Romeo and Juliet Journal Project

ROMEO AND JULIET, JOURNAL PROJECT

Point Value: 400     

Measurement Topics assessed: Written Ideas and Content, Conventions, Literary Analysis, and Written Organization

While reading Romeo and Juliet, have you ever thought to yourself, “What on EARTH are these people thinking?!”  Now it is up to you to get inside the minds of the characters in Romeo and Juliet!  For this project, you will adopt the voice of a character in the play in order to create a journal or diary.  For example, you can choose:  Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Benvolio, Paris, the Nurse, Lord Capulet, etc.  Be sure to pick an important character! 

After you have chosen a character, you will begin keeping a journal as that character.  You can find journal topics and other guidelines for the journal below. 

v Your diary will include the assignment name and your name (Juliet’s Diary by Enya Solomon); use color and some sort of illustration.

v Your diary will be divided into five acts (just like Romeo and Juliet is divided into five acts).

v Each act will contain two separate entries.  Therefore, you will have a total of 10 entries for the entire project.

v Each entry must be AT LEAST five sentences. 

v Entries should be separated by act number; for example, do not mix Act I entries with Act IV.

v Remember MLA guidelines:  no abbreviations, use standard English, etc.

v Hint!:  If you choose a character who bites the dust, don’t fret!  William Shakespeare uses ghosts in many of his plays; you can write as a ghost in your journal.

v Remember, diaries contain private thoughts and feelings.  Your journal entry should not be mere summaries of the scene.  Be creative.  Add some feeling to your work!

Journal Topics

Here are some suggested journal topics.  I have chosen the most important events in the play for you to write about.  You may use all of these journal topics if you would like. 

1.      The street fight between the Montagues and the Capulets (Act I)

2.      The Capulet party held in honor of Paris and Juliet (Act I)

3.      Romeo and Juliet’s wedding plans (Act II)

4.      Benvolio and Mercutio discussing Romeo’s disappearance after the Capulet party (Act II)

5.      Tybalt’s challenge to Romeo (Act II)

6.      The deaths of Tybalt and Mercutio (Act III)

7.      Romeo’s banishment (Act III)

8.      The plans for Juliet and Paris’ wedding (Act IV)

9.      Juliet’s “death” (Act IV)

10.  The deaths of Romeo and Juliet (Act V)

11.  The ending of the feud (Act V)

Grading and Due Date

This project will be due on Friday, March 14, 2014 at the beginning of the class period.  The journal project will count for one test grade; therefore, it is imperative for students to complete this assignment.  Most of this project will need to be completed at home.