Shakespeare Annotation Lab Worksheet
ESL Grade 7 English Language Arts
Shakespeare Annotation Lab
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What is Annotation? Annotation means talking back to the text with a pen or pencil. As you read, you underline key clues, circle unfamiliar words, and write your thoughts in the margins to help your brain understand deeper meanings.
The 4 Annotation Power Tools
1. Vocabulary & Context
How: Circle unknown words. Read sentences before and after to guess the meaning.
Example: "Arise, fair sun..." → Context shows Romeo means beautiful, not equal.
2. Main Ideas & Details
How: Underline the big message. Draw a star next to critical plot details.
Example: Underline: "Deny thy father and refuse thy name" → Juliet begs him to leave his family feud.
3. Character & Emotion
How: Note tone and body language. Ask: What is this character feeling? Why?
Example: "O Romeo, Romeo!" → Shows she feels deep longing, affection, and inner turmoil.
4. Figurative Language
How: Spot similes, metaphors, and sensory imagery. Explain the effect in simple words.
Example: "Juliet is the sun" (Metaphor) → Juliet brings bright light and warmth into his life.
Model Example
Balcony Scene Mentor Passage (Act 2, Scene 2)
Notice how margin notes explain the lines
ROMEO:
"Lady, by yonder blessed moon I vow,
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops—"
JULIET:
"O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable."
Figurative Language: "Tips with silver" creates peaceful, glowing night imagery.
Vocab in Context: "Inconstant" means changing or unreliable (context: "changes monthly").
Character Emotion: Juliet feels anxious. She wants loyal love, not love that disappears like the moon!
Toolkit Warm-Up: Try It With One Line!
Guided Practice
Romeo says: "Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon."
🎨 1. What does Romeo compare Juliet to? (Figurative Language)
❤️ 2. How does Romeo feel about Juliet? (Emotion)
PART 2
Independent Practice: Juliet at the Balcony
Act 2, Scene 2 • Read, Annotate & Respond
Directions: Read the famous speech below. Use the Glossary to help with old English, then complete the 4 annotation tasks below.
JULIET'S FAMOUS SOLILOQUY Lines 33–44
1
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
2
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
3
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
4
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.
5
’Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
6
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
7
What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
8
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
9
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
10
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
11
By any other name would smell as sweet.
ESL Word Bank
- Wherefore: means Why? (not where!)
- Thou / Thy: you / your
- Deny: reject / turn away from
- Wilt: will / wish to
- ’Tis: it is
- Montague & Capulet: the two enemy families
💡 Tip: Juliet is talking to herself on her balcony at night, unaware Romeo is listening!
1 🔍 Vocabulary & Context Clues
In line 1, Juliet asks "wherefore art thou Romeo?" Knowing wherefore means why, what is she asking? Why is his name a problem?
2 💡 Main Idea & Key Detail
What is Juliet's main point in lines 5–9? Complete the summary: A person's family name does not change...
3 ❤️ Character & Emotion
Look at line 4: "And I'll no longer be a Capulet." What emotion or motivation does this show about how much Juliet cares for Romeo?
4 🎨 Figurative Language: The Rose
In lines 10–11, Juliet compares Romeo to a rose. Why would a rose still smell sweet with another name? What is her comparison showing?
Annotation Self-Check:
🔍 Circled unknown words 💡 Found the main idea ❤️ Identified character feelings 🎨 Explained the rose comparison