Edward D. Cohen
To be used in Week Two along with History of Drama.
Objectives
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1. To Introduce Theatrical Terms To The Students.
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2. To Give the Students A Working Knowledge of the Language of the Theater.
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3. To Increase Student Writing and Thinking Skills.
Explanation
During the entire curriculum, the students will be dealing with all aspects of the theater. To understand its language, the students must know terms and key words and phrases commonly found in works on dramatic literature, dramatic theory and the history of the theater. They will learn this language by writing these words and phrases, speaking them, and memorizing them as part of spelling and vocabulary lists. They will be used in word games and will be posted on bulletin boards throughout the room. This mini-unit will take one week.
Text:
Drama A To Z A Handbook
, by Jack Vaughn.
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Day One: The class will receive a memo sheet containing a list of the most important words and phrases. The class will be divided into small groups and each group will be responsible for finding the meanings of fifty words. These words will include act, actor, antagonist, character, characterization, climax, etc. The class will come together as a whole to discuss their findings.
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Homework: Write out definitions to be handed in for credit.
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Day Two: A new list of words will be handed out. This list will contain questions and answers about the theater, using these key words and phrases. The class will have to answer the questions, using the words they have learned. Example: A protagonist is (a) the hero, (b) the villain, (c) the director’s assistant.
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Homework: The class will write out ten questions using their own words and phrases.
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Day Three: We will do a quick review of the past two days’ assignments and then a group of words will be introduced. We will play word games and puzzles with these words. Games will include crossword puzzles, and find the word puzzles.
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Homework: The students will be given key words and phrases. These words will include setting, theme, plot. The class will write in their own words what they mean. They will paraphrase the meanings found in the text.
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Day Four: We will have a visit from a director of the local theater scene who will give a lecture on theater language. I will give him a copy of the words we have already learned.
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Day Five: The class will have a comprehensive quiz on the terms and a spelling and vocabulary test and if there is time the boys and girls will have a contest quiz to see who has retained the material the best.