I love NextLesson resources. I love the way performance tasks build a concrete foundation and then ask the students to apply this foundation in new and creative ways. This lesson was used in a series of English Language Arts pull out sessions.
In Curtain Call, students use their favorite stage play to practice reading and writing narrative scripts in a real world context. As scriptwriters, they have to write a monologue script for a marketing teaser campaign based on the play but in an original setting. They analyze scripts and monologues and brainstorm a character from the play using descriptive and figurative language. Then they improvise scenarios and monologues, before writing the final script. The task ends with the opportunity to develop narrative script writing in several ways.
We had such a good time with this one! I started by polling the students to determine which of the plays they’d most like to choose. Familiar favorites included The Lion King and The Wizard of Oz. I could have customized their lesson according to their selection, but it wasn’t necessary. The play name is different, but the modeling and tasks are the same.
We analyzed two scripts. One was an excerpt from Little Red Riding Hood – with a twist. There are so many features and skills to review: how characters are introduced, getting to know characters through dialogue, stage directions, ellipses, and word choice. The second piece of text was a monologue performed by Rosa Parks. Metaphors were plentiful, and students determined the affect they had on the overall theme of the piece.
Then came the fun part. Students chose a character from their favorite plays, and placed this character in an unusual or surprising setting to make their teasers more intriguing. In pairs, they improvised short scenes to better develop these scenes for their monologues. We had a lot of fun, and creative juices were flowing. While writing a unique monologue was still a significant challenge for many, the play portion of this lesson helped tremendously.
Check out two of our student originals below.
Character: Dorothy
Setting: The North Pole
Oh my! Where am I? Ooh! It’s chilly! Do you feel that Toto? Why I could really use a jacket! (Snowman appears) Oh hello, man made of snow! (Snowman hands Dorothy a jacket) A jacket! Oh how lovely! Just what I needed! I wonder if I’m in Northern Oz! Oh look! A sign! It says, “Not Northeren Oz. It’s the North Pole.” Oh how convenient! There’s a picture of a jolly old man with a long white beard, all dressed in red. Why, who could that be? (Dorthy sees another poster in a candy cane) Oh! It’s Santa Clause! I must find him to see if he can take me home to Kansas! ♬ I’m off to see ol’ Santy! The wonderful Santy Clause ♬
See what happens next in, “Wizard of Oz: the Holiday Special”!
Character: Scar, Lion King
Setting: A wooden raft in the Indian Sea
AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHH! SO CLOSE! I HAD PRIDE ROCK UNDER MY CLAWS!
Curse you, Simba!!! Now I’m stuck on a raft in who knows were! (His head twitches crazily as he goes into his second personality) But at least I have sweet, old fishy. (touches the skeleton of a dead fish) Now we are here forever and ever and ever. Do you think we should try to get the kingdom back fishy?( looks at the fish) Brilliant idea fishy, I will find a new kingdom and come back with an army and take back Pride Rock.
Which way should we go? (Puts his ear on the fish) Of course! We shall sail west! Set sail!
(Starts paddling with his claws west)