Amadeus
by Peter Shaffer
Table of Contents
1.
Micro Teaching (Introduction to book before
reading; 4 weeks ahead)
2.
Preliminaries
3.
Aims
4.
Programme / Lesson Plan
5.
Other Activities
Sabrina, Seraina, Isabelle, Sara, Karin
Preliminaries
• Advanced students (fifth / third level = one year ahead of
matura)
• Original text without notes; 120 pages.
• Time frame: Students receive book after introduction; they
read individually, accompanied by specific reading tasks,
and will have finished when literature sessions start
(approx. 4 weeks). Teacher can be asked for assistance if
needed.
• Literature sessions: approx. 10 (double) lessons.
Aims
• Students cope with a literary work on their own / individual
reading.
• Students learn new vocabulary.
• Students practice presentation skills.
• Students learn to lead and have discussions based on
prepared text passages: express their thoughts, opinions,
etc.
• Students learn about the main issues, conflicts and
problems of the work (content) as well as about genre
(drama), time (rococo / baroque, 18th century).
• Students learn to work with secondary sources.
Reading Tasks
• Help students to understand and reflect their reading and
prepare them for forthcoming discussions.
• Include tasks and activities which will be conducted / needed
in literature sessions. Focus on important text passages.
• Production of short vocabulary work sheet.
• Other Activities:
Section
Task
Time for Reading
Act One / I-VI
Title for each act
1 week
Act One / VII-XII
Multiple choice
1 week
Act Two / I-IX
Complete the sentence
1 week
Act Two / X-XX
‚Jumbled events‘ (LLC)
1 week
Programme / Lesson Plan (1)
L
General Topic
of Lesson
Who / What activities
Aim
1
Introduction to
history / epoch:
the 18th century
(rococo,
baroque)
(teacher-led, presentation by students)
• Brainstorming.
• Ss: 15-20‘ presentation about the epoch.
• Why was a book about the 18th century written in the
seventies?
• Contest: class divided into 3 groups, each has 10’ to
prepare a radio report on the events => Ss decide which
one was best.
Ss learn about
epoch & history;
introduction into
topic; Ss’
interest is
aroused by the
play, its
background and
influence.
2
Introduction to
history /
biography:
Mozart &
Salieri
Music
(teacher-led, presentation by students)
• What do S know about main characters?
• Ss: 5‘ presentation Mozart & 5‘ presentation Salieri.
• Differences to literary work? Conflict? / Music.
• Introduction of passage: Salieri: “God needed Mozart,
do you see, to let Himself into the world. And Mozart
needed me to give him worldly opportunities. And therein
lay my enormous power.” Keep in mind for forthcoming
discussions.
Ss learn about
historical
persons and the
diff. between
characters and
hist. persons;
intro into conflict
and main topic
of play.
Programme / Lesson Plan (2)
3
Characters:
Amadeus &
Salieri
(student-led)
• 15-20‘ presentation: characters, their development and
conflict.
• Other ss prepared passages to discuss (presenting group
must also have passages ready).
• Discuss how and (through) what power is exerted, related
to passages discussed. What character traits are revealed?
Where do they differ from the ‘originals’ (see presentations
before)?
• ½ of the class: write a letter to an agony aunt from
Mozart’s perspective / ½ from Salieri’s.
Closer
investigation of
characters: Ss
learn about
structure of a
play: how
characters
develop in
relation to
plot/storyline.
4
Characters:
Role of other
characters,
women
(student-led)
• 15-20‘ presentation: the role of the female characters.
• Discussion.
• Status of women (history).
• Ss: “How would you try to help your husband Mozart if
you were in Constanze’s position?” (Discuss and/or act it
out).
Ss learn about
female
characters in
play as well as
in the 18th
century.
Programme / Lesson Plan (3)
5
The importance of
music; power and
influence on society
through music
6
Main issues,
conflicts,
characters...
(teacher-led, presentation by students)
• Ss: 5-10‘ presentation on role of music in
Mozart‘s time.
• Discussion.
• T: society, behaviour; social structure and
amendment (does Mozart fit in?).
• Passage: „God needed Mozart ...
Ss learn about
music’s role and its
importance in the
play as well as in
society in the 18th
century; Ss learn
about social
structure.
(student-led)
• 5-10‘ presentation.
• Activities, related to reading tasks ...
• Debate: Ss get 5’ to prepare arguments; class
divided in 2 groups: pro Salieri vs. pro Mozart.
Ss work out the
conflicts and
character
constellation of the
play; can main
issues be
transported into
modern times?
Programme / Lesson Plan (4)
7
Drama:
classical drama
vs. modern
structure
Peter Shaffer
8
Amadeus: film
adaptation
(by Milos
Forman)
and the Oscar
goes to...
(student-led)
• 5‘ presentation on Peter Shaffer.
• 5‘ presentation on classical drama; 5‘
presentation on modern drama.
• Why does the play offer this structure?
• How would students produce the play?
Ss know author and are
able to distinguish
classical and modern
drama; Ss repeat last
time’s question:
comparison and relation
from then and now.
(teacher-led)
• Introductory discussion: Is the play suitable for
a film adaptation at all?
• Ss watch the film AMADEUS.
• Ss in “expert groups” of 5-6: discuss one of the
following aspects of the film (categories for an
Oscar): 1) costume design and make up
2) music and sound effects
3) adaptation of the screenplay
4) Actors
• Ss collect and write down arguments why the
film should win an Oscar in their category.
Ss compare film
adaptation to original
play; Ss discuss and
analyse different
aspects of film
Programme / Lesson Plan (5)
9
1
0
Amadeus: film
• Ss form different groups of 4 (one of each expert group):
adaptation
Ss try to convince other Ss with their arguments to vote for
(by Milos Forman) their Oscar category.
• Ss write down their favourite Oscar category (not their
and the Oscar
own).
goes to...
• T collects votes and announces winner.
• Final discussion: the film has actually won 8 oscars. Are
they all justified? Why/why not?
Final discussion,
round up (plot,
problems,
evaluation...)
• (teacher-led)
• Go back to quote about the ‘enormous power‘ of Salieri
=> what do they think about it after all the other lessons?
• Ss in groups of 3-5: write a ‘blurb’ for the back cover =>
choose the one that summarises the text best (+ discuss
why it was best?).
• T-led: collect Ss’ impressions of the book; Ss give their
favourite (most remarkable /impressive etc.) passage of
the book.
Final
discussion,
evaluation.
Other Activities
• listen to and discuss ‘Rock up Amadeus’ by Falco
(German song)
• go and watch play / watch movie / listen to a concert by
Mozart
• perform play / passages in class
• more on baroque / rococo art, i.e. music, architecture,
paintings, clothes, history, etc.