Post-Show Activity: Process Drama

This lesson is written as a 30-minute sequence. As you read through the procedures, you will get a sense of the structure of the lesson and you may elect to omit certain strategies, replace them, or divide the structure into multiple lessons.

Class Discussion

The teacher asks if the lead character in The Good Soul of Szechuan is a good person.

• Is Shen Te responsible for her mistakes? Why does she make them? Should Shen Te be punished?
• What are positive influences in Shen Te's life?
• What are negative influences in Shen Te's life?
• How do the play's circumstances affect Shen Te?
• How would you feel if Shen Te did not suffer the consequences of her actions?

Role on the Wall

The teacher draws the outline of a body on the chalkboard. Students are asked to imagine a good person who is their age and think about the qualities that make this person a "good person."

The teacher explains that as a class, they will create this person. They will choose the sex, age, family life, hobbies, friends, jobs and name of this "good person". They write the choices inside the body of the character. Students will create as much of a life for the good person as time permits. Explain that this person attends the same school, is in the same grade as the class, and is essentially a good person.

Discuss positive influences that have resulted in the good qualities of this person. These are listed on the left side of the outline.

Mock Trial

The students are told that the good person is a friend of theirs. The teacher narrates a courtroom situation in role as the Defense Team Lead Counsel and explains that a "good student" has been caught cheating on the SAT's, and will be expelled from school. Students are cast in role as witnesses who must explain to the court the following:

• Why does this crime happen?
• Why does the student cheat?
• Do you feel that the student should be given a second chance? Why or why not?

Teacher continues in role as the Lead Council asking for possible negative influences in the life of this "good person" that could have caused dishonesty. List these on the right side of the outline.

In small groups, the students prepare arguments to convince a judge that the "good student" really is a "good person" and deserves a second chance. If they cannot convince the judge, the "good" student will be expelled from school and not allowed to go to college. Suggested questions to guide student work include:

• Why did the good student cheat?
• Are good people responsible for their crimes? Is this person responsible for cheating? Why?
• Should they be punished? Why?
• Should they get a second chance? Why?
• How would you feel if this student were a "bad" person?
• If good people are not caught, is it still bad to cheat? Why?

Letter Writing

In groups, students write to the good person as if they were the judge stating a decision on the case. If time permits, letters are read aloud.

Material on this page written by Lyn Peticolas, John P. McEneny, and Jeff Kennedy; edited by Nancy Swortzell, 1997