SHAKESPEARE CHOICE BOARD
Pick a play to read about, and then choose how you want to demonstrate your knowledge!
Start
PICK A PLAY TO READ ABOUT:
HAMLET
macbeth
THE TEMPEST
As you like it
Hamlet is the prince of Denmark, who must figure out of the ghost of his father is telling the truth--that he was murdered.
A Scottish lord hears a prophecy from three witches that he'll be the next king--if he can get rid of everyone in front of him in line for the throne.
Prospero rules over a magical island, and gets the chance to get some revenge on the people who sent him there.
Rosalind, like Viola, takes on the disguise of a man in the forest of Arden.
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AS YOU LIKE IT
As You Like It by William Shakespeare is about a girl named Rosalind whose uncle takes over the kingdom and sends her away. Rosalind runs away to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia and the funny court jester, Touchstone. For safety, Rosalind dresses up like a boy and calls herself Ganymede. In the forest, they find Rosalind’s father, who was also forced to leave. They also meet Orlando, a young man who is in love with Rosalind—but he doesn’t know that Ganymede is really her in disguise. While pretending to be Ganymede, Rosalind teases Orlando and helps him practice how to be a better boyfriend. Other characters in the forest are also dealing with love problems, including a shepherd named Silvius who loves someone who doesn’t love him back. In the end, Rosalind reveals who she really is, people forgive each other, and several couples get married. The story shows that love can be confusing, but it can also bring people together.
MACBETH
Macbeth by William Shakespeare is about a brave Scottish soldier named Macbeth who hears a strange prophecy from three witches. They tell him he will one day become king. After hearing this, Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, begin to think about how to make the prophecy come true. Lady Macbeth pushes him to kill King Duncan while he is visiting their home. Macbeth does it, and he becomes king—but he feels guilty and afraid that others will discover what he has done. As king, Macbeth grows more paranoid and makes more violent choices to protect his power. He has his friend Banquo killed because he fears another prophecy that says Banquo’s children will be kings. Macbeth starts seeing visions and losing control, while Lady Macbeth is filled with guilt and begins sleepwalking. In the end, other Scottish nobles rise up against Macbeth. He is killed in battle, and Duncan’s son becomes king. The play shows how ambition and greed can lead to guilt, fear, and destruction.
THE TEMPEST
The Tempest by William Shakespeare is about a man named Prospero, who used to be the Duke of Milan. His brother betrayed him and sent him away on a boat with his young daughter, Miranda. They survive and live for many years on a magical island. Prospero learns to use magic and controls a spirit named Ariel. At the beginning of the play, Prospero creates a huge storm (a “tempest”) that shipwrecks his enemies on the island so he can face them again. On the island, Miranda meets Ferdinand, the son of the king, and they quickly fall in love. Prospero tests Ferdinand to make sure he is worthy of Miranda. Meanwhile, some of the shipwrecked men argue and even plan to take power for themselves. In the end, Prospero chooses forgiveness instead of revenge. He gives up his magic, forgives his brother, and prepares to return home. The play explores themes of forgiveness, power, and new beginnings.
HAMLET
Hamlet by William Shakespeare is about a prince named Hamlet whose father, the king of Denmark, has died. Soon after, Hamlet’s mother marries his uncle Claudius, who becomes the new king. One night, Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, who says that Claudius murdered him. The ghost tells Hamlet to get revenge. Hamlet is shocked and upset, and he decides to pretend to be crazy while he tries to figure out if the ghost is telling the truth. As Hamlet plans his revenge, he begins to act strangely and pushes away people who care about him, including Ophelia. He sets up a play to test whether Claudius feels guilty, and Claudius’s reaction shows that he is guilty. However, Hamlet hesitates too long to act. This leads to several tragic deaths, including Ophelia, her father Polonius, and eventually Hamlet himself. In the end, almost the entire royal family is dead, and a new leader takes control of Denmark. The play shows how anger, revenge, and indecision can lead to disaster.
HAMLET FACTS
- Hamlet is based on the story of a real prince of Denmark named Amleth, whose uncle really did kill the king and marry the queen.
- In the 19th century, the scene of Hamlet attempting to kill his uncle for the first time was often cut, to make Hamlet seem like more of a hero.
- There's a scene in Hamlet where Hamlet picks up the skull of Yorrick, a former court jester. Productions often used a real skull for this scene.
- The first recorded performance of Hamlet was on July 26, 1602.
THE TEMPEST FACTS
- We don't know when the first recorded performance of The Tempest was--it might have been 1610, to celebrate the opening of a new indoor playhouse. Many people think Shakespeare wrote this play's magical scenes with an indoor playhouse in mind.
- The story of this play is completely original. There were many stories of shipwrecks on islands, and sailors often claimed to have seen magic there, as well as creatures and people they didn't understand.
- The Tempest is one of the last plays that Shakespeare ever wrote.
MACBETH FACTS
- Shakespeare based the story on a real King Macbeth, and an illustration of three witches he saw in a history book.
- Many people think this play was specifically written to please King James, whose mother had been queen of Scotland. King James was also famous for holding many witch trials.
- Some actors think it's bad luck to mention the name of this play in a theater--they often refer to it as only "The Scottish Play".
AS YOU LIKE IT FACTS
- Shakespeare probably got the story for this play from a poem called "Rosalynde".
- There are more songs in this play than in any of Shakespare's other plays.
- Rosalind has more lnes than any other female character in any of Shakespeare's plays.
- The forest where the play takes place is a real forest, in Warwickshire, England. Shakespeare made it "fantasy" by adding palm trees and lions.
SHAKESPEARE CHOICE BOARD
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Created on February 17, 2026
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Transcript
SHAKESPEARE CHOICE BOARD
Pick a play to read about, and then choose how you want to demonstrate your knowledge!
Start
PICK A PLAY TO READ ABOUT:
HAMLET
macbeth
THE TEMPEST
As you like it
Hamlet is the prince of Denmark, who must figure out of the ghost of his father is telling the truth--that he was murdered.
A Scottish lord hears a prophecy from three witches that he'll be the next king--if he can get rid of everyone in front of him in line for the throne.
Prospero rules over a magical island, and gets the chance to get some revenge on the people who sent him there.
Rosalind, like Viola, takes on the disguise of a man in the forest of Arden.
+ info
+ info
+ info
+ info
AS YOU LIKE IT
As You Like It by William Shakespeare is about a girl named Rosalind whose uncle takes over the kingdom and sends her away. Rosalind runs away to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia and the funny court jester, Touchstone. For safety, Rosalind dresses up like a boy and calls herself Ganymede. In the forest, they find Rosalind’s father, who was also forced to leave. They also meet Orlando, a young man who is in love with Rosalind—but he doesn’t know that Ganymede is really her in disguise. While pretending to be Ganymede, Rosalind teases Orlando and helps him practice how to be a better boyfriend. Other characters in the forest are also dealing with love problems, including a shepherd named Silvius who loves someone who doesn’t love him back. In the end, Rosalind reveals who she really is, people forgive each other, and several couples get married. The story shows that love can be confusing, but it can also bring people together.
MACBETH
Macbeth by William Shakespeare is about a brave Scottish soldier named Macbeth who hears a strange prophecy from three witches. They tell him he will one day become king. After hearing this, Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, begin to think about how to make the prophecy come true. Lady Macbeth pushes him to kill King Duncan while he is visiting their home. Macbeth does it, and he becomes king—but he feels guilty and afraid that others will discover what he has done. As king, Macbeth grows more paranoid and makes more violent choices to protect his power. He has his friend Banquo killed because he fears another prophecy that says Banquo’s children will be kings. Macbeth starts seeing visions and losing control, while Lady Macbeth is filled with guilt and begins sleepwalking. In the end, other Scottish nobles rise up against Macbeth. He is killed in battle, and Duncan’s son becomes king. The play shows how ambition and greed can lead to guilt, fear, and destruction.
THE TEMPEST
The Tempest by William Shakespeare is about a man named Prospero, who used to be the Duke of Milan. His brother betrayed him and sent him away on a boat with his young daughter, Miranda. They survive and live for many years on a magical island. Prospero learns to use magic and controls a spirit named Ariel. At the beginning of the play, Prospero creates a huge storm (a “tempest”) that shipwrecks his enemies on the island so he can face them again. On the island, Miranda meets Ferdinand, the son of the king, and they quickly fall in love. Prospero tests Ferdinand to make sure he is worthy of Miranda. Meanwhile, some of the shipwrecked men argue and even plan to take power for themselves. In the end, Prospero chooses forgiveness instead of revenge. He gives up his magic, forgives his brother, and prepares to return home. The play explores themes of forgiveness, power, and new beginnings.
HAMLET
Hamlet by William Shakespeare is about a prince named Hamlet whose father, the king of Denmark, has died. Soon after, Hamlet’s mother marries his uncle Claudius, who becomes the new king. One night, Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, who says that Claudius murdered him. The ghost tells Hamlet to get revenge. Hamlet is shocked and upset, and he decides to pretend to be crazy while he tries to figure out if the ghost is telling the truth. As Hamlet plans his revenge, he begins to act strangely and pushes away people who care about him, including Ophelia. He sets up a play to test whether Claudius feels guilty, and Claudius’s reaction shows that he is guilty. However, Hamlet hesitates too long to act. This leads to several tragic deaths, including Ophelia, her father Polonius, and eventually Hamlet himself. In the end, almost the entire royal family is dead, and a new leader takes control of Denmark. The play shows how anger, revenge, and indecision can lead to disaster.
HAMLET FACTS
THE TEMPEST FACTS
MACBETH FACTS
AS YOU LIKE IT FACTS