Free Printable Shakespearean Sonnet Template Bundle

Shakespearean sonnets, also called English sonnets, have a strict writing style that can make them feel like a real challenge to students. But they’re also a lot like a puzzle—once you figure out how the pieces fit together, the end result is so satisfying! Our free sonnet template bundle includes reference pages, plus a complete how-to guide that walks students through choosing a theme, following the proper rhyme scheme and meter, and more.

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Shakespearean Sonnet Template Bundle

Your free bundle includes reference pages as well as a step-by-step guide to penning your own sonnet, Shakespeare-style! Just fill out the form on this page to get yours.

Shakespearean Sonnet Template Bundle Contents

Here’s what’s included in our bundle. You can use the pages separately or all together for a complete sonnet writing unit.

Sonnets: Important Terms

Quatrain, volta, iambic pentameter—writing a sonnet means learning a whole new vocabulary. You get two versions of this graphic organizer.

Sonnets: A Poetic Puzzle

The strict rules of a sonnet can be puzzling, but when the pieces fit together, the whole picture appears! This worksheet helps students analyze Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, identifying aspects like:

• Meter: Iambic pentameter
• Rhyme scheme: ABABCDCDEFEFGG
• Format: Three quatrains and a couplet
• Volta: Shift in tone midway through the poem
• And more!

Sonnet Theme and Format

Here’s where students begin the work of crafting their own sonnets. They start by looking at some classic Shakespearean sonnet themes and connecting them with the modern world. Then, they choose a theme that appeals to them and plan out the arc of their poem over the three quatrains and the finishing couplet.

Sonnet: Rhyme Scheme

A sonnet rhyme scheme is strict, which is why a sonnet template can be really helpful. This worksheet helps students identify pairs of rhyming words they can use in their poem, and they can double-check their rhyming pattern as they draft their sonnet.

Sonnet: Meter

Iambic pentameter is 10 syllables of alternating unstressed and stressed syllables: da-DUM-da-DUM-da-DUM-da-DUM-da-DUM. It actually sounds a lot like a heartbeat! This part of the sonnet writing template helps students track the meter of their lines, making sure they keep the rhythm on track.

My Shakespearean Sonnet

When all the drafting and editing is done, students use this sonnet template page to showcase their final compositions! It includes room for them to draw a drop-cap, the fancy enlarged letter that often appears at the beginning of the first line of a poem or paragraph in a published work. Encourage them to use their very best handwriting too!

How To Use the Sonnet Printables With Your Students

Each of these worksheets can stand on their own, or you can use them all together in one big lesson or unit. Ideally, you’d spend several days or up to a week on English sonnets—first analyzing those by Shakespeare, Spenser, and others, then having students compose their own. Here are some activities to try using our sonnet template worksheets.

Vocab Mingle

Teaching terms like quatrain, volta, and iambic pentameter is key to helping kids craft their own sonnets. Try this activity to make it more fun! Cut apart our completed “Sonnets: Important Terms” page to create word cards and definition cards. Give each student one card, then have them mix and mingle until they find the person they believe has the correct definition.

Sonnet Jigsaw

Have students use colored pencils or highlighters to color in the pieces of the puzzle on the second page of our set. Then, use those same colors to annotate Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, discussing the various parts as you go.

Sonnets and Songs

As students complete the chart on the “Theme and Format” worksheet, comparing classic sonnet themes to modern-day situations, ask them to also identify a modern song that fits the theme. For example, for unrequited love, they might choose Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me.”

Rhyming Beads on a String

Our sonnet rhyme scheme worksheet compares a sonnet’s rhyme scheme to patterned beads on a string. Give students real beads to work with, assigning each to the rhyming words in their sonnets as they write them. They can string the bead “words” as they write, checking their pattern as they go. This is terrific for visual and tactile learners!

Sonnet Gallery Walk

Once your students’ sonnets are complete, hang them along a school hallway and invite other students or even families to come check them out. Ask the authors to stand by their compositions so they can answer questions or share insight with visitors.

Download your free Shakespearean sonnet template bundle now!

Grab your free set of sonnet activities, including reference pages, step-by-step writing guide, and a Shakespearean sonnet template for the finished work! Just enter your email info in the form on this page for immediate access.

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