As They Liked It: the Tragical-Comical-Pastoral Drama of Elizabethan Theatre. Curriculum Projects. the Huntington
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 359 577 CS 508 215 TITLE As They Liked It: The Tragical-Comical-Pastoral Drama of Elizabetian Theatre. Curriculum Projects. The Huntington Theatre Company's Master Works Study in Shakespeare. INSTITUTION Huntington Theatre Co., Boston, MA. SPONS AGENCY National Endowment for the Humanities (NFAH), Washington, D.C. PUB DATE Feb 93 NOTE 422p.; Some of the handwritten and photocopied materials have several reproducibility problems. AVAILABLE FROMDirector of Education, Huntington Theatre Company, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC17 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Class Activities; *Drama; *Dramatics; High Schools; Learning Activities; Lesson Plans; Teaching Methods; Units of Study IDENTIFIERS Elizabethan Drama; *Shakespeare (William) ABSTRACT Developed by the participants of the Huntington Theatre Company's Master Works Study in Shakespeare, this collection presents single lesson plans and unit plans for teaching Elizabethan drama. The collection presents 12 lesson plans (spanning one or a few days of instruction) and 15 unit plans (ranging over several weeks) suitable for secondary school students of varying ability levels. "Hamlet," "Romeo and Juliet," and "Julius Caesar" each are the subject of several of the lesson plans and unit plans. (RS) * ****************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** The Huntington Theatre Company's Master Works Study in Shakespeare As They Liked It: TheTragical-Comical-Pastoral Drama of Elizabethan Theatre Curriculum Projects February 2-April 13, 1993 This curriculum is made possible by a grantfrom the National Endowment for theHumanities. "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of EOucaloonat Research and Improvement MATERIAL HAS BEE GRANTED BY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) FicdtMi 91. This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it CI Minor changes trove been made to in.proye 16[ LE reproduct.on Quality CE ST COFY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view Or opinions stated ol tine oocu meat do not necessarily representofficial 2 INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" OEM melon or policy These curricular ideas weredeveloped by the participants of the Huntington Theatre Company's Master Works Study in Shakespeare. They are divided into two sections: 1) Single Lesson Plans, 2) Unit Plans. The lessons and unit plans are in order of the dates of the variousplays. Requests for a copy should be addressed to Pamela Hill Director of Education Huntington Theatre Company 264 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115 These curricular projects are made possible by a grantfrom the National Endowment for the Humanities. LESSON PLANS Patricia Maye-Wilson Madison Park High School March 16, 1993 Masterworks-Elizabethan Period Philosophy/rationale for the lesson: Very often special education students have no idea of Shakespeare buta quote from, "Hamlet," "To be or not to be, that is the question."The is lesson is designed to expand their knowledge,to give them new exposure and to teach them some critical anaylsis critical writing and critical thinking. These experienceswill provoke dynamic discussion as well among studentsand teacher. The students will perhaps have an everlastingmemory and verbal exchange and wonderful interactionamong themselves. Infact the thought of Shakespeare generallyturn special needs students off--They begin tosurmise that Shakespeare is dull, too conventional, too difficultto understand. This lesson is design to create a real interest andactive learning for special needs students by integrating dramatic,suspenseful and action films and written literature forviweing and discussion. Therefore, the lesson has to be broken downto the special needs students world, theirlanguage and their culture. Oace the students become energized witha sense of true belonging and true belief--theymay even visualize themselvesas the Shakespeareanor other character. If only the teacher can successfully find that "sucker"(turned-on) moment, then the special education studentcan buy into the education that is being taught. Description of students: This lesson is designed for 45 moderate special needs student in grades 9-12. These students are very active and very much turned-off by academics. These students are in an alternative educational setting. Goals/purpose of the lesson: Students will take a close-up look at relationships and how to improverelationships. Students will analyze the motives for the characterslike Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare) and Maria andTony (Westside Story) falling in love. Students will compare other films suchas, "Fatal Attraction," and "Boys N' Hood" with the characters in theShakespearan play "Romeo and Juliet" and in the film "WestsideStory." Students will select atleast one Elizabethancharacter or one modern day character and act out the character. Details of the lesson: The teacher will provide some brief background about the purpose of the lesson.There will be a handwout provided in a chart form with 3 columns which will read: (What's) Stable/Unstable/Possible Resolutions.The chart will be used to record written expression to be shared in discussions and to be given to the teacher at the end of the have read excerpts with lesson. Immediately after students viewing each excerpts fromeach film the the teacher and after Vocabulary students will recordhis/her response/impression. definitions will be dealtwith as the lesson movesalong. Also, vocabulary maybe written onthe chalkboard to some suggested become choked- use for responding,just in case a student may up on words. from one Suggested activities:Pick your favorite character (film/book) and do a quick sceneof that of these stories videotape this particular character. The teacher may want to seconds and no more than activity. Each student will get 30 60 seconds to act outcharacter. No props are used. Each student may do a verbal or anon-verbal activity, but it must be believable. Another activity which require amore intense purposeis: Each student will write/create your ounstory with an Elizabethan Afterwards, the setting. It should be at least3-5 pages. class will try to createits own Elizabethan playusing parts the customs of the written stories. The students will create from recycled materials. Suggested questions for theinitial lesson: What magic lead couples first the couples to eachother? What happened when the Who continually came inbetween them? What scene was met? alley to danger? the most intimate scene? What drove Tony in the her family? Why is there so muchfear, Why did Maria lie to each one of these love, not too muchstableness or happiness in Which one of theserelationships would be relationships? from the considered "fatalattraction?" Why are the couples wrong side cfthe tracks or fence? relationships of lovers, Resources: Current news articles on friends, individuals, gangs,families and community, documentaries, other relatedfilms, create youthrelated related workshops/conferences, participatein community youth activities (church, youthclubs, etc.), group dynamics discussions. Complete Books: Romeo and Juliet byWilliam Shakespeare, The 'Boys N' Hood," "Fatal Works of Shakespeare--Films: A letter of Attraction,"and "WestsideStory." Important: explanation may need to bewritten and signed bystudents parents. James marino TWO-DAY LESSON PLAN This lesson plan is designed for my sophomores at a Catholic high school. The kids are largely working class; come from Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville; often have immigrant parents and speak a language besides English at home; and despise any literature or poetry, let alone Shakespeare. My goal is to let them see Shakespeare as someone besides an old fogey inflicted on them by English teachers. My introductory lesson plan is designed to tune them into the comic and anti-authoritarian side of the "living" Shakespeare. DAY ONE. A. Good old fashioned lecture to start out, giving background on the theatre of Shakespeare's time. Emphasis on the quasi-illegal and socially undesirable aspect of Elizabethan theatre, such as the need to keep public performances outside the city limits, and actors' need for a noble patron to protect them fror arrest. B. A quick outline of Marlowe and Jonson, to give a sense of A) Shakespeare's literary environment, and B) the rough and tumble of his world, including Marlowe and Jonson's jail sentences and violent lives. C. Opening description of Elizabethan tragedy before Shakespeare. Quick outlines of the over-the-top violence and craziness in The Spanish Tragedy, Titus Andronicus and other plays. Mention the all-encompassing audience for these plays, from aristocrats to groundlings, and the strict division between tragedy and comedy in literary theory. DAY TWO. A. Hand out a list of Shakespearean insults. Especially fr< marino--2 include words like "Zounds" as well as Kent's long rant in King Lear Act II, scene ii, lines 1-40. B. A rehearsed comic reading by the teacher of a Polonius monologue and/or some jokes by the Gravedigger in Hamlet. Consider renting Steve Martin's L.A. Story and showing the moderninzed gravedigger scene from that. C. Once the teacher has taken the acting plunge, encourage the students to do some of their own renditions of the lines from the handout. Remind them that phrases