Course Profile Dramatic Arts, Grade 10,
Open, Public
Unit 4: Uncovering Meaning in Text
Time: 25 hours
Activity 1 | Activity 2
| Activity 3 | Activity 4
Students interpret a variety of texts, such as scripts, narrative genres, images, television programs, and letters. They explore various roles to gain a deeper understanding of personal, social beliefs and historical perspectives, and apply their understanding of the text to their own lives – making connections. Through a variety of activities which explore voice, gesture, movement, meaning (implicit and explicit), metaphors, symbols, and production values, students understand and articulate deeper understanding of the text. Students demonstrate the use of conventions in presentations. They research, understand, and articulate dramatic tension and bring text to life. Through presentation, they express with integrity a range of feelings, attitudes, and beliefs. Through the creative process, students combine the author’s intention and their own interpretation of the text into a creation that clearly communicates multiple possibilities in the text.
Strand(s): Theory, Creation, Analysis
Overall Expectations: THV.01X,
THV.02X, CRV.01X, CRV.02X, CRV.03X, CRV.04X, ANV.01X.
Specific Expectations: TH1.02X,
TH1.03X, TH1.04X, TH2.01X, TH2.04X, TH3.01X, TH3.02X, TH3.03X, TH3.04X,
TH3.05X, TH3.06X, TH3.08X, TH3.09X, CR1.01X, CR1.03X, CR1.04X, CR1.09X,
CR2.01X, CR2.02X, CR2.04X, AN1.01X, AN1.02X, AN1.03X, AN1.07X, AN2.04X.
|
Activity 1 |
Analysing a Dramatic Script |
225-375 minutes |
|
Activity 2 |
Exploring a Short Script |
225-300 minutes |
|
Activity 3 |
Exploring Subtext |
225-300 minutes |
|
Activity 4 |
Choosing a New Source |
375 minutes |
· collaborative group skills
· role playing
· tableaux
· reading skills
· understanding “symbol”
· ability to use sources effectively
· skills previously learned in the course
Key questions which frame this unit are:
· What drama strategies help students experience the deeper meaning in texts?
· What connections can students make between their own lives and the text?
· What opportunities does drama give students to collaborate effectively?
· The word “text” is used to describe the communication which can be “read” from any source. It refers to the messages derived from traditional print texts such as a short story, script, poem, letter, an article or a combination print and non-print “text” from the media such as an image, a TV drama, an advertisement, etc.
· Some expectations run throughout the unit. These are to be considered for purposes of ongoing assessment. Additional expectations are introduced during each activity and these are to be addressed throughout the rest of the unit after their introduction.
·In the final activity, students choose a source for presentation. They demonstrate through their presentation that they can interpret text. By following the rehearsal process, they communicate their interpretation in dramatic form.
· Teachers should exercise sensitivity when using source materials related to war (Activity 3: Exploring Subtext), especially when dealing with students who have first-hand knowledge of war.
· The teacher should select no more than five expectations for the final evaluation. For assessment purposes, the teacher should only focus on three or four expectations in any activity. The expectations selected should be based on the needs of the particular group of students in the class.
|
Depending upon the readiness and overall ability of the class, the teacher may wish to skip Activity 1 and move directly to Activity 2. |
· The key to the rehearsal process is that every time students return to work with the text, a new challenge, a new goal, or a new activity should be introduced in order to keep the exploration fresh.
· Except for the final activity, there is no emphasis on presentation, although work is shared throughout.
· The process of bringing text to life involves several stages:
|
Research/Analysis |
Ú |
Exploration/Concepts |
Ú |
Rehearsal/Coaching |
Ú |
Presentation |
· whole group direct instruction
· Socratic questioning
· small group discussion, rehearsal, and presentation
· portfolio writing
· Appendix 4.1 – Portfolio Checklist for Unit 4
· Appendix 4.3 – Group/Individual Performance Rubric
· Appendix 4.5 – Group Evaluation Checkbric (for peer assessment)
Appel, Libby. Mask
Characterization. An Acting Process. Southern Illinois University Press, 1982.
ISBN 0809310392
Appendix 4.2 – Russell and Anna
Appendix 4.4 – “All the World’s a Stage”
Berton, Pierre. Vimy. McClelland and Stewart, 1986. ISBN 0771013396
Chapman, Gerald. Teaching
Young Playwrights. New Hampshire: Heinemann, Portsmouth, 1991.
ISBN 0435082124
Fernald, Mary and Eileen Shenton. Design & Making Stage Costumes. Routledge: Chapman & Hall, Incorporated, 1992. ISBN 087830021
Holt, Michael. Stage Design & Properties. Theatre Manuals Ser., Penguin Books of Canada, Limited, 1995. ISBN 0714825158
Jones, Brie. Improve with Improv! A Guide to Improvisation and Character Development. Colorado Springs: Meriwether Publishing Ltd., 1993. ISBN 0916260984
O’Toole, John. The Process of Drama. London: Routledge, 1992. ISBN 0415082439
O’Toole, John and Brad Haseman. Dramawise.
Oxford: Heinemann Educational Books, 1986.
ISBN 0435180363
Krell-Oishi, Mary. Perspectives: Relevant Scenes For Teens. Meriwether, 1998. ISBN 1566080304
Krell-Oishi, Mary. More Scenes That Happen. Meriwether, 1994. ISBN 1556080002
Morton, Desmond. When Your Number’s Up. Random House, 1993. ISBN 0394222881
Nelms, Henning. Scene Design:
A Guide to the Stage. Dover Publications, Incorporated, 1975.
ISBN 0486231534
Parker, W. Oren and R. Craig
Wolf. Scene Design & Stage Lighting. Harcourt Brace & Company,
1996.
ISBN 0155016202
Photographs from magazines, newspapers, etc.
Art Gallery Internet sites
Playwright’s Union Canada. See Activity 2 Resources.
Time: 300-450 minutes
Students are introduced to methods for analysing a script. They apply role playing to text analysis and learn to read and interpret literature as a source for drama. Through the creative process, they develop their own interpretations of a neutral or “minimal” script, a brief scene, and the “Seven Ages of Man” speech by William Shakespeare.
Strand(s): Theory,
Creation, Analysis
Overall Expectations
THV.01 - demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of role playing and structuring dramatic works in their own dramatic presentations;
THV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of dramatic expression.
Specific Expectations
TH1.03 - demonstrate an understanding of techniques used to re-create roles;
TH1.04 - demonstrate an understanding of the process of structuring drama;
TH2.01 - demonstrate an understanding of the control of volume, tone, pace, and intention in an expressive speech;
TH2.04 - demonstrate the use of movement, gesture, and non-verbal communication to express ideas in a drama;
TH3.02 - explain how dramatic forms may effectively communicate more than one perspective;
TH3.05 - identify dramatic conflict or tension within a source;
CR1.04 - demonstrate an understanding of language that is free from bias and stereotyping;
AN2.04 - analyse various roles to gain a deeper understanding of the personal and social benefits inherent in a drama.
Materials:
· Sufficient copies of Appendix 4.4 – “Seven Ages of Man” (As You Like It, William Shakespeare, Act II, Scene vii, 139 ff), double-spaced, with commas omitted
· Sufficient copies of Appendix 3.7 – Group Work Rubric and/or Appendix 3.8 – Group/Individual Performance Evaluation (depending upon the teacher’s choice)
· Books on Shakespeare’s life and work to use as examples if necessary
· An alternate Shakespearean speech could be assigned if the class is not ready to work on the “Seven Ages of Man” speech.
Background:
· A script is a series of directions to the actor about what to do and say. In a good script, most of the action is inherent in the dialogue. The purpose of text analysis is to bring these directions to the fore. Shakespeare is probably the most user-friendly writer available. His work appears daunting to students until they understand how to read him as an actor. The dialogue contains every direction an actor needs to develop character, to move, to express emotion, to develop tension, to narrate, and otherwise communicate meaning.
· To share the experimental work in pairs (Strategies 4-7), the teacher can ask groups to volunteer to show their idea for a specific line or age, or two pairs could share for each other.
· Sharing as a whole class must be done with a good deal of sensitivity, as the work is difficult. Teachers should emphasize repeatedly that students are experimenting with the work and that while an honest, creative effort is expected, there is no “right” way to interpret the source.
· As each technique to explore the text is introduced, the teacher should record it on chart paper and post it on the wall so that students may use the techniques (e.g., highlight all the action words, add slashes to isolate smaller ideas, adding symbolic gesture, etc.) to prepare their presentations in Activity 4: Choosing a New Source.
· script format from the study of plays in English or French
· listening skills
· collaborative skills: ability to concentrate, build consensus, share, give and receive constructive feedback
· responding and problem solving in role
· basic presentation skills
· basic audience skills: listening viewing, interactivity
The teacher and class discuss how sources may be used, based on students’ work in the previous unit. If the source is a script, what is available in the script that will tell us what it may be about and how can it be presented? Once it is clear to students that a script is just a series of stage directions which tell the actor what to do and say, the teacher asks the class to form pairs and gives them the following minimal dialogue:
Dialogue 1
A: I have to go. I have to get out of here now.
B: You’re not going anywhere.
A: I’m going. You can’t stop me.
B: If you go, don’t ever come back. Ever.
A: I have to go.
B: You’re not going or you would have already gone.
A: Someday I’ll go.
B: Yeah, someday.
Written by Jim Schaefer. Used with
permission.
Students begin by answering the following questions based on the information contained in the neutral scene. Who are these people? How old are they? How well do they know each other? What other assumptions can we make about them? What happened just before they spoke? What might happen next? What happens in the spaces? (lines 10 and 16, Dialogue 2 below). What might the scene be about? (theme) What gestures can be added to help convey the ideas? Students make decisions, rehearse the scene according to their answers for 15-20 minutes, and share their work with each other. Note: The teacher must monitor students’ interpretations to help them make choices which are healthy to the class atmosphere.
Class discussion:
· Why was each presentation different even though the script is the same?
· How can we move our work beyond stereotypes?
· What would the writer have to add to narrow the meaning?
· What makes a good script?
With a new partner, the class repeats the exercise with Dialogue 2 and use 20-25 minutes for preparation. Students should be aware of any changes in tone which are driven by the subtext and how the subtext works to communicate their interpretation of the scene. The teacher continues to monitor students’ choices.
Dialogue
2
C: Hi. How’s it goin’?
D: Okay. What’s new with you?
A: Not much.
B: Figures.
A: What’s that supposed to mean?
B: Oh, nothing.
A: Listen. I just want to know what was said.
B: The truth. What else could be said?
A: I don’t know what you mean.
B: I think you do... But what’s the use?
A: So... are we still friends?
B: What do you think?
A: Yeah, well... okay.
B: Whatever you say. As always.
A: Gotta go. Okay?
B: Of course... Same time tomorrow.
Class discussion:
See above, as well as the following.
· What were the main similarities between the two dialogues?
· What were the main differences between the two dialogues?
· How was the meaning conveyed?
· How did the physicalization of the script help communicate its meaning?
Extension/enrichment:
· Students write the subtext of each line next to it. Two pairs join and each pair rehearses the subtext of the other pair. Standing behind or nearby the performers, they say the subtext after each line is said by the performer to ‘underline’ its meaning. The class discusses the results.
A good playwright usually includes directions to the actor in the dialogue itself. It is the actor’s task to discover these directions and, by experimenting, to determine the best way to play the lines. In this activity, students experiment with line fragments.
The teacher divides the class into pairs. Students are given the following fragment from Aristophanes’ The Birds. The dialogue can be written on the board or can simply be repeated for student memorization. In the scene, the main character, Pisthetairos, is trying to relax in the paradise that is the land of the birds, but is continually bothered by uninvited visitors from Athens. One of these is a tax inspector. The Inspector enters:
Inspector: Fetch me the mayor, yokel!
Pisthetairos: Who’s this?
The pairs discuss the following: What does the Inspector’s attitude seem to be? What does the writer want the actor to look like when saying the line? Each pair experiments with gesture and tone of voice. To whom would Pisthtairos be speaking? Is he facing the inspector when he says this? Is he sitting or standing? What is his tone of voice? The pairs experiment for a few minutes and then share the results with the rest of the class. Discussion should focus on the different possibilities for playing the scene.
Students move to new partners. The following fragment is from Oedipus, by Seneca. The fragment may be written on the board. In the scene, Jocasta is speaking to her son Oedipus. Oedipus has just blinded himself out of guilt for the crimes he has committed. Sometimes an actor’s directions come from another actor’s lines.
Jocasta: You are my son. I lost you. You’re alive. I’ve found you. Show me your face. Turn your head toward me. Show me your face.
The student playing Oedipus must try to follow what Jocasta’s words imply. The student playing Jocasta experiments with tone of voice and gesture. Share the results. The pair discusses what it would take for Oedipus to face Jocasta and shares the discussion with the class.
Students move to new partners. Sometimes the lines ask the actors to create tension. In pairs, students experiment with the following two lines to try to create tension.
A: Well now, what’s your name?
B: I’m not going to tell you.
Who might these two people be? What is the setting? Students try doing the dialogue in a series of frozen ‘snapshots’ (tableaux):
· Snapshot 1: just before A’s line
· Snapshot 2: during A’s line
· Snapshot 3: during B’s line
· Snapshot 4: right after B’s line
Can another snapshot be added between snapshot 2 and snapshot 3? Unfreeze the sequence and try it out so that the snapshots flow together. What can you add to increase tension? What would they say next? Invent the next two lines and try them out. Share the results.
Students move to their final partners. This fragment, from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, is for one person. Their partner is a sounding board for positive ideas as they experiment and rehearse.
Macbeth: Is this a dagger I see before me, its handle toward my hand?... Come, let me clutch thee.
What does the writer want the actor to do? Is there really a knife there or is he hallucinating or dreaming? Experiment with the possibilities and show the results to each other.
With the class seated in a circle, the teacher asks what the class knows about Shakespeare. In the subsequent discussion, the teacher clarifies Shakespeare’s reputation including his prodigious output of 37 plays, his ability to write blank verse, his exceptional vocabulary, and the fact that he is ‘actor- friendly.’ The teacher also points out that Shakespeare’s work allows us to gain insight into the universal truths about the human condition as we compare our thoughts, feelings, and world view with those of Shakespeare’s characters.
The teacher hands out the “Seven Ages of Man” speech (Appendix 4.4). Students read the speech silently. The teacher asks students to discuss the content of the speech and moves the discussion to an exploration of the themes of the speech. How might the speech be performed, i.e., What will it look and sound like on stage? The teacher explains that the purpose of punctuation is to instruct the reader as to how the piece is to be read and that in Shakespeare’s time commas were not used. Shakespeare used only full stops: period, semicolon, and question mark. After each full stop, students make a slash mark in their script. Doing this divides the speech into sections, each section being part of a sequence of smaller ideas building to form a larger idea. As well, each full stop indicates a pause long enough to take a breath.
Students identify the words they cannot pronounce in the speech and any tongue twisters that are apparent. The “trick” to saying tongue twisters is to practise them, saying each syllable clearly. Students identify each action word by underlining it. They find a space to work in with a partner and begin to say the speech aloud while putting appropriate gestures to the action words. Each pair experiments with the gestures and shares the results. How can gestures be used most appropriately?
The teacher asks the class to examine the speech for sounds. First, students count the number of ‘s’ and ‘t’ (sibilant) sounds in the last line. There are fourteen. Why did Shakespeare do this? Students try whispering the line to see if the sibilant sounds suit a particular form of reading. The sounds also create an appropriate atmosphere. Students look for other words which contain sounds which imply action and feeling – for example, the hard ‘k’ sounds in “quick in quarrel”, which could represent the click of duelling swords, or the vowel sounds in “woeful ballad”, which may be appropriate to the heartache of young love. Again, students explore possible gestures and tone in pairs and share their ideas. How well do the gestures match the words? What tone and pace fit well with the gesture(s)?
Students identify the roles described in the text. Each age is clearly represented by roles. In some cases, the role is clear, as in the “lover sighing like furnace.” In other cases, Shakespeare gives the actor a choice as in the “infant mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.” In this instance, the actor must decide whether to represent the baby or the person holding it. Which provides the best transition to the “whining schoolboy”? The choice of role for the schoolboy might help determine this; is it better to be the schoolboy or the person sending him to school? There is no one right way to do this. Shakespeare offers a good deal of choice to the actor. This is a characteristic of any excellent playwright. Students add the “layer” of role to their previous exploration of language, gesture, and sound and share the results.
The speech is intended to be humourous up to the sixth age when the tone shifts. How can this change happen using gesture and pace and tone of voice? Tension is important to humour. How can tension be created, then broken at the proper point to provoke a laugh? Students experiment in pairs with the addition of tension to the previous elements and share the results. Students are challenged further to repeat as much of the speech as possible without referring to the script.
In groups of four, students spend 20-30 minutes to prepare the speech. How they do this is up to them: choral speaking, dividing the speech into four, etc. Discussion of the presentations will focus on the different interpretations of the text. When all the presentations have been seen, the teacher uses the discussion prompts, “What is the speech about?”, “What are the modern equivalents of ages such as the soldier?”, “What can an actor do to help the audience to identify with the ages?” They then present the speech to the rest of the class, with positive comments and discussion following each presentation.
The teacher may use Appendix 3.7 – Group Work Rubric or the class may use it to peer assess the scenes, in which case Appendix 3.8 – Group/Individual Performance Evaluation may be used by the teacher instead.
· . Portfolio question: Choose three ages from the script. How are they the same today? How are they different from Shakespeare’s time? Suggest a way to perform one of the ages to show both the similarities and the differences without changing the actual text.
Extension/enrichment:
· Students write a brief using the dialogue snippet from Strategy 1 as a starting point. The dialogue focusses on what happens next. Their script is given to another pair who rehearse and present it according to what has been written (without consulting the author). They should limit themselves to using only the dialogue to give all the direction, and no other stage directions. How easy is it to write dialogue which contains all the information necessary for the actor to do what the writer intends?
· Appendix 3.7 – Group Work Rubric
· Appendix 3.8 – Group/Individual Performance Evaluation
· Appendix 3.9 – The Role of the Teacher While Students Are Working in Groups
· Appendix 4.1 – Portfolio Checklist for Unit 4
· Reading accommodations may be necessary for ESL students or students with specific learning disabilities which affect reading. Consulting the IEP and using a peer tutor/helper to assist and a larger type face/font are helpful. The teacher should encourage a higher level of oral participation.
· Students who have difficulty writing should be paired with another student or a classroom assistant who will scribe.
· Students with visual challenges should be given copies of the script which have been expanded on the photocopier.
Appendix 3.7 – Group Work Rubric
Appendix 3.8 – Group/Individual Performance Evaluation
Appendix 3.9 – The Role of the Teacher While Students Are Working in Groups
Appendix 4.1 – Portfolio Checklist for Unit 4
Appendix 4.4 – “All the World’s a Stage”
Boagey, Eric. Starting Drama. Unwin Hyman Limited, 1986. ISBN 0713526815
Lundy, Charles and David Booth. Interpretation. Toronto: Harcourt Brace, 1985. ISBN 0774712104
Time: 225-375 minutes
The teacher uses a two-page script from a modern twentieth-century play. Students work through short challenges which explore character, setting, conflict, and theme. Students are introduced to asides, monologues, and soliloquy and experiment with these conventions.
Strand(s): Theory, Creation
Overall Expectations
THV.01 - demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of role playing and structuring of dramatic works;
CRV.01 - use various ways to sustain a role within a drama.
Specific Expectations
TH1.03 - demonstrate an understanding of techniques used to re-create roles;
TH1.04 - demonstrate an understanding of the process of structuring drama;
TH3.04 - demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of a specific form or genre;
TH3.08 - identify sources of modern theatrical conventions such as the aside, monologue or soliloquy, and cite examples;
TH3.09 - demonstrate knowledge of dramatists’ use of form through reading and analysing excerpts from nineteenth and twentieth-century plays;
CR1.09 - identify research methods appropriate to developing ideas and text for a drama.
Materials:
· Each group of performers needs a copy of the scene.
· Samples of a variety of set designs and a sample floor plan are needed.
· The teacher finds an appropriate segment of a modern twentieth-century play. The segment should involve two to four characters. Suggested plays are found in Resources.
Preparation,
assessment, and classroom management:
· For the purposes of this exercise, students do not need to read the entire play. However, the teacher may provide any additional information about the play that she or he feels is necessary for students to complete the tasks.
· Teachers must be aware of copyright licences if photocopying materials.
· Some furniture may be used to set up the setting for the scene if appropriate (chairs, boxes, small tables, coat hangers, etc.).
· If using the Reader’s Theatre approach to reading the scene, instruct the group preparing the reading to read clearly but not “dramatically.” The intent of this presentation is to allow the class to hear the scene without having an interpretation imposed. This approach is particularly useful if many students have reading difficulties or are ESL students.
· As each technique to explore the text is introduced, the teacher posts it on the wall so that students may use the techniques to prepare their presentations in Activity 4: Choosing a New Source, i.e., retelling the scene, character physicalizations through A day in Life, in-role interviews, etc.
· script format from the study of plays in English or French
· listening skills
· collaborative skills: ability to concentrate, build consensus, share, give and receive constructive feedback
· responding and problem solving in role
· basic presentation skills
· basic audience skills: listening, viewing, interactivity
· understanding of neutral physical stance
The teacher may pre-assign the groups of two to four for this activity, or students may choose their own, depending upon the teacher’s preference. The scene which the teacher has chosen is described by the teacher.
Students may read the selected scene for the first time in their group silently or aloud, in role.
The teacher directs the students to brainstorm a list of questions about the scene. The questions are posted and categorized by character, setting, conflict, and theme. The teacher peruses the list and may decide to respond to some of the questions if not knowing the answer might hinder students’ exploration. Students may respond to some of the questions based on their first reading.
After the first reading, each student retells to a partner as much of the scene as she or he remembers. Pairs are switched around the group a total of three times. Each person adds any new information she or he hears to the retelling as the exercise progresses.
The whole class sits in a circle. Taking turns around the circle, the scene is retold in students’ own words. This could be accomplished by having each person contribute one phrase or sentence, or even a word at a time.
Class discussion:
· What information did we get from the script?
· What information did we add that was not in the script?
· What information do we know about each of the characters? Find evidence from the script that supports each character’s point?
· What information do we know about the setting? Find evidence to support your answer.
· What’s the character’s problem in this scene?
· What is the source of the dramatic tension in the scene?
The teacher divides the class into pairs, A and B. A plays the interviewer; B plays one of the characters in the scene. A asks B questions about his/her character. The questions should elicit information about the character’s family background, education, hobbies, interests, hopes, dreams, etc. Students switch roles and conduct a second interview with another character.
Extension/Enrichment:
· Students are grouped in small groups with several interviewers and one person responding in role. Each interviewer takes a turn at being interviewed; all the characters in the scene are interviewed. The interviewers may take on specific roles from the scene or they may make up a character which is appropriate to the situation, remembering that the focus of the interview is on the interviewee through the use of good questions.
. Portfolio question: Write a short description of
the character you played during the in-role interview.
All students scan the text for clues about a character’s physical action.
Each student finds a space in the room and stands in neutral. As the teacher counts slowly to three, each student, individually, moves in slow motion into a physical stance which reflects his/her character in a typical action in which the character might be involved. Students return to neutral and the exercise is repeated. Each time the exercise is repeated, students invent a different character action.
The teacher asks students to imagine a “Day in the Life” of their character. What important moments might there be in the character’s day? What attitude might the character have during a typical day? Each student develops a short sequence of mimed actions.
Students divide into pairs, A and B. A shares the “Day in the Life” of his/her character. B watches A. B describes the character as portrayed by A. Students switch roles so that B shares his/her “Day in the Life” of his/her character.
Class Discussion:
· What information do you look for in a script to develop a character’s physical stance and actions? How is a physical portrayal of a character different from a reading of a character’s dialogue?
· Which portrayal is more effective in helping an audience understand a character? Why?
. Portfolio question: What are some ways of getting
information about character from a script?
The teacher introduces the term “aside” and gives an example by showing where one character in the scene might say an aside and what she or he might say. For example, in Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1, immediately following the ‘To be or not to be,’ speech, Hamlet sees Ophelia approaching, turns to the audience, and says “...Soft you now the fair Ophelia.” The actor speaks directly to the audience in role. The class discusses the effectiveness of the aside, its drawbacks, and any similar conventions on television, especially in soap operas or sitcoms.
The teacher divides the class in half. One group is given the following definition of a monologue and the second group is given the following definition of a soliloquy.
Monologue is a narrative passage delivered by one character. The lines are spoken aloud and are directed toward the audience. The speech may be used by the playwright to reveal the character’s thoughts and give background information about the character(s) or events surrounding the action of the play.
Soliloquy is a speech in which a character, alone on stage, appears to be “talking to him/herself”. The character expresses his/her inner thoughts aloud and the audience overhears them.
Each student selects a character from the script being explored.
Each student decides what new information she or he should reveal in the scene and writes a short monologue or a soliloquy which the character might deliver to reveal the information. The students do not deliver the monologue or soliloquy they write; they find a partner and trade speeches. They read their partner’s speech silently and ask questions to help clarify meaning. They then read their partner’s speech aloud and discuss with the partner the character who might say the speech. Based on the partner’s response, the writer may alter his/her monologue or soliloquy. This strategy is repeated a second time with a new partner. Note: The teacher may need to model this activity very explicitly, especially the kind of language to use when asking for clarification and the discussion. The teacher’s direct supervision is very important for all students during this activity.
The class gathers and the teacher asks for volunteers to read either a soliloquy or a monologue they read during the exercise. After the reading, the class discusses which character might deliver the speech and whether it was a soliloquy or monologue.
Class Discussion:
· Which convention do you think is more effective in giving information about character? Why?
· When would a writer want to use a monologue or a soliloquy in a play?
Extension/enrichment: Stage Setting
· The teacher may involve the students in an interactive mini-lesson on set design. The lesson would include brainstorming the role of the set designer, analysing the play’s genre, discussing the use of keys/symbols, generating a list of elements of a good set design, and viewing samples of set designs.
. Portfolio question: Sketch a floor plan
for the scene on which you have been working.
· When they are complete, students break into small groups and compare each other’s floor plan. They discuss their choices and how the setting will affect the staging.
OR
· . Portfolio question: Fill in a Character Analysis chart for yourself as if you were a character in a play.
· Appendix 4.1 – Portfolio Checklist for Unit 4
· Appendix 3.7 – Group Work Rubric
· The teacher should monitor ELD students frequently to ensure that they understand the tasks as assigned and are working effectively on task.
· Provide “preferential seating” for students with behavioural or visual learning challenges during discussions and when using board notes to highlight key phrases or concepts.
· Larger print copies of the script should be considered for students with visual challenges.
Allensworth, Carl. The
Complete Play Production Handbook. Thomas Y. Crowell NY.
ISBN 0690207522
Boagey, Eric. Starting Drama. Unwin Hyman Limited, 1986. ISBN 0713526815
O’Toole, John and Brad Haseman. Dramawise.
Oxford: Heinemann Educational Books, 1986.
ISBN 0435180363
Chapman, Gerald. Teaching
Young Playwrights. New Hampshire: Heinemann Portsmouth, 1991.
ISBN 0435082124
Nelms, Henning. Scene Design: A Guide To The Stage. Dover, NY: 1975. ISBN 0486231534
Many of the following plays and many others are available through Playwright’s Union Canada, 54 Wolseley St., 2nd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1A5; tel: (416) 703.0201; fax: (416) 703.0059; e-mail cdplays@interlog.com or TheatreBooks, 11 St. Thomas St., Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2B7, tel: (416) 922.7175; fax (416) 922.0739; e-mail action@theatrebooks.com
Reading the Signs by Jim Betts
Toronto at Dreamer’s Rock by Drew HaydenTaylor
Someday by Drew Hayden Taylor
Going Back by Christopher Heide
Transit of Venus by Maureen Hunter
Skin by Dennis Foon
New Canadian Kid by Dennis Foon
Invisible Kids by Dennis Foon
Liars by Dennis Foon
See Saw by Dennis Foon
Loon Boy by Kathleen McDonnell
Ruby and the Rock by Vivenne Laxdal
Firebird by Rose Scollard
Coming Around by Lorre Jensen and Paula Wing
Appendix 4.1 – Portfolio Checklist for Unit 4
Appendix 3.7 – Group Work Rubric
Time: 225-300 minutes
Using a letter and brief historical information, students develop and explore appropriate roles and create a drama which expresses the themes embedded in the document. They examine a dramatic source for the drama possibilities embedded in it and use the source to understand the different perspectives it presents.
Strand(s): Theory,
Creation, Analysis
Overall Expectations
THV.01 - demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of role playing and structuring of dramatic works;
CRV.01 - use various ways to sustain a role within a drama;
CRV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of group responsibility in the creation of a drama;
CRV.03 - create drama through research or the interpretation of a source;
CRV.04 - create and perform dramatic presentations, using knowledge of conventions, performance space, and audience perspectives;
ANV.04 - demonstrate an understanding of how role taking and the processes of drama are connected to their lives.
Specific Expectations
TH1.02 - identify and explain methods of creating and developing roles within a drama that accurately reflect the intentions of the performers and the circumstances of the drama;
TH3.02 - explain how dramatic forms may effectively communicate more than one perspective;
AN1.01 - describe the skills, theories, and concepts being demonstrated as a drama is developed;
AN1.02 - demonstrate an understanding of the methods of evaluation and analysis of a drama;
AN1.03 - use the specific criteria to evaluate their work in the creation and communication of a drama.
Materials:
· Sufficient copies of Appendix 4.2 – Russell and Anna
Preparation,
background notes, and classroom management:
· Subtext is that which is implied and is not explicit within the text.
· The teacher may choose to use a different letter, perhaps an archival document from a local museum or a letter from a literary source. Each student needs their own copy.
· The responses to the questions “What do we know for sure?” and others, should be recorded by the teacher on chart paper, so that they can be posted for future reference.
· The cough indicates that Anna may have died of tuberculosis, or ‘consumption’ as it was sometimes referred to in those days.
· For descriptions of conditions in the trenches and of Vimy Ridge, see Resources.
The teacher hands out copies of Appendix 4.2 – Russell and Anna. Students read the selection either silently or in small groups. They formulate answers (either individually or in a small group) in response to the following questions:
· What facts do we know for sure?
· What can we safely assume?
· What else can we learn about these people and their lives, in addition to the facts already known?
· Who in the story can answer our questions?
· What is this story really about and what can it mean to us?
The teacher records the answers on chart paper.
Five people are named in the story, and one other is identified – the man who was to deliver Anna’s previous letter. These are the only ones directly involved in the story whom we can identify and who might answer the questions. The class divides into six groups. Each group selects (or is assigned) a character from the story and creates a presentation, using tableau and role play, which retells the same story from the point of view of that character. Approximately 30 minutes may be given for preparation. The class views the presentations.
Class discussion:
· What themes can be drawn from the presentations?
· Can we add to the list we made for question five?
In groups of four or five, students select four themes from the list developed for the final question above. They create a brief series of tableaux (preparing for 10-15 minutes) which illustrates the themes. The class should peer assess within each group, using Appendix 4.5 – Group Evaluation Checkbric.
Class discussion:
· Why did you choose those themes? How do your choices differ from other groups?
. Portfolio question: Which point of view do you feel
retold the story best? Why?
· Appendix 4.1 – Portfolio Checklist for Unit 4
· Appendix 4.5 – Group Evaluation checkbric
· Reading accommodations may be necessary for ESL students or students with specific learning disabilities which affect reading. Using a peer tutor/helper to assist and a larger type face/font are helpful. The teacher should encourage a higher level of oral participation.
· “Preferential seating” for vision-impaired and behavioural students.
· Students with visual challenges should be given copies of the script which have been expanded on the photocopier.
Appendix 4.2 – Russell and Anna
Berton, Pierre. Vimy. McClelland and Stewart, 1986. ISBN 0771013396
Morton, Desmond. When Your Number’s Up. Random House, 1993. ISBN 0394222881
Appendix 4.2 – Russell and Anna
Appendix 4.5 – Group Evaluation Checkbric
Time: 375-525 minutes
Students choose their own source from a variety provided by the teacher. Through a group presentation, students demonstrate their ability to interpret a variety of different texts. Students show that by following the rehearsal process, they are able to communicate their interpretation to an audience. The rehearsal process and the final presentation are evaluated.
Strand(s): Theory,
Creation, Analysis
Overall Expectations
CRV.01 - use various ways to sustain a role within a drama;
CRV.02 - demonstrate an understanding of group responsibility in the creation of a drama;
CRV.03 - create drama through research or the interpretation of a source;
CRV.04 - create and perform dramatic presentations, using knowledge of conventions, performance space, and audience perspectives;
ANV.01 - generate and apply criteria to evaluate their own dramatic presentations.
Specific Expectations
TH2.04 - demonstrate the use of movement, gesture, and non-verbal communication to express ideas in a drama;
TH3.01 - demonstrate an understanding of criteria for selecting forms in the construction and communication of a drama;
TH3.06 - explain how the contributions of various production workers can affect formal expressions in a dramatic presentation;
CR1.01 - demonstrate an understanding of methods for developing roles that clearly express a range of feelings, attitudes, and beliefs;
CR1.03 - demonstrate an understanding of how role is communicated through language, gesture, costume, props, and symbol;
CR2.01 - demonstrate an understanding of the effect of various forms in the interpretations and communication of a source or idea;
CR2.02 - demonstrate an understanding of the function of design, lighting, and sound in the communication of a drama;
CR2.04 - demonstrate an understanding of audience perspective in the communication of a drama;
AN1.02 - demonstrate an understanding of the methods for the evaluation and analysis of a drama;
AN1.03 - use specific criteria to evaluate their own dramatic presentations.
Materials:
· Before introducing the activity, the teacher makes copies of a number of scripted scenes for two to four people (see Resources, Unit 4, Activity 2) of about five minutes duration each, a number of monologues (see Resources, Unit 4, Activity 2), some letters (from archival or literary sources), and some photographs of a piece of art or another evocative image (if the teacher feels that students are comfortable working with image).
· The teacher prepares a written description of the evaluation assignment including expectations, timeline, and criteria for assessment.
· The teacher informs students of the evaluation criteria at the beginning of the assignment. This can be done by means of a checklist.
Preparation,
background notes, and classroom management:
· The teacher ensures that the sources reflect the cultural diversity of the school’s local community.
· The teacher should select no more than five expectations for the final evaluation. Expectations should be based on the particular needs of students in the class.
· Students should be encouraged to use the list of posted techniques for exploring text: highlighting all the action words, adding slashes to isolate smaller ideas, adding symbolic gesture, retelling the scene, character physicalizations through “A Day in the Life”, in-role interviews, etc.
· The key to the rehearsal process is that every time students return to work with the text, a new challenge, a new goal, or a new activity should be introduced in order to keep the work fresh. The teacher will need to introduce some rehearsal techniques. Ideas for these challenges may be drawn by the teacher from Appendix 5.4 – Suggestions for Rehearsal Techniques.
· Students need time at the beginning of the assignment to examine the material. However, the teacher tells students that they must select at least two specific sources within the first hour of the first class.
· The teacher clarifies for students that they may acquire additional source material at any time during the assignment, should they wish to expand their presentation.
· Students are not necessarily required to have scripts fully memorized, but whether or not they may perform with a script in their hands or be prompted is up to each teacher. If students can roleplay well enough, i.e., maintain the role and the intention of the scene, that should be sufficient.
· In this activity, the teacher works on several levels, often simultaneously: guide/coach, instructor, decision-maker, stage manager, and others.
· group skills
· techniques for exploring character, setting, conflict, and theme in a text learned in previous activities
· a variety of drama forms such as tableaux, role playing, and movement
· comfort with using text as sources for improvisation
· presenting short pieces of dramatic work for an audience
The teacher outlines the task and students ask questions to clarify the expectations. The task is to use the techniques taught throughout the unit to create a fully-produced scene in a small group. The teacher reminds students of the need to work efficiency and creatively. The proposed timeline is:
· hours one and two: analyse and interpret the source and discuss possible strategies for dramatic interpretation using techniques learned in this activity and unit
· hours three and four: physically explore and consolidate choices
· the final hour: run-throughs without stopping, adding simple technical devices including lights, sound effects and/or music
The teacher reviews a variety of strategies to interpret text the class has learned, the rehearsal process and the importance of working collaboratively.
Students form groups of four or five and begin to examine the different sources (scripted scenes from stage or screen for two to four people, monologues, letters, and photographs) the teacher has placed in the room. Students choose a minimum of two of the four types of sources they wish to work with and begin to analyse and interpret the source. Students’ choices are recorded. Students may not be able to take the sources home unless photocopies are arranged with the teacher who is always available for group consultation.
The teacher starts each rehearsal by meeting the class in the circle and leading a discussion about the work to be accomplished during the period and any difficulties the students are experiencing that might be a common problem in the class. At each session, the teacher also describes a specific activity from Appendix 5.4 – Suggestions for Rehearsal Techniques that she or he feels would be useful for the class to try, based on her/his observations and on the nature of the sources chosen. Some rehearsal techniques may be tried by the entire class as a warm-up exercise before getting into their groups to work, while other exercises requiring some group discussion should be described at the beginning of each class, leaving the decision about when to try the technique to the individual groups. This opening exercise should not take more than 5-10 minutes.
While the groups work on their presentations, the teacher circulates to each group, observes and listens closely to the groups’ interpretation of the text. The teacher should interject only when a group becomes frustrated and is unable to proceed with the rehearsal. The teacher may remind the group of specific rehearsal techniques if she or he feels a group’s work would benefit from the re-exploration.
· . Portfolio question: Outline your presentation in such a way that if someone who was not in your group read it, the reader would understand how your presentation is to look and how your group interprets the sources. Be aware of your role in the presentation. Remember to use drama terms accurately.
The teacher devises a schedule for presentation in consultation with the groups (or a group representative may negotiate on the group’s behalf). Each group presents its work according to the schedule, followed by a discussion and reflection session. The following questions are used to assist the presenting group and their audience reflect on the work:
· (Group) Why did you choose those sources? Consider your personal and artistic reasons.
· (Group) When did you feel that your scene “worked” the best?
· (Audience) What was the most effective moment in the piece and why?
· (Audience) Was there any moment that was unclear? Why was it difficult to understand?
· (Audience) Where was symbolism used in the presentation?
· (Audience) What did you learn about how people deal with their problems from the presentation?
· (Group) How aware are you of the audience when you perform and what effect does that have on you?
· Appendix 3.7 – Group Work Rubric
· Appendix 2.8 – Self-Assessment Form – The Quality of My Work (student self-evaluation)
· Appendix 4.3 – Group/Individual Performance Rubric
· Students who have difficulty memorizing scripts need to know that this does not have to be done word-for-word and that it is sufficient for them to understand the scene well enough that they can role play it, as long as they maintain the intent of the script.
· Students who have difficulty reading may need to have a copy of the source to take home and study between classes.
See Resources for Unit 4, Activity 2.
Appendix 5.4 – Suggestions for Rehearsal Techniques
Boagey, Eric. Starting Drama. Unwin Hyman Limited, 1986. ISBN 0713526815.
Krell-Oishi, Mary. Perspectives: Relevant Scenes For Teens. Meriwether, 1998. ISBN 1566080304
Krell-Oishi, Mary. More Scenes That Happen. Meriwether, 1994. ISBN 1556080002
Photographs from newspapers, books, and magazines
Art Gallery Internet sites, including those for major art galleries and museums, e.g., the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Museum of Modern Art, the Prado
Many appropriate anthologies and
individual plays are available from:
Playwright’s Union Canada, 54 Wolseley St., 2nd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5T
1A5; tel: (416) 703.0201; fax: (416) 703.0059; e-mail cdplays@interlog.com
TheatreBooks, 11 St. Thomas St., Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2B7, tel: (416)
922.7175; fax (416) 922.0739; e-mail action@theatrebooks.com
Blizzard Press
Talonbooks
Samuel French (Canada) Ltd.
Appendix 4.1 – Portfolio Checklist for Unit 4
Appendix 4.3 – Group/Individual Performance Rubric
|
Activity |
Portfolio Entry |
Assessment (Complete/Incomplete) |
|
Activity 1 |
Choose three ages from the script. How are they the same today? How are they different from Shakespeare’s time? Suggest a way to perform one of the ages to show both the similarities and the differences without changing the actual text. |
|
|
Activity 2 |
Write a short description of the character you played during the in-role interview. |
|
|
|
What are some ways of getting information about character from a script? |
|
|
|
Sketch a floor plan for the scene on which you have been working. |
|
|
Activity 3 |
Which point of view do you feel retold the story best? Why? |
|
|
Activity 4 |
Outline your presentation in such a way that if someone who was not in your group read it, the reader would understand how your presentation is to look and how your group interprets the sources. Be aware of your role in the presentation. Remember to use drama terms accurately. |
|
The
gravestone reads as follows:
O’BRIEN
ANNA Wife of RUSSELL
Born May 3, 1898 Born Dec 10, 1884
Died May 3, 1917 Died May 3, 1966
In archives and other heritage collections there are hundreds of letters which date from the First World War (1914 - 1918). Many have been damaged in some way. This was the name on the envelope Col. Russell O’Brien, Canadian Forces, France. There are clear portions of one page only of the letter. The rest has been obliterated by age and wear and the folds have been taped several times to prevent the letter’s fragmentation. It reads:
January, ** 1917
My dearest Russell,
I hope you received my last letter which *****************************promised to give you with his own hands. As you read this, the snow is swirling around and about the shed
******************************************************************************* particularly cold for this ***************** ********************** no one to visit. You must be cold, too, in those awful trenches with no ******************* and wet th*******
******************************* what the paper says. My little cough must seem a trifle by comparison so I won’t complain about it and bore you with such a silly thing.
I had a letter from your sister, Grace. She is well and full of news from Montreal and of news of little Kevin and Stephen. How they must have grown since you last *************** *****************************************************************************
******************* to hear from her, the sound of a familiar voice, even if it is only on paper.
If only you were home ************************************ But you are not and that is ***********************************************************************
horrid war co******************************************************* safe ******
Used with permission of Peter Mansell, Waterloo Region DSB
|
Task Specific Criteria |
Level 1 (59-59%) |
Level 2 (60-69%) |
Level 3 (70-79%) |
Level 4 (80-100%) |
|
Group Organization |
- story structure has limited clarity |
- story has beginning, middle, end |
- story has beginning, middle, end |
- story has beginning, middle, end; story has climax |
|
|
- ideas have limited clarity |
- ideas are generally clear |
- ideas are clear |
- all ideas are clear |
|
|
- limited evidence of planning |
- some details are planned |
- details are planned |
- details are innovative and communicated clearly |
|
Effective Use of Dramatic Form |
- uses drama form in a limited way |
- uses drama form adequately; misses one or more important details |
- uses drama forms effectively by showing connections to circumstances |
- extends use of form by integrating drama forms |
|
|
- only one source element is used |
- details in sources are used adequately |
- uses all details in source material |
- superior use of source elements |
|
Focus and Concentration |
- concentration is limited |
- concentration maintained for brief periods |
- clear focus maintained |
- very clear focus maintained for audience |
|
|
- distracted by audience responses, becomes audience |
- minimal contribution to audience understanding |
- stays focussed with only slight hesitations |
- reacts spontaneously to audience |
|
Role Playing Conventions |
- contradicts what other role players contribute |
- some support is given to contributions of other role players |
- support is usually given to other role players’ contributions |
- outstanding support is given to other role players |
|
|
- actions reveal limited understanding of character’s view |
- actions or words reveal some understanding of character’s view |
- actions and words reveal understanding of the situation and the character’s view |
- actions and words show a high degree of understanding of the situation and the character’s view |
Note: A student whose achievement is below level 1 (50%) has not met the expectations for this assignment or activity.
All the world’s a stage
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances
And one man in his time plays many parts
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.
Then the whining schoolboy with his satchel
And shining morning face creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover
Sighing like furnace with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard
Jealous in honour sudden and quick in quarrel
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice
In fair round belly with good capon lined
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose well saved a world too wide
For his shrunk shank and his big manly voice
Turning again toward childish treble pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all
That ends this strange eventful history
Is second childishness and mere oblivion
Sans teeth sans eyes sans taste sans everything.
As You Like It, William Shakespeare, Act II, Scene vii, 139 ff.
Instructions to students:
Carefully consider the following criteria to be assessed. Check the statement which most closely reflects your assessment of your group’s work. Try to keep your personal feelings out of your feedback; be as objective as possible.
Name:
Use of time:
o Class time was used effectively to rehearse and plan
o Class time was used to plan or rehearse
o Class time was used to organize
o Class time was used to work individually
Improvement:
o Run-throughs of the presentation improved something each time
o Run-throughs had stops and pauses
o Run-throughs had frequent stops
o Run-throughs did not happen
Technical work:
o Detailed attention was paid to costume, lights, sound, props which added to meaning
o Costumes, lights, sound, props are appropriate and added some meaning
o Lights, sound, appropriate costumes created atmosphere
o Technical work was minimal or non-existent
Dialogue:
o Lines were said with appropriate gestures, pace, tone.
o Few errors, but mistakes were covered, rhythm was unbroken
o Obvious errors, speech was disrupted
o Speech was disrupted, gestures were missing or inappropriate
Effect in Audience:
o Presentation provoked thought, emotion, reflection
o Presentation provoked thought and discussion
o Presentation was entertaining
o Presentation was unclear
Achievement of the first statement in each category receives level 4
Achievement of the second statement in each category receives level 3
Achievement of the third statement in each category receives level 2
Achievement of the fourth statement in each category receives level 1