Submitted by Melissa Melnick
Objectives:
Content:
Students will...
- demonstrate an understanding of the elements of dialogue.
- demonstrate an understanding of how a character's personality in a play contributes to dialogue.
Cultural:
Language: Content Obligatory
Students will...
- use vocabulary such as diálogo, acotaciones, discurso, descripción, conversación, dramaturgo, narrativa, escenario, adjetivo, acontecimiento, cuento de hadas to write a dialogue with a group
- use appropriate intonation and inflection to contribute to understanding
- use word order and noun/adjective agreement to describe characters
Language: Content Compatible
Students will...
- use present tense to write dialogue.
Learning Strategies / Social and Skills Development:
Students will...
- work cooperatively to complete a creative task.
Time Frame:
This lesson will be completed in four days.
Materials Needed:
· Whiteboard and markers
· Handout #4
· Fairy tales
· Construction paper
· Markers
· Glue
· Projector
· Computer/Laptop
Description of Assessment (Performance Project):
* * * Day 1 * * *
Background:
Students will brainstorm adjectives in order to better describe a character's personality.Warmup: (Choose one)
Teacher will review the meaning of an adjective with students.
1. A competition - In groups, students will race to write the longest list of adjectives. (4-5 minutes) (They may do this on the board or on newsprint). After the lists are completed students will sit down and any words that may be new for students will be defined by the class.2. Students will then exchange vocabulary lists by moving to another section of the board or by passing the newsprint. The new group of students will categorize the lists. They will then rewrite the lists in categories and explain their rationale to the class.
Examples of dialogue:
1. Students will read about the elements of dialogue. One suggestion of a text is: Dominicis, Maria C. & John J. Reynolds. (1994) Repase y escriba. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, pp. 226-228. (This may also be provided as Homework previous to the class).2. Students will then answer questions based on the reading. (See Handout #4)
3. The web site for the Spanish Embassy has some vocabulary exercises based on theater that are available at http://www.sgci.mec.es/usa/deparenpar/2002/conocer2.shtml
* * * Day 2 * * *
This activity will be completed as a class. Students will use either a short narrative text or a fairy tale as a basis for this activity. The students will read the text. After students read the text the class will choose three characters who will have a dialogue. The class will use the adjectives from the previous day to write descriptions of each of the three characters' personalities. (15 minutes)
Based upon these characterizations the entire class will write an short dialogue based on the narrative text. The dialogue will be typed on a word processor by the teacher or a student volunteer (using a projector will enable all students to view and edit the dialogue as it is being created). Students should be encouraged to be creative while writing the text, but also to remain in the realm of what might logically be said in the given context and based upon the description of each character's personality. (15 minutes)
Finally, three students will read the dialogue out loud in their groups. They will concentrate on using appropriate inflection and intonation based on the character and the words. The fourth student will observe and listen to the reading and write observations concerning inflection and intonation. This student will share the observations with the group and readers will respond to the observations. (10 minutes)
Three student volunteers will read the dialogue to the entire class using what they have learned from their cooperative groups. (10 minutes)
2. Students will discuss what type of scenery and costumes would be necessary or helpful for this dialogue to be enjoyed more fully by the audience.
* * * Day 3 * * *
Students will in their cooperative groups. Each group will receive a different text, either a fairy tale or other narrative text that is familiar to the majority of students. The students will then take a section of that text and write a dialogue around that text (similar to what they did as a class the previous day). Before writing their dialogue they should choose three characters who will be involved in the dialogue. They will use at least five adjectives to describe the character. An example might be to write a dialogue between the three little pigs as they're waiting inside the brick house and the wolf is huffing and puffing. The third pig might be described as being industrious, smart, hard working and he says, "I told you so!" to his brothers.
Students will be instructed to consider simple scenery and costumes they could use to enhance understanding.
Tarea:
Students will practice their dialogue at home and bring props and costumes for their "performance" the following day.* * * Day 4 * * *
Students will inform the rest of the class of the context of their dialogue and then perform the dialogue for the class. They will need to include some simple scenery and costumes. Students will be assessed by the teacher using the rubric provided at the end of this unit.
Tarea:
Students will be given a copy of a biography of an author of a short play they will perform with a group of students. The groups will be formed by the teacher according to the number of characters per play and the personalities of the plays' characters. Students should read over the text and answer the following questions:¿Quién es el/la autor(a)?
¿Cuáles son unos acontecimientos de la niñez o la juventud de esta persona que cree usted que pudieran de haber afectado los temas de los cuales escribe?
Según esta biografía, ¿cuáles son unos de los temas más destacados por este/a autor(a)? Mañana Usted va a leer una obra escrita por esta persona. ¿Qué temas piensa ver en la obra? Explique su respuesta.Optional Activity:
If there is a play at your school either currently or in the near future, encourage students to participate by auditioning or attending. This unit may also be timed near a performance of a bilingual play in the area. The Mixed Blood Theater of Minneapolis usually runs bilingual plays once or twice a year with strong social commentary. Students can use these productions as an opportunity to apply what they have been learning in class and offer a critique of the play.
Assessment:
Informal assessments could be based on the following:
Day 1 - group work with the lists and categorizing of character adjectives, and answers on the handout
Day 2 - group work based on the dialogue and performance
References and Resources:
Dominicis, Maria C. & John J. Reynolds. (1994) Repase y escriba. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, pp. 226-228.
Spanish Embassy vocabulary exercises
http://www.sgci.mec.es/usa/deparenpar/2002/conocer2.shtml