Romeo and Juliet: BIOPOEM
Purpose of this strategy: This strategy helps students examine character traits of fiction
or non-fiction characters. Particularly, it helps students consider how an author
characterizes figures within a piece of literature and construct or clarify understanding
about a character. Biopoems may also help students synthesize what they have learned
from this play about themes, concepts, and even events.
Context: The biopoem is a good in-process or post-reading activity and is most
effectively used after reading much or all of Romeo and Juliet. It can also be used as a
pre-reading activity to help students explore what they know about a character or make
predictions about a character.
Directions:
1. Explain to students that today they will learn a strategy that will facilitate their thinking
carefully about character traits of fiction characters.
2. Have students choose a main character or event within Romeo and Juliet about whom
they would like to learn more. You may suggest that students choose from the following
list:
Characters to Choose From
Juliet
Romeo
Benvolio
Tybalt
Mercutio
Montague
Capulet
Nurse
Events to Choose From
The Capulet’s Party
The Marriage
The Fight between Tybalt, Mercutio, and
Romeo
3. Give students a copy of the following poem (larger copy attached). Read it aloud
together. Reading aloud and discussing the form of the poem should take no more than 5
minutes.
Example Poem
Romeo
Impetuous, kind, thoughtful, respectful
Son of Montague
Lover of peace
Who feels a desire to end the senseless conflict of his parents, to escape with Juliet to a
peaceful marriage, to revenge his friend’s death
Who needs love, peace, revenge
Who fears life without Juliet, banishment,
Who gives a promise to be faithful, his life, a reason to forgive
Who would like to see Capulets and Montagues together, friendships renewed, lives
preserved
Resident of Verona
Montague
4. Give students a copy of the following form (also attached). Give them time to write
these in class. Explain that they should cite the text to show where they got their
information for each line. Students will benefit from a demonstration of how to do this
(possibly on an overhead projection of the poem). A second time period for editing may
also be useful for helping students get the most out of this strategy.
Line 1. First name
Line 2. Four traits that describe character
Line 3. Relative (brother, sister, daughter, etc.) of ______
Line 4. Lover of ______ (list three things or people)
Line 5. Who feels ______ (three items)
Line 6. Who needs ______ (three items)
Line 7. Who fears ______ (three items)
Line 8. Who gives ______ (three items)
Line 9. Who would like to see ______ (three items)
Line 10. Resident of ______ (place)
Line 11. Last Name
5. Help students realize that similar strategies can help students examine the traits
nonfiction characters or, in reality, of any topic.
Assessment:
Have students write 150 words to explain why they chose the descriptions that they chose
the character or even that they did and attach the explanation to their poem. Have them
turn in their explanation and glossed (cited) poem together.
Romeo
Impetuous, kind, thoughtful, respectful
Son of Montague
Lover of peace
Who feels a desire to end the senseless conflict of his
parents, to escape with Juliet to a peaceful marriage,
to revenge his friend’s death
Who needs love, peace, revenge
Who fears life without Juliet, banishment,
Who gives a promise to be faithful, his life, a reason
to forgive
Who would like to see Capulets and Montagues
together, friendships renewed, lives preserved
Resident of Verona
Montague
BIOPOEM
Line 1. First name
Line 2. Four traits that describe character
Line 3. Relative (brother, sister, daughter, etc.) of
______
Line 4. Lover of ______ (list three things or people)
Line 5. Who feels ______ (three items)
Line 6. Who needs ______ (three items)
Line 7. Who fears ______ (three items)
Line 8. Who gives ______ (three items)
Line 9. Who would like to see ______ (three items)
Line 10. Resident of ______ (place)
Line 11. Last Name
