Let’s face it! Test Prep Season is coming in full force. For many, January is a time of setting goals, developing new hopes, and planning a fresh start. For teachers, however, it is a mad race to the standardized test prep finish line. I don’t know about you, but if your principals were anything like mine, they “encouraged” you to drop what you were doing and “teach the standards,” like you weren’t doing that before! I am a firm believer that you do not have to stop what you are doing, actually teaching children, in order to prepare students for state reading comprehension tests. You can use the literature you love! You and I can do both!! When most teachers are struggling with using boring standardized test prep materials, you CAN TEACH Romeo and Juliet and prepare for reading comprehension tests!
Why should we teach Romeo and Juliet in the midst of Test Prep Season?
Students deserve the best of who we are. We did not go into teaching to merely teach students to pass a standardized test! Unfortunately though, it has become our reality. During the fall, we can luxuriate in transcendentalist short stories. We can hum to the harmonies of romantic poetry. We can immerse ourselves into the novels we loved as teenagers. Then, we slide into the home base of Christmas Break. We catch our breath and, hopefully, enjoy the holiday season. After Christmas, we gradually start thinking about the spring. Suddenly, we realize that the standardized test is around the corner, looming, looking at us, daring us to face it. I should say tests, as most students take multiple tests at the end of the year; these are not one but multiple dragons to slay.
Thankfully, we have options. Most of my former principals were pragmatic. If my team and I could get the desired results, we could teach what and how we wanted. We still had to prepare students for the standardized reading comprehension tests, but we had the freedom to integrate that preparation into what we were teaching.
A Moment of Genius: How can I use what I love to teach and also help students succeed on standardized tests?
So begins the journey into teaching Romeo and Juliet. Why this play? It is a cornerstone in most 8th and 9th grade curriculum. Plus, teachers usually teach it in the spring, because Shakespeare is the most difficult part of the year.
Now, the play is not a classic because two highly dramatic teenagers meet, get married, and “die for love,” all in the span of a week. It is a classic because of its thematic connections to love, death, loyalty, hate, ignorance, family, religion, etc. We can all relate to it in some way. Additionally, the language itself is beautiful and difficult, forcing us to delve deep within ourselves to fully comprehend it.
4 Ways to Incorporate Test Prep in Teaching Romeo and Juliet
1. Use Standards-Based Reading Comprehension Questions instead of recall questions. Instead of asking “Who are the main characters in the play?” or “What is the resolution of the story?” how about asking “How does Shakespeare establish the characters at the beginning of the story?” OR “What theme is developed through the use of the conflict between the two families?” These higher level questions reflect the complexity on state standardized tests.
2. Use Standards-Based Reading Comprehension Answers that look like the standardized test they will face. Many state tests use multiple-choice answer options; however, they also many times use multi-select responses, HOT text answers, or 2 Part Questions/Answers. By varying the types of answers/questions on your tests or quizzes, you serve your students in preparing them for any standardized test.
Part A: What is Romeo’s tone in the following lines?
ROMEO
By a name I know not how to tell thee who I am: My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, Because it is an enemy to thee; Had I it written, I would tear the word.
A. Serene
B. Resolute
C. Confused
D. Apathetic
Part B: What 2 words from the lines above support
your answer to Part A?
“tear”
“name”
“word”
“hateful”
“myself”
“written”
3. Use Reading Passages with Test Questions that use a length similar to one on a standardized test. Ultimately, students will need to understand the basic ideas in any act of the play; however, a standardized test calls for a close reading of 1-3 pages. For example, you could use Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 1 or Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 2. By utilizing using shorter passages, your students may not feel as overwhelmed by an entire act or scene, but can read a portion and feel successful.
4. Use Short Response Questions that mirror what the standardized test requires. Ultimately, students need to be able to analyze any text and cite evidence to support their ideas. They can demonstrate both skills when reading Romeo and Juliet. You can teach a sentence-by-sentence short response outline for writing ANY paragraph.
BE BOLD!
Overall, you want your students to have fun and learn at the same time! With the beast that is the standardized test, you may feel like you don’t have the time to teach Romeo and Juliet. That is an unfortunate thought, and I want to encourage you to use this masterpiece! You CAN integrate test prep as you teach Romeo and Juliet and prepare for reading comprehension tests. It does not have to be the main focus, but it can be a way to kill two birds with one stone!
This Romeo and Juliet Common Core Practice Test Prep Quiz Bundle contains 130 reading comprehension QUESTIONS and ANSWERS with 10 reading comprehension passages, which focus on the Common Core standards and are modeled after various state exams. My goal is for test prep to become a natural and easy part of the curriculum, instead of something else you have to create.
My journey into using literature to teach history in paired passages did NOT begin in college. Obviously, no one goes into teaching thinking the following: “I cannot wait to prepare my students for analyzing paired passages on a standardized test!” I think we all have slightly more lofty goals. Most people go into teaching because of a particular teacher who had an impact or because they thought school was fun. We also desire to make a long-lasting impression on students. Maybe we can help them think more critically, read more thoughtfully, or write more coherently. For me, it was a mixture of many reasons:
Why I Went Into Teaching
In high school, I had 2 fantastic teachers: Mr. Canning, my English Teacher, and Mrs. Allen (formerly Ms. Smith), my math teacher. Both teachers taught me for more than one year, and I really enjoyed their teaching styles. Ms. Smith was a one-of-a-kind math teacher, which for a reader and lover of language, was quite rare. I actually enjoy math, because I am quite good at it. She taught every problem step by step, and her methodical style really appealed to me. I am most certainly an “I Do, We Do, You do” proponent. I got to have Ms. Smith for 4 full years through Calculus, and I will never forget her.
Ultimately though, one of my favorite moments of high school was in 11th grade English. When Mr. Canning challenged us to present a novel in a creative way, I became a Civil War nurse from The Red Badge of Couragewho sang “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” My mom helped me to put together a Civil War looking nurse outfit complete with a button-down white shirt and dark navy blue skirt. I even tied my hair into a bun; oh yeah, I looked the part 🙂 Hey, I tried! In my ten minute presentation, I spoke of the horrific conditions that the soldiers experienced in the North and in the South, described the various medical tools used, and sang the entire song “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” as my finale.
This project helped to integrate history into literature, and it became a memory I still treasure today. With this one project, I had to read a piece of classical literature ( The Red Badge of Courage ), research the historical time period, prepare by drafting what I would say or sing ( “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” ), and present this information in an original format in front of a bunch of high school students, along with my teacher, Mr. Canning, of course. This memory instilled a belief that as an English Teacher I should be using literature to teach history in paired passages, so my own students can benefit!
How can I start using literature to teach history in paired passages for my own classroom?
When it comes to teaching American Literature, every year I get excited about teaching Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” It usually sneaks into the units of teachers who want to expose their students to early literature of the United States, but many times, it can be an overwhelming text for both teacher and students.
The vocabulary and background information alone can take up an entire week to teach, so I propose not doing that 🙂 Instead, I challenge you to focus on helping your students to examine 1 of the following and really driving the insights of the time period home to the students:
Create some reading comprehension questions for students to work on as they do a close reading of the text. It will give them a break from the overwhelming nature of the text.
Utilize a focused prompt: Ex. What do the people believe in this time period? Cite evidence to prove your assertions.
Use SOAPSTONE or SPAUTS for step by step analysis of the speaker, purpose, audience, tone, and strategies. This can be an important first step for a quick and cursory exposure to this sermon.
If you want to take it a bit further, introduce the rhetorical appeals of logos, pathos, and ethos. Don’t get caught up in every part of the rhetoric. Just focus on 2 examples of each. The sermon is filled with examples of each.
For a real challenge, extend the rhetorical appeals or rhetorical analysis into an essay examining how Edwards achieves his purpose.
Really, I could spend weeks teaching this text, and there are options for every classroom. Also, I encourage you not to reject the text merely because of the fear of using a religious text in the classroom. Embrace the history of our wonderful country where students have the freedom to read pretty much whatever they want or may not realize they want to read!!!
When it comes to teaching American Literature, every year I get excited about teaching Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” It usually sneaks into the units of teachers who want to expose their students to early literature of the United States, but many times, it can be an overwhelming text for both teacher and students.
The vocabulary and background information alone can take up an entire week to teach, so I propose not doing that 🙂 Instead, I challenge you to focus on helping your students to examine 1 of the following and really driving the insights of the time period home to the students:
Create some reading comprehension questions for students to work on as they do a close reading of the text. It will give them a break from the overwhelming nature of the text.
Utilize a focused prompt: Ex. What do the people believe in this time period? Cite evidence to prove your assertions.
Use SOAPSTONE or SPAUTS for step by step analysis of the speaker, purpose, audience, tone, and strategies. This can be an important first step for a quick and cursory exposure to this sermon.
If you want to take it a bit further, introduce the rhetorical appeals of logos, pathos, and ethos. Don’t get caught up in every part of the rhetoric. Just focus on 2 examples of each. The sermon is filled with examples of each.
For a real challenge, extend the rhetorical appeals or rhetorical analysis into an essay examining how Edwards achieves his purpose.
Really, I could spend weeks teaching this text, and there are options for every classroom. Also, I encourage you not to reject the text merely because of the fear of using a religious text in the classroom. Embrace the history of our wonderful country where students have the freedom to read pretty much whatever they want or may not realize they want to read!!!
My journey into integrated learning began in college with a professor who told me that it didn’t matter what I write or how I write, only that I write. Now, you would think I was thrilled to hear him say that, and initially, I was. When I began my teaching career in Jacksonville, FL, I asked 9th grade English students to write on a variety of topics from their summer trips to special occasions to their hopes of the future. I dreamed of emulating this professor’s ideals, unknowingly becoming my own “Lamb to the Slaughter.”
At first, I collected reams and reams of journals, page after page of writing, and I was excited. MY STUDENTS WERE WRITING! That is the goal, right? Unfortunately, I started reading these “journal entries,” and I realized that asking them to just “write” wasn’t enough. Giving them a topic to write on wasn’t enough. Heck, offering them pen and paper wasn’t even close to enough. I encountered fragmented thoughts, vague concepts, and incoherent ideas. The “education” I had received did not prepare me for teaching my students what they needed to know to be successful if they wanted to get a job, apply for college, earn a degree, etc.
Then, it hit me! Like any writer, they needed a step-by-step process to achieving a focused piece of writing:
Here is my 5 Step Approach to Using Literature in Writing
Read, read, read literature! I know most teachers feel pressured to teach to a state exam that usually tests students on their ability to read and write. Why not have students read a piece of literature, maybe one you have been dying to teach like “Lamb to the Slaughter” , and prepare for the rigor of standardized tests? Two birds, one stone! The irony, the themes, the details can all be savored as you read this captivating short story and possibly watch Alfred Hitchcock’s TV version to complement it.
Discuss what you are reading with the students! If you choose to read the classic short story “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl, have students participate in a Socratic Seminar, so they can all learn together. Preparing focused reading questions that directly connect to the standards will enable your students to prepare for the state test and to actually enjoy reading quality literature. They can even take notes (evidence) to use later on in their writing.
Use essay or short response prompts that connect with the literature you are reading. For example, you could read Roald Dahl’s “Lamb to the Slaughter” and examine how the characters, like Mary Maloney, change in the story. By linking the prompt to this short story, you are asking students to master the standard without having to submit to the test prep gods, who usually only offer random selections of questionable literary merit.
Give a sentence-by-sentence paragraph outline for students to use as a template! I use this template in my own classroom. Check out the sample below for “Lamb to the Slaughter.”
Model what you want them to do! The I Do, We Do, You Do Approach works wonders! In order for students to be successful, they need to see what the end goal is. By incorporating literature (for both literary and informational texts), you get to practice analysis and writing all in one! For “Lamb to the Slaughter” , see the step by step outline below. You can also CLICK on this FREE Lesson on FDR’s “Day of Infamy” Speech that includes a model short response using the step-by-step guide below.
Short Response: Step-By-Step
Sentence 1: Answer the question about the characterization of Mary from beginning to end
Sentence 2: Incorporate a piece of evidence
Sentences 3-4: Examine how the evidence conveys a specific effect that connects to the characterization (trait)
Sentence 5: Incorporate another piece of evidence
Sentences 6-7: Examine how the evidence conveys a specific effect that connects to the characterization (trait)
Sentence 8. Reiterate the traits of Mary and the purpose of the characterization
