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Much Ado About Nothing- Introductory Escape Room

Davis, Paige

Created on March 9, 2023

An introduction to Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Focuses on iambic pentameter, language, themes, character relationships, and plot structure.

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Transcript

Much Ado About Nothing

INTRODUCTORY Escape Room

DASHBOARD

Act 2: Shakespeare's Language

Act 1: Iambic Pentameter

Act 3: Themes

Act 4: Character Relationships

Act 5: Plot Structure

NEXT

NEXT

ACT 1

IAMBIC PENTAMETER

Iambic pentameter describes the rhythm Shakespeare uses in his poetry and plays.Iamb(ic) = short syllable (da) + long syllable (DUM) Pentameter = 5 pairs of "iambs" Explore some of these resources to understand how Shakespeare and other poets & songwriters use this poetic meter. Take some notes and look for examples to help you identify the rhythm of iambic pentameter.

A basic introduction to why Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter. (~5 min)

A group of actors practice beating the rhythm of some Shakespearean lines in iambic pentameter. (~5 min)

A songwriter connects Shakespeare to the rhythm in hip-hop and rap. (~20 min)

RESOURCES

ACT 1

QUESTION 1 OF 3

Let's warm up. Which of these examples from Taylor Swift's "Shake it Off" is in iambic pentameter?

"I stay out too lateGot nothing on my brain"

"But I keep cruising Can’t stop, won’t stop grooving"

"It’s like I got this music in my mind"

ACT 1

NEXT

"It’s like I got this music in my mind"

RESOURCES

ACT 1

QUESTION 2 OF 3

Way to go! What about these other examples from song lyrics? Which is in iambic pentameter?

"I'm the hottest in the street, know you prolly heard of me."

"So come on let it go, just let it be"

"I got hustle though, ambition flow inside my D-N-A"

ACT 1

NEXT

"So come on let it go, just let it be"

RESOURCES

ACT 1

QUESTION 3 OF 3

And a challenge for the final question.Which of these poetry examples is in iambic pentameter?

"Give not this rotten orange to your friend"

"Tell me not in mournful numbers"

"And the sound of a voice that is still"

ACT 1

NEXT

"Give not this rotten orange to your friend"

DASHBOARD

Act 2: Shakespeare's Language

Act 1: Iambic Pentameter

Act 3: Themes

Act 4: Character Relationships

Act 5: Plot Structure

ACT 2

PREVIOUS

SHAKESPEARE'S LANGUAGE

Shakespeare's language and vocabulary can be a bit overwhelming for modern readers and audiences. Watch this video of this comedian retelling the fable of the Three Little Pigs using Shakespearean-style language. As you watch, make a list of the words he uses in place of "house" and "pig." (Don't worry about spelling words you don't know incorrectly.)

NEXT

There will be an opportunity to share your creations with the class after everyone has finished the escape room.

ACT 2

PREVIOUS

SHAKESPEARE'S LANGUAGECHOOSE ONE

Retell a Story

  1. Pick a common fable, fairy tale, or movie you (and your group members) know well. (Spend no more than 1 min on this step.)
  2. Pick 3 keywords that will show up multiple times within a retelling of that story
  3. Develop a list of at least 5 synonyms for those 3 keywords. (You may use the internet for this step.)
  4. Develop a 1-2 minute retelling of your story without repeating any use of the keywords; you can ONLY use synonyms from your list.
Share your story with the teacher.

Hurling Insults Prepare for an Insult Face-off!

  1. Use the Insult Generators to develop 10+ insults ➡️
  2. For your top 5 insults, explain what the language of the means and why it is an insult. (You may use the internet for this step.)
Share your insults and explanations with the teacher.

NEXT

DASHBOARD

Act 2: Shakespeare's Language

Act 1: Iambic Pentameter

Act 3: Themes

Act 4: Character Relationships

Act 5: Plot Structure

NEXT

ACT 3

PREVIOUS

THEMES IN MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

We tell stories to share lessons we've learned about life. For each of the themes on the anticipation guide page, circle the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement. On the back is a space for us to revisit each statement after we've read/watched the play. We'll have a class discussion about how these themes show up in the play. Be ready to discuss your thoughts on a few statements with the teacher.

NEXT

DASHBOARD

Act 2: Shakespeare's Language

Act 1: Iambic Pentameter

Act 3: Themes

Act 4: Character Relationships

Act 5: Plot Structure

NEXT

ACT 4

PREVIOUS

CHARACTER BIOGRAPHIES & RELATIONSHIPS

This is a play all about character relationships. Use the link to fill out your character map & one-line biographies (starred row⭐) on key characters. These will help you keep track of the characters as we read/watch them.

  • Note that there is a family tree AND a chain of command on your paper. Look for the key relationships that link the two.
  • Click on each character face to see a list of characteristics and quotes by and about each character.
When you're done, show the teacher.

NEXT

DASHBOARD

Act 2: Shakespeare's Language

Act 1: Iambic Pentameter

Act 3: Themes

Act 4: Character Relationships

Act 5: Plot Structure

NEXT

ACT 5

PREVIOUS

PLOT STRUCTURE

  1. Shakespeare's 5-act plays often follow Freytag's Pyramid structure. Click on the image to learn more about each part of the pyramid. Write a 1-sentence description summarizing each part of the pyramid at the top of each box.

NEXT

Click to learn more!

Click to take a closer look!

ACT 5

PREVIOUS

PLOT STRUCTURE

  1. To better understand the play, take a preview of the top 10 events using the link to the right. In a different color, add these 10 events to the pyramid, fitting them to each component appropriately.
  2. When you're done, show the teacher.

Click to take a closer look!

NEXT

DASHBOARD

Act 2: Shakespeare's Language

Act 1: Iambic Pentameter

Act 3: Themes

Act 4: Character Relationships

Act 5: Plot Structure

FINISHED?

Congratulations!All difficulties are easy when they are known.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEAREMEASURE FOR MEASURE

Oops! Try again.I say there is no darkness but ignorance.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARETWELFTH NIGHT