William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
Lesson plans and other teaching resources

60-Second Shakespeare
On this page, a quick summary of the play in tabloid style from the BBC. Follow links to learn how your students can produce something similar.

The Adder and the Ladder: Figurative Language as Persuasion in Julius Caesar
"Students will read, speak, and analyze Brutus's soliloquy of 2.1.10-36, where he uses figurative language to associate ambition (the "ladder") and poison (the "adder.") In doing so, they will gain a deeper understanding of Brutus as a character and, perhaps, a new sense of skepticism about persuasive language and oratory."

Cutting Antony's speeches: "I am meek and gentle with these butchers".
Students analyze Marc Antony's "scheming brilliance" in his speeches in the second half of Act III, scene i. Students will cut the speech in order to identify the main idea. Then they perform the speech chorally. Scroll down on the page to find links to handouts.

Following the Blood
After reading Act III, scene i, "students will understand Mark Antony's mastery of manipulation by looking at how he manages stage direction and tableau, audience, and props in the assassination scene. ... [S]tudents will understand that though dialogue-driven, this powerful scene depends on a series of still images to achieve its full impact."

Julius Caesar
Scroll down on the page to find introduction, daily outline, study guide questions for each act, and related activities.

Julius Caesar
Links to the play and a variety of resources related to both the Roman and Elizabethan eras.

Julius Caesar
Summary, theme openers, cross curricular activities, research assignments, with a theme of the breakdown of authority.

Julius Caesar
Extensive plot summary. Scroll down for themes, study questions, essay topics, more.

Julius Caesar
Act-by-act study guides, related links.

Julius Caesar
This 14-page document addresses 59 vocabulary words drawn from the play. Adobe Reader or compatible application required for access.

Julius Caesar
Extensive post-reading activities.

Julius Caesar
This 33-page document includes extensive summary and 4 lessons:

• Historical setting and characters
• Political mood and dramatic tension
• Idealism vs. pragmatism -- what makes a political leader?
• Where is the tragedy?

Julius Caesar Unit
Rich with content, this page includes a layout of the Globe Theatre and several handouts: reading questions, literary analysis questions, vocabulary, quotations, and elements of Shakespearean tragedy. The handouts require Ms-Word or compatible application for access.

Plutarch's Caesar
Translated by Dryden.

The Secret life of Minor Characters
Having students think about and flesh out the motivations of minor characters provides them with critical thinking and analytical skills that can be applied to other works of literature-not just Shakespeare.

Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: A Paraphrase
An act-by-act paraphrase of the play and a set of links related to both the play and the historical figure.

Solioquies Buster
This strategy helps students deal with a soliloquy. Includes a handout; Adobe Reader or compatible application required for the handout.

Teacher's Guide to Julius Caesar
Overview, study questions, writing prompts, and more. Requires Adobe Reader or compatible application for access.

The Tragedy of ?
This lesson allows students to examine the term "tragedy". It guides students to scrutinize each of the plays' characters and eventually leads them to discover what makes a character tragic.

Unlocking Soliloquies and Unleashing "the Dogs of War"
Students focus on Mark Antony's funeral soliloquy, talking through it to understand its patterns.

Vocabulary from Julius Caesar
This page offers 84 words and phrases to help build student comprehension.

www.Caesar
Students use an online concordance to explore patterns of imagery.