Overview

The object of this lesson is to create a script based off a well known play. Student will work in groups of five and will be asked to either create an alternative ending, additional scene, or adaptation of a scene for the play of their choice. The entire lesson will take approximately 6 weeks where students will read the plays, choose their favorite, create a three to eight minute script, and then film it. Not only will students be learning how to write a script, but in the process they touch on how to analyze a play in order to understand the characters and situations.

Due to the nature of the assignment, inquiry will mainly be guided. Students will have a lot of control over the choices that they are allowed to make, but they must include certain elements and all final products will consist of a script and film. As they work in their research, students will be following the I-Search Method.

During this lesson the following standards will be addressed:

Academic Theatre Standards

History and Culture
Standard 1: Students understand the significance of theatre and its relationship to history and cultures.
H.1.1 (PROFICIENT): Discover how our individual cultural experiences affect an artist’s work in the theatre.

Creative Process
Standard 6: Students create scripts and theatre pieces through collaboration, inquiry, and improvisation.
 H.6.1 (PROFICIENT): Construct imaginative scripts and collaborate with actors to refine scripts so that the story and meaning are conveyed to an audience.

Standard 8: Students develop acting skills through observation, improvisation, and script analysis
H.8.2 (PROFICIENT): Analyze a script to discover the clues about inner life of a character.


AASL Standards

1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.
1.2.3 Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.
2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that express new understandings.


Collaboration will be done between the theatre teacher and media specialist. Most of the lesson will be completed with the teacher, however, students will spend about a week and a half with the media specialist. She will be the one to introduce them to the I-search Method and show and encourage them to utilize a variety of sources for their period research. The media specialist will also put together a pathfinder to help students along in the script writing process. Sources will help guide students through mini-lesson and the overall process. Lastly, the media specialist will do a mini-lesson teaching students how to use flip-cams and editing software to make sure students are capable of completing the assignment.