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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

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Learning outcomes

Students will

  • read and initially understand the action of Act 2, Scene 2 of “Romeo and Juliet.”
  • watch and compare two versions (film and theatre) of the scene.
  • discover literature and dramatic conventions: tone, audience, setting, theme, character, and interpretation.
  • interpret and translate Act 2, Scene 2 to everyday language without losing its important action.
  • present written translation with partner in class.
  • evaluate peer’s presentations for clarity, creativity, and subject matter.
  • appreciate the timelessness of “Romeo and Juliet,” especially its “true love” theme.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

4.5 hours

Materials/resources

Class Set - “Romeo and Juliet”

Technology resources

TV and VCR
Video Recordings of Zefferelli’s 1968 film version of “Romeo and Juliet” and Baz’s 1996 version of “Romeo and Juliet,” or a stage production of the play.

Pre-activities

Class Discussion - In a new relationship, how long should it be before telling someone that you love them? Answers should be based on students’ personal experience. The discussion will also serve as a review by referring back to Act 1 and the Capulet party where the couple kissed.

Pass out Act 2 worksheet that includes vocabulary and questions for the entire act. (attachment: Act2WS.txt)

Activities

  1. Read Act 2 Scene 2 and discuss the action of the scene. (30 min.)
  2. After reading Act 2, Scene 2, allow students to watch two versions of the scene on video. For film versions try Franco Zefferelli’s 1968 version or Baz’s 1996 version. A theatre presentation would be ideal to view opposite a film version. Although I have yet to preview it, there is a theatre version specially designed for schools starring Jonathon Firth and Geraldine Somersville. (see films.com web site.) (40 min.)
  3. Discuss the importance of the different ways that the scene is presented, uses of props, facial expressions, voice intonations, and body placement. Students should conclude that reasons for differences include: year production was made, audience, setting of play, props avaliable, and interpreation of director. (10 min.)
  4. Arrange students into pairs. Students are instructed that they will present Act 2, Scene 2 to their peers, not in Shakespeare’s language, but their own. They are in charge of translating and presenting their interpreation to the class. They are the writers and the directors, and should be as creative and imaginative as possible, although they must include the major occurences of the scene. (these may vary for each teacher.) Remind students that the part of the nurse must be dealt with in some way, but will vary with each presentation. Encourage props, costume, and alternative presenation. (I had one set of presenters use puppets, which was not only original, but cured a bit of stage fright one of the performers had.) (5 min.)
  5. In pairs, students translate the text together, each making their own copy for presentation use. Although length will vary, good scripts will be approximately 3-4 pages in length. (attachment: StudentEx.txt) (90 min.)
  6. Students take turn presenting their work in front of the class. Talk about the differences of each presenation either in between each performance, or at the end. This will help refer back to the scene’s action, and the importance of performance to the overall action of the play. Students should fill out the evaluation sheets during each performance. (60 min.)

Assessment

  • Students could be assessed daily with a participation grade, keeping them on task during discussions and script writing.
  • While students are performing, their peers will become a part of the assessment process by filling out evaluation sheets. (attachment: PeerEval.txt)
  • Teacher should use the evaluation sheets, participation grades, and their own observation to determine grades for each group, or on an individual basis.

Because this is such a time consuming project, I weight this assignment worth a quiz or test grade.

Supplemental information

Attachments:

Related websites

To buy “Romeo and Juliet” films check out:
Films for the Humanities and Sciences: http://www.films.com

Comments

Same sex problems - Some students did not like working with the same sex. Although I tried to accomodate them, I also reminded them that back in Shakespeare’s time, only men would perform on stage, so there really isn’t anything unusual about it.

Stage set-up - Although we stayed in the classroom for the presentations, I think it would have been fun to have done the presentations on an auditorium stage.

Illness - Although it’s bound to happen, I remind the students that if they are absent they are responsible for getting their work done with their partner on their own time. Also, if there are an odd number of students in the class, the teacher can act a part.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 9 — English I

  • Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text and personal experiences.
    • Objective 1.01: Narrate personal experiences that offer an audience:
      • scenes and incidents located effectively in time and place.
      • vivid impressions of being in a setting and a sense of engagement in the events occurring.
      • appreciation for the significance of the account.
      • a sense of the narrator's personal voice.
    • Objective 1.02: Respond reflectively (individually and in groups) to a variety of expressive texts (e.g., memoirs, vignettes, narratives, diaries, monologues, personal responses) in a way that offers an audience:
      • an understanding of the student's personal reaction to the text.
      • a sense of how the reaction results from a careful consideration of the text.
      • an awareness of how personal and cultural influences affect the response.
  • Goal 2: The learner will explain meaning, describe processes, and answer research questions to inform an audience.
    • Objective 2.01: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
      • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
      • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
      • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
      • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
      • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
      • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
      • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
      • making connections between works, self and related topics.
      • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
      • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
      • identifying and analyzing elements of informational environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
  • Goal 3: The learner will examine argumentation and develop informed opinions.
    • Objective 3.03: Support that informed opinion by:
      • providing relevant and convincing reasons.
      • using various types of evidence, such as experience or facts.
      • using appropriate and effective language, reasons, and organizational structure for the audience and purpose.
      • demonstrating awareness of the possible questions, concerns, or counterarguments of the audience.
  • Goal 4: The learner will create and use standards to critique communication.
    • Objective 4.02: Read and critique various genres by:
      • using preparation, engagement, and reflection strategies appropriate for the text.
      • identifying and using standards to evaluate aspects of the work or the work as a whole.
      • judging the impact of different stylistic and literary devices on the work.
  • Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms.
    • Objective 5.01: Read and analyze various literary works by:
      • using effective reading strategies for preparation, engagement, reflection.
      • recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction (e.g., myths, legends, short stories, novels), non-fiction (e.g., essays, biographies, autobiographies, historical documents), poetry (e.g., epics, sonnets, lyric poetry, ballads) and drama (e.g., tragedy, comedy).
      • interpreting literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, dialogue, diction, and imagery.
      • understanding the importance of tone, mood, diction, and style.
      • explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings.
      • explaining how point of view is developed and its effect on literary texts.
      • determining a character's traits from his/her actions, speech, appearance, or what others say about him or her.
      • explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements.
      • making thematic connections among literary texts and media and contemporary issues.
      • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
      • producing creative responses that follow the conventions of a specific genre and using appropriate literary devices for that genre.
    • Objective 5.02: Demonstrating increasing comprehension and ability to respond personally to texts by selecting and exploring a wide range of genres.
  • Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
    • Objective 6.01: Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression that:
      • uses varying sentence types (e.g., simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) purposefully, correctly, and for specific effect.
      • selects verb tense to show an appropriate sense of time.
      • applies parts of speech to clarify and edit language.
      • addresses clarity and style through such strategies as parallelism; appropriate coordination and subordination; variety and details; appropriate and exact words; and conciseness.
      • analyzes the place and role of dialects and standard/nonstandard English.
      • uses vocabulary strategies such as roots and affixes, word maps, and context clues to discern the meanings of words.
    • Objective 6.02: Discern and correct errors in spoken and written English by:
      • avoiding fragments, run-ons, and comma splices.
      • selecting correct subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, and appropriate verbs.
      • using and placing modifiers correctly.
      • editing for spelling and mechanics (punctuation and capitalization).