Description
Most homeschool Shakespeare curriculums stop at Shakespeare. Stories from the Stage goes further — connecting students to the full world of performing arts through Shakespeare plays, Broadway musicals, and classic stage productions. Students don’t just read plays. They discuss them, analyze them, perform warm-ups, complete copywork, and ultimately rehearse and perform Much Ado About Nothing for a live audience.
This is the Teacher Binder only. If you’d like a full training day with the curriculum author, the Stories from the Stage Training package is also available.
What’s Inside — 28 Weeks, 2 Semesters
Teaching Resources:
- Class overview, quickstart guide, class schedule, daily flow, and homework schedule
- Drama warm-ups, teaching tips, and scripts for awarding incentives
- Incentives system, iambic pentameter guide, presentations, and soliloquies
Semester 1 — Lesson Plans for:
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Romeo and Juliet
- West Side Story
- The Comedy of Errors
- Twelfth Night
- Hamilton
- The Merchant of Venice
- Macbeth
- Wicked
- Much Ado About Nothing
- Othello
- Les Misérables
- Hamlet
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Semester 2 — Production:
- Lion King
- The Importance of Being Earnest
- Auditions
- Much Ado About Nothing Acts I–V (study and rehearsal)
- Tech Week and full production
Who It’s For
- Homeschool co-op teachers and leaders for students ages 12–15
- Scholar-level classes of 8–14 students, ideally with two teachers
- Teachers with any level of theater experience — the curriculum is designed to be self-explanatory
- An ideal first formal academic class for middle school students just beginning Scholar-level coursework
How It Works Each week includes a clear prep checklist and structured in-class flow covering drama warm-ups, guided discussions, in-class activities, WOW discussions, and writing assignments. Students spend 2 hours in class each week and 2–4 hours on homework. The binder includes answers and everything needed to lead each session confidently.
FAQ
Do I need a theater background to teach this? No. The curriculum is designed to be self-explanatory. If you’d like additional support, the Stories from the Stage Training package includes a full virtual training day with the curriculum author.
What plays and musicals are covered? Semester 1 covers A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, Hamilton, The Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, Wicked, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, Les Misérables, Hamlet, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Semester 2 focuses on Lion King, The Importance of Being Earnest, and a full production of Much Ado About Nothing.
Does each student need their own binder? Yes — the Stories from the Stage Student Binder is available separately and is required for each student.
Are accommodations possible for students with special needs? Yes — accommodations can be made. Parents may need to actively support students with special needs during homework each week.
What format is this product? Printable PDF, delivered as a digital download.
How large should the class be? The curriculum works best with 8–14 students and two teachers.
Isabelle (verified owner) –
Stories From the Stage curriculum is so fun and easy to use!
The binder is fail-proof. Because everything was thought of in the binder (the weekly lessons so clearly laid out) my weekly preparation was minimal, which I so appreciated!
The classic Shakespeare mixed with modern musicals was so much fun. I loved the class schedule and discussion questions each week.
After we finished the class for the year the students were begging me to teach it again the following fall.
I will definitely teach the class again!