(ages 12-13) · 6 lessons
Fairy Tales
Exploring classic storytelling, stock characters and key elements
Twelfth Night Scheme of Work
(ages 12-13)
Overview
This six-lesson scheme introduces Twelfth Night through practical, classroom-centred work that helps students engage directly with Shakespeare’s language and comic plot. Pupils move from a whole-play overview and a mimed shipwreck to close study of Olivia and Viola, hotseating of Malvolio, a forum-theatre workshop and a group-devised remake. Lessons emphasise modern-language rewrites, split scenes, thought-aloud, mime and slow motion as rehearsal tools. The unit concludes with groups performing and filming condensed versions for assessment, supporting rehearsal structure and ensemble confidence.
What Students Will Learn
Across the unit pupils learn to interpret Shakespearean scenes and adapt them into their own words for performance. They practise characterisation and role work (including hotseating and improvisation), develop devising techniques such as split scenes, thought-aloud, mime and slow motion, and rehearse ensemble pieces. The sequence builds skills in text adaptation, collaborative rehearsal and presenting a short, assessed performance that is recorded on video.
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This page shows the scheme outline. The detailed teaching material stays in your account after purchase.
- 6 detailed lesson plansA complete, practical teaching sequence for the unit.
- Lesson-by-lesson activity guidanceUse the unit structure, skills focus and classroom tasks without starting from scratch.
- Linked classroom resourcesResources, Powerpoint Slides are included where they support the lesson sequence.
Week 1: Overview of Twelfth Night
Lesson focus: a whole-play overview and the Duke’s speech to introduce character and plot. Students discuss the plot, mime a shipwreck and develop the Duke’s speech into modern language before performing it.
Resources IncludeResourcesTwelfth Night SummaryExtract from the playPowerpoint SlidesExtract from the playWeek 2: Olivia and Viola
Lesson focus: the relationship between Olivia and Viola through extract work. Students study two extracts and deepen understanding by rewriting the scenes in their own, modernised words for performance.
Resources IncludeResourcesExtract from the playExtract from the playWeek 3: Malvolio is Tricked!
Lesson focus: Malvolio’s role in Act 2, Scene 5 and its comic function. Pupils hotseat one another while taking the roles of Malvolio, Maria and Sir Toby Belch to explore motivation and interaction.
Resources IncludeResourcesExtract from the playExtract from the playWeek 4: Shakespeare Workshop
Lesson focus: a workshop approach to a further extract, consolidating understanding and performance choices. Volunteers read parts from the extract and the class workshops the material using a forum-theatre method.
Resources IncludeResourcesExtract from the playWeek 5: Twelfth Night Remake
Lesson focus: devising a condensed group version of the play using practical theatre devices. Groups devise split scenes and employ thought-aloud, mime and slow motion to create a condensed remake.
Resources IncludeResourcesExtract from the playWeek 6: Assessment
Lesson focus: final performances recorded for assessment and review. Students perform their devised versions of Twelfth Night and film the pieces to provide evidence for assessment.
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