Give "Romeo and Juliet" a twist by instructing students to come up with an alternate ending. Jump-start their creativity by asking them questions like, "What if Juliet didn't drink the poison?" or, "What would happen if both Juliet and Romeo lived?" Each student should list ideas of alternate endings and then pick one or two of their favorites. Conduct a group discussion to figure out the top two ending ideas. Split the class into two groups and assign an ending to each group. Let the students rework the play, writing out how the play should end. Discuss the benefits and disadvantages of each ending. (see ref 1)
Bring in examples of a few types of newspapers, and have students review the different sections and content. Ask each student to take a section and list the headlines on a sheet of paper. Work with the classroom and help them come up with an idea for a newspaper name such as the "Verona Times" or other appropriate name that fits within "Romeo and Juliet." Help students create story ideas based on the events of the play. Possible headlines could include, "Fight Between Montagues and Capulets," "Juliet's Wedding" or "Suicidal Teens." Students can blend their creativity with the events described in the play to create journalistic stories about the play. (see ref 4)
Tell each of your students to completely rewrite the play. Give them a theme to focus on, such as eternal love, a power struggle between two families or family loyalty. Students can discuss what theme seems the most prevalent to them and then use that theme and the characters from the main play as a structure to rewrite their own version. Give students a deadline date, and include a group review or two to help students hone their writing skills. Grade the project based on the clarity of the piece and the strength of the storyline. (see ref 2)
After students have read "Romeo and Juliet", create a timeline of events that occur during the play. Tape up a large piece of newsprint along a wall and instruct students to list actions that happened during each day within the play. Use two different colored markers to represent each family and plot their actions through the timeline. Discuss how the passage of time happens within a written work and how it carries the reader through until the end. (see ref 3)