Julius Caesar • 2013 - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

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Circle Storytelling
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
This is a good refresher after you’ve read the play and are about to start discussing it. Stand in a circle and
choose a leader from among your classmates. The leader begins the plot of Julius Caesar from the beginning,
and describes the action of the play in detail until he either can’t think of what comes next or she has named three
plot points (whichever comes first!). The story passes to the right, and each person adds the next few actions.
You can use the act-by-act synopsis in this handbook as a reference. Continue around the circle until you have
told the whole story. CONSIDER COMMON CORE ANCHOR STANDARDS R2, SL4
The Ball’s in Your Court
Ask the class to think of a few trivia questions about Julius Caesar. Come up with questions like: “What are the
names of the members of the Triumvirate?” and “What finally convinces Brutus to join the conspirators?” Choose
a leader to stand in the middle of a circle, with the rest of the class standing around him/her, passing a small
ball around in clockwise direction. When the leader says, “Stop,” the person who has the ball has to answer the
leader’s question about the play before the ball makes it back around the circle. If you don’t answer the question
correctly by the time the ball makes its way around the circle, you take the leader’s place inside the circle—and
start thinking of questions! Hint: It’s helpful to write down a list of them beforehand! CONSIDER COMMON CORE
ANCHOR STANDARDS R1, R7
68 Charades
Each person writes down a single event from the play on a note card. Separate into two large teams and
combine your event cards with the others on your side. One person from Team A will start with a card made
by the opposite team, such as “Calphurnia pleads for Caesar to stay home.” That person has to act out the
event without speaking until his team guesses correctly. Then it’s Team B’s turn. Each person get two minutes
to act out an event and the team scores one point for each correct answer. CONSIDER COMMON CORE
ANCHOR STANDARDS R3, SL2
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Recorded Reactions
To the teacher: Begin class with brief clips from movies or TV shows to stimulate class discussion. A number
of Julius Caesar productions are available (see sidebar to “Performance History”). But don’t limit yourself! For
example, you could show battle scenes from Braveheart or Saving Private Ryan and discuss the characters’ reactions
to war. Or look for movies depicting assassination, mob violence, or riots. Tape a current news program. Ask
your students to come in with clips they think connect—great for compare-and-contrast discussions. CONSIDER
COMMON CORE ANCHOR STANDARDS R7, R9, SL2
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