May 16/17, 2013 Lesson

Check as you complete.

Essential Question: What are the essential features of an effective drama and/or dramatic performance?

I. Do Now (6 minutes): Answer the following in writing:

• Using your experience with last night’s homework assignment, describe the character you will play in your performance of a scene? 
• Consider your group’s evolving script, and state some of the unique lines you will speak in this scene performance ( that means sharing some of the changes that you have made or anticipate making to specific lines; you can consult the play) 

You can get into your groups to finish the Springboard activities below before moving on to Roman numeral III which is the group work to be finished by Friday.

II. Springboard Activity 4.19 & 4.20 ( On the reverse of this handout and the additional page on both sides) (20 minutes).

• Below your do-now response draw a line.
• Complete the activities on the loose leaf paper rather than on the handout.

III. Steps in Order to Complete the Embedded Assessment for the Week of May 13-17

(After 14 minutes, groups report back to the whole group. Resume 20 minutes of work)

a. Meet in your group. Re-read the scene(s) which you have been assigned to act out. Assign the speaking roles of characters to members in your group.

b. Decide on how you wish to present this particular scene(s). This will be your interpretation of Shakespeare’s play.

• Will you try to adhere to what is believed to be the original, that is, something akin to Zeffirelli’s portrayal of the play. That would mean that you would have to re-create a medieval setting and costumes.
• What changes are you going to make? Before you make any decisions about this make sure that the teacher is aware of the changes. 

1. Write a proposal of what you intend to do. Create a detailed storyboard with written captioning to both review the Act and to visualize how the scene might look in your interpretation of it. You will hand this in for approval.
2. Begin the collaborative group work by re-reading the Act you have been assigned.
3. If you are not going to use the original language of the play, you will need to create an original script that stays true to the events and situation.
4. As another written description, you will need to identify in the dramaturge’s, director’s, actor’s, and cinematographer’s notebook the costumes, props, and setting, and you will need a description of how you plan to create these. How would these things connect with the actor, director or dramaturge?
5. The script, its delivery, the props, setting, and costumes will all need to be in a polished state for a final videotaping. This is not to be a rushed piece of work but something that reflects what you have learned this year. What are cinematic techniques, story elements, and stylistic devices? How can storyboarding, group work, graphic organizers, visualizing, and scripting all come together to make a polished play production?

All the written plans described above, for this production, will need to be turned in by May 17, as time will be given in class for the collaborative process. 

Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet ( 20 minutes).

Hand in work at the end of class ( Activities 4.19 and 4.20)

Activity 4.20: “But Now I’ll Tell Thee Joyful Tidings, Girl”

Paintings Inspired by Romeo and Juliet

Jean Pierre Simon's engraving of John Opie's __________________________________.

Frederick Leighton's _____________________________________________________.

James Stephanoff's _______________________________________________________. 

Starry Night and Crows in Cornfield

Wednesday, May 15, 2013, Romeo and Juliet

Essential Question: What strategies might help us to better understand drama and, specifically, Shakespeare’s plays?

I. Do Now (6 minutes): In order to understand your progress on the final project, you are to repeat yesterday’s do-now, as the class time used for group work should have resulted in a clear idea of how you will interpret your group’s scene(s). 

On a piece of paper identify in writing:

___a. The act and scene(s) you are interpreting.

___b. A short description that describes your approach to the setting, script, scenery, and costume.

II. Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet (24 minutes). Foremost, as we move into work on our final project, a performance of a scene(s), is having a thorough understanding of the original play which we are interpreting. We will finish up our reading of Act V, and follow that up with a close read of the remainder of the Zeffirelli film. 

• ___Read Act V. We will finish pages 268-303. We will first read the “Act Summary”.
• ___Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet (1:55:00-2:18:00 = 23 minutes)

III. Read and complete the following (Springboard Activity 4.25) (17 minutes):

____(1.)The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet has been performed countless times since Shakespeare’s company first staged the drama, in part because audiences around the world respond emotionally to the young lovers who cannot be together. 

____2. In writing, list the props you would need to create your vision of this scene.

____3. In writing, list the props you will need for your group’s scene(s).

____4. The scene when Romeo and Juliet die is obviously one of the most important scenes in the play. think about how you might stage this scene. Draw a diagram of your set and mark where your actors and props would be in the box provided on the reverse of this handout.  

    

IV. ____Exit Ticket (3 minutes) (Write this at the bottom of your do-now): 

• Identify some of the learning strategies we have used in class today. 
• What did you learn through these strategies today about the play?

Homework.

1. ____Begin work on writing your script for your scene performance. Assign roles to your group members. Decide on the setting ( place and time period) of the scene with your group. Make each group member responsible for writing their role’s lines. Write this as a Pages document so that you can combine these lines in a complete script to turn in for teacher evaluation.

2. ____Honors Challenge video presentation. I have not seen anything from the groups assigned to create a presentation about English and US Government. This is video presentation is due next week; we will show it to a group of eighth graders on May 24. You are being counted on for this. A working version of a video is due by this Friday so that recommendations can be made for a final revision that you can work on over the weekend! 

3. ____If you haven’t, complete an introductory paragraph for your comparison and contrast of Zeffirelli’s and Luhrmann’s comparison and contrast essay. Write it as a Pages document. Print it. Turn it it. Details about this homework assignment are listed on the learning map for May 14, 2013.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013, Romeo and Juliet

Essential Question: What strategies might help us to better understand drama and, specifically, Shakespeare’s plays?

___1. Do Now (6 minutes): Yesterday, we spoke about the embedded assessment which involves performing a scene from Romeo and Juliet. In accomplishing this, the option has been given for your group to make changes to the script, setting, and costumes. You are, like Luhrmann and Zeffirelli, creating your own interpretation of the scene(s). 

• In writing, describe in detail the changes your group is going to make? 
• In this proposal explain what your group intends to do. 

___2. Group Work(14 minutes): In your group, create a detailed storyboard with written captioning to both review your scene or scenes. This visualization will be a starting point for your group. Eight frames would be optimal for this storyboard. A template is provided on the reverse of this handout.

• How, specifically, will your scene look in your interpretation of it. You will hand this in for approval. At some point soon, we will do another storyboard as your understanding of the scene(s) will evolve.

___3. Read Act V, Pages 268-303 (27 minutes). We will first read the “Act Summary”

___4.Exit Ticket (3 minutes) (Write this at the bottom of your do-now): 

• Identify some of the learning strategies we have used in class today. 
• What did you learn through these strategies today about the play?

Homework. Come up with an introductory paragraph for your comparison and contrast of Zeffirelli’s and Luhrmann’s comparison and contrast essay. 

• Write this as a Pages document. Save it. Print it before class. Turn it in Wednesday.
• This will need to identify the two versions of Romeo and Juliet by name.
• This will need to include a thesis statement that includes that you are comparing and contrast specifically the “stylistic devices” of the two directors.
• This will create a generalized statement(s) about the two directors approaches---an approach true to the original medieval setting and another that is set in 21st century America. 
• Focus on three style devices, as this will allow you to create three body paragraphs about each one. These can be: light, costume, color, costume, setting/scenery, and music/sound. Only choose the ones you can supply supporting evidence from in the movies.

May 13, 2013 Lesson

Learning Map: Romeo and Juliet, Unit 4 Springboard ( Check as we complete each).

Essential Question: What strategies might help us to better understand drama and, specifically, Shakespeare’s plays?

II. Do Now ( 5 minutes to complete a-e): 

Embedded Assessment Requirements: What do we have to do to complete the embedded assessment for Unit 4?

a. ____You have been assigned a scene(s) to interpret, perform, and videotape for a final project. You have chosen three others to create a group of four.
b. ____We will review the criteria for completing this project.

c. ____You will have the first meeting of your theater company. You should get into your group at this time ( quietly). Your first task is to come up with a name for your theater company, and this will appear at the beginning of your video presentation of your scene. Theater Company Name:_______________________________________

d. ____Your second task is to re-read the scene(s) your group has been assigned (quietly and individually).

e.____You are to read through the handouts. As a group decide on who will be the dramaturge, director, and the actors. Familiarize yourselves with the “notebook” required of you. The fourth person in the group will keep a notebook about the process of videotaping your group’s scene.

II. In-Class: Group Work (20 minutes) 

f. ___As a whole group we will read through pages 319-325.

g. ___As a group of four, and after you have familiarized yourselves with the questions to be answered for the various “notebooks” required, come up with a question template for the cinematographer in class today ( create a Pages document with the questions to be answered).

h. Discuss the questions for the “meeting log” for your theater company for today, May 13. In writing, record your group’s responses.

i. Begin the discussion about proposed time periods and settings of your interpretation of this scene.

III. Close Read: Act IV in Zeffirelli’s interpretation of Romeo and Juliet (1:25:00 - 1:51:00 = 25 minutes). 

___Complete the graphic organizer for the characters: FRIAR LAWRENCE, LADY AND LORD CAPULET, and JULIET.

(Ongoing) Homework: You will be completing a comparison and contrast essay as previously stated. This will compare and contrast the style devices of Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli as well as identify the cinematic techniques used in the two film interpretations of Romeo and Juliet. We have and will continue to gather notes through completion of graphic organizers in conjunction with the viewing/close reading of the movie(s). you should have created a Pages document for the purpose of writing this essay. On Tuesday, we will work on the essay in class with a review of the introductory paragraph, thesis statement, topic sentences, body paragraphs, and concluding paragraph. This in-class work must be reflected in the essay; don’t ignore this and write something off the top of your head. For homework you can be identify characteristics from both movie versions of the play in complete sentences. If you look at setting, characterization, and costume, what evidence might you supply to distinguish one film from the other? 

Embedded Assessment: Performing a Scene from a Play

Name _________________________________

Theater Co.____________________

• Your group will perform and videotape an assigned scene(s) from Romeo and Juliet.
• Your group will work collaboratively.
• Your group will create in writing your own introduction to the scene(s) and perform it as a presentation to preface your videotaped scene.
• Your group will create and keep a dramaturge’s, director’s (props, costumes and setting), actor’s, cinematographer’s notebook ( Follow the criteria stated in Springboard on pages 319-325). Your record the group’s project in a “meeting log’ every time you meet and work on the project ( including as in-class work). Divide up the responsibilities of the project. 
• This project will earn you two summative grades (the fully realized scene recorded on    video and a written summary of your project). You will also get a third grade for your individual contribution to the project in addition to a grade that reflect the collaborative group work.
• Each person in your group will have a role on screen
• You will use sets, either ready-made or homemade, costumes, and props.
• You will videotape your group’s finalized performance of the scene.
• You will email the video presentation to the teacher the night before the due date: Thursday, June 6, 2013. We will watch your video presentation on June 6/7.

Steps in Order to Complete the Embedded Assessment

Step One: The week of May 13-17

1. Meet in your group. Re-read the scene(s) which you have been assigned to act out. Assign the speaking roles of characters to members in your group.
2. Decide on how you wish to present this particular scene(s). This will be your interpretation of Shakespeare’s play.

• Will you try to adhere to what is believed to be the original, that is, something akin to Zeffirelli’s portrayal of the play. That would mean that you would have to re-create a medieval setting and costumes.
• What changes are you going to make? Before you make any decisions about this make sure that the teacher is aware of the changes. 

1. Write a proposal of what you intend to do. Create a detailed storyboard with written captioning to both review the Act and to visualize how the scene might look in your interpretation of it. You will hand this in for approval.
2. Begin the collaborative group work by re-reading the Act you have been assigned.
3. If you are not going to use the original language of the play, you will need to create an original script that stays true to the events and situation.
4. As another written description, you will need to identify in the dramaturge’s, director’s, actor’s, and cinematographer’s notebook the costumes, props, and setting, and you will need a description of how you plan to create these. How would these things connect with the actor, director or dramaturge?
5. The script, its delivery, the props, setting, and costumes will all need to be in a polished state for a final videotaping. This is not to be a rushed piece of work but something that reflects what you have learned this year. What are cinematic techniques, story elements, and stylistic devices? How can storyboarding, group work, graphic organizers, visualizing, and scripting all come together to make a polished play production?

All the written plans described above, for this production, will need to be turned in by May 17, as time will be given in class for the collaborative process. 

Step 2: Rehearsals---The week of May 20-24

1. Start rehearsing your act together. Memorize the lines, as this will make your portrayal more convincing. You are responsible for only a scene or two rather than a whole act. You might want to break the performance up if its a long scene; this would be helpful when you are videotaping it. Do not make your recording choppy; it should be polished and seamless.
2. The dramaturge will need to research things like costumes, setting, and props. Where will your unique interpretation be set. Do research to include in your script as stage directions/setting. The dramaturge will record their findings in their notebook. The more detail the better the project over all. The detailed work will receive the highest marks.
3. Your director will need to start locating the props, costumes, and things for the setting. You need to divide these responsibilities among group members. the director will record in his notebook how these things were accomplished. You will need to have setting outside the English classroom. You might have settings off campus; that means you might meet with your group outside of school.
4. Practice the play as a group. Don’t think you will learn your lines and let others be responsible for getting their lines memorized. The lack of rehearsal will be made apparent in the videotape.

Step 3: Videotaping---The week of May 27-31

1. Getting this done ahead of schedule is not a bad thing.
2. Videotape. You may have to try this a few times before you achieve your best work.
3. This should be a polished production, and we will all know how much work was devoted to this final project when we view it on June 6/7.
4. Burn this on a CD for the teacher.

What is to be handed in:

1. Videotaped scene(s) on a CD
2. Director’s Notebook
3. Dramaturge’s Notebook
4. Actor’s Notebook
5. Cinematographer’s Notebook
6. Meeting Logs
7. Peer Assessment

Meeting Log

Answer the following questions ( these should be part of the dramaturge’s notebook):

Meeting Date:______________________

Meeting Place:______________________

a. Who was present?

b.  What was the goal of today’ meeting?

c. What was accomplished at today’s meeting?

d. What were some of the challenges that the group was met with?

e. What was the solution?

f. What do we plan to accomplish at our next meeting?

g. Where are we with this project?

Notes:

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

You might reproduce this and make 3-holes in it to keep it in a 3-ring binder for safe keeping. Do this with all the notebook pages for your group.

Director’s Notebook ( You are to respond in writing to and take notes about the issues associated with costumes, setting, and props.

As we saw with Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli, there are many decisions that you, as the director, will make ( of course, always in collaboration with all of your group members. 

Document how your group will interpret the scene(s) you have chosen, document the research you use to decide upon a time period and culture you present. You must do research, so you will need to create a bibliography of your sources. We have, this year, gone over how you might make a works cited entry for an internet information source. Use that. You can review the form online on the blog or google search the MLA documentation standards for this.

a. What is the time period and culture you will use to present your scene(s)?

b. What specifically will you use from the time period and culture that will make it obvious to your audience?

c. How do your choices in some way enhance the scene(s) from Romeo and Juliet?

d.What are your sources for the choices you made in your version of the scene(s)?

............................................................................................................................................ 

Actor’s Notebook. 

The content of this notebook will be reporting the process by which the group learns their lines and delivers them.

Because you choose costumes, props, and setting from a particular time period and culture, you will undoubtedly change the language of the play. The process of re-creating the script will be a subject to be recorded in the “Actor’s Notebook.” Also, record decisions about stage directions and other cues for the actors.  

  

a.In re-creating the language of the play, have you preserved the metaphors, inverted syntax, metaphors and poetic language that we have spent time discussing this term?

b.What are some of the specific changes that you have made that you are especially proud of as a group?

c. What are some of the phrases or wording that are indicative of the time period you chose?

d. What word choice is indicative of the setting? Are these Americans speaking or are they, more specifically, Mainers? or someone else? What makes this so?