The Merchant of Venice - teaching resource

The Merchant of Venice – Complete GCSE Unit of Work

(143-slide PowerPoint, 9 worksheets & 12-lesson overview)

This comprehensive GCSE English Literature teaching resource explores Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice in depth through a complete 12-lesson unit of work. The resource includes a 143-slide fully editable PowerPoint, nine accompanying worksheets, and a detailed lesson overview, making it perfect for classroom teaching, intervention, and revision.

The unit guides students act by act and scene by scene, analysing the play’s plot, characters, themes, language, and historical context through a wide range of interactive and analytical activities.

Key features of the resource:

• Understanding the plot and structure – Tracking key events and narrative development

• Character analysis – Exploring motivations, relationships, and conflicts within the play

• Language and imagery – Analysing Shakespeare’s techniques, symbolism, and poetic devices

• Key themes and ideas – Justice, mercy, prejudice, loyalty, and identity

• Shakespeare’s stagecraft – Examining how he builds tension and resolves dramatic conflict

• Historical and social context – Women’s rights, religion, and antisemitism in Elizabethan England

• Engaging discussion tasks – Encouraging debate, critical thinking, and interpretation

• Comprehension and close-reading exercises – Reinforcing understanding and analytical skills

• Creative and empathy-based activities – Developing deeper connections with characters and themes

• Opportunities for group work, independent study, and extended writing

Designed for KS4/GCSE English Literature, this resource supports all major specifications, including AQA, Edexcel, Eduqas, and OCR. Fully editable and adaptable, it caters to learners of all abilities.

To preview ‘The Merchant of Venice – Complete Unit of Work’, select ‘View All Slides’ and click on the images to browse the PowerPoint in detail.

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