Play the Knave is a dynamic, interactive digital tool/game that gets students up on their feet performing dramatic scenes via an avatar.
As many teachers know from experience, the best way to engage students in studying Shakespeare is by getting them up on their feet to perform scenes from the plays. After all, Shakespeare's dramas were meant to be performed and that is how they are best understood--as plays. With hundreds of scenes from nineteen of the most commonly taught Shakespeare plays, as well as an online system that allows teachers and students to edit or write their own scripts, Play the Knave is an ideal way to engage students at all levels.
Our teaching team has integrated Play the Knave into the study of Shakespeare at elementary, middle, and high schools; colleges; and after-school programs.
Whether used as a novel reading tool, an un-intimidating introduction to the plays, a scaffold for full-scale performances of scenes, or a capstone performance experience, the game gets students excited about reading Shakespeare’s language.
But Shakespeare is just the beginning... What some teachers may not know is that dramatic performance is an ideal way to engage students in any text. Education researchers have shown, in fact, that kinesthetic movement and drama-based activities enhance help students understand complex texts and materials in a range of subjects.
Play the Knave is designed to be easily adaptable to suit learning in a range of subjects, including second language, literature, history, and life orientation/life skills.
Play the Knave has been used in classrooms across the United States and throughout the world. Our software can be downloaded for free, but you'll need to make sure you have the required hardware to play. Visit our Download page to learn more or consult our Installation Guide.
If you do not have the necessary hardware, you may be able to borrow it from us at no cost. See more information below. |
Above: students studying Shakespeare via Play the Knave at Thuto-lore Comprehensive School in Sharpeville township, near Johannesburg, South Africa.
Learn more below about our collaboration with Cape Town theater artist and educator Lauren Bates of Educasions to bring Play the Knave into South African high schools. |
Testimonials from Teachers
“Because of the format, the students didn’t seem to suffer from any of the usual hesitation of reading difficult text aloud.”
-- Kathleen, Waldron Mercy Academy, Pennsylvania
-- Kathleen, Waldron Mercy Academy, Pennsylvania
“They laughed a lot and had a great time. Also, the more timid students had less anxiety about getting up and performing.” -- Tim, River City High School, California
“It engaged the kids on a high level. Motivation and interest are two of the hardest things to cultivate in the classroom when dealing with difficult texts such as Shakespeare. This video game significantly increased the students interest in participating and their motivation to engage on a serious level with the text."
-- Rachel, City of Hialeah Educational Academy, Florida
-- Rachel, City of Hialeah Educational Academy, Florida
“The game defied their stereotypes of what characters in Shakespeare should look like. One African-American student chose a black man in a suit to play Hamlet because the man resembled him. The students discussed how it was interesting to “change things up” by having the characters look modern or like a robot or an alien."
-- Molly, River City High School, California
-- Molly, River City High School, California
“My students were able to go straight into acting without having to memorize lines, and this is important because many students in the class read below grade level and they struggle enough with the language as it is."
-- Raul, Florin High School, California
-- Raul, Florin High School, California
“They learned a lot about how to move their bodies while performing to emphasize the ideas that they are trying to get across. While I can explain this in words to my students, it’s not as effective as seeing themselves perform in real time."
-- Averyl, University of California, Davis
-- Averyl, University of California, Davis
Interested in Play the Knave for your classroom, but don't have the required hardware?
Thanks to an educational grant from Margaret Bowles, we can loan you the equipment you need. Our Knave Kit contains everything required to run Play the Knave (computer, Kinect camera, and connection cables); you provide only a TV or projector/screen. This program is only available to schools in the United States.
There is no cost to use our loan program beyond your paying for shipping fees. (Shipping fees range from around $50-$100 each way depending on your location.) Teachers who can travel to the University of California, Davis, can pick up a kit in person to avoid shipping fees.
We can waive shipping fees for classrooms that participate in our university-sponsored research study.
We are interested in how digital gaming technology and physical theatre activities help students understand Shakespeare and make connections between his plays and social justice concerns. Scroll down to the next section to learn more!
There is no cost to use our loan program beyond your paying for shipping fees. (Shipping fees range from around $50-$100 each way depending on your location.) Teachers who can travel to the University of California, Davis, can pick up a kit in person to avoid shipping fees.
We can waive shipping fees for classrooms that participate in our university-sponsored research study.
We are interested in how digital gaming technology and physical theatre activities help students understand Shakespeare and make connections between his plays and social justice concerns. Scroll down to the next section to learn more!
To borrow a Knave Kit, fill out our form:
Play the Knave Research Study
(for schools in the United States and South Africa)
We are currently conducting a research study into how digital gaming technology helps students understand Shakespeare and make connections between his plays and social justice concerns. In collaboration with Cape Town theatre artist and high school teacher Lauren Bates of Educasions, we have created a highly engaging program that uses Play the Knave and physical theatre games to teach Shakespeare's tragedies, connecting them to recent historical events and issues today's students care about. Options for lessons on:
How much does it cost to participate?
Nothing! Because you are helping us with our research, we cover all costs and provide everything you need. The teacher simply needs to reserve one or two class periods for the activity.
How much time is required for participation?
Beyond teaching the lesson during one or, ideally, two class periods, participation takes no more than 15 minutes.
How is equipment and material for the program made available to teachers?
Will my classroom need an internet connection?
No. This is not an online game. The software is pre-loaded to a computer and hardware we will provide you. You simply plug everything in and connect to a TV or projector in the classroom.
What do participants in the study do?
To participate in the study, the teacher would follow the lesson plan we provide or adapt that lesson as needed to suit the class's learning needs. After the lesson, the teacher and students would fill out short surveys about their experience and share any written work relating to the lesson. (We ask the teacher to remove student names from their work before sharing it with us.) If possible, we appreciate if you coudl audio-record the lesson and share that recording with us but we understand if this is not possible. To learn more about what is involved in the research, check out the applicable link:
Information for U.S. Learners | Information for U.S. Teachers
Information for South African Learners | Information for South African Teachers
How can teachers or schools sign up?
How can teachers and students learn more about the research?
Watch the presentation below, which describes some of our research in South African schools. You can also read our recent research publications:
- Romeo and Juliet
- Macbeth
- Othello
- Hamlet
How much does it cost to participate?
Nothing! Because you are helping us with our research, we cover all costs and provide everything you need. The teacher simply needs to reserve one or two class periods for the activity.
How much time is required for participation?
Beyond teaching the lesson during one or, ideally, two class periods, participation takes no more than 15 minutes.
How is equipment and material for the program made available to teachers?
- For teachers near our research sites (Davis, California and Cape Town), a member of our teaching team can come in person with the gaming equipment and everything needed to teach the lesson. If you wish, we can teach or co-teach the lesson as well.
- For teachers in the U.S. outside of Northern California, we will mail you everything required to run the lesson. All you need is a TV or projector with space in front for students to move around.
Will my classroom need an internet connection?
No. This is not an online game. The software is pre-loaded to a computer and hardware we will provide you. You simply plug everything in and connect to a TV or projector in the classroom.
What do participants in the study do?
To participate in the study, the teacher would follow the lesson plan we provide or adapt that lesson as needed to suit the class's learning needs. After the lesson, the teacher and students would fill out short surveys about their experience and share any written work relating to the lesson. (We ask the teacher to remove student names from their work before sharing it with us.) If possible, we appreciate if you coudl audio-record the lesson and share that recording with us but we understand if this is not possible. To learn more about what is involved in the research, check out the applicable link:
Information for U.S. Learners | Information for U.S. Teachers
Information for South African Learners | Information for South African Teachers
How can teachers or schools sign up?
- Teachers in or near Davis, CA should fill out our Knave Kit Loan form and indicate interest in the research study.
- Teachers in or near Cape Town should contact Lauren Bates at educasions@gmail.com to schedule a visit.
How can teachers and students learn more about the research?
Watch the presentation below, which describes some of our research in South African schools. You can also read our recent research publications:
- Gina Bloom and Lauren Bates, “Play to Learn: Shakespeare as Decolonial Praxis in South African Schools.” Shakespeare in Southern Africa 34 (2021): 7-22.
- Gina Bloom, Nicholas Toothman, and Evan Buswell, "Playful Pedagogy and Social Justice: Digital Embodiment in the Shakespeare Classroom." Shakespeare Survey, 74, special issue on Shakespeare and Education.
UC Davis Undergraduate Students Conduct
Research in California Schools
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Elementary School
Middle School
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Presentations about ResearchOur teaching interns have brought Play the Knave to K-12 schools across Northern California and studied its effectiveness for student learning. Watch these presentations about the game’s impact.
Overview of 2017-18 research program
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High School
High School
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Learn more:
Curriculum Review: An assessment of a lesson plan using Play the Knave that was developed to fit the California Common Core Curriculum and taught in a ninth grade classroom.
| curriculum_review_of_play_the_knave.pdf |
Play the Knave is included in the book Learning, Education and Games: 100 Games to Use in the Classroom and Beyond. Access the entire book, or download below the chapter about Play the Knave.
| learning_education_and_games_play_the_knave.pdf |
