Unit Title_ Playwriting:
DYPF Workshop
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Delaware Recommended Curriculum Unit Template
Preface: This unit has been created as a model for teachers in their designing or redesigning of course curricula. It is by no means
intended to be inclusive; rather it is meant to be a springboard for a teacher’s thoughts and creativity. The information we have
included represents one possibility for developing a unit based on the Delaware content standards and the Understanding by Design
framework and philosophy.
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Subject/Topic Area: Theatre Arts
Grade Level(s): 9-12
Searchable Key Words: playwrights, theme, script format, elements of a good play, title, setting, characters, conflict, action, climax,
beginning, middle. end
Designed By: C.J. Conway
District: Capital
Mary Ann Love and David Stradley
Adapted By: Ginger Angstadt
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Time Frame: 4-6 weeks
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Reviewed by:
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Brief Summary of Unit (This should include a brief unit summary including a description of unit goals, rationale for the approach taken,
and where it appears in the course of study.)
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This unit will review and incorporate the elements of playwriting (through
individual or group development [2-4 students]) for a one act play. Theme will be discussed through a presentation from the
education staff of the Delaware Theatre Company. Students will develop a 2-5 character one act play (defined by the DTC’s chosen
theme). The play will need to be no fewer than 10 pages, no longer than 20 pages. Sets and costumes will be described by the
playwright/s, but should be minimalist in nature. Professional script format will be followed in order to cement the proper writing
format as opposed to regular textbook publishing formats.
Date:
Stage 1: Desired Results
(Determine What Students Will Know, Do and
Understand)
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DE Content Standards (This should include a list of the DE Content Standards for which instruction is provided in this unit and which are
ultimately assessed in the unit.)
Standard 1 Improvising and writing scenes, scenarios, and/or plays.
Identify the basic elements of a play ( characters, setting, plot, theme, action)
Write an original one-act play with clearly developed characters, setting, conflict and resolution
Explore human issues and various outcomes in order to devise a performance piece that is linear in presentation form
Standard 4 Directing by envisioning and realizing improvised or scripted scenes.
Create a concept that conveys meaning for a scripted scene (be it linear, episodic, abstract) through the use of metaphor, mood or
theme.
Analyze the meaning of scripted scenes, scenarios, and/or plays
Standard 7 Responding to, describing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating theatre works and performances
Explain how dramatic elements (plot, character, action, diction, music, spectacle [Aristotle’s Poetics]) combine to make a whole
Big Idea (This should include transferable core concepts, principles, theories, and processes that should serve as the focal point of
curricula, instruction, and assessment. Ex: Manifest Destiny, fighting for peace.)
Playwriting communicates a human experience
(e.g.; thematic content ; One of the many reasons a person might not feel respected is their age. With that in mind, write a play in
which the ideas, beliefs, feelings and/or contributions of a character are not taken)
Stage 1: Desired Results
(Determine What Students Will Know,
Do and Understand)
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Unit Enduring Understandings (This should include important ideas or core processes that are
central to the unit and transferable to new situations beyond the classroom. Stated as full-sentence
statements, the understandings specify what we want students to understand about the Big Ideas
Ex: Inverse operations are helpful in understanding and solving problems.)
Students will understand that…
Every play has a point of view
Theatre is a form of expression that employs dramatic elements
To become a skilled writer requires persistence
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Unit Essential Question(s) (This should include open-ended questions designed to guide student
inquiry and focus instruction for “uncovering” the important ideas of the content. Ex: What is
healthful eating? What is the relationship between fiction and truth?)
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What form is necessary for a beginning, middle and end play?
What elements are found in a linear play?
Why is writing an encompassing and unfolding process?
Stage 1: Desired Results
(Determine What Students Will Know,
Do and Understand)
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Knowledge & Skills (This should include key knowledge and skills that students will acquire as a result of
this unit? Ex: Factors affecting climate, The causes of World War II.)
It should also include what students will eventually be able to do as a result of such knowledge and skill
Ex: take notes, complete a bent-arm pull, compare fiction to nonfiction.)
Students will know….
The six dramatic elements ( plot, character, action, diction, music, spectacle)
Linear dramatic form (beginning, middle, end)
Point of view (theme)
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Students will be able to…
Write a scenario that will be developed into 10 -20 page play
Explore that scenario as an individual or in groups of 2-4
Develop a scene from the written scenario
Create a one act play with 2-5 characters, developed from the first scenario
Edit the play according to DTC rubric
Apply DTC rubric to the revision of the script
Publish an original draft
Revise original draft according to DTC rubric and critique
Publish draft 2 for review and critique
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Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
(Design Assessments To Guide
Instruction)
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(This should include evidence that will be collected to determine whether or not the Desired Results identified in Stage One have been
achieved? [Anchor the unit in performance tasks that require transfer, supplemented as needed by other evidence –quizzes, worksheets,
observations, etc.]
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Suggested Performance Task(s) (This should include suggested authentic tasks and projects used as evidence of student competency in the
skills and knowledge deemed important in the unit. Ex: a written composition, speeches, works of art, musical performances, open-ended
math problems.)
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Consider the following set of stem statements as you construct a scenario for a performance task:
G – Goal—Ex: Reflect character’s motivation and predict his actions
R – Role—Ex: A character in Of Mice and Men
A – Audience—Ex: A family member or close friend
S – Situation—Ex: Creating a scrapbook chronicling a character’s life, real and inferred
P – Product, Performance, and Purpose—Ex: Scrapbook
S – Standards and Criteria for Success—Ex: Your scrapbook should include all components on included rubric
Goal—Students will create a 10 -20 page play relating to a specified theme.
Role—Students will work individually or in groups of 2-4 to create a script related to the assigned theme
Audience—The education staff of Delaware Theatre Company, the student’s teacher, the student’s peers, the student’s school community
Situation—Creating an individual or group script for Delaware Young Playwright’s Festival and the student’s school community
Product—Draft I and Draft II scripts with rubric suggestions and edited revisions Production of scenes for school visual and performing
arts workshop
Standards and Criteria for Success—Delaware Young Playwrights Festival Rubric
Rubrics/checklists for Performance Tasks (This should include
holistic or analytic-trait rubrics used as a scoring guide to
evaluate student products or performances.)
Excellent
Good
Shows Potential
Needs Work
Setting creative and vital to
the plot; adds to story on an
emotional level. Very
theatrical or done with the
limitations of the theatre in
mind
Events realistic within the
world of the play; stageable
and creative. Clear cause
and effect.
Action will captivate
audience.
Conflict quickly and clearly
introduced, drives play
along. Challenges to
characters are intense,
unique, and believable.
Setting somewhat
interesting and necessary to
plot. Could be created in a
stage space.
Setting could be made
interesting. Needs
adjustment for it to be
staged.
Setting cannot be staged
and not integral to the plot.
Too many changes of
location.
Events somewhat realistic;
can be staged. Cause and
effect mostly credible;
action interesting
Events somewhat
unrealistic and hard to
stage. Cause and effect
lacks credibility at times;
action lags
Events unrealistic;
Can’t be staged. Cause and
effect absent. Too little
action. Too many short
scenes.
Conflict central to play.
Challenges to characters
are believable but could
affect characters in a
deeper, more profound way.
Conflict uninteresting.
Audience won’t care about
characters’ problems.
Climax
Conflict directly and
dramatically confronted.
Climax explodes from the
action; will rivet audience.
Resolution
Resolution flows directly
from action and climax, yet
is not predictable. Radically
changes the life of the
characters in a deep and
meaningful way.
Characteristics revealed in
dialogue and action.
.Behavior believable and
compelling. Fully
developed, unique
individuals. Bold, clear
objectives. All necessary to
plot.
Conflict confronted in
believable manner, but
climax does not mine full
potential. Will interest
audience.
Resolution results from
action and climax, is
believable but somewhat
predictable. Affects some
important aspect of
characters’ lives.
Behavior believable in
context of play
Developed individuals.
Clear objectives, but could
be strengthened. Some
characters could be made
more essential to plot.
Conflict could be made
more central to the play.
Challenges to characters
appear superficial at times
or are not explored in
depth.
Climax could be made to be
more interesting and
believable. Find way to
drive action to more of a
breaking point.
Resolution needs to flow
more from the action; forced
or predictable. Characters
lives are changed, but not in
a fundamental way.
Behavior could be made
more believable.
Characters need further
development Objectives
sometimes unclear. Some
characters unnecessary.
Stereotypical;
Unbelievable; flat.
Characters lacking clear
objectives.
Too many unnecessary
characters.
Setting
Action of Play
Conflict
Characters
Climax uninteresting; does
not flow from action. The
play just stops.
Resolution too easy.
Characters unchanged.
Other Evidence
(This could include tests, quizzes, prompts, student
work samples, and observations used to collect diverse
evidence of student understanding.)
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Scenario for the one-act play based on suggested theme. (formative)
Scenes I and II [writing the play] (formative)
Read Through [informal class reading of sc i & ii] (summative for scenario and sc i & ii)
Scene III and IV [writing the play](formative)
Read Through [informal class reading of sc iii & iv](summative for sc iii & iv)
Scene V [writing the conclusion of the play](formative)
Read throughs [formal staged reading of one-acts] (summative for one-act)
Draft one [submit to Delaware Theatre Company for review](formative for writing process)
Auditions [in class audition processes] (formative for production process)
Scene Study [design of set and blocking plan](formative for acting/directing process)
Draft II [review rubric comments and edit Draft I] (summative for writing process)
Rehearsal [in class rehearsals for each play](formative for acting & production process)
Production of Script/Play [ workshop performance of selected scenes] (summative for all processes)
Student Self-Assessment and Reflection (This should
include opportunities for students to monitor their own
learning. Ex: reflection journals, learning logs, pre- and
post-tests, editing own work.)
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In class read throughs of each script allow the students to hear the
voice of their play and make necessary edits. This can be simple
typos or the need to rework the message they hear from the
interpretation of their words by the actors.
• Designing a minimalist set encourages them to envision the world
they have created.
• Blocking ask them to reflect on the actual physical movement of
that world and bring their words from the paper to the stage.
• Rubric feed back from DTC provides a professional view of their
work and asks the student to consider possible changes to the
world they have created, bringing the focus back to revision and
self-reflection in order to enhance the script they have created.
Stage 3: Learning Plan
(Design Learning Activities To Align
with Goals and Assessments)
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Key learning events needed to achieve unit goals
(This should include instructional activities and learning experiences needed to achieve the desired
results (Stage 1) as reflected in the assessment evidence to be gathered (Stage 2).
The acronym WHERETO summarizes key elements to consider when designing an effective and
engaging learning plan.
W – Help the students know Where the unit is going and What is expected? Help the teachers
know . Where the students are coming from (prior knowledge, interests)
H – Hook all students and Hold their interest?
E – Equip students, help them Experience the key ideas and Explore the issues?
R – Provide opportunities to Rethink and Revise their understandings and work?
E – Allow students to Evaluate their work and its implications?
T – Be Tailored (personalized) to the different needs, interests, and abilities of learners?
O – Be Organized to maximize initial and sustained engagement as well as effective learning?
Stage 3: Learning Plan
(Design Learning Activities To Align
with Goals and Assessments)
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Where/What: The unit will focus on creating and producing a one-act play
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Hook: Scenes from these plays will be produced for a school workshop
each play has the possibility of being selected for the state-wide festival
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Experience: Each student will create a 10 – 20 page one act play and rehearse that
play in a classroom, with the possibility of scene production at the
school level and festival presentation at the state level
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Rethink/Revise: The rubric feedback from DTC provides critical commentary for
rethinking problems and revising the script.
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Evaluate: Reading and critique by the DTC, the instructor and peers are helpful
tools for hearing the script, acknowledging the necessary edits and motivating the
students to see the writing process as an on-going process.
Stage 3: Learning Plan
(Design Learning Activities To Align with Goals and
Assessments)
Tailored to Differentiated Instruction: The guiding focus is the theme. Each student may bring their own
experience to this writing and dialect is acceptable and adds more human communication to the
process. All students can chose to work alone, or in groups of 2- 4 to create these plays.
Organized to sustain engagement :
• Scenario for the one-act play based on suggested theme. (formative)
• Scenes I and II [writing the play] (formative)
• Read Through [informal class reading of sc i & ii] (summative for scenario and sc i & ii)
• Scene III and IV [writing the play](formative)
• Read Through [informal class reading of sc iii & iv](summative for sc iii & iv)
• Scene V [writing the conclusion of the play](formative)
• Read Throughs [formal staged reading of one-acts] (summative for one-act)
• Draft one [submit to Delaware Theatre Company for review](formative for writing process)
• Auditions [in class audition processes] (formative for production process)
• Scene Study [design of set and blocking plan](formative for acting/directing process)
• Draft II [review rubric comments and edit Draft I] (summative for writing process)
• Rehearsal [in class rehearsals for each play](formative for acting & production process)
• Production of Script/Play [ workshop performance of selected scenes] (summative for all processes)
Resources & Teaching Tips (Consider
the two questions below when
completing this section.)
• What text/print/media/kit/web resources best support this unit?
• The Delaware Young Playwright’s Festival Teacher Workshop
http://sites.google.com/a/delawaretheatre.org/dypf-teachers
The Delaware Young Playwright’s Festival Student Guide
http://sites.google.com/a/delawaretheatre.org/dypf-students
• http://soungle.com (for sound effects support)
Resources & Teaching Tips (Consider
the two questions below when
completing this section.)
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What tips to teachers of the unit can you offer about likely rough spots/student
misunderstandings and performance weaknesses, and how to troubleshoot those issues?
Initially students may balk at the task of writing a play.
Some will be hesitant to work alone, some will be hesitant to work with a group.
Reflection on the theme and workshops from DTC workshop leaders give the theme focus and
motivate the students to complete their plays.
Scheduled writing time in the library or a computer lab allows the student writing process to
develop.
The website includes templates for title and character pages and a template for the correct script
format. This enables the student to complete the task with a
focus on their thematic and human communication skills as opposed to struggling with
formatting problems.
Response from theatre professionals validates the student work process, motivating the editing
and production process.
Each student must be honored for the contribution they are to this process.
It is an on-going and risky task. That is what makes it a rich learning environment
Accommodation/Differentiation
ideas and tips
• This should include a list or description of ways
that you will differentiate instruction according to
students' needs. This can include any curricular
adaptations that are needed to meet special
needs students. Ex: using reading materials at
varying readability levels, putting text materials
on tape, using spelling or vocabulary lists at
readiness levels of students, meeting with small
groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling
learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of
advanced learners.
Accommodation/Differentiation
ideas and tips
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This task is completely flexible for all students.
Non-readers can contribute through working on production aspects.
Those not normally engaged by writing take this project on because it allows them
to speak in their own voice, dialect and through their own experience.
Writing process is not limited to a 5 paragraph essay and specific topic. This allows
each individual or group to develop as necessary.
Writing time is a reflective process that requires thought time, writing time and
reflection. You must set aside time daily for individual or group reflection time.
Intersperse the writing time with activities that will engage the students in the
production process { Acting and monologue opportunities, set design for their
play,
read throughs and casting of the plays, rehearsal and production of the one acts}
Each of these tasks engage students of varying capabilities.