Here are a few of our favorite Shakespeare videos for the classroom. You can also check out our playlist of favorite Shakespeare videos here (and be sure to subscribe to WeAreTeachers YouTube channel while you’re at it.)
Remember to check out these videos yourself before you show them to your students because only you know what will work for the children in your classroom.
What’s So Special About Shakespeare?
Michael Rosen explains in less than eight minutes why Shakespeare rocks. A great piece to kick off any Shakespeare unit! Rosen also shares short videos of his favorite Shakespearean insults as well as a few everyday phrases used during Shakespeare’s time.
The Story of William Shakespeare for Kids
An illustrated look at Shakespeare’s life, his times, and his works in under ten minutes.
CBeebies: Who is William Shakespeare?
In just five minutes, viewers get to “meet” Shakespeare and learn a few fun facts about his life and why he became a writer and playwright.
The Secret to Teaching Shakespeare
The advice that author James Shapiro gives to teachers in this short video is invaluable. A must-see!
Shakespeare for Kids
The Traveling Teacher gives viewers a quick look at William Shakespeare’s life while she visits Stratford-Upon-Avon. She also shares information about Shakespeare’s sonnet writing.
Horrible Histories: Shakespeare Goes to School
William Shakespeare goes to a modern-day school, and he tries to “wow” them with his knowledge. A super-cute and silly look at what Shakespeare might be like if he walked into a school today.
Shakespeare’s Tragedies and an Acting Lesson: Crash Course #15
This 12-minute video is packed with information, and it’s totally geared toward getting kids interested in Shakespeare’s theater. Visuals are amazing here; this is well worth your time.
Teaching Shakespeare: Introducing Iambic Pentameter
One of the many, many videos from the Royal Shakespeare Company, this video is a great place to start for teachers. It provides some hands-on ways to introduce rhythm in Shakespeare’s works.
Ken Ludwig at Politics & Prose, on his book, How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare
Tons of great, hands-on ideas for teaching Shakespeare to children. A conversation with the author. Really great resource!
Why Shakespeare Loved Iambic Pentameter
Super resource for students to finally grasp why Shakespeare was so in love with iambic pentameter. This video is a quick peek into the rhythm of Shakespeare’s words and why they’re important.
How NOT to Hate Shakespeare, by Rob Crisell
The idea behind this Tedx Talk is to stop people from watching or reading Shakespeare and to instead experience his plays. Super interesting take on this topic.
What Would Shakespeare Think of Us? by Dan Poole and Giles Terera
Two actors take a look at why we’re still talking about Shakespeare after 400 years. They also talk about “Shakespism”, the aversion to all things Shakespeare.
We’d love to hear—what are your favorite Shakespeare videos? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Be sure to check out our other favorite teaching videos on YouTube:
- Classroom Screensavers on YouTube
- Read-Alouds on YouTube
- Parts of Speech Videos on YouTube
- Addition and Subtraction Videos on YouTube
- Multiplication and Division Videos on YouTube
- Videos for Teaching Poetry in Elementary School
