Catchy Title: Analyzing Drama - 2012sheufelteng310



Catchy Title: Analyzing Drama

Introduction

The Teaching Context: Middle School students (6th/7th grade)

This particular unit plan is designed for 7th grade students in a wealthy suburb. The majority of the students are upper-middle class Caucasian who are eager to learn and perform well in school. Most, if not all, have supportive parents and a stable home life.

The students vary slightly in terms of reading level. A few of the students are below grade level in terms of reading and writing skills. But a dominant portion of the class is either at or well above grade level. Their prior educational experiences have supplied them with the knowledge necessary to read short novels with a moderate amount of teacher aid. Additionally, the students are on the verge of reading and analyzing short pieces with limited teacher intervention. The students know how to write basic sentences and paragraphs and can therefore construct simple five paragraph essays.

Students will thrive in this unit if they have an understanding and appreciation for relationships and use of every day vocabulary, slang, and styles of communication. The students will also benefit if they have motivation to learn about drama and its relationship with other genres and aspects of the real world.

This particular unit will late in the first semester of the school year meaning students will have a general knowledge of a few other genres for comparison. They will have also acquired higher-level vocabulary and ability to produce more complex sentences. Lastly, students will have gained confidence and comfortability in the class with both the teacher and fellow classmates. Students will have continued to develop their friendships up to this point, though most of them have gone to school with each other since kindergarten.

Unit Rationale

The focus of this unit is drama. By studying the purpose and other distinct characteristics of this particular genre, students will gain awareness of drama and recognize its appearance in daily life.

1. What will they learn:

A. Students will understand:

- How to determine a central theme or idea within a piece of dramatic literature. (R.NT.6.04)

- The importance of literary devices to develop plot and theme. (R.NT.6.04)

- The role of dialogue in enhancing plot, characters, theme, etc. in drama and how it builds climax and distinguishes major and minor characters. (R.NT.6.03)

- Good dramatic literature is composed of clear and coherent writing appropriate for the task, purpose, and audience. (Writing GLEC)

B. Students will be able to:

- Construct a piece of dramatic literature that properly uses literary devices, vocabulary, structure, etc.

- Compare and contrast pieces of literature and correctly identify drama.

- Analyze dramatic literature and provide both summary and an opinion. (R.NT.6.04)

- Develop and revise pieces of dramatic literature with guidance from peers and teachers. (Writing GLEC)

- Respond to multiple texts and compare/contrast ideas, form, and style. (S.DS.6.02)

- Evaluate the quality of dramatic literature. (S.DS.6.02)

- Compare/contrast the experience of reading and/or viewing a drama. (S.DS.6.02)

C. Students will know:

- The necessary and effective elements of a drama.

- “Dialogue is best when it sounds like natural speech.” (Lindsay Price)

- An author can help “you learn so much about [a] character by how they speak.” (Lindsay Price)

- The impact of drama changes when it is seen and when it is read.

2. What will be assessed:

Students will write weekly paragraphs (“Monday Paragraphs”) based on genre-related prompts. These will allow students to individually explore fundamental aspects of drama. The students will also create a fictional character to develop. After determining the essential details of said character, the students will create fictional Facebook profiles based on their characters. Next, students will write either a dialogue or a monologue. These will be worked on and revised in class with peers and the teacher. Lastly, the students will compile all of their knowledge on drama and write a short scene. This will be graded on completion and successful incorporation of proper dramatic elements.

3. What students will do:

- Students will read “Group Scene – Monica et al” from “Oddball.” (Lindsay Price, )

- Students will read “Duet Scene – Josie and Pete” from “Somewhere, Nowhere.” (Lindsay Price, )

- Students will read a selection of monologues: Henry from “Hall Pass” and Josie from “Somewhere, Nowhere.” (Lindsay Price, )

- Students will hear a mini-lecture on literary terms and definitions within drama. They will then test this knowledge in a Fly Swatter Game. ()

- Students will hear a mini-lesson on vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation within drama.

- Students will practice analyzing dramatic literature to determine theme.

- Students will read handout on character development. (Lindsay Price, )

- Students will complete activity of creating characters. (Lindsay Price, )

- Students will read handout on creating and developing dialogue. (Lindsay Price, )

- Students will write weekly paragraphs based on prompts for drama while including elements of writing that will be developed throughout the school year.

- Students will participate in weekly free-writing in dialogue journals. These journal entries will allow for critical response as well as individual communication with the teacher. (Nancie Attwood)

- Students will create their own character and produce a fictional Facebook profile based on said character.

- Students will write a draft of either a dialogue or monologue for peer revision and teacher consultation.

- Students will create a final copy of either a dialogue or monolgue and include a paragraph of character description.

- Students will compare/contrast and evaluate samples of dramatic literature.

- Students will watch clips of drama in television and film in order to compare/contrast the experience of reading versus watching drama.

4. How they will learn:

Throughout the unit, students will participate in a variety of activities to ensure their understanding of drama. They students will practice note-taking during mini-lessons, write individually in journals, participate in a physically engaging activity, work in small groups for in-class activities and revision, etc. By including this variety of lessons, students will gain knowledge of dramatic literature while developing their individual reading and writing skills. Moreover, students will develop their ability to work collaboratively with peers.

C. Texts: Central and Supporting

- “Ths phn 2.0: The Next Generation” by Lindsay Price ()

- Duet Scene: Josie and Pete from “Somewhere, Nowhere” by Lindsay Price ()

- Duet Scene from “Wait Wait Bo Bait (Middle School Edition) by Lindsay Price ()

- Group Scene: Monica et al from “Oddball” by Lindsay Price ()

- Monologue: Henry from “Hall Pass” by Lindsay Price ()

- Monologue: Josie from “Somewhere, Nowhere” by Lindsay Price ()

- Film: Clips from “She’s The Man”

The Unit

|1. What is Drama? Give |2. Continue introduction of|3. Wrap up introduction. |4. Begin reading first |5. Continue analysis of |

|non-graded pre-test. |Drama. Recap terms and |Dive into recognizing drama|piece (Ths phn 2.0). |first piece. Discuss |

|Mini-lesson on literary |definitions. Fly Swatter |based on structure and |Analyze and evaluate |answers to genre WS. Finish|

|terms, examples, etc. |Game. Discuss where we see |other characteristics of |present elements. Complete |with Free Write (Dialogue |

|Collect/Assign Monday |Drama. |the genre. |genre worksheet in small |Journal or Monday |

|Paragraph | | |groups. * |Paragraph. |

|6. Explore characters. |7. Mini-lesson on character|8. Continue with |9. Recap. Assign Character |10. Work day for Character |

|Major v. minor, |development. Writing day: |characters. Check HW. |Profile (from journal). Go |Profile. Allow for peer or |

|development, descriptions, |Create your own character |Examine characters in first|over rubric, example, |teacher meetings for |

|etc. Read Handout. |in journal. Write 2 |piece. Read next drama |expectations, etc. Allow |inspiration. End with Free |

|Collect/Assign Monday |paragraphs for HW. |(Josie & Pete) |for brainstorm time. |Write. Profile due day 13. |

|Paragraph | | | | |

|11. In-class work day for |12. Final day of work on |13. Profile due. |14. Read next pieces (both |15. Assign final scene |

|Character Profile. Students|Character Profile, due next|Mini-lesson on dialogue v. |monologues ). |writing. Explain rubric, |

|will have access to art |day. Reserve last 20 |monologue – characteristics|Compare/contrast style, |goals, etc. Due day 18. |

|supplies. Collect/Assign |minutes to introduce |& purpose. Class discussion|purpose, etc. Mini-lesson |Writing Day: Brainstorm and|

|Monday Paragraph. |dialogue v. monologue. |on both. Read (Wait Wait). |on how to write both. HW: |start writing. End with |

| | | |Write brief D/M from your |Free Write. |

| | | |day (parent, friend) | |

|16. Review elements of |17. Continue in class work |18. Final scene assignment |19. Wrap up by finishing |20. Celebrate final day of |

|drama that should be in |on final scene (computer |due at beginning of class. |reading v. watching drama. |unit. Finish video clips, |

|final scene. Work day in |lab), teacher conferences. |Mini-lesson on reading v. |(Read section of Twelfth |hear radio drama. Enjoy |

|class. Peer review & | |watching drama aka purpose.|Night?) Watch clips of |snacks. Free Write Friday –|

|teacher conferences. | |In class discussion. Give |“She’s the Man” and |final letter/entry in |

|Collect/Assign Monday | |pre-test again (still not |compare. |dialogue journal about the |

|Paragraph. | |graded). | |unit. |

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