This curriculum unit examines William Shakespeare's tragic play, "Romeo and Juliet." The unit calls the play "one of the greatest and saddest love stories of all time," and notes that artists across centuries and oceans have retold the tale of "Romeo and Juliet" in various forms and incarnations. It first presents background information about Shakespeare's life and about the Elizabethan England of his time. It also describes the Globe Theatre (built about 1599) where Shakespeare's plays were presented to the public. The unit provides a summary of the 5-act drama and considers the recurring motifs and images. It discusses the literary devices Shakespeare used in "Romeo and Juliet" to capture the public's attention, including puns, foreshadowing, metaphor, personification, oxymoron, and paradox. It also presents the entire play in one page, scene by scene and act by act. The next section of the unit explores the connections across the arts and highlights some favorite versions of the tragic tale as depicted in films, operas, ballets, and paintings. The unit then offers two lesson plans to facilitate students' understanding of the themes, plot, and characters present in "Romeo and Juliet," including creative writing using character analysis in the play; and enhancing students' ability to analyze and interpret dramatic scripts. The unit's lesson plans specify length, grade level, materials needed, relevant standards, and instructional objectives. They also offer additional teacher information and provide a step-by-step instructional plan. Contains an extensive resource list. (NKA)