The Worst Crime

Pre-reading project · Grades 7–12 · Slides + doc · $3 or included with All-Access

This is a pre-reading project for Romeo and Juliet. Before students meet the characters, they rank the play's 'crimes' (feuds, crashing a party, marrying against your parents' wishes, revenge) and then argue that one of them is the worst. It works for grades 7-12.

Day 1 starts with a four-sentence warmup, a short Shakespeare bio video with a sticky-note check, and a pre-reading statement activity. Then groups get assigned a crime and build a presentation that makes a claim and backs it with reasons, visuals, and stats if they need them. They can make a poster, slides, a video or skit, a song or poem, or a brochure.

Day 2 is for finishing, presenting, and a class vote at the whiteboard. It closes with an eight-question reflection that asks why we did this before reading the play.

What's included

• Two days of slides (editable Google Slides) with warmups, agendas, directions, and presentation etiquette
• Ranking sheet with 34 social offenses, with a cut line so it can be a warmup slip
• 100-point presentation rubric, two per page
• Eight-question presentation reflection
• Editable Google Doc student pages

How teachers use it

• The two class days right before you start reading Romeo and Juliet
• Group project with presentations on day 2
• Use the ranking sheet alone as a warmup or discussion starter