This document provides information about William Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing" to students in preparation for studying it. It includes pictures and questions to help students make predictions about the plot and characters. It then outlines the opening scene, where Don Pedro and his men arrive at Leonato's house after war and Claudio immediately falls in love with Hero. Students are tasked with miming this opening scene and discussing their first impressions of the characters and what may happen next.

1. Much Ado About Nothing
By William Shakespeare

2. What do we already know
about William Shakespeare?

3. My Predictions – Thursday
10th September
 What do YOU think the play might be about based on these
pictures?

4. CLASS PREDICTIONS

5. Predictions – Part 2
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107616/
 Watch the film trailer and see if your opinions change.
1. Do you think the play will be happy or sad?
2. Could it be funny?
3. Are there any heroes or villains?

6. TASK
 Write up one of your predictions in full. Focus on
using connectives (because, so) and phrases
that show this is your opinion.
Stuck?...
 I think that … will happen in ‘Much Ado About
Nothing’ because …
 From the clues I believe that … will happen. I
think this because …

7. Learning Objective
 By the end of the lesson everyone will understand what
happens in the opening of Much Ado About Nothing.
 Some of you will be able to form ideas about what the
individual characters are like based on the opening
scene.

8. Act 1 Scene 1
 Don Pedro is returning victorious from the wars with his
brother Don John and his men Benedick and Claudio. They
arrive at the house of Leonato, the Governor of their town.
 Benedick and Beatrice (Leonato’s niece) joke around with one
another.
 Claudio sees Leonato’s daughter Hero and falls in love with her
at first sight. He asks Don Pedro for advice about what he
should do.

9. Task
 In your groups, put together a mime of the opening scene. If
there aren’t enough people someone can play more than one
character.
 Challenge
What are our first impressions of these characters?
What might happen next?