A 3-Day Pre-Reading Project with Chunked Articles, TDQs, & Lecture Slides
 
Looking for a simple, effective way to build background knowledge before reading Romeo and Juliet—without overwhelming students or yourself?
 
This 3-day jigsaw research project is designed to help students become experts, teach one another, and enter Shakespeare with context, confidence, and purpose.
 
The best part? The hardest work is already done for you.
 
Why Teachers Love This Resource:
Chunked, student-friendly articles (done for you!)
TDQ Packets that build real reading skills (one for each article)
Ready-to-teach lecture slides that guide each day (35+ slides with timers)
Clear structure for reading → synthesizing → presenting
Works beautifully before Act 1 of Romeo and Juliet
 
This resource shows students why background knowledge matters—and shows teachers how easy a jigsaw can actually be.
 
What’s Included?
Lesson Slides (Ready to Teach!):
Fully structured 3-day lesson sequence
Day 1: Expert Reading + TDQ
Day 2: Slide Creation & Presentation Prep
Day 3: Student Presentations
Bonus Slides: agenda, do-now, exit ticket, brain break, and thank-you
MOST text is editable (Slide design and titles are locked to preserve layout)
 
These slides are designed to lead your class for you—no guessing, no over-planning.
 
Ready-to-Print Student Worksheets
5 chunked informational articles (the biggest time-saver!)
Each article is broken down to be accessible
Perfect for close reading, TDQs, and expert work
5 TDQ packets (one per article)
Aligned to informational reading skills
Builds toward teaching & presentation
Teacher answer sheets included (you’re welcome 😉)
K-W-L worksheet
Presentation Takeaways worksheet (for presentation day)
 
Links to the original online articles are included in the Group Project Tracker for transparency and flexibility.
 
Extra Support:
Student exemplar slide
Presentation guidelines to clarify expectations and reduce anxiety
 
Skills Students Practice:
Identifying central ideas
Selecting strong textual evidence
Explaining ideas in their own words
Synthesizing information for an audience
Speaking & listening during presentations
Making connections to Romeo and Juliet
 
Perfect For:
9th-grade ELA
Pre-reading project for Romeo and Juliet
Jigsaw research projects
Informational reading practice
Teachers who want structure without stress
 
This resource is especially helpful if:
You want to slow down before Shakespeare
Your students need confidence with complex texts
You want a jigsaw that doesn’t turn into chaos
You don’t have time to chunk articles yourself (because… same)