On the first day of instruction for King Lear, I lead students in a modified game of musical chairs to introduce the central characters, plot elements, and themes of Shakespeare’s play. I did not invent this introductory idea, but I did create materials that are specific to King Lear. I believe that the idea can be correctly attributed to Brian Sztabnik, author of 100% Engagement: 33 Lessons to Promote Participation, Beat Boredom, and Deepen Learning in the ELA Classroom (a book I highly recommend!).
To prepare for this activity, print out key quotations from Act 1 of the play and tape one to each desk in your classroom. If your classroom space allows for it, you can circle the desks. I don’t have room for this, so the game looks more like human bumper cars than the traditional musical chairs circle, but that’s okay. 😉
Provide each student with a note sheet to record (a) what they understand about each quotation they encounter and (b) what question(s) each quote raises.
After completing these preparation steps, it’s time to play music! Students walk in a circle (or, in my case, wander about the room) with their note sheet and pen/pencil in hand. When the music stops, they sit down in the nearest seat, read the quote taped to the desk, and fill out a row on their note sheet. When the music starts again, they stand and resume movement. (Chairs are not removed.) I have large classes (32-34), so I stop play before students have seen every single quote, as I don’t want the activity to become too long and or boring. My note sheet is set up with eight rows, which has felt about right to me in terms of timing, but you could definitely go 10-15 rounds or more if your students are enjoying it.
After the activity, students write down three things that they think they understand about the play. I ask them to share these ideas in table groups, check for any similarities, and then share a few aloud with the whole class. Through this activity, students gain a solid grasp of the plot and an opportunity to immerse themselves in the language of the play in an accessible, playful way. If they misunderstand some parts of the plot, that’s okay. As we move through the first act, we will often discuss what students understood and correct misconceptions.
⭐️ If you’d like the materials that I use for musical chairs with King Lear–including the quotes, note sheet, and playlist– click here to download them for FREE in my TPT store. ⭐️
I’m going to add my day-to-day lessons for King Lear to the blog, so if you are planning to teach the play, I hope you’ll follow along!
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