7/30/2019 Play Writing Lesson

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Lesson Plan: Play Writing Concepts

Class: Drama (9th

and10th

Grade), Fall 2012East High School

Objectives:

Students will be able to

1. Identify the major components of a story plot.2. Define and analyze key play writing concepts.

Resources:

Elmo projector Laptop computer Indiana Jones opening scene movie clip Whiteboard/markers Play Writing Concepts worksheet

Anticipatory Set:

This lesson is the 5th

lesson in the unit on play writing. Most of the key elements of play

writing have already been discussed in class and students have already had a chance to process

these concepts through a variety of different kinds of group work and hands-on activities.

Todays lesson involves bringing all of these concepts back together for a big picture

understand of what writing a play is all about.

We will begin class with an informal discussion of some of our favorite action movies

and what it is that students like about each of these movies. If students do not bring up the film

on their own, I will bring up Indiana Jones. I will explain to the students that one of the things

I like best about the movie is that every single important element of plot building and play

writing can be found in the opening scene of this movie. Then, I will announce to the class that

today is going to be a movie day and we will now view this opening scene.

Sequencing:

1. Review of plot terms: Exposition, Inciting Incident, Rising Action, Climax,Falling Action. (Students take notes, working individually.)

2.

View Indiana Jones clip: (10 minutes. Students work individually, identifyingthe plot components as they appear in the film.

3. Students compare notes with neighbors and work to complete their own notesheets more thoroughly with peer help.

4. Large group discussion note-taking activity.5. Mini-lecture: Play Writing Concepts Review: title, opening, exposition, action,

characters, obstacles, stakes, visuals, dialogue, climax, ending.

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6. Worksheet: students work in small groups to complete the worksheet.CFU: I will circulate the room while students are completing the worksheet to monitor for on-

task behavior, answer questions and keep the project moving in the right direction. Following

the small group work on the play writing concepts, we will come back together for a large group

discussion to check our work.

Closure:

Students are reminded that next week we will begin writing our own plays. Please keep

the work you did in class to use as a checklist when you begin writing your play.

Assessment: Student worksheets and note-taking during the film clip will be collected and

graded. Based on these assessments, all or portions of the lesson may be re-taught if needed.

NOTE: PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FURTHER FOR STUDENTS

WORK SAMPLES.

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