Shakespeare

Shakespeare is a comprehensive resource for everything Shakespeare. In the app, the main menu is on the left of the screen, and users can choose multiple options. By tapping the “Works” option, users can peruse Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. When they find a work of interest, users can tap the work’s icon, and the app will load the complete work. Users can then navigate it by tapping the arrows on the bottom right of the screen or by tapping the “Table of Contents” button on the top right of the screen. The “Search” option lets users type a word or phrase into the search field, and the app will then report where it found that word or phrase in Shakespeare’s works. Users can tap on one of the reports, and the app will take users to that place in the text. The “Glossary” option contains an alphabetized list of Shakespearean words. When users tap a word, the app provides its definition and the name(s) of works where the word appears. Users can tap the name of the work, and the app will load the part of the work where the word appears. The “Study” option provides detailed information about a variety of Shakespeare’s works, his biography, theatres, and much more. The “Portrait” option shows artists’ paintings of Shakespeare and information about the paintings. The “Quotes” option presents famous lines written by Shakespeare, the character who said the quote, and the works where they appear.

Please Note: Only a limited amount of information and features are provided by this app for free. To access all the information and features, users will need to make an in-app purchase.

Instructional Ideas

1. Instead of reading Shakespeare’s works using textbooks or playbooks, teachers can have students read his works using this app.
2. When students come across a Shakespearean word they do not know, they can use the glossary to find the word’s meaning. Students can keep a log of the words, the words’ definition, and which works the words appear using an Office app.
3. Students can peruse the “Portraits” feature of this app to view images of Shakespeare and information about the image. Students can then conduct further research about the portrait and artist. Students can also list facts about the artist and/or the portrait using an Office app or post them to a class website.
4. Students can pick or be assigned a Shakespearean quote from this app. Students can then draw a picture that represents the quote’s meaning, translate the quote into modern English, and write an analysis of the quote’s meaning.

Screenshots