I know what you’re thinking.
“She’s really lost it now. How can kids learn about Shakespeare while playing Minecraft?”
I haven’t lost it. At least I hope not! In case you are new here, I’m raising a few actresses at our house. We’re currently learning about Shakespeare for a possible upcoming performance. Why not extend it to Minecraft?
I’m not the first person to think of this….
Now, your kids won’t learn Shakespeare just by playing the game, but if you are planning a unit on Shakespeare or maybe Renaissance history, or a field trip to see Shakespeare in the Park, you can easily expand your study to Minecraft.
Shakespeare Project for Minecraft:
- Pick a play to explore with your kids. You can read the original play, read a children’s version, watch it on Netflix or listen to the audiobook version. One of our favorite audiobooks is A Midsummer Night’s dream retold for children by Jim Weiss.
- Pick a favorite passage from your play of choice.
- Interpret the passage into modern English or compare it with a “kid friendly” script.
- Build a stage in Minecraft or build a set to match your chosen passage.
- If you use copywork with your kids, use Shakepeare quotes and discuss. their meaning. You can get a free ebook to help here.
- Practice performing the scene together.
- Create Minecraft characters to play your actors on screen.
- Create a video of your scene. Watch a tutorial to learn how.
- Post your project on YouTube or share it with you friends and family!
Here’s an example of Romeo and Juliet staged in Minecraft. The voices are take from the movie version featuring Clare Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio.