Create a class debate around the themes of Much Ado About Nothing.
Make three signs – AGREE, DISAGREE and 50/50.
Place each card in a different part of the classroom. Debate the following statements making sure you stand by the sign that aligns with your opinion. Note that if you choose 50/50, you must have two arguments (agree and disagree), not no argument! Use examples from the play to strengthen your argument/s.
NB: Try to make each answer a different physical space in the classroom, ie. AGREE and DISAGREE might be two different corners of the room, and 50/50 might be in the middle of the room.
Statements:
Much Ado About Nothing is more tragedy than comedy
Benedick and Beatrice would not have fallen in love without the trick played on them
Hero was wrong to reconcile with Claudio
Don John has no real motive for his actions
Men and women have equal power in the play
No one is the winner of this story
Extension task
Students in AGREE or DISAGREE can try to persuade the students in 50/50 with their arguments. If a student in 50/50 moves, they must explain why they changed their opinion. You can also remove the 50/50 option during the exercise, so that students must make a definite choice.
