Fills a gap

• role
• character
  
• playwright’s intentions
• know/infer/imagine
• metaphor
• acting choices
• character actions
• character motivations
  

Students will explore various ways in which actors research and collect historical, cultural and social information about the author and the characters in order to develop a role.

Seven 45-minute lessons

• scripts
• unit overview handout with summative task rubric
• sample Actor’s Journal
• art supplies for journals
• paper
• student journals
• journal checklist handout (Lesson 1)
• Know/Infer/Imagine charts (pre and post)
• recording technology
• sampling of objects that represent characters from the play
• video or other biography sources of the playwright
• DVD player
• display space for “Character Gallery”
• research prompts (Lesson 2)
• computer accessibility
• projector
• trade paperback Improvisation Starters by Philip Bernardi
• character name tags
• improvisation checklist (Lesson 4)
• character scenes
• 2 large sheets of chart paper
• sticky notes
• theater reference texts

Lesson 1:  Shaping the Actor’s Journal

Students have been assigned to choose a role from a script previously read by the entire class.

(Sample Playwrights: Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams, George Bernard Shaw, Noel Coward, Antone Chekov, Sophocles, William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Aristophanes, Euripedes, Moliere, Sam Shephard, Neil Simon, Ben Johnson, Edmond Rostand, Arthur Miller, Henrik Ibsen, etc.)

Teacher explains that actors research the cultural, historical and social context of a play as well as the background of the playwright in order to understand the character and the playwright’s intentions so that they can effectively develop a role.

Teacher distributes a copy of a unit overview to each student (containing lesson titles, homework assignments, a description of the “Missing Speech” summative task and the final rubric).  Teacher explains that, by the end of this unit, students will have researched an assigned character from the script recently studied by the class.  They will explore this character in many different ways in order to write a “missing speech” for their character as if it were written by the playwright, and keep a journal along the way to reflect on their learning and document their work.   They will be allowed to choose the format of their journal, hand written, web based, etc. 

Teacher and students begin to examine the question with a brainstorming chart:

How might an actor use a journal?  (ex: record research, reflect on discoveries, compile notes, revise ideas, etc.)

What might the journal look like? (ex: pictures, life observations, drawings, poetry, web-based notes, recordings, reflections, etc.)

Teacher shares the journal checklist handout. Teacher asks each student to take a moment to plan and design a format and choose materials for their own acting journal.  Students may choose whatever format will allow them to reflect on questions offered by the teacher, store research notes and images and even make sketches.  (See below.)

Journal Checklist: 

___  Did you write in your journal after every class?  Note:  You may also be asked to write in your journal during class for some assignments.

___  Does your journal include your research notes?

___  Does your journal include thoughts, ideas and reflections?

___  Does your journal show places where you have revised your thinking?

___  Does your journal include questions you may want to research?

___  Does your journal include wonderings (wonderings are questions you may not be able to answer right away)?

___  Does your journal include more than one way of communicating or recording ideas pictures, notes, poems, drawings, web-based notes, etc.)

___ Does your journal show evidence that you have talked over your ideas with others?

Students will use these journals to record research, gather information and reflect upon their discoveries about their characters, the play and the playwright and record insights (written, visual, oral, web-based formats are all acceptable).

Teacher provides “Know/Infer/Imagine” charts.  Students complete the chart using their scripts.

   Know:  what can you learn about the character from the script?  (Examples taken literally from the text.)

   Infer:  what information is implied about the character in the script? (Analyze the script to determine character traits not expressly stated.)

   Imagine:  what can you imagine about the character from your first reading? (Include physical appearance, movement qualities, hobbies, vocal quality, etc.)

Formative assessment:  Teacher reviews the Know/Infer/Imagine charts.  Students will support their choices by identifying quotations and specific examples from the text.

WHERETO:

W= Teacher begins the lesson by handing out and explaining the unit overview.

H = Students are shown excerpts from a model Actor’s Journal and a wide variety of materials and options they can self-select in order to create their own system of journaling and reflecting.

E = Use of inquiry, modeling and kinesthetic experiences.

R = Students reflect, revise and rethink ideas as the class brainstorms journal uses and formats.

E= Students create their own journal format.

T = Lessons are presented with oral, visual and kinesthetic elements.  Students self-select the modalities they will use for their response (verbal, written or web-based).

O= Teacher models the process of journal creation and offers a guided exercise to begin.

 

Lesson 2:  Working with Metaphor (An Object That Is “Me”)

Teacher begins the lesson by referring to the unit overview and writing the title on the board, then asks the group to define a metaphor.

Students are asked to choose an object that represents their character from a grouping of objects provided by the teacher and explain their choice in their journals.

In small groups, students present their objects and explain how this object represents their character.

Students return to their desks and teacher shares biographical details of the playwright’s life (brief video, multi-media piece, colorful handout, etc.) while students make notes in their journals.

Teacher hands out the research prompts:

   1) How might the playwright’s background influence the creation of the characters in this play?

   2) What do I need to learn about my character's history?

   3) How do cultural influences affect or influence my character?

   4) What factors (political or socioeconomic) shape my character's environment?

   5) What does my character look like? (clothing and grooming choices)

   6) What music, symbols, pictures, cultural icons, etc. might represent my character?

   7) What other questions do I need to research about my character?

Working with their scripts, students begin to explore these research questions, taking notes in their journals.

Formative Assessment:  Students choose an object from a grouping provided by the teacher and justify their choices in their journal.

Homework:  Students will bring in an object to serve as a metaphor for their character.  Objects will be placed in a class Character Gallery and left on display throughout the unit.  Student objects must include an artist’s statement explaining how this object represents the character.   (See sample Artist Statement prompts below.)

Artist Statement

Name _______________________________ Play ___________________ 

Character____________________________

What object have you chosen as a metaphor for your character?

Why did you choose this object? (include references to the character’s actions and choices that gave you a clue to their personality and motivations)

How does this object represent your character?

 

 

WHERETO:

W= Teacher begins the lesson by referring to the unit overview.

H = Students choose an object as a metaphor from a sample grouping to express their character, then share their object in small groups with their peers.

E = Students explore the meaning of metaphor through the object activity.  Students will use an inquiry approach to create their own research goals.

R = Students reflect and revise, revisit and rethink their ideas in their journals throughout this process.

E = Students present and discuss their own object as a metaphor for their character.

T = Students are allowed to respond in a variety of methods - oral, written, visual.

O = Teacher provides an initial set of objects for students to begin to understand an object as a metaphor and stimulus for understanding, then students are charged with choosing their own metaphor as homework.

 

Lesson 3:  Fleshing It Out Through Research

Teacher begins the lesson by referring to the unit overview and briefly discusses how research plays a role in creating a character and reviews the list of research prompts.

With questions and journals in-hand, students utilize available technology and library resources to gather information that will help them answer these questions to more completely understand their character's environment, culture and history.  During this research, students will look up any information that provides them with clues as to the physicality of their character (clothing, makeup, hairstyles, etc.).  Additionally, students will be looking for details of the playwright’s life and times.  Students may be paired for this research if necessary so that students with stronger verbal skills may assist visual learners, etc.

Formative Assessment:  Students will reflect on the experience in their journals and gather materials that they can use to augment their acting choices.  The teacher will use questioning techniques and conference strategies to determine each student's progress; this will continue throughout the unit.

WHERETO:

W = Teacher begins the lesson by referring to the unit overview.  Teacher also discusses how research is an essential tool in an actor’s development of his/her character.

H = Student-generated questions will be used to hook and hold student interest.

E = Students research using a broad variety of materials and resources.

R = Students reflect and revise their ideas in their journals throughout this process.

E = Students express their understanding through their journal entries.

T = Students are allowed to use a variety of research sources (text, video, web-based, print resources, etc.).  Students will be paired by strengths during the research time.

O = Students continue to move from teacher-created research prompts to questions and ideas inspired by their research as they work with reference sources.

 

Lesson 4:  Putting It on Its Feet

Teacher begins the lesson by referring to the unit overview and asks the students to predict - what might “Putting It on Its Feet” mean for creating a character through research?

Students will begin exploring the actions and motivations of their characters through improvisation (work should be done in large empty space).

Line Acting - A Theatre Warm-Up Game for Exploring Action and Motivation

Divide students into two equal lines facing each other.  Each student is given a tag with their character’s name on it (name should remain hidden until step 4).  Students begin to greet each other across the line several times as follows:

    1- walk to your partner and ask them how they are,

    2- walk to your partner and ask them how they are as if you were best friends,

    3- walk to your partner and ask them how they are as if you were sworn enemies,

    4- show your name tag and walk to your partner as your character and ask them how they are today - what do you do or say to the other character knowing who this person is and your relationship to him or her?

Divided in groups of two or three (paired or grouped according to strengths), students will select a moment in their characters’ lives which does not appear in the play and create an improvised scene.  The improvised scene should last no longer than five minutes and may take place in the characters’ past, present, or future.  The improvisation should help the students discover more information about the life of their character.

After the improvisation, students will revisit their Know/Infer/Imagine sheets and revise as needed.

Formative Assessment:  Teacher moves through the groups during the improvisations, offering help as needed.  During this process, the teacher records his/her observations of each student’s progress on a brief checklist.  This checklist will be given to the student at the following lesson.  The teacher conferences with any students who need extra help.

Example of possible checklist items:

    Student stays true to character __ Yes __No

    Students create scenarios appropriate to the play ___ Yes ___ No

    Student makes logical choices for their characters ___ Yes   ___ No

Homework:  Each student will be given a scene that features their character for the summative assessment task.  For homework, each student will read and analyze this scene by answering the following questions in their journals or recording their responses:

1- What does your character do in this scene?  Why?

2- What does your character want from each other character in the scene?  Why?

3- Remember a time in your life when you have been in a similar situation.  What did you do?

WHERETO:

W= Teacher begins the lesson by referring to the unit overview.  During improvisation work, the teacher offers encouragement and brief critiques to give immediate feedback.

H = Students participate in a theatre game.

E = Students improvise a scene from their character’s past, present, or future.

R = Students revisit their Know/Infer/Imagine sheets and revise as needed.

E = Students record their reflections in their journals.

T = Students will be allowed to reflect on their work using a variety of forms - verbal, written, oral, etc.  Students will be paired with scene partners that complement each other’s strengths.

O = Students begin the lesson with a teacher-directed game that models improvisation, then move to creating their own longer improvised scenes.

 

Lesson 5:  Creating a “Missing Speech”

Students will begin their “Missing Speech” assignment using their journals and a writing prompt.

Teacher and students consider the possibilities:  what if some scenes written by the playwright for this play were somehow lost?  Teacher and students brainstorm a list of titles for imaginary lost scenes.

Teacher asks the students to take out their homework reading assignment - a scene for their character.

Teacher passes out the “Missing Speech” assignment (unit summative assessment) and the rubric that will be used to score it.  Students will be asked to imagine that the playwright had lost lines of dialogue from this scene which included a speech for their character.  Their assignment will be to imagine and write their character’s “missing speech”.

Teacher writes the prompt on the board and gets the students started on the writing.

Prompt:  “Imagine that the playwright had lost several pages of your assigned scene and so some speeches are missing.  What is lost that your character might have said?”

Using their homework analysis of their character and all prior research and journal entries, students will begin their homework assignment in class by writing at least five sentences in their journal that might belong in their character's "missing speech".  After they have completed five sentences, they will team with a partner for peer edits.

The teacher will conference with students individually as needed during the writing process. Time will be allowed at the end of the writing time for students to reflect in their journals.  Selected students will share a sample of their writing.

Formative Assessment:  Teacher observation and conferencing.

Homework:  Each student will complete a “missing speech” for their character to be read aloud during the next two lessons.  Students should prepare two printed copies of their “missing speech” so that one can be turned into the teacher along with their journal at the next class period.

WHERETO:

W= Class titles from the unit overview use imagery to help students keep track of where they are in the steps to creating a research journal and preparing a “missing speech”.  Teacher gives each student feedback by providing a copy of the checklist notes assessing each student’s improvisation in the last class. Teacher reviews the summative task rubric prior to beginning the writing assignment.

H = Students are asked to brainstorm titles of imaginary scenes for the play.

E = Students write five sentences of their character’s “missing speech” during class time. Teacher conferences with students during this time helping to guide the writing as needed.

R = Students peer edit their five sample sentences and revise as needed.

E = Students record their reflections on the writing process in their journals.

T = Students receive individual instruction as needed during the in-class writing process.

O = Students begin their writing with a teacher-guided brainstorming session creating titles of scenes, then move to creating and editing the first five sentences of their character’s “missing speech” using peer editing.

 

Lesson 6:  Stepping Into the Shoes - Sharing the “Missing Speech”

One copy of each student’s “missing speech” is handed in for the teacher to review and score.  One by one, students share their “missing speech” aloud as a reading.  While the students listen to each other’s readings, they should be reflecting on the following:

What did you hear today that could help you step into the shoes of your character?

What might the playwright think about our “missing speeches”?

Formative Assessment:  Exit Tickets:  Two large chart papers sit by the door exiting the classroom.  One is labeled “What did you hear today that could help you step into the shoes of your character?”  One is labeled “What might the playwright think about our ‘missing speeches’ ?”  As they exit the classroom, students will add one response to each chart, either handwritten on a sticky note or recorded using a teacher-provided recording device.

WHERETO:

W = Class titles from the unit overview use imagery to help students keep track of where they are in the steps to creating a research journal and preparing a “missing speech”.  A rubric for the summative task is shared both at the beginning and end of the unit.

H = Students perform a “missing speech”.

E = Students perform and respond as an audience member.  Active listening will be         encouraged using the Exit Ticket activity.

R = Students will be asked to evaluate other’s ideas and reflect on how these ideas might impact their own performance.

E = Students use Exit Tickets to record their observations and reflections.

T = Students are given the opportunity to answer the reflective questions by written or oral response.

O = This lesson is the culminating task in a unit which combines a series of guide experiences that begin with teacher-led discussion and moves to student small group work,  experimentation and research with a journal kept as a tool to communicate student discoveries.

 

Missing Speech Rubric  

Criteria	Advanced	Proficient	Basic	Below Basic
Clarity of Intention  (Is the character’s motivation clear and consistent with the script?)	The missing speech shows exceptional insight into the character, subtly illustrating the character’s thoughts and motivations.  What is written is uniquely enlightening and yet consistent with all that is known about the character; shedding light on the character’s choices and/or relationships.	The missing speech clearly illustrates the character’s inner thoughts and illuminates the character’s motivations in a way that is consistent with what is known about the character.	The missing speech shows limited insight into the character, and/or the speech seems disjointed and/or disconnected from the character’s motivations and intentions as written in the script.	The missing speech lacks a clear character indication of the character’s thoughts or motivation.
Illustrating Character Voice (Is the character’s voice clear and consistent with the character’s voice in the script?	The character’s point of view and the missing speech are totally integrated and consistent with all that is known about the character.  The character’s voice seems natural and unforced.	The missing speech shows a clear, focused point of view consistent with the character’s voice in the script.	The missing speech is ambiguous, occasionally a point of view emerges however it lacks consistency and/or focus.	The missing speech lacks a clear voice or point of view.
Appropriateness (Does the missing speech seem appropriate, honoring the author’s intentions?)	The missing speech furthers the action of the play with considerable effectiveness.  It is now difficult to imagine the script without it.	The missing speech clearly works within the action of the play; it is easy to imagine where and how it fits into the script.	The connection between the action of the play and/or the author’s intentions is somewhat apparent, however clearly needs to be further developed.	The missing speech seems disjointed or inappropriate.  There is no clear link between the author’s intentions and/or the action of the play.

 

 

Lesson 7:  Stepping Into the Shoes - Sharing the “Missing Speech” Revisited

Students who have not yet shared read their “missing speeches”.  While the students listen to each other’s readings, they should be reflecting on the following:

What did you hear today that could help you step into the shoes of your character?

What might the playwright think about our “missing speeches”?

Formative Assessment:  Exit Tickets:  Two large chart papers sit by the door exiting the classroom.  One is labeled “What did you hear today that could help you step into the shoes of your character?” One is labeled “What might the playwright think about our ‘missing speeches’?”  As they exit the classroom, students will add one response to each chart  either handwritten on a sticky note or recorded using a teacher-provided recording device.

Once the readings are complete, the students revisit and revise their “Know/Infer/ Imagine” charts based on their research and other work.

Summative Assessment:  “Missing Speech” with journal support.

WHERETO:

W=  During this final lesson, students return to the Know/Infer/Imagine chart and review and revise based on their findings as recorded in their journal.

H = Students perform a “missing speech”.

E = Students perform and respond as an audience member.  Active listening will be encouraged using the Exit Ticket activity.

R = Students will be asked to evaluate other’s ideas and reflect on how these ideas might impact their own performance.

E = Students will use Exit Tickets to record their observations and reflections.

T = Students are given the opportunity to answer the reflective questions by written or oral response.

O = This lesson is the culminating task in a unit which combines a series of guide experiences that begin with teacher-led discussion and move to student small group work,  experimentation and research with a journal kept as a tool to communicate student discoveries.

Unit Extension:   Interested students may choose to prepare their “missing speech” as a monologue performance.

 

Formative assessment for Lesson 1:  Teacher reviews the Know/Infer/Imagine charts. Students will support their choices by identifying quotations and specific examples from the text.

Formative Assessment for Lesson 2:  Students choose an object from a grouping provided by the teacher and justify their choices in their journal.

Formative Assessment for Lesson 3:  Students will reflect on the experience in their journals and gather materials that they can use to augment their acting choices.  The teacher will use questioning techniques and conference strategies to determine each student's progress; this will continue throughout the unit.

Formative Assessment for Lesson 4:  Teacher moves through the groups during the improvisations, offering help as needed.  During this process, the teacher records his/her observations of each student’s progress on a brief checklist.  This checklist will be given to the student at the following lesson. Teacher will conference with any students who need extra help.

Example of possible checklist items:
   Student stays true to character  __ Yes  __No
   Students create scenarios appropriate to the play ___ Yes ___ No
   Student makes logical choices for their characters  ___ Yes   ___ No

Formative Assessment for Lessons 6 & 7:  Exit Tickets:  Two large chart papers sit by the door exiting the classroom.  One is labeled What did you hear today that could help you step into the shoes of your character?  One is labeled What might Tennessee Williams think about our “missing speeches”?  As they exit the classroom, students will add one response to each chart, either handwritten on a sticky note or recorded using a teacher-provided recording device.

Acting & Monologue performance: http://joy2learn.org/epres_theater.php

 Some Suggested Playwrights and Plays:

United States

THORTON WILDER – Our Town

ARTHUR MILLER – Death of A Salesman/All My Sons

(For TENNESSEE WILLIAMS – A Glass Managerie is a safe choice)

NEIL SIMON – Lost in Yonkers

Great Britain

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW – Major Barbara/Pygmalion

TOM STOPPARD – The Real Inspector Hound

France

EUGENE IONESCO – Rhinoceros/The Chairs

SAMUEL BECKETT – Waiting For Godot/Endgame

JEAN ANOUILH – Antigone

Italy

LUIGI PIRANDELLO – Six Characters In Search of an Author

FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA – Yerma

Russia

ANTON CHEKHOV – The Three Sisters/The Cherry Orchard

MAXIM GORKY – The Lower Depths

Scandanavia

HENRIK IBSEN – The Master Builder/Hedda Gabler

AUGUST STRINDBERG – Miss Julie

Germany

BERTOLD BRECHT – The Caucasian Chalk Circle/Mother Courage

FRIEDRICH DUERRENMATT – The Visit

MAX FRISCH – The Chinese Wall

 

historical, cultural, social, actor’s journal, missing speech, metaphor, reflect, reflection, revise, revision, revisit, rethink, reading, Know/Infer/ Imagine

Authors of the original unit: Ramona Parsons Jennifer Wescoe Ellen Boyer Vivian Dow Authors of the revised unit: Anne Alsedek, Christine Vaught Cory Wilkerson Barry Kornhauser, rubric collaboration

October 28, 2010