Juliet.
  • Write Slight Romeo!
  • Write a tragedy based on a pop star
  • Write about a romeo and juliet you would hate to have control of you.
  • Write a remake of the balcony scene but make it PG13
  • Write a scene in which Romeo trips on a rock and bumps his head
  • What if the Friar planned to rescue Romeo?
  • Write an essay about how the spirits of Romeo and Juliet visited their families to correct their mistakes
  • In the 1990s a BBC mini-series was done called Shakespeare’s Women. These films were all set in the time that Shakespeare’s plays were set in. In Romeo and Juliet Julia Worsley played Juliet. Fill in the Juliet from Shakespeare’s Women form to get writing today!
  • Write about someone finding a diary that belonged to a rich, Renaissance teenager.
  • Juliet and Romeo went into hiding after death. What was their life like?
  • Write a love ballad to Julius Caesar
  • Or if you just found a way around it?
  • What if Juliet was killed before they could get married?
  • Create a happy ending to Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo was still a criminal, other things have stayed the same?
  • Bring a modern day character into the play
  • Write a series of sonnets
  • Write about love gone wrong.
  • What if the prince did not soothe Juliet’s death?
  • What if Romeo wasn’t Romeo? Write this version as carefully as you wrote the first
  • Write a non-heterosexual version of Romeo and Juliet where most of the dialogue is lifted directly from the play…
  • Here are the settings descriptions of my five prompts!! !
  • Write a story in which Romeo commits suicide.
  • Write a love letter using the writings of romeo and juliet
  • What if Juliet and Romeo figured out a way around their families’ disapproval?
  • What if Romeo was really ugly?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet had twins?
  • What if Romeo didn’t go to the party with his friends?
  • Write a story of how Romeo … Read more
  • Write a poem
  • Write an alternate version of the play
  • Write an Act 4 excerpt from Romeo and Juliet
  • Explain how Romeo could look like a bust?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were tweens?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were older?
  • Write a follow up by another character
  • Write about a modern day couple who were secretly nicknamed and compare it with the relationship between Romeo and Juliet.
  • In another life, Romeo would battle for Juliet
  • Write about someone you know that commits suicide
  • Write an AU where Romeo is the one who gets Juliet’s lips stained
  • The following is a list of questions related to writing. Here are 29 questions about the romeo and juliet love theme, plus a free handout with my favorite responses. The questions are designed to get your mind thinking in a productive way about Rosemary and Grave questions related to reading, writing and literature.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet turned out to be from opposing sides of a war?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet had/had gotten a divorce?
  • Write about a cornier than thou Romeo.
  • Juliet’s Autopsy Report
  • Explore the similarities/differences between Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet Edit Sample Edit
  • What would Romeo and Juliet be like if they were from the future?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were cat lovers?
  • Write another scene from Act 1 of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet that didn’t make it to the big screen.
  • Write a story called More that’s not in this book
  • If Shakespeare were alive today, what would he be doing?
  • What if the characters of Romeo and Juliet were zombies?
  • Write a star-crossed lovers story with a different ending.
  • Write about your favorite Shakespeare play
  • Write a poem that rolls the play inside out, so that Juliet’s the one who’s “crazy” about Romeo and Romeo’s just curious about her.
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet living happily ever after.
  • Write a sad holiday poem about Romeo and Juliet.
  • Write about a reverse Romeo and Juliet
  • What is your favorite part of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet?
  • Find more Romeo and Juliet prompts at the bottom of this page.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet couldn’t be together?
  • What if Juliet had some magical power?
  • Write a play about someone trying to rewrite Romeo and Juliet
  • Write five snarky things about Romeo and Juliet.
  • Write a compilation of short stories that explore the lives of Romeo and Juliet after the events of the play, what these might be would depend on how the play ended.
  • Write a Christmas story where we find out that the people we want to be happy, are the people who enjoy their lives at Christmas the most?
  • If Romeo and Juliet joined a sports club, which sports would they play?
  • Why is Romeo jealous?
  • How angry would the families of Romeo and Juliet be if they were alive today?
  • Write from another character’s perspective—Mercutio’s view, Tybalt’s view
  • Write about Romeo pulling a prank before Mercutio dies.
  • Write a cyberpunk or future world version
  • Have each student write an essay about the prompt. Make sure to discuss the importance of using actual text from the play as a reference.
  • Write a romeo and juliet poem that is just one sentence
  • What if they had a baby? What would that look like?
  • How does Romeo and Juliet fit in a modern world?
  • What if the play was more of a comedy?
  • You Caught Me In An Open Mood
  • Write about why you think one of the parents wouldn’t let the lovers be together?
  • What if Romeo were gay and instantly fell in love with Mercutio?
  • Write a scene from the play with your own take on Romeo & Juliet’s first meeting
  • Write about an alternate ending to the play Romeo and Juliet
  • What would you change in Romeo and Juliet?
  • Write a fantasy romance involving Romeo and Juliet
  • What if instead of ending with a kiss, it ended with a slap in the face?
  • Write a scene where the two lovers kiss for the first time.
  • Juliet is the genius of the family, Romeo is the famous artist, who sends his paintings to museums. One painting in particular, raises eyebrows so Juliet flees her own father and turns to Romeo. Romeo accompanies her to a secret town where discoveries about possibly about her family are made.
  • Write a very short story! Use only 1 – 5 sentences
  • What if Romeo and Juliet had a home birth?
  • Write a secret love language of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write about Rebecca – the theme of a woman stuck in her father’s house
  • What if Romeo was the one to die?
  • Write a love triangle/quadrangle with outside factors threatening the relationship.
  • If you do something creative with these prompts, leave a link in the comments section to show off what you have written.
  • Use one character to describe the emotions of the other.
  • Write a scene you wished had been in the play.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet spoke in old English? What if they spoke in a different language?
  • Write a play from the villain’s point of view
  • Write about your favorite scandalous moment of the play
  • What if Romeo was good with weapons
  • Romeo and Juliet
  • Write about The Capulets fighting against the Montagues
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were a rock band?
  • How is Romeo like you and how is he like me?
  • Write about the Nurse’s death
  • What if Romeo killed Tybalt instead of Mercutio? What if Juliet killed Tybalt instead of killing herself?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet started in modern day?
  • Write your own Romeo and Juliet sequel
  • Write a story from Tybalt’s perspective. What was he actually thinking?
  • Write a scene where Romeo comes to Juliet’s bedroom after the party.
  • Write a disabled Romeo and Juliet
  • How has modern warfare influenced the story of Romeo and Juliet?
  • Write about a conversation between Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a Hater version of Romeo and Juliet
  • What if in the next chapter, the nurse wakes the lovers up and they look at each other and apologize, feeling like it was just a dream?
  • What if the characters in Romeo and Juliet weren’t named Romeo and Juliet?
  • Your Tweets. They will be your downfall.
  • Write about the famous sword-fight between Romeo and Tybalt
  • Write a funny poem about romeo and juliet
  • Write a poem using a contemporary setting and language
  • What if there wasn’t a couple named Romeo and Juliet
  • List ten things you don’t know about love
  • Is Romeo truly in love with Juliet, or are they just in love with the idea of love?
  • and some more Romeo and Juliet related writing prompts, including a love story check out this great resource.
  • Compare Romeo’s home life to Capulet’s loyalty to Rome
  • Write a letter between Romeo and Juliet
  • Write from the perspective of one of the parental figures
  • Write a romance book featuring Romeo hiring a detective to find out if Juliet is dead or alive.
  • What if Taylor Swift’s song was all about Romeo and Juliet?
  • A mashup, using elements from other stories
  • Write your own play – with Romeo and Juliet and funny bits!
  • Write a modern day death scene
  • What happened after Juliet woke up?
  • Write a love story about someone else in the play
  • Write a romeo and juliet short story
  • Write a book of poems centred on Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Romeo killed Tybalt?
  • Write about the night at the Capulet’s party.
  • Detail your most memorable experience while acting out line from Romeo and Juliet
  • Express yourself in ways like the Capulet and Montague did. Ideas include writing letters, poems, or composing music.
  • What if Romeo was Juliet’s tutor?
  • What would have happened if Romeo was killed?
  • Have a talk with Romeo about Juliet
  • How would past characters affect a present timeline?
  • Write a story from Romeo’s point of view.
  • Write an alternate ending where everything changes.
  • Write a science fiction version of Romeo and Juliet Write a fantasy version of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a poem about love
  • Write a sequel to Romeo & Juliet
  • Insert name here and write a story about Romeo and herself.
  • Satisfaction
  • What if Romeo and Juliet saved their love for marriage?
  • What if everyone lived? What then? How about Juliet leaving Romeo and moving away? Or Romeo getting with the Nurse? Or Tybalt getting together with Mercutio? Or the Prince?
  • What if Romeo wasn’t a Capulet?
  • What has Romeo and Juliet taught you?
  • Write an alternate history of romeo and juliet
  • Write about a great war that has broken out, it’s called Romeo vs Juliet.
  • Compare and contrast Juliets suicide to Romeo’s
  • Imagine a story where Romeo is a klyntar and Juliet is a Skrull. Write the story explaining how they met, how they fell in love, and how the other person died.
  • Write a story about how Romeo and Juliet met
  • Write a scene from Romeo and Juliet from a different character
  • Write a love story based off your horoscope
  • Write about a modern Romeo and Juliet.
  • Write a unique conclusion to Romeo and Juliet
  • Flannery O’Connor uses character stereotypes to show that conventional prejudices aren’t always on point. In an exercise, try switching characters and personalities between the play and its characters, in an attempt to “blur” the lines between who should be paired with whom.
  • What would Romeo be like as an adult?
  • What does Romeo look like?
  • What if Romeo got Jodie pregnant and they ran off into the night?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet didn’t hate each other? How might their relationship have changed if they had become friends and less than friends?
  • The Shakespeare Society Romeo and Juliet are so good at romance!
  • Write your own version of romeo and juliet
  • What if Romeo was Juliet’s brother and he loved her but he couldn’t tell her?
  • What if a public transit disaster occurred on the day of a Romeo and Juliet Romantic Reunion?
  • What if the Prince banished Romeo from Verona?
  • Imagine Romeo and Juliet if they lived in modern times.
  • Write a dystopian Romeo and Juliet
  • Write one of Shakespeare’s sonnets from Romeo’s point of view
  • Write a speech about what Juliet did wrong and what she did right
  • Write about a romantically challenged teen.
  • Toni Parsley is an online writer and blogger. She loves to write on various topics such as health, fitness and beauty. When she is not writing, she loves to play and watch football. She is an avid fan of Real Madrid.
  • Write two alternate endings
  • Learn More About Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a novel from a side character’s point of view
  • Ok! Time for another Monday . . .
  • Write about the happiest moment for a modern day Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo decided to stay with Tybalt?
  • Write about how Romeo and Juliet first met
  • Write a short version of romeo and juliet
  • Describe the setting or surroundings where the story took place
  • Write a scene which makes Simon and/or Leah seem anything other than evil
  • Write about Romeo or Juliet in their late life.
  • What do you say to someone you hate every time you see their face?
  • Write a Shakespearean character’s obituary
  • Did Romeo really love Juliet?
  • Write a parent point of view about the events of Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Juliet ran away from home and the rest of the tragic story in the play didn’t happen?
  • Write a scene in which Romeo and Juliet are secretly in love.
  • What if Romeo was a girl?
  • What if Paris was the one who died?
  • Write a crime thriller based on Romeo and Juliet
  • Write an original scene from “Romeo and Juliet”
  • What if Romeo and Juliet weren’t lovers?
  • Write a scene from Romeo and Juliet that isn’t between Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a comedic version of Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo was awful at playing games?
  • Write a historical or contemporary Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a poem for Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were hillbillies?
  • If Romeo was a swearing drug dealing thug?
  • Write a serious version of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a story of a near death Juliet, and write about her transformation after the suicide attempts
  • If Juliet didn’t sleep at night, what would she do?
  • What if Romeo were the daughter and Juliet were the son?
  • Write a zombie version of Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Tybalt lived?
  • Write a shorter story about Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo never wanted to leave Rome?
  • What if Mercutio was in love with Juliet? What about Romeo?
  • Romeo and Juliet was not primarily a love story or a tragedy. Revise the piece of writing to emphasize an element of your choice.
  • In a dystopian world, the government decides that all teens have to be married or sent to a form of forced labor. Romeo and Juliet chose to rebel and have an affair in secret by pretending they’re married.
  • Write Romeo and Juliet as a couple who love each other, but they are brothers and sisters and can’t marry
  • Write about the drive-by Romeo and Juliet
  • Write your own first meeting between Romeo and Juliet
  • Write about poison ivy
  • Write a letter to Juliet from Romeo.
  • Romeo and Juliet in a different era?
  • What if the houses ended up fighting instead of the lovers?
  • What if Tybalt was the tragic hero?
  • If Romeo and Juliet had had a dog, would the events of the play have transpired the same way?
  • What if Romeo was not allowed to marry Romeo, instead he married the daughter of a wealthy Sultan? What if the two families are sworn enemies as a result of the mutual loathing between their fathers?
  • Write a good Romeo and Juliet in summary form.
  • think something like, ” love the haters” – making fun of haters – haters get mad or hate, and fall in love
  • What type of person is Juliet? What type of person is Romeo?
  • Write a story from the point of view of a minor character.
  • When you are done jotting down your ideas you might be ready to start a formal written analyze of Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Romeo and Juliet fought?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet’s parents came from a country where it was customary for 16-year-olds to get married?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet became friends/acquaintances in school?
  • What if Mercutio didn’t die at the end?
  • What was Romeo like growing up?
  • Write a Romantic tragedy on a modern day setting in which it is still terrible.
  • What if Romeo was not a Montague and Juliet was not a Capulet?
  • What if Romeo was Romeo because Juliet was Juliet?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were actually descendants of D&D?
  • What if Romeo or Juliet had to die but didn’t?
  • Write a funny one-liner
  • What if Romeo and Juliet hadn’t met and Romeo was in love with a different girl?
  • In writing a tragedy similar to Romeo and Juliet, how would you confront the heroic quality of Romeo?
  • Write how you think the story would’ve gone if Mercutio had lived.
  • Write a modern day romeo and juliet short story
  • Write a scene between Romeo and Juliet’s parents to show why they don’t go along with their children’s decision of marrying each other.
  • What if the stars never crossed?
  • Write a modern day rendition of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a modern day Romeo kissing a guy Juliet
  • Write a post-apocalyptic Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a story from Tybalt’s p.o.v.
  • What if Paris was Juliet’s gender fluid cousin?
  • Write an alternative ending for Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Juliet was pregnant?
  • Write an anti baby books based off of Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a news report about Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a short play in iambic pentameter!
  • What if the Capulets and Montagues had online feuds?
  • What if they were shipwrecked?
  • Describe a perfect person like Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a gothic Romeo and Juliet
  • How would The Graduate be different?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet had really cool friends who wanted to rebel with them but tried to talk them out of it?
  • Write your own final scene with your own version of Romeo and Juliet
  • Tell us what happened when Romeo and Juliet got married.
  • Write about a surviving Romeo or Juliet
  • If Romeo was her gardener, would they fall in love?
  • What if Romeo survived the fight and hid?
  • Write a scene from a play by William Shakespeare.   Very unique in that it is noted as being written without any punctuations. We have yet found a play with a strict run-on sentence.
  • Write an event in the book from Juliet’s point of view.
  • Write a story set after Romeo and Juliet
  • Write about Romeo’s side of the story
  • Write the Romeo and Juliet story, only with two sets of parents who hate each other.
  • Who were Romeo and Juliet’s parents? How did they meet?
  • Write a Romeo and Juliet poem
  • Write a different ending for Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a futuristic Twilight-type love triangle
  • Write about a Romeo and Juliet from a different country with different cultural customs
  • Write about Shakespeare as one of the characters
  • What if Romeo was a time lord?
  • What if someone else died instead of Romeo?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet lived through the night?
  • Write a crime series set in Rome
  • How do you feel about Romeo and Juliet’s relationship?
  • Write the story of the Nurse who loved Romeo
  • You’re not writing about Romeo and Juliet…
  • What if Tybalt had killed Romeo?
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting
  • Write from Juliet’s point of view
  • Write about why you like Shakespeare.
  • Write a love story where Romeo is an android and the Capulets are the government
  • Write a sequel to Romeo and Juliet set 20 years in the future
  • Write a murder mystery using Romeo and Juliet.
  • Write something about the bard himself – William Shakespeare.
  • Write the plot of the play-Romeo and Juliet
  • Imagine a Romeo and Juliet TV show
  • Who was Juliet in love with?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were astronauts?
  • Write an additional scene that did not make it into the final draft of Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if we were able to follow along with Romeo and Juliet?
  • What if Juliet had woken up Romeo instead of both of them dying?
  • Juliet’s side of the story
  • Write about jealousy in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
  • Write a scene from Romeo and Juliet other than the balcony scene.
  • Write about your favorite line or quote from Romeo and Juliet
  • What if Romeo and Juliet knew about destiny?
  • Write about Romeo and Juliet doing something outrageous to get themselves together more quickly
  • What if Romeo and Juliet lived in the modern world?
  • What is the climax of your story?
  • Is Juliet cold when she thinks of Romeo dying?
  • Write fanfiction.
  • What lessons can be learned from the story of Romeo and Juliet?
  • Write a scene about Juliet and her nurse in Act 1 that doesn’t involve Romeo.
  • Write a story about a character who thinks Romeo and Juliet are a perfect play. Hilarity ensues.
  • Romeo and Juliet- by George Bernard Shaw
  • Romeo absent from the first scene of the play – observed by the audience, but unseen by other characters
  • Who picked the name Romeo?
  • Write a modern day Romeo and Juliet who have never heard of them
  • What if Romeo and Juliet had Facebook?
  • What was Juliet’s life like without Romeo?
  • Write a poem about the balcony scene in romeo and juliet
  • What if Romeo was smarter, or Juliet dumber? Who do you think would win the balcony scene in a battle of wits?
  • Why do the Capulets hate Juliet so much?
  • Write a parody of Romeo and Juliet as zombies
  • These 46 Shakespeare Vocabulary Worksheets are fun to use in literacy centers or small groups. Each worksheet includes a prompt and a poem, an idiom, and other activities that require students to use and practice Shakespearean language. Useful for the new Common Core curriculum, these are a great parent-teacher helper. Learn more about the author and the book, and receive the ebook for FREE!
  • Romeo and Juliet cries when he sees Tybalt killed
  • Writing a logline is an exercise designed to help a writer identify the target audience, begin writing the screenplay and generally write a good, clear narrative for the movie.
  • Write a modern day cave scene
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were mad at each other?
  • What is Romeo’s deepest fear?
  • Did Romeo and Juliet need to die? Write any reason that Romeo and Juliet did or didn’t need to die.
  • Marriage between Romeo’s family and Juliet’s family is into ruin. Write how they describe themselves in the first page.
  • Romeo went after Tybalt. Tybalt dropped his blade. When Romeo’s blade pierced Tybalt’s chest, Tybalt died.. Watch what happens
  • Write a funny scene from Romeo and Juliet.
  • What if Romeo went to rehab instead of meeting Juliet?
  • What if Reynardo had gotten to see Romeo and Mercutio fight Tybalt?
  • What if you are Juliet and there’s another Romeo?
  • How would it have ended if they were real?
  • What if Romeo and Juliet were still alive, what kind of lives would they live now?

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Key stage three

Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet Creative writing Act Two Scene 2

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A Creative writing lesson based on Act Two, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet. The lesson was taught to a less able year 8 group, but could be slightly adapted for key stage 4. We have read the scene and watched a few different versions of it. The aim is to rewrite the scene in an exciting new setting in modern prose, including dialogue and description.

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romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

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June 30, 2020.

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Writing the wrongs

Writing the wrongs

This resource offers a selection of writing tasks for students to complete, based on key events from Romeo and Juliet . The resource asks them to write either a front-page newspaper article describing a fight between the Montagues and Capulets, an article for a magazine covering the Capulet party or obituaries for Mercutio and Tybalt. 

There are pointers to help students with purpose, structure and language. 

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Romeo and juliet pack 2024.

This pack supports the RSC’s 2024 First Encounters production of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Philip J Morris.

The activities provided in this pack are specifically designed to support primary students attending the performance and studying Romeo and Juliet in school but all activities can be adapted for learners of different ages and abilities. These activities aim to help students explore some important features of the text and production using the RSC’s rehearsal processes. There are some secondary school alternatives and extensions included at the end of some activities.

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About the production 

This 2024 touring version of Romeo and Juliet is one of our First Encounters productions and sets the star-crossed lovers in a modern, recognisable world. The key theme is impulsiveness : decisions made in the moment by all characters, young and old, and how tragedy can arise from finding permanent solutions to temporary problems. Directed by Philip J Morris and edited by Robin Belfield, it is an interpretation for our time, closely examining the nature and behaviour of young people and the pressures they face in a fast-moving culture. The links below offer guidance on some of the more serious issues involved in this production and pack.

  • mind.org.uk/for-young-people
  • mind.org.uk/for-young-people/supporting-others
  • youngminds.org.uk/young-person/my-feelings/suicidal-feelings
  • youngminds.org.uk/young-person/blog/a-letter-to-anyone-feeling-suicidal
  • childline.org.uk/info-advice/your-feelings/mental-health/suicide
  • papyrus-uk.org

Exploring the story

WARRING FAMILIES

  In Verona, Italy, there is an ongoing hate campaign between two noble families: the Capulets and the Montagues. In the city street, a Capulet bites his thumb at a Montague, a big insult. A fight breaks out but the Prince Escalus, who rules over Verona, has had enough. He declares that the next person to start a fight will be killed. We meet Romeo, who is lovesick over a girl called Rosaline. Rosaline is invited to the Capulets' party that night and Romeo decides to crash the party. Meanwhile, Lord Capulet is visited by another nobleman called Paris. Paris wants to marry Capulet’s daughter, Juliet, who is thirteen. The Capulets decide it’s a good match and Juliet is told by her mother that she will marry Paris soon.  

LOVE THY ENEMY

  Romeo and his friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, crash the Capulets' party. Amused by his lovesick friend, Mercutio tells Romeo of Queen Mab, the queen of sleep and dreams. But as soon as Romeo sees Juliet, all thoughts of Rosaline are forgotten. The two teenagers speak briefly and fall instantly in love. Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, is angry that Romeo is there but Lord Capulet forbids him to fight. Juliet is told by her Nurse that Romeo is a Montague. Benvolio and Mercutio search for Romeo but he gives them the slip and climbs into Juliet’s garden. She appears on her balcony and starts to speak about Romeo. Romeo emerges from the shadows and they confess their love for each other. They kiss and plan to get married the next day. Full of the joys of first love, Juliet talks about nothing but Romeo and gets teased by her Nurse. With the help of two adults, the Nurse and Friar Lawrence, Romeo and Juliet get married in secret.

  Tybalt searches for Romeo, wanting a fight. Mercutio challenges Tybalt who ends up killing Mercutio. In anger, Romeo kills Tybalt and gets banished from Verona. Juliet is horrified by the news and Romeo comes to visit her to spend their wedding night together before he flees. Meanwhile Lord and Lady Capulet tell Juliet she will marry Paris or be thrown out of the house. Desperate, Juliet goes to Friar Laurence for help. The Friar wants to help the young lovers and gives Juliet a potion to drink that will make her look as if she’s dead. She will be laid out in the family's burial tomb and, when she wakes up, Friar Laurence will help them run away together as man and wife. Alone, Juliet drinks the potion and falls asleep.  

  Friar Laurence writes to Romeo to tell him of the plan but the letter does not reach him. Juliet is laid to rest and Romeo is told that Juliet has died. He buys poison to kill himself and goes to see her body. Paris is at the tomb and challenges Romeo, who kills him, then drinks the poison. Friar Laurence arrives but it is too late, Juliet wakes up and sees Romeo's dead body. Heartbroken, she kisses his poisoned lips then takes his knife and kills herself. Both families see the bodies and regret their fighting, knowing it has cost these young innocent lives. They vow to end their feud.

Explore the story of  Romeo and Juliet  in more detail with our Shakespeare Learning Zone .

Production Notes

Our First Encounters production has been given a brand-new edit by Robin Belfield. During his editing process, Robin made many cuts and changes to the play. These included:

  • Creating audience participation by giving some of the Prince’s lines to a Council of Young People. This Council will be played by local students, giving the youth in each area an active voice.
  • Characters involving the audience directly, such as Lord Capulet giving an audience member a guest list to his party, so they feel constantly involved in the action.
  • Writing detailed stage directions so the action and decision making of the characters is clear.
  • Making some of the speeches shorter so the action flows more quickly.

Activity 1: News Flash

“A key word for this play is ‘impulsiveness’. The fact that decisions that are made quickly, suddenly become permanent. This is a world in which young people’s innocence is taken away from them so quickly, before they even have a choice.”

- Phillip J Morris, Director, Romeo and Juliet, RSC 2024

This performance activity allows students to examine the events of the story by identifying major plot points that help create the tragedy. They can then challenge and change these plot points in performance. (It ’s best suited to a hall but can be done in a classroom. You will need pens, paper, a whiteboard and Resource A: News Flash). There is a Secondary School version below.

  •   Organise your students into groups of 3 or 4 and hand each group paper, pens and one News Flash from Resource A (groups may use the same point or you might leave some out depending on class size).
  • Explain that each of these News Flashes is an important point in the play. They will have a couple of minutes to read their News Flash within their group and decide what they think is going on and what the most important things are.
  • Invite each group in order to report back with their findings to the whole group. Encourage the listening groups to ask questions about how the News Flashes link up and what might happen in-between them.
  • Who will play the narrator? How will they cast the other parts? Will people need to play more than one character?
  • Will this be a news story for the television? How will they show the action to the audience? Will they act it out or interview any witnesses?
  • Do they need to add any more action or write any more lines?
  • Give your groups some extra time to rehearse their News Flash for performance, then invite your groups to perform their News Flashes in order of how they appear in the play.
  • As a whole group, discuss the meaning of the word ‘tragedy’. Is it unstoppable? Where are the moments in the story where things go wrong? What things happen to create the tragedy? How many moments can they spot where bad decisions are made?
  • Tybalt - for starting the fight that kills Mercutio
  • Romeo - for killing Tybalt
  • Lord Capulet - for arranging a marriage for Juliet to a man she doesn’t love
  • Friar Lawrence - for giving Juliet the sleeping potion
  • Friar John - for not delivering the letter to Romeo

Secondary School Version:

  • Organise your students into 6 groups and hand each group paper, pens and one News Flash from Resource A (groups may use the same point or you might leave some out depending on class size).
  • Explain that they have 5 minutes to read their News Flash within their group and write down anything else that happens in this part of the play that they can remember.
  • Rewriting the reporter’s lines to make them sufficiently newsworthy and to match the tone of the action.
  • Any eyewitness statements or found footage of the events.
  • Any additional action they feel is suitable to their bulletin.
  • Invite your students to perform their News Bulletins in order.
  • As a whole group, discuss the moments of tragedy in the plot. What things happen that make things worse? How could they have happened differently? Could this tragedy have been stopped at any point? How many points can they spot where tragedy could have been prevented?
  •   On a whiteboard, make a list of the people in the story who are most responsible for the tragedy . Can they create a top 5?

Reflection Point:

Ask your group to think of any other love or friendship stories they know of that go wrong. Are there any common themes? Do some of them manage to have happy endings? Examples might be: Snape and Lily in Harry Potter, Charlotte’s Web, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Shrek. Discuss as a group:

  • Are there any things that link these stories? Themes? Baddies? Motives?
  • Why do we like these types of stories? Why are they popular?
  • Why did Shakespeare write Romeo and Juliet? Why is it so popular 400 years later?

Activity 2: Cartoon Strips

“The younger me thought I had to do things really quickly and achieve things really fast. As time goes on, you realise the importance of having a moment. In our production, we suspend and fast forward time in certain moments. When Romeo and Juliet first meet, time seems frozen yet neither party is afforded time to stop and think before they act. Hopefully our audience will understand the pace of our story and why, after 24 hours of meeting, they mimic adult behaviour and get married instead of spending time on courtship or uniting their parents.'

- Phillip J Morris , Director, Romeo and Juliet , RSC 202 4

This creative writing activity allows students to use their own voice and decision-making to change the events of the story. By examining key moments where a decision is made, they can step into the role of playwright and create their own alternate action. (You will need coloured pens or markers, A3 paper, Resource A ‘News Flash’)

  • Keeping the groups from Activity 1, hand out paper and markers and ask them to list the main events that happen in their News Flash.
  • Ask them to draw the same numbers of squares on their paper as they have on their list. (If they have list of 3 things, they draw 3 squares and so on.)
  • Now invite them to draw the first event in their first square. It can be a simple sketch representing the main character with written words as explanation.
  • When this is done, ask them to fill in the rest of the squares until they have a complete cartoon version of their News Flash.
  • Give them some time in their group to discuss this story and identify moments where a better choice could be made by one or other of the characters.
  • Now explain that they are going to create another storyboard or cartoon but this time, they are going to change the story and draw their own version of events, including these new choices.
  • Invite them to start with the same first image and give them time to re-draw their cartoon, including these new choices. Encourage them to decide what happens in the next square as a group. Encourage them to create as many squares as they need to complete their new story.
  • Which changes have been made and why?
  • How would these changes affect the rest of the play?
  • What do we think of these new choices?

Secondary School Extension:

  • Follow the points above until the last one. Instead of explaining their new plot to the whole group, give each group 10 minutes to rehearse this new part of the story, in turn.
  • Explain that this time, they are to present it as a piece of drama and not as a news bulletin and encourage them to use whatever theatrical form they wish, such as: tableaus and still images, mime, movement, improvisation, narration or choral speaking.
  • A clear beginning, middle and end.
  • An example of their own iambic pentameter for at least 2 of the lines of new dialogue.
  • Discuss with your students what they understand by ‘Permanent solutions to temporary problems.’ Can they think of any other examples of this - either from real life or from stories they know well?
  • Getting a permanent tattoo - to boost your confidence / be accepted by a gang / show you support or like something
  • Defacing or breaking someone’s property - in revenge / as a dare / for fun
  • Attacking another country - to get more land / to destroy an enemy / in revenge
  • Can they see any repetitions in the reasons as they make this list? Eg: Revenge? Confidence?
  • Eg: you may change your mind, someone might take further revenge on you and make the problem worse, you might get in trouble, you could lose more confidence.
  • Ask your students to look at column 2 and to find some positive solutions to the temporary problems.
  • Discuss as a group why people might choose permanent solutions that make the situation worse. What stops us making the choices in column 4?

There is a lot of violence in Romeo and Juliet. The play opens with a fight and six people die in the play including the main two characters. A production decision was made early on to limit the weapons to one sword only. This bold decision was made for a number of reasons:

  • To emphasise that the world of the play has violence thrust into it and not everyone has one.
  • Holding the sword is a choice made by a character - they can throw it down, pick it up, hand it to someone. This shows that violence is a choice, a decision or an impulse.
  • The director wanted an old fashioned symbol of violence, something that stuck out and wasn’t a modern domestic symbol. This helps the cast and characters distance themselves a little from the violence, helping them to see it clearly.
  • Having the sword onstage throughout the play helps the audience follow its story so the use of violence or decision not to use it was never a shock and always clear.
  • Having only one sword emphasised the violence in other moments where words or actions are used as weapons.

Exploring the Characters

Activity 3: fighting talk.

“I felt responsible that we don’t glorify weaponry or desensitise the use of them. I wanted to subvert that. This is a world where there is fighting but it’s not often fatal. Having one sword shows the ferocity of that weapon, everything can be fatal so quickly. Also, a sword feels less violent than a dagger. I didn’t want to trigger and re-traumatise young people, especially in the times we’re living in, where it’s becoming the norm to hear about tragic things happening in your local area.”

This physical activity in 3 parts allows students to explore the world of the play and step into the shoes of the Montagues and Capulets, exploring the tension between the two families. (It is best suited to a hall. You will need Resource B - ‘Words as Weapons’ cut into text scraps, Resource C - ‘Opening Fight’ and Resource D ‘The Prince’).

PART A) BOXING MATCH 

  •   Ask your students to get into pairs and to find a space in the room, face to face.
  • ‘b’ is a punch with the right fist
  • ‘d’ is a punch with the left fist
  • ‘g’ is a punch to the gut
  • Add that they are allowed to react to the blows as if they really have been boxed by making the appropriate sounds.
  • After a minute or so of this, discuss how it felt to give or receive the blows in this way.
  • Now ask your students to come out of their pairs and walk around the room together, filling all the empty spaces but making no eye contact with anyone.
  • Explain that when you say the word ‘ENGAGE’ they are to make eye contact with someone for one second and then move on.
  • After a minute of this, explain that when you next say ‘ENGAGE’ they are to make eye contact with someone and not break it.
  • After a few minutes of this, ask them to get into pairs and discuss what this was like, then feed their thoughts back to the group. How did it make them feel? Uncomfortable? Anxious? Friendly? Comical? Was it a relief to break eye contact or not? When can eye contact be uncomfortable? Why might this be?

PART B) WORDS AS WEAPONS 

  •   Hand out Resource B cut into text scraps, so each student has one word or phrase. Explain that this word or phrase is their own personal weapon to learn and use as they wish.
  • Ask them to walk around the room as before and this time, when you say ‘ENGAGE’, they are to make eye contact with someone and say their word to that person.
  • After a minute or so, explain that this time when you say ‘ENGAGE’, they are to try using their word weapon in different ways: Eg. saying it to someone’s face, behind someone’s back, saying it as they are walking away, mouthing it.
  • Now ask them to find a gesture to replace their word weapon and repeat the step above but include the gesture to replace their word or emphasise it.
  • After a minute or so of this, ask them to stop and ‘DISARM’ by shaking each hand and foot 8 times in turn, then 4 times, then twice, then once.
  • Discuss how this activity felt as a group. Which ways of delivering the insults were the most and the least effective and why? Were the insults better when they were just gestures?

PART C) BITING THUMBS 

  •   Organise your students into pairs and hand out copies of the Resource C ‘Opening Fight’. Explain that this dialogue happens at the start of the play between the two warring families. They have been fighting so long, they have forgotten what started it.
  • Ask the pairs to cast themselves as A and B and to say the scene between them, pointing to themselves when they say ‘I’ and ‘us’ and at their partner when they say ‘you’.
  • Now ask them to read the scene again but this time, to find other gestures to replace the pointing.
  • After a short time exploring this, challenge them to do the scene again but finding gestures for every line and using no words at all.
  • Give every pair a number and ask everybody to walk around the room. When they hear their number, they are to find each other and act out the scene in gestures only. (Try saying one or two numbers at first, then build to more).
  • Now ask them to repeat the exercise but using all the words and as many gestures as they want. Explain that at some point, you are going to enter the space as the Prince and speak to them. When a large number of pairs are fighting, enter the space and deliver Resource D to stop the fight.
  • Discuss the activity as a whole group. How did it feel to be arguing when others weren’t? How did it feel to be walking around when others are fighting? What type of world does this play start in? What is Shakespeare telling the audience about the two families?
  • Following the above activities, discuss the gestures that were used in the room. Which of them are recognisable as violent or threatening? When can gestures and words hurt the most?
  • In the playground?
  • In TV programmes or films?
  • On the news?
  • What is it like to get caught up in a fight and not want to be there? What can cause a fight to get worse? Impulsivity? Peer Pressure? Knee jerk reactions?
  •   On a white board, list as many different ways of diffusing or avoiding an argument as possible . Can any of these ways be just as useful in the playground as in a global war? What does this tell us about people and can we make a big difference even if we don’t run a country?

Activity 4: Diary Entries

“We developed areas onstage where the Montagues and Capulets ‘hang’. Gangs have occupied patches and fight over ‘turf. When Benvolio and Mercutio enter, they find Tybalt waiting in their assumed space, so it’s clear he’s come to cause havoc. It’s a nod to the postcode thing, where gangs ‘own’ certain roads.'

This writing activity allows students to explore the responses of the young characters to the conflict in the play. It will also encourage them to develop their own language to reflect their character’s inner feelings. ( You will need Resource F: Character Study, paper & pens.)

  • Organise your students into pairs and hand each pair one character from Resource F & pens. Ask the pair to read the information given about their character and work together to list everything they know about their character from the play. (They do not need to answer the 3 questions yet).
  • Where were they born?
  • Who are they closest to?
  • What do they most fear?
  • What is their greatest desire?
  • Now ask them to use this information to answer the 3 questions.
  • Invite your students to work individually and to imagine they are the character. Ask them to write a short paragraph, describing what it was like being in the fight or watching it happen. Were they scared? Excited? Angry? Students can draw or illustrate this reaction if they would prefer.
  • Now ask your pairs to get together again and create a frozen image of their character between them. Can they make this image a positive one? Showing their character’s best qualities?
  • Invite each pair to read their paragraphs or show their drawings and their character image.
  • Discuss the results as a group. Did the words of their character match the images or were they different? Why do we sometimes behave differently to how we feel?
  • Discuss the meaning of ‘fight, flight or freeze’ in the face of danger. What are examples of fight, flight or freeze animals? Can any of them imagine a situation that would make them react in this way?
  • Discuss the reactions of the characters in the play. Who are examples of fight, flight or freeze?
  • Why might Benvolio have frozen during the fight? How might he feel afterwards? Ashamed? Relieved? Guilty?
  • Can they think of any examples when they have been drawn into an argument or fight against their will? Or walked away? Or even stopped an argument or fight? How did they feel?

Our production contains audience participation in the form of a ‘council of young people who accompany the Prince’. This decision was made for several reasons:

  • A principal actor will work closely with the young groups we will work with, to feel they are part of one mechanism, one power and are represented in this world.
  • To give young people a voice in a play that features very young people in a world dominated by adults.
  • Before the Prince speaks, he turns to the young people to get their opinions, showing that it is possible for an adult to listen and take advice from the youth they are meant to represent and guide. He is informed by them.
  • The Council appear at the very start and end of the play, showing the reason and intelligence young people can possess as a positive force. It is the first thing we are presented with and the last thing we are left with.

Exploring the Themes

Activity 5: party crashers.

“In this imagined Verona, young people are present and are watching everything and making positive, right decisions. Hopefully it will speak for School Youth Councils and Youth Boards, showing that young people are the future and they can make really powerful decisions.”

This physical activity allows students to explore the party scene from the perspective of both families. It will help them get an insight into both the tension and the pointlessness of the fight. ( You will need: a large, clear space, access to Spotify and speakers.)

  • Organise your students into groups of 6 or 7 and explain that each group is a gang of friends from Verona who are going to crash a big party.
  • Their favourite piece of music
  • Some dance moves that they all know
  • Their favourite party food
  • What they will wear
  • A simple call and response that only their gang use
  • Ask each gang to give you their favourite music and download it on Spotify ready to play over a speaker. (Add one or two random party tunes to this list that don’t belong to the gangs).
  • Now explain that they are all at the same party and shouldn’t be there. Ask them to walk around the room to one of the random songs, mixing in and filling all the spaces. When they hear their gang’s song, they are to come together and celebrate in their own way (using their moves and their call and response).
  • Encourage them to explore their group response in the moment. Maybe they don’t want to be noticed, maybe they really want to be seen.
  • Drop each gang’s music at random (with other music in-between so they don’t know what’s coming next).
  • After each group has come together at least once, stop the music and ask them to get into pairs and discuss the party crashing, then feed back to the whole group: How did it feel to be on your own at first? What was it like hearing your music and finding your gang? Did you enjoy being seen? Was it fun or were you a reluctant participant?

Secondary School Version: Hakas

  • Ask your students if anyone knows what a Haka is and can they explain or demonstrate it. If you have the facility, play them an example. (The Haka is a Māori group dance, with intimidating movements, stamping and choral shouting, made famous by the All Blacks rugby team.)
  • A gang leader
  • A gang name
  • 3 reasons why their gang is the best
  • A gang haka to show the others as they enter the city square
  • Organise your students into 3 or 4 big groups (ideally of 6-8 students) and allocate them a corner of the room.
  • Explain that the centre of the room is the city square where the gangs meet to establish who is the most intimidating and the best by announcing their leader, name and 3 reasons after / during / or before performing their Haka.
  • Encourage the gangs to keep their Hakas simple, repeating three or four key movements or gestures, together with sounds, that they can all learn and repeat. Advise them to appoint a choreographer to help decide on an teach this movement.
  • Decide on a formation to enter the square
  • Will they be led by their leader or present their leader?
  • Who says what? Will they speak chorally or in turn?
  • How do they leave the square again? Will they give a final gesture? Turn and swagger off? Stay and intimidate?
  • Invite each gang to enter in turn and perform their Haka.
  • Criminal gangs
  • School cliques
  • Political protesters
  • Terrorist groups
  • Community Support groups
  • Football fans
  • People who have no family or friends?
  • Strong willed people who like having followers?
  • People who have been forced to join?
  • Those who like others who think and feel the same?
  • People who don’t have strong opinions themselves?
  • Organise your students into small groups of 3 or 4 ask them to discuss the benefits and dangers of such gangs or groups?
  • Invite the groups to feed back their thoughts to the whole class.

ACTIVITY 6: Broken Family.

“Romeo and Juliet don’t have enough trust in their parents to have a conversation and their parents are not receptive to having a conversation about this union existing. From a mental health perspective, it can feel like there’s no way out. I’m interested in highlighting the responsibility that both adults have as well as young people taking autonomy to speak up.'

This writing activity, in two parts, gives students an opportunity to explore the power and dynamics within the Capulet family. (It’s best suited to a large hall or clear classroom. You will need: copies of Resource G: The Capulets, paper & pens.)

  •   Organise your students into a big circle, seated, and hand out copies of Resource G. Ask them to read the scene, taking a line each around the circle. As they read, ask them to listen out for the moments of drama in the scene.
  • Any violent language or sounds?
  • Any threats of violence or moments where violence could happen?
  • What Juliet might be doing in this scene?
  •   Discuss whether they think Lord Capulet behaves like this often or if it is the first time. What is it like for Juliet (who is 13) to hear all this? What is like for the Nurse to see it? How does Shakespeare want his audience to feel during and after this scene?
  • Is the Nurse much older?
  • How long has she looked after Juliet?
  • How close are they? Do they confide in each other?
  • Does she have children herself?
  • What does she think of Juliet’s father? What does he think of the Nurse?
  • What power do they both have in this household?
  •   Now explain that they have another 5 minutes to imagine what Juliet and the Nurse say and do at the end of the scene when Capulet has left. Encourage them to improvise the moment he has just left and explore what happens. Ask the student playing Capulet to jot down any good lines and ideas.
  • Give them time to write this down as a small scene together. Does Juliet cry or scream? How does the Nurse calm her down? Maybe the Nurse cries? Or tries to warn her or does the Nurse agree with Lord Capulet?
  •   Invite pairs to read or even perform their written scene from the very beginning when Capulet tells Juliet she is going to get married and discuss the results. Which new endings were the most believable? Or Powerful? Or tragic? Or hopeful
  • What are the examples of good family relationships in this play? Is it surprising that Shakespeare hasn’t shown any good parent / child relationships?
  •   Discuss the relationships between Benvolio and Romeo (who are cousins) and Juliet and her Nurse. Can you think of any close friendships you have with people who are not your parents or siblings? Such as uncles or aunts, cousins or other friends who feel like family? What makes these relationships strong?
  • Discuss any examples when parents or other adults have embarrassed them in public or at a family gathering. Are there any examples of them not listening? How does it feel and why do they do it? Why might adults make wrong choices for us? Why might they not listen to our voices and not value our opinions? How can we help adults to listen more?

ACTIVITY 7: Love and Despair

“The power of passion can lead to two people running away together or taking their own lives. The results can be so devastatingly fatal. I’ve developed that thought with the sleeping potion. Juliet takes it, thinking she’ll wake up and everything will be ok. I’m interested in a sequence that introduces a reality that she thinks is going to happen but doesn’t.”

The following physical activity in 2 parts, allows students to explore the emotions that Romeo and Juliet feel during the play and examines what drives them to take such extreme action. (It is best suited to a large hall or clear classroom. You will need Resource H: ‘Romeo & Juliet Gallery’, access to some music and speakers if possible.)

PART A) WORD SEARCH

  • Organise your students into a big circle sitting down and hand out Resource H, placing the pages face down on the floor. Explain that on the page, there are 2 speeches about love. On your word, they will turn the pages over and look for any word that interests them - it doesn’t matter if they know what the words means or not. Then, on ‘pages down’, they must turn their pages over again.
  • After this, invite students to share the words they found. When they share their word, ask them to create a gesture to go with this word and ask everyone to repeat both the word and gesture together.
  • After this, ask the group: Are these obvious words about love? How do they think this person is feeling right now? Which character might it be and what part of the play is this - beginning, middle, end?
  • Pull out any words that are difficult and discuss what they might mean.
  • Now explain that speech 1 is spoken by Romeo about Juliet when he first meets her and falls instantly in love . Do the words and images make more sense? Are they well chosen? Has he ever felt this way before? Do you believe in love at first sight? 
  • Next, explain that speech 2 is spoken by Juliet when she hears Romeo, who she loves, had killed her cousin and is banished. Do the words and images she uses make more sense? Are they well chosen? How is she feeling right now? What is it like to feel two very different emotions at once? Can you love someone and have negative thoughts about them?

PART B) IMAGE GALLERY

  • Now divide the group into 2 halves - Romeo and Juliet - and ask everyone to find their own space in the room to stand. Explain that they have a few minutes to choose ONE line from their speech and create a series of images or a short mime to bring the line to life as they say it.
  • Challenge them to imagine they are their character and to make this movement match the words and images as much as possible.
  • Then ask everyone to find their own place in the room that suits their character. It could be centre stage, in the corner, sitting or standing. Let them build their environment - is it public or private? A bedroom or big party?
  • Give them an extra minute to practice their line and movement together so they know it really well. (This is where you could use music to inspire the group - classical music or a film soundtrack or something you feel suitable.)
  • Now explain that you are going to get everyone to perform their line together as you turn an imaginary dial from 1 to 5. 1 is the lowest setting and 5 is the highest and they must adjust the size and volume of their performance as you turn it up and down. Challenge them to put emotion into their bodies, faces and voices and make the gestures as clear and big as possible on full 5.
  • Now ask your Juliets to stand to one side and explain that they are going to visit the gallery of Romeos. When a Juliet stands in front of a Romeo, she ‘activates’ him and he must perform his line, together with his movement until she moves on. Encourage the Juliets to visit all the Romeos. Add that they might be performing to a group of Juliets which is fine.
  • After a few minutes of this, ask the groups to swap so that the Romeos have a chance to visit all of the Juliets.
  • Come together as a group and discuss. Which movements and lines stood out and why? How did they feel seeing and hearing the feelings of the person they love?

Reflection Point: IMPULSIVENESS

  • Discuss what we mean by ‘acting impulsively’ or a ‘knee jerk reaction’. What other examples of this behaviour are there in Romeo and Juliet? Is it something only the young characters do?
  • Can they remember a time in their lives when they, or someone close to them, acted impulsively or had a knee jerk reaction to something? Was it a positive experience? Was it connected to any other emotions? Did you understand why you or they had this response? If you played the moment over again like in a video, would they behave or react in the same way?
  • Invite volunteers to share these stories or to draw them if appropriate.

As our set has to fit into every space we visit, it needs to be adaptable, make a big impact and also fit into the back of a van. It also must help make the story clear in terms of plot, character and location. There are many design decisions that needed to be made. These included:

  • Establishing two different families in two different colours.
  • Creating movable blocks, so the characters are literally carrying and building their own future, creating and changing the world around them.
  • Designing a larger multi-use piece of set to represent a door, chapel, bed, tomb and even the balcony. An adaptable piece like this helps to keep the audience surprised and engaged as it changes function before their eyes.
  • Cubes that open up and contain props for easy access. One cube has the sword stuck into it so the weapon is always visible and accessible. This cube also opens to reveal the portion and poison.
  • Each school will be asked to create one aspect of the set, from table cloths to flower curtains. This will feature in the performance so their creativity is literally part of the show.

ACTIVITY 8: Magic Time Switch

“Adults can feel a decision is helping but it’s just escalating a lot more problems. The Friar falls into the trap of trying to do everything quickly to make things work. I’m hoping this productions also speaks to teachers who can often assume they are making the right decisions for young people, that they really understand and connect when they're still missing the mark.”

This writing activity, in 2 parts, allows students to explore a more positive ending to the play. The first part allows them to examine bad advice given by people we love and trust. The second part gives them an opportunity to use love and forgiveness to repair the relationships between the younger and older characters. (You will need Resource I: ‘The Friar’, pens, paper and a whiteboard.)

PART A ) THE FRIAR’S ADVICE

  • Organise your students into a large circle and hand out copies of Resource I. Briefly explain the context: Romeo has been banished after killing Tybalt and Juliet is being forced to marry Paris, a man she doesn’t love. In desperation, she ran to the Friar for advice and help.
  •   Ask the group to read out the scene, taking a line each, including stage directions. When finished, discuss what they know about what happens next: Juliet drinks the potion, the Friar’s letter doesn’t reach Romeo who thinks she’s dead and kills himself. Juliet wakes, sees his body and kills herself. The exact opposite of that they wanted happens. Why? Who is responsible for this?
  • He helps Romeo and Juliet marry secretly
  • He gives Juliet a sleeping potion to trick her parents into thinking she’s dead
  • He tells Juliet’s grieving parents to move her ‘body’ to the family tomb
  • He fails to get his letter, explaining the plan, to Romeo
  • Does the Friars advice really help? Why do Romeo and Juliet trust the Friar so much? How do we feel when an adult we love and trust gives us bad advice?
  •   Now ask the group to imagine they are the Friar. Tell them they each have a magic time switch and can rewind the play to the stage direction: ‘A plan in his head, he begins searching for something.’
  • To speak to her parents
  • To help her escape from Verona
  • To hide her for a while
  • To find another wife for Paris
  • List these ideas on a whiteboard and take a vote for the favourite. The chosen idea will now create a better ending in Part B) below.

PART B) Advice from the young

“I’m interested in indoctrination. L earned behaviours can indoctrinate young people, such as political ideologies and prejudices. Informed information from adults, parents and influencers in popular culture like Andrew Tate can have a lot of power over young people. I want to highlight how adults really need to be careful with that.

  • Organise your students into pairs and hand out paper and pens. Explain that thanks to their vote and the Friar’s magic time switch, Romeo and Juliet have survived the play, have escaped and are living happily married away from Verona and all the fighting.
  • The family feud
  • Their love for each other
  • What they wish for their family in the future
  • Give the pairs 5 minutes to discuss how Romeo or Juliet feels about these 3 things and what they want to say about them to their parents.
  • Some prompt questions: Will they try to explain their actions? Will they talk about how the feud and the violence affected them? Will they give their parents any advice for the future? Will they reassure them about their love for each other? Offer any forgiveness?
  •   When the letters are finished, ask one pair to swap letters with another pair and say the following words: ‘This is a letter from your lost son, Romeo’ or ‘This is letter for your lost daughter, Juliet.'
  • Invite the new pair to imagine they are either Romeo or Juliet’s parents receiving the letter and to read the letter they have received out loud. They can take turns reading lines or one of them can read it out to the other.
  • When the letter has been read, ask the pair how they feel as the parents, receiving this letter and what they think about it. Invite other pairs to swap letters and repeat the exercise.
  • When they have all been read, compare the contents of all the letters. Were there any common points? Did the letters contain any emotion? Guilt or blame? Were they positive or negative? What was it like for an adult getting advice or forgiveness from a child?
  •   Discuss again, the meaning of the word ‘tragedy’: Something that is unstoppable? Something that cannot be undone or corrected?
  • What makes Romeo and Juliet a tragedy and not just a love story? What is Shakespeare trying to tell us by making a love story so tragic? Can we learn something from this play that was written 400 years ago?
  • What could we add to this play to make it mean even more to young people or adults today?

Resource PDFs

These printable PDFs can be used in the classroom to support the activities on this page.

  • Resource A: News Flash (Edited)
  • Resource B: Words as Weapons  
  • Resource C: Opening Fight (Edited)
  • Resource D: The Prince, Act 1, Scene 1 (Edited)  
  • Resource E: The Fight (Edited)
  • Resource F: Character Profile (Edited)
  • Resource G: The Capulets, Act 3, Scene 5 (Edited)
  • Resource H: Romeo and Juliet Gallery
  • Resource I: The Friar (Edited)

Download a PDF version of this Teacher Pack in full: Romeo and Juliet Teacher Pack 2024

  • Rehearsal Room Approaches to Shakespeare
  • Activity Toolkits
  • Tales From Shakespeare Resources
  • Interactive Learning Resources
  • Teaching Shakespeare
  • Matilda The Musical Resources
  • Shakespeare Lives in Schools
  • RSC School Shakespeare

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romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

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romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

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  • Writing Transitions Lesson
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Writing Activity for Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and juliet writing activities: updating a scene.

Why dost thou read this here teaser fair lad?  Now click here and fasten thine eyes on one of my drama lesson plans that involveth rewriting a scene from Romeo and Juliet .

A Job Interview Gone Bad

The interview was going badly. Mr. Dreamcrusher at Nofunded High School refused to laugh, not even when I told him about the time I let students pelt each other with paper clips every time they mispronounced Antigone . I had nothing to lose. I stretched and removed the Romeo and Juliet writing activities, my drama lesson plans, and how to write a scene with updates lesson I had stored in my underwear. I waved them in his face and shouted, “Listen here Mr. Dreamcrusher. I have in my hands the William Shakespeare of Romeo and Juliet writing activities. My favorite includes updating and writing a scene, and I won’t show you this or any other of my drama lesson plans or Romeo and Juliet writing activities unless you hire me!”

Mr. Dreamcrusher has still not seen my drama lesson plans. I will share the one that involves updating a scene in Romeo and Juliet with you.

Writing Assignment

Romeo and Juliet Lesson Plans

Click the pic and check out the 8-12 week Romeo and Juliet unit plan and teaching guide.

Rewrite a scene from Romeo and Juliet . Update it to modern times. Change the location.

  • Prewriting – Look back over the play and select a scene full of action and emotion.
  • Prewriting – Think about potential settings for the updated scenes. When brainstorming, write down any possibility, no matter how ridiculous. Some good possibilities are the duel between Mercutio and Tybalt, the meeting of Romeo and Juliet, the balcony scene, the suicide scene.
  • Drafting – Change the language. This includes grammar, speech, vocabulary, and even names.
  • Drafting – Don’t forget stage directions (it is a play, after all). Adding stage directions allows the writer to more clearly convey the scene.
  • Revising – Analyze character motivation. Make sure your characters’ motivations are consistent with their actions. Pay special attention to dialogue.
  • Revising – Make sure the language reflects a modern setting.
  • Revising – Look at stage directions as a means to dramatize the action.
  • Revising – Make sure the characters are still recognizable as Shakespeare intended them.

ELA Common Core Standards Covered

This writing activity satisfies the following Common Core Standards. W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. W.9-10.4  Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in W.9-10.1-3.) W.9-10.5   Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of L.9-10.1-3.) RL.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). L.9-10.1b   Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. L.9-10.2   Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. L.9-10.2b   Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. L.9-10.2c   Spell correctly. Knowledge of Language L.9-10.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. L.9-10.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9-10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. L.9-10.4b Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy). L.9-10.5   Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. L.9-10.5a  Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text. L.9-10.5b   Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. L.9-10.6 Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Romeo and Juliet Lesson Plans

Students will respond positively to Romeo and Juliet if they are engaged.

  • Strategies for Analyzing Shakespeare
  • Romeo and Juliet Cause and Effect Lesson Plan
  • Teaching Characterization with Romeo and Juliet
  • Romeo and Juliet Shields
  • Character Interview
  • Romeo and Juliet Writing Activity
  • Romeo and Juliet Irony Lesson Plan

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Romeo and Juliet Unit -Lesson Plans, Activities, Answer Key, Digital Copy

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romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

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ROMEO AND JULIET UNIT (Revised)

Introducing the ultimate resource for teaching Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, "Romeo and Juliet"! Our Romeo and Juliet Unit is a comprehensive and highly engaging package designed to captivate your students' interest while delving deep into the themes, language, and characters of this iconic play. As an educator, I understand the importance of flexibility, which is why this unit is completely editable in both Word and Google Docs versions , allowing you to personalize it according to your teaching style and classroom needs.

Inside this all-inclusive unit, you will find a treasure trove of educational materials to enhance your instruction and promote student comprehension. The Comprehensive Teacher Guide serves as your roadmap, guiding you through 15 thoughtfully crafted lessons that cover all aspects of the play. Each lesson is meticulously designed to maximize student engagement and foster a deep understanding of the text.

Unlock the magic and timeless beauty of "Romeo and Juliet" with our comprehensive and flexible unit. Allow your students to embark on a journey of discovery as they explore the complexities of love, fate, and tragedy in Shakespeare's masterwork

The unit is completely editable in both Word and Google Docs versions.

The Romeo and Juliet Unit includes the following:

❒ A Comprehensive Teacher Guide that includes 15 lessons

❒ Questions for all Acts

❒ Characterization Activity

❒ Euphemism Activity

❒ A visual family tree to help students keep track of the characters

❒ A figurative language and dramatic techniques activity

❒ An activity on irony in the play

❒ Various journal activities to help students engage and relate to the play

❒ A PowerPoint or Slides presentation on irony (and the various kinds)

❒ A characterization activity comparing Lady Capulet and Juliet’s Nurse

❒ A creative writing activity where students are invited to use Shakespeare’s euphemisms

❒ An activity on the themes in the play

❒ An activity defining love to understand the themes in the play further

The evaluations included are:

❒ A quiz on Acts 1&2

❒ A creative activity on irony

❒ The final evaluation consists of two different options: 

-The first is writing a children’s story on one of the themes in the play (Work process pages and evaluation grid are included)

-The second is a literary essay (Work process and outline pages are included, an evaluation grid is included, and an outline and essay sample are included.)

All materials have an answer key in Word and Google Docs formats.

The unit also includes some creative aspects to engage students further and reinforce learning.

❒ A Guess Who? Style game to help students become familiar with the characters in the play and to trace their development and changes.

❒ A digital escape room introducing Shakespeare’s play, language, style, historical context, etc.  This is a great way to introduce the play.

❒ A scavenger hunt (paper version - PDF) 

Romeo and Juliet image credit: Adobe Stock

You might also be interested in the following products:

❒ Frankenstein Bundle

❒ Colons and Semicolons Breakout Room (Digital Activity)

❒ Poetry Unit for Senior Students

❒ Much Ado About Nothing No Prep Unit

❒ Literature Circles for Senior Students

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Romeo & Juliet: List of Homework Task Ideas

Romeo & Juliet: List of Homework Task Ideas

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Temperance

Last updated

7 February 2015

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Great resource and wonderful ideas for engaging pupils with SEN ...thank you

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IMAGES

  1. Romeo and Juliet Creative Writing Assignment by Learning in Mrs Larsen

    romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

  2. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Creative Writing Prompts

    romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

  3. Romeo and Juliet: Ten Creative Writing Prompts

    romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

  4. Romeo and Juliet Writing Tasks and Assignments for the Entire Play

    romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

  5. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare, Collaborative Poster, Writing

    romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

  6. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare, Collaborative Poster, Writing

    romeo and juliet creative writing tasks

VIDEO

  1. English 9 Romeo and Juliet Creative Adaptation: 3.1

  2. Romeo and Juliet Creative Final

  3. Romeo & Juliet Comic Skit

  4. Romeo and Juliet Montagues and Capulets

  5. Unlock Your Creativity: Three Writing Exercises from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way

  6. Brainstorming in IELTS Writing, how to generate ideas in Task 2

COMMENTS

  1. 10 Activities for Teaching Romeo and Juliet

    Here are 10 activities for teaching Romeo and Juliet. 1. Relatable Bell Ringers. If you're going to focus on a Shakespeare play, you must go all in. Immersing students into a unit from start to finish is such a perfect way to help students understand a topic in-depth. Start off each class with these Shakespeare Bell Ringers.

  2. 1001 Writing Prompts About Romeo and Juliet

    Juliet is the genius of the family, Romeo is the famous artist, who sends his paintings to museums. One painting in particular, raises eyebrows so Juliet flees her own father and turns to Romeo. Romeo accompanies her to a secret town where discoveries about possibly about her family are made. Write a very short story!

  3. Romeo and Juliet Activities, Teaching Ideas, and Lessons

    Romeo and Juliet Events in Order: Act I: The Montagues and Capulets' age-old feud erupts into violence, setting the stage for the star-crossed lovers' meeting. Act II: Romeo and Juliet exchange vows of love, and Friar Laurence agrees to marry them in secret. Act III: A violent and unexpected turn leaves the couple desperate and Friar ...

  4. Romeo And Juliet: Imaginative Response Writing Task

    This bundle contains a series of resources designed to be used when preparing pupils for the OCR Entry Level English qualification. The units can be taught with the classic texts 'Of Mice and Men' and 'Romeo and Juliet'. However, they are also great stand alone activities on a variety of topics and themes.

  5. PDF Romeo and Juliet Paragraph Writing Prompts

    Write this as an explanatory response. Romeo and Juliet Paragraph Writing Prompts Act V. Choose one of the following prompts and write a paragraph in response. Each entry must be a fully developed paragraph of 5-12 sentences including topic sentences and support. You do not need to hand in a rough copy, but your ideas should be clearly ...

  6. WRITING TO DESCRIBE Inspired by ROMEO and JULIET Descriptive Writing

    You don't have to have done Romeo and Juliet, but my using the picture of Juliet in the crypt meant that it served as a little revision exercise too. Similarly, the lesson makes reference to a piece of descriptive writing the class had completed on Frankenstein - you can easily alter this to refer back to something you have done.

  7. Romeo and Juliet Writing Prompts

    Romeo and Juliet is one of the world's famous love stories, but its fame developed more from its tragedy than romance. These prompts are designed to make you think about how and why Shakespeare represented love in his play. To help your class, you might want to add some Twinkl resources to your star-crossed lovers' lesson.

  8. Romeo and Juliet creative writing tasks bundle

    Romeo and Juliet: empathetic writing task: write a diary from Juliet's viewpoint Romeo's letter to Friar: empathetic creative task, full worksheet Guide for writing in an empathetic style - customised to Romeo &Juliet but adaptable for all plays Romeo and Juliet: detailed task sheet for an empathetic writing letter task

  9. Romeo and Juliet

    It contains 15 different tasks including work on comprehension, vocabulary, persuasive writing, creative writing, figurative language, imagery and much more. Resources are provided both as a computer friendly presentatio. 15. Products. $2.00 $46.90 Save $44.90. View Bundle. Romeo and Juliet - Intro and Summary Bundle.

  10. Romeo and Juliet Writing Prompts

    Romeo and Juliet is one of the world's famous love stories, but its fame developed more from its tragedy than romance. These prompts are designed to make you think about how and why Shakespeare represented love in his play. To help your class, you might want to add some Twinkl resources to your star-crossed lovers' lesson.

  11. 6 Creative Ideas for Teaching Romeo and Juliet

    1. Provoke Discussion & Debate. One of the first activities I do is a Pre-Reading Graphic Organizer which is sure to get your students debating some of the topics and themes that come up in the play. The questions on the organizer are thought-provoking and generate some fantastic discussions with my students.

  12. Romeo and Juliet Creative writing Act Two Scene 2

    Description. A Creative writing lesson based on Act Two, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet. The lesson was taught to a less able year 8 group, but could be slightly adapted for key stage 4. We have read the scene and watched a few different versions of it. The aim is to rewrite the scene in an exciting new setting in modern prose, including dialogue ...

  13. PDF ENG 3U1 Romeo and Juliet: Creative Writing Assignment Choose one of the

    Choose one of the following and write a minimum of 500 words: Write the newspaper account of the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt and Romeo's retaliation. Write a journal entry for Juliet on her wedding night. Write the eulogies (a tribute given to someone upon his/her death) for both Romeo and Juliet. Write a letter from the Nurse to her ...

  14. 13 easy, engaging lessons for Romeo and Juliet

    4. Learn about the characters using body biographies. These body biographies by Danielle Knight of Study All Knight are another great lesson for Romeo and Juliet. In the activity, students analyze characters from the play in an engaging way. In completing the projects, students have to: find direct quotes.

  15. Romeo and Juliet writing tasks

    Romeo and Juliet. This resource offers a selection of writing tasks for students to complete, based on key events from Romeo and Juliet. The resource asks them to write either a front-page newspaper article describing a fight between the Montagues and Capulets, an article for a magazine covering the Capulet party or obituaries for Mercutio and ...

  16. Romeo & Juliet Writing Games & Activities

    pdf, 6.82 MB. These 15 fun writing games and activities will foster a creative approach to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and also keep your students happy and engaged during even dire emergencies, such as Friday afternoons. The found poetry, one pager, and dice roll story will occupy a considerable portion of three classes, and a simple ...

  17. Romeo and Juliet Pack 2024

    The activities provided in this pack are specifically designed to support primary students attending the performance and studying Romeo and Juliet in school but all activities can be adapted for learners of different ages and abilities. These activities aim to help students explore some important features of the text and production using the RSC's rehearsal processes.

  18. Writing Activity for Romeo and Juliet

    This writing activity satisfies the following Common Core Standards. W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. W.9-10.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to ...

  19. Romeo and Juliet Writing Tasks and Assignments for the Entire Play

    - 1 creative writing task. This resource is included in a bundle: Ultimate Romeo and Juliet Differentiation Bundle. Other "Romeo and Juliet" differentiated products that might interest you: Making Sense of Blank Verse and Iambic Pentameter. Romeo and Juliet Vocabulary Words, Activities and Quizzes Bundle. Romeo and Juliet Argumentative Essay ...

  20. PDF Romeo and Juliet : Traditional Homework tasks

    Finish their paragraph presenting two views and using evidence to support your views. 19. Revision: Make sure that your tragedy resource is fully completed. Begin revising the key components of tragedy for your assessment. Writing: Shakespeare made Romeo and Juliet kiss each other on their first and last meeting.

  21. Romeo and Juliet: detailed task sheet for an empathetic writing ...

    Romeo and Juliet empathetic student responses bundle. Varied set of resources including: 1) A guide to what empathetic writing is, with lots of clear slides showing how to plan the task, write convincingly and in the right style. 2) Thorough 'Write a diary for Juliet' worksheet 3) Anonymous marked sample student response to this task to give ...

  22. Romeo and Juliet Creative Task II

    A Romeo and Juliet Creative Writing and Comprehension Task to inspire your students and make the play relatable. Let them imagine themselves as part of the story!Can be used to introduce the play to your students after using The Prologue as pre-reading.

  23. Romeo and Juliet Unit -Lesson Plans, Activities, Answer Key ...

    Various journal activities to help students engage and relate to the play A PowerPoint or Slides presentation on irony (and the various kinds) A characterization activity comparing Lady Capulet and Juliet's Nurse A creative writing activity where students are invited to use Shakespeare's euphemisms

  24. Romeo & Juliet: List of Homework Task Ideas

    Age range: 11-14. Resource type: Worksheet/Activity. File previews. doc, 40 KB. Printable handout worksheet including a list of homework tasks to cover a whole half term of Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare. Could be used as it is, with dates adapted, or just used as an ideas sheet to inspire your own homework setting.