Brush Up Your Shakespeare!

In this lesson, we focused on the Shakespearean Sonnet and iambic pentameter. In his Sonnet #127, William Shakespeare muses on beauty and its perception as a ‘currency’ in the modern world: ‘In the old age, black was not counted fair.’ Students took some time to experiment with iambic pentameter and rhyme scheme. Below are some examples.

Lesson Note: A strict form such as the Shakespearean Sonnet, might actually allow for creativity rather than hinder it. Here students experimented with the creative power of limitations. ‘I can’t think of a more contemporary writer [than Shakespeare]- Actress, Glenda Jackson.

Ms. Munoz 7th Grade, Period One

Untitled Michael K.

No one loves me except myself and death
The end is nigh near or far way now
I mean it’s bad like Satan and his breath
You may ask I am saying now and how.

Untitled Joshua R.

No one loves me except myself and death
The end is nigh near or far away now
I can’t eat anything because I am watching Macbeth
She loved him all the time I don’t understand how.

Untitled Meghan C.

People pray and laugh they are in their prime
Even though those people will soon forget
Eventually, as time erases time
Memories fade of those they had met.

Ms. Munoz 7th Grade, Period Three

Cat Jaretsy E.

In the morning wake to see her cat
The cat will eat a feast unlike my pet
My dog will sleep I said except she sat
Instead, I took the cat to friend Anette.

I swing the ball bat handed the game begun.
And then I ran as fast to score Homerun.

Untitled Hahn-Saem L.

In the morning I wake to see my cat
The cat will eat the feast unlike my friend
My friend will go and walk to see my rat
I now will go to spend my great weekend.

Untitled Maria I.

Birds are the best and hand one in my pool
Birds are the best and had lots in my pen
So cute and mystical they’re very cool
and in my pen is a very big hen.

Untitled Asia L.

I like to go to the fields at dawn
and see the cute tiny fawns on the lawn.

Ms. Munoz 9th Grade, Period Five

Untitled Francisco S.

After the day is dark and night falls
I soon lay on my head and the owl calls.

Untitled Gabriel L.

Anxiety will overcome your life.
It will lend happiness forever more
Your life will end tonight due to its knife
Your life will change forever -after torn.

Untitled Melissa L.

Anxiety will overcome your life
it will end happiness forever more.
Anxiety can shut off the mind.
I am in the dark forever more.

Untitled Natasha W.

Anxiety will overcome your life
It will end happiness forever more.
You have to try will of your might
Scared to death even help will be a bore.

Ms. Munoz 7th Grade, Period Seven

Untitled Connor M.

People always want more than what they got
Because food is yummy in their tummy
You better eat it when it’s fresh and hot
And then hope that it’s not gross or gummy.

Untitled Chantal R. and Lana T.

Stop please the more you have the worse it gets
Help yourself, soon you’ll want to eat your pets.

Untitled Joshua J.

My food, my food, I love my good its good
The food is bland or tastes as it should.

Ms. Munoz 9th Grade, Period Eight

Untitled Nicholas T.

Good food is good the best in our country
Let’s bake a cake that’s sweet and warm to eat.
The smell of food that makes us really hungry.
When we go out with friends we eat too much.

Untitled Anastashia T.

Good food is good the best in our country
Let’s bake a cake that’s sweet and warm to eat.
The smell of food that makes us really hungry.
We go out with friends we eat so much.

Untitled Shreya K.

Good food is good the best in our country
Let’s bake a cake that’s sweet and warm to eat.
Awesome food you can not find in the country
That food is something that is not easy.

Untitled Tyrick E.

Good food is good the best in our country
Let’s bake a cake that’s sweet and warm to eat.
When you eat the cake it screams with such glee!
We love to make good food for our bellies.

Untitled Delia R.

We should go eat something in my sweet home.
Let’s go eat some sweet ice cream in a cone.

Untitled Alex M.

Good food is good the best in our country.
Let’s bake a cake that’s sweet and warm to eat.
Pizza is great that’s very cheesy-munchy.
I went to McDonalds-had a nice seat.

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