Teacher name:
Class:
Creating Drama and Intro to Shakespeare
Year 8 English
Unit Outline / Unit durationObjective: Students are required to look at different aspects of performance and the ways in which performance can be used to convey different emotions, scene s and characters. Students will work in small groups, and Students are required to look at various examples of Shakespearean drama. It is anticipated that in doing so they will become familiar with his unique writing style and begin to understand the talent the playwright possessed. Exposure to devices such as the five act play scaffold, the features of Shakespearean comedies and tragedies, stock characters and soliloquies will enhance their understanding of the text and the context in which it was written. Ultimately students will come to the realisation that Shakespeare often wrote about ordinary people and that his plays remain a source of entertainment because of their ageless quality. / 8 Weeks (Approx 20 lessons)
Big ideas/key concepts / Why does this learning matter?
The key concepts I want students to learn about are:
· The different ways texts can be transformed.
· The ways the human body, and movement can convey different emotions.
· Writing can be timeless when it deals with human nature (which doesn’t change)
· Well chosen language can evoke all sorts of emotions in the responder / The learning matters because:
It is important to understand that the way we move, our expressions, and our tone of voice impacts the ways that people react to us and understand our meaning.
It is important to realise that words alone are not the only way of communicating.
It is important to gain an understanding of the life and times of Shakespeare and the factors which shaped his desire to write the plays he did. Students become familiar with the language used in such plays.
Place in scope & sequence/Building the field / Target outcomes
This unit follows a study of film unit, which required students to look at the concept of transformation from a written text into a visual text. Students also looked at the ways certain characters were transformed as a result of the situations in which they have been placed. / 1 A student responds to and composes texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis and pleasure
6 A student draws on experience, information and ideas to imaginatively and interpretively respond to and compose texts
9 A student demonstrates understanding that texts express views of their broadening world and their relationships within it
11 A student uses, reflects on and assesses individual and collaborative skills for learning.
Assessment:
c Construction of a performance based on two texts relating to bullying – 10%
What the students need to know/ have done at the end of this unit:
§ Students should be able to work together as a team
§ Students should be able to work together to improvise a performance.
§ Students should be familiar with the different ways that movement and expression can be used to create certain emotions/ characters/ scenes.
§ Students should have an understanding of the Medieval England, the Globe theatre and the life and times of Shakespeare.
§ Students should be familiar with the different types of Shakespearian texts
§ Students need to be familiar with the features of the three different types of plays written by Shakespeare and be able to identify plays as comedy, history or tragedy when given a plot summary.
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Variations/ Registrations / Resources / Quality Teaching
Introduction to drama
11.15 / 11.1, 11.8, 11.9 / c Mind-map: What is Drama?
c Small group work: Students to break into groups of 3-4 students, and using butchers paper, write or illustrate answers to the following questions:
· What is the purpose of drama?/ Where do we find drama?
· How do we create drama?
c Code of Cooperation: As a class, create some rules of performance (what is acceptable/not acceptable when people are performing).
c Board notes: Improvisation
Improvisation is when action is created without using a written script. Television programs, such as “Thank God You’re Here!”, use improvisation as a way of creating a funny performance. Not only is improvisation an entertaining form of dramatic performance, but it is a valuable tool for exploring and developing drama work. Improvisation requires a performer to think quickly and to be inventive and imaginative. It is an important element for building plays because it allows the performer to explore character and ideas through action.
c Charades: Play a game of charades with the class, using movie titles, song titles, TV programs, etc. Explain to students that charades is a good drama warm up that uses elements of improvisation.
c (Improv activities: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html)
c The Elements of Drama (worksheet): Have students complete the mix and match activity. Once the worksheet has been completed, have students complete simple illustrations for each of the terms in their books. (optional) / Butchers paper
The Elements of Drama Worksheet / Quality Learning Environment Significance
Background knowledge
Engagement
Students’ Self Regulation
Social Support
High Expectations
Metalanguage
Warm up activities (clear a space in the room so students have room to move around)
1.17
11.15 / 1.8
11.1, 11.8, 11.9 / c Mirror activity (Focus activity): In pairs, one student is to move (slowly at first) and the other student is to mirror their movements (this can also be completed as a three way mirror if there are an odd number of students). NO SPEAKING, just movement for this activity.
c “Show me” activity (focus activity): All students should stand in a space by themselves. Students should remain focused, and not look at what others are doing. Explain to the class that they are going to use their bodies to make numbers. Tell students to make the number 1, hold for 5 seconds.
Allow another five seconds, then repeat the above with the numbers as follows: 2, 7, 9, 3, 8, 5, 6 and 4.
Repeat this activity using letters as follows: A, C, K, P, O, S, X, Z, B, W, V and Z.
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Variations/ Registrations / Resources / Quality Teaching
1.17
11.15 / 1.8
11.1, 11.8, 11.9 / c Cooperation and communication warm up: Get students to pair up. Tell them they are not to speak to their partners, and together they are to create the following objects: A pair of chopsticks, Knife and fork, A cup and saucer, Egg on toast
c Cooperation and communication warm up: Have students get into groups of 3-5 students to create the following objects: A vase of flowers, A cup of coffee, A garbage bin
1.17
11.15 / 1.8
11.1, 11.8, 11.9 / c Movement warm up: Advise students that you will be giving them an instruction for how they are to move around the room. Have them start walking around the room in a large circle to start with. Instruct students to move as follows:
- Move as though you are made of jelly.
- Move as though you are made of molten metal.
- Move as though you are made of crystal.
- Move as though you are made of snow.
- Move as though you are made of fire.
- Move as though you are made of sloppy mud.
- Move as though you are made of mist.
- Move as though you are made of brittle twigs.
c Movement warm up: Students are to begin by walking around the classroom. Teacher calls for students to ‘become’ certain animals (e.g. cat, dog, horse, sheep, crocodile, snake, eagle, mouse, elephant, giraffe) and students have to move and interact like that animal. / Engagement
Students’ Self Regulation
Social Support
High Expectations
1.17
11.15 / 1.8
11.1, 11.8, 11.9 / Group work: Students read through: “Stagecraft - Making Drama: Improv with given place and time” sheet. Have each group pick one of the places and times, and on a sheet of butchers paper students are to brainstorm how they would act out the scene they have picked. Students are to then plan (not write a script) a short performance based on their time and place.
Rehearse: Students are to rehearse their scene
Perform: Students are to perform their scene. / “Stagecraft - Making Drama: Improv with given place and time” sheet
Butchers paper / Engagement
Students’ Self Regulation
Social Support
High Expectations
11.15 / 11.1, 11.8, 11.9 / Assessment Task: Students are to plan, rehearse, and perform their assessment task over 5-6 lessons, using the playbuilding skills they have learnt in previous lessons.
The teacher may want to start each lesson with warm-up activities that students are already familiar with to get the class ready to rehearse and perform.
It is necessary for students to have several lessons in which to plan, rehearse, and finally, perform, as rehearsal is a vital aspect of any dramatic performance.
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Variations/ Registrations / Resources / Quality Teaching
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Variations/ Registrations / Resources / Quality Teaching
Introduction and Interpretations of Shakespeare
6.8 / 6.5 / c Brainstorm: what do we know about Shakespeare? (Where was he from, play names, poetry, when did he write?). Students are to guess how many plays Shakespeare has written (37).
c Board notes: Shakespeare
c Although Shakespeare lived and worked in London, he came from a quiet market town called Stratford-upon-Avon. He went home regularly to see his wife and three children. Shakespeare lived in the late 1500s, early 1600s. His plays are now performed all over the world in hundreds of languages and he is known as one of the greatest writers of all time. He wrote plays about human nature and how people behave. Even though the language is difficult to understand, his plays are still relevant today. Shakespeare left school at 15 and started work. By 1592 he was writing plays in London. He died in 1616.
c KWL Chart: As a class, students are to write what they know, what they want to know and what they have learnt about Shakespeare (to be updated at the end of each lesson) / Background knowledge
Engagement
Background knowledge
Shakespeare’s Time and his Plays
6.8 / 1.2, 1.4, 1.6
6.5
11.5, 11.9 / c Comprehension: Students read through ‘An Interview with john Shakespeare and complete the questions in their books.
c Jigsaw activity – Students are divided into home groups of 3. From their home groups students allocate one student to become the expert on the features of comedy, history and tragedy. Students separate into expert groups and learn about the features (making notes in their books), and then return to their home to teach them. Students use their knowledge to assist them in classifying a number of Shakespearian plays from plot summaries provided. / Class set of sheets ‘An interview with John Shakespeare.’
Plot summaries of Shakespearian plays
Computers with internet access / Engagement
Student self-regulation
Substantive communication
To be, or not to be… (Hamlet)
1.2, 1.4, 1.6
6.2, 6.3
9.3 / c Review: Review the 3 different types of Shakespearian plays and how we can tell the difference.
c Reading: As a class, read through the plot synopsis from previous lesson.
c Synthesis: Students are to choose one act and they must illustrate it in comic form in at least 6 frames
c Viewing: Students to watch through The Simpson’s version of Hamlet.
c Discussion: Who were the main characters? Who were they played by? What do we think this play is about? Did we like this version of the play? How does this demonstrate the universality of Shakespeare’s plays? / TV/ Video
Students learn about: / Students learn to: / Learning Experiences / Variations/ Registrations / Resources / Quality Teaching
Something wicked this way comes… (Macbeth)
9.7, 9.11 / 6.3
9.1 9.6
6.2 / c Plot Overview: Teacher to read through overview of Macbeth’s plot (which is also displayed on the SMARTBOARD).
c Viewing: Students to view the 12 minute Macbeth as filmed by WCCHS Year 10 2007.
c Background knowledge: Students are to work in pairs to compile a list of all the witches they remember seeing in the media (e.g. Buffy, Charmed, The Wizard of Oz, Tin Man, The Simpson’s…). For each one they must answer the following questions –
- How is the witch represented in the story (is she good/ bad, ugly or beautiful, rich or poor, etc)
- How is the witch important to the plot of the story?
- Does the witch feature as the main character?
c Teacher to explain that witches were commonly featured in Shakespeare’s plays, and back in Medieval Europe, people believed in witches and often used to blame them for things such as plagues, failed crops, stillborn babies etc.
c Viewing: Class to watch Dr Who episode set in Shakespearian times.
c Discussion: How are witches portrayed in the Doctor Who episode? Do you think this portrayal is realistic for the time period? Why? Why not?
c Globe Theatre: Go through PowerPoint Presentation with class (saved on H://MSC Programs/ English/ 8 English/ Drama).