Nonfiction+Book+List+Shakespeare+(Knoll)

The nonfiction trade books and websites listed and described below are part of a unit of student on Shakespeare in my seventh grade Language Arts classroom. The seventh graders I see each day range widely in ability levels and background knowledge. In order to help them succeed within both this unit and the classroom as a whole, I strive to make a variety of texts available at all times. Students know very little, if anything about William Shakespeare when we begin this unit and, as a result, it is very important that we build some background knowledge in order to be better prepared to discuss and understand some of the stories he wrote. Although we don’t read the original plays, we do work with some of the language and relate some of the ideas to the time period and the life that Shakespeare led in Elizabethan England. I have chosen many of the resources below because they will help all students build that background knowledge.
 * __ Nonfiction Book and Website List-Shakespeare Unit of Study __**

When choosing texts and websites, I looked for several things. I wanted to include a variety of reading levels and wanted to include several sources, both book and Internet, that included pictures to help student visualize what life was like during the Elizabethan Era. I also searched for and included books that addressed multiple areas of life in Shakespeare’s time. There are books that deal directly with the Elizabethan Era and Queen Elizabeth as well as biographical sources on Shakespeare himself and sources that tackle Shakespeare’s biography and work more broadly. The wide range of texts and sources covers the many different aspects of Shakespearean life that I want my students to be exposed to.

In addition to helping students build their background knowledge, these sources also help students prepare some of the culminating activities at the end of the unit. One of the things students will do at the end of the unit is to share their thoughts on why Shakespeare and his stories have stayed a part of our lives when so many other authors have disappeared. Also, students need to choose at least one story (potentially more) and share the events in Shakespeare’s life and the time period he lived in that they believe influenced the story. Students will need to combine a story with what they know about Shakespeare and his time period in order to successfully do this and will be utilizing these sources to help them through that process.


 * __ Books: __**

Told through a series of ‘scene’s, Aliki’s book reveals the life of Shakespeare, his works, the theatre world and the importance of the Globe Theatre to both Shakespeare and today’s audiences. Lexile: 850 A biography of William Shakespeare, with a focus on the life he lead and its influence on his work. This information is supplemented with illustrations, comments, and additional details about life in Elizabethan England. Recommended for the middle school reader. Filled with vivid pictures and entertaining descriptions of life in the Elizabethan Era, this book brings to life everything from Shakespeare’s childhood to staging a play to what school was like to Elizabethan science. Recommended for grades 3-12. Focused on //Macbeth,// this book exposes the reader to the history behind the play, the general ploy of the play, and various adaptations that had been made since its original writing and performance. Recommended for middle school readers. This book gives a brief overview of Shakespeare’s life including his childhood, education, and life in London as an actor and playwright. Lexile: 920 //Shakespeare’s Theatre// focuses on the staging of Shakespeare’s plays encompassing everything from costumes to acting to the theatres themselves. Lexile: 1030 Filled with information about both Shakespeare and the time in which he lived and wrote, this book provides a brief overview of Shakespeare’s life, his work, and the Elizabethan Era. Lexile: 690. Focusing on Shakespeare lasting appeal and how his stories have transcended time, Rosen creates an engaging narrative about the man, the era in which he lived, and his work. Lexile: 1060 Focusing on //Macbeth’s// place in history, this book takes us back to the play’s creation, first performances, and difficulties surrounding the production of the iconic play. Recommended Age: 10-14 With a focus on drama and its place in Elizabethan England, //Bard of Avon// not only tells the story of William Shakespeare, but also his role in the resurgence of drama as entertainment. Lexile: 1030 An illustrated book telling the story of Queen Elizabeth I, her reign, and her influence over England. Lexile: 1060.
 * Aliki. (1999). //Shakespeare and The Globe.// Harper Collins.**
 * Berne, E. C. (2008). //William Shakespeare: Playwright and Poet.// Edina, MN: ABDO Publishing Company.**
 * Chrisp, P. (2002). //Shakespeare.// New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc.**
 * Greenhill, W. (2000). //Macbeth.// Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library.**
 * Greenhill, W. (2000). //Shakespeare: A Life.// Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library.**
 * Greenhill, W. (2000). //Shakespeare’s Theatre.// Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library.**
 * Mannis, C. D. (2006). //Who was William Shakespeare?// New York, NY: Penguin Group**.
 * Rosen, M. (2001). //Shakespeare: His Work and His World.// Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.**
 * Ross, S. (1994). //Shakespeare and Macbeth: The Story Behind the Play.// New York, NY: Penguin Group.**
 * Stanley, D. (1992). //Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare.// New York, NY: Morrow Junior Books.**
 * Stanley, D. (1990). //Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England// New York, NY: Four Winds Press//.//**


 * __ Web Resources: __**

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 * Life in Elizabethan England-A Compendium of Common Knowledge**
 * A site with over 90 categories describing life in Elizabethan England ranging from religion to naming children to music to funerals and almost everything else imaginable!**

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 * Folger Library-Shakespeare for Kids**
 * Designed especially for kids by the Shakespeare scholars at the Folger Library, this site is filled with fun facts, games, and information about the great man himself.**

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 * BBC**
 * This is a visually pleasing website that appears attractive to kids and is filled with information on Shakespeare and his plays as well as links to additional information.**

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 * Biography.com**
 * This Shakespeare page is fairly standard in terms of biographical information, but also includes some videos and pictures to help illustrate who Shakespeare was and what life was like when he was living and writing.**

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 * Shmoop**
 * The great folks at Shmoop have done it again! This site includes a wealth of information from a biography to general facts to a timeline and even a ‘resume.’**

Internet Scavenger Hunt/Webquest Baker, Christopher. //Shakespeare in an Hour// Bryson, Bill. //Shakespeare: The World as Stage// Bush, Catherine. //Elizabeth I// Dunton-Downer, Leslie. //Essential Shakespeare Handbook.// Eding, June. //Who was Queen Elizabeth?// Gravett, Christopher. //Castle// Kastan, David Scott and Marina Kastan. //Poetry for Young People: William Shakespeare// Martin, Reed and Austin Tichenor. //Reduced Shakespeare// Morley, Jacqueline. //You wouldn’t want to be a Shakespearean Actor!// Mortimer, Ian. //The Time-Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England.// Roberts, Russell. //Elizabethan England (How’d They Do That?)// Ryan, Patrick and James Mayhew. //Shakespeare’s Storybook// Senior, Katherine. //You wouldn’t want to be Sick in the 16th Century!//
 * __ Additional Books __**