Junior Drama Unit Plan

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Junior

Drama

Unit Plan

Monday, March 1 st , 2010

Table of Contents

Overall Description of Unit ……………………………………………………………………….2

Lesson 1, Subtask 1…………….……………………………………………………………….....4

Lessons 2-3, Subtask 2……………........……………………….....………………………............6

Lessons 4-5, Subtask 3…………….……………………….....……………………………...........8

Lesson 6, Subtask 4…..…………………………………………………………………..………10

Appendix A….………………………………………………………………………….……......13

Appendix B ……………………………………………………………………………………...14

Appendix C ………………………………………………………………………..……..…...…20

Appendix D ……………………………..................……………………….……………………25

Appendix E ……………………………..................……………………….…………………….26

Appendix F (Culminating Task)…………………...….……………………………..…………..28

Works Cited ……………………………………………………………………………………...31

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Overall Description of Unit:

Through a series of lessons and subtasks, this unit seeks to prepare students to complete a culminating task in which they will be asked to create a graphic drama scene and prepare a written and oral explanation of the scene they chose to recreate from one of the texts covered in the unit. In order to reach this goal, students will address skill building in the areas of reading, writing, oral language/oral communication and build knowledge of graphic media texts.

In the syntax surgery lesson students will be introduced to a reading and analysis strategy.

In the initial part of the lesson, students will read a difficult passage and analyze that passage.

The first section is purely diagnostic assessment so the teacher can understand how the students are reading and extracting meaning from a text. The lesson will be examining the opening passage of Shakespeare’s

Twelfth Night . The purpose of using such a difficult text is to prepare students for future secondary English courses which often still use Shakespeare’s works for the drama unit. This lesson will demonstrate to students that they can read drama, even a piece by one of the most challenging playwrights. The syntax surgery strategy can be used before reading

(what significant features do you see before reading the text?), during reading (what words are you unfamiliar with? What do you find striking?) and post-reading (after reading, is there anything else you found striking about the text? Can you make any other connections?). The students will get the opportunity to use the strategy independently to read Wade Bradford’s

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Angry Pigs (a spoof of Reginald Rose’s play Twelve Angry Men ). The results of the pre-reading, during reading and post-reading surgery will be submitted to the teacher for further assessment.

This lesson will also provide students with a tool for noting information and ideas, making connections, noting questions, making inferences and making predictions. Students will see reading strategies in action and develop skills for independent reading/analysis.

In lesson two students are provided with strategies to create an effective graphic novel.

Through the use of YOUTUBE clips and constructive classroom discussion they are able to learn and develop many strategies that help them to design graphics and present dialogue. They will create a rubric as a class to ensure that they are all aware of and understand how to meet my expectations. Also, it empowers the students by creating a democratic classroom where everyone is eager to participate.

In lesson three students are given the strategies on how to effectively perform a play through the use of effective non-verbal cues, audio-visual aids, diction, vocal strategies, and clarity and coherence. Some students will have the opportunity to present, while others will analyze the presentations. As a class they will be given the opportunity to reflect on their strategies to ensure that they will be able to improve on their presentations for next class.

The fourth lesson will consist of a One Act comedy called “Big Nose: A Modern Cyrano” for Subtask #3. The lesson will enable students to read and actively perform in a chronological order of the play and allow each group of students the choice of performance preference. Each group will assess its own performance and learn the whole “instant” play within class time. In the fifth lesson, students will practice the culminating task by creating one block of graphics from the “Cyrano” drama. This will prepare students to practice a mini project that is similar to the culminating task. Subtask #3 focuses on kinesthetic, verbal, visual, and interpersonal intelligences of the students.

Lesson six is the final lesson before students have to begin working on their culminating activity. This lesson is designed to prepare them with writing in character and presenting in front of their peers. Students will need to learn how to write from the perspective of their characters

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and will do so by learning the definitions and conventions of a monologue. Students will be able to practice writing the inner thoughts of a character making sure to use the characters voice and perspective and not their own. This will give students the opportunity to develop the characters they are presenting and make them more relatable. This lesson will take up two full classes and consist of two presentations (one in groups and the other individually). The practice of presentations will give the students the opportunity to feel more comfortable with presenting in front of their classmates. With these two classes students will be able to take risks, build confidence, practice volume and pace, and receive peer and teacher feedback for improvement for the culminating activity.

Once the six lessons are complete, the class will be given one computer lab/library work period to work on their culminating task and one rehearsal period to rehearse their presentation.

Students will also be given two days to work at home and complete any final preparations for their presentations

Unit Assessment Summary Chart

Type of

Assessment

Summative

Formative

Assessment Activity

Graphic Drama Assignment graphics

Creation of a Monologue

Instant Drama/Creation of mini

Formative

Formative

Formative

Diagnostic

Creating Comic strips and Dialogue

Performance of Play

Syntax surgery sheet

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Alysha Jagmohan Subtask #1

Lesson 1: Performing Syntax Surgery on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and 12 Angry Pigs

Course : ENG2D

Strand: Reading

Unit: Drama

Overall Expectations:

2.Understanding form and style: recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning;

3.Reading with Fluency: use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read fluently

Specific Expectations:

 Text Forms 2.1 Identify a variety of characteristics of literary, informational, and graphic text forms and explain how they help communicate meaning

Text Features 2.2 Identify a variety of text features and explain how they help communicate meaning

Reading Unfamiliar Words 3.2 use appropriate decoding strategies to read and understand unfamiliar words

Lesson Organization:

1) Hook: Students will enter the room and see the following quote from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night on the board:

If music be the food of love, play on;

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die.

That strain again! it had a dying fall:

O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound,

That breathes upon a bank of violets,

Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more:

'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.

O spirit of love! how quick and fresh art thou,

That, notwithstanding thy capacity

Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there,

Of what validity and pitch soe'er,

But falls into abatement and low price,

Even in a minute: so full of shapes is fancy

That it alone is high fantastical. (I.i.1-15)

2) Purpose: The students will be told that the purpose of today’s lesson is to provide them with a strategy to use before, during and after reading to assist them in understanding and analyzing texts.

3) Students will be given a copy of the quote on a piece of paper (see Appendix A). They will be asked to independently read and analyze the quote.

4) They will be asked to think, pair, share their tool for analyzing the quote before the teacher opens the discussion of reading strategies to the whole class.

5) The teacher will ask the students how they read and analyzed the quote.

6) The teacher will tell the class that together they will be performing “syntax surgery”.

7) Modeling: The teacher will write the words “syntax” (the arrangement of words) and “surgery”

(manual treatment, usually referring to disease, deformity or injury). The teacher will ask the students what the words refer to and then explain the concept of syntax surgery.

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8) Together the teacher will guide students through the first 8 lines of the quote by picking apart each word, the meaning(s) of each word, the structure of each line, and how the words/lines work with one another.

9) With the participation of the class, the teacher will circle/underline key words, draw lines to link words/concepts and write questions or observations in the margins to model the surgery (see below for example).

10) Check for understanding/guided practice-Students will be asked to find a partner with whom they can continue the syntax surgery on the remainder of the quote. The teacher will walk around the class to observe pairs and ask and answer questions to assess students’ understanding of the exercise.

11) The student’s independent practice/first sub-task will be to read the short play 12 Angry Pigs by

Wade Bradford (see Appendix B). They will perform syntax surgery before reading, during reading and after reading the play. For each phase they will use a different coloured writing utensil (again see example below). For example, they may use a black pen for pre-reading notes, a blue pen for during reading notes and a red pen for post reading notes. The following are the pre-reading, during reading and post-reading questions:

For pre-reading they will ask themselves: What features stand out on the page?

During reading the students will ask: What features do you notice or find striking?, What connections do you see as you read?, Is there words that are unfamiliar or things you don’t understand?

Post-reading students will ask: What did you find striking?, What stood out for you?, Can you make any further connections?, What did you have difficulty with?, Is there anything you could look-up or research?

Students will have time to begin the surgery in class but will be responsible for completing the surgery outside of class time. Students will bring in the results of their surgery for the following class for the teacher to assess their understanding of the reading strategy.

SURGERY EXAMPLE:

I f m u si c b e t h e fo o d o f l o ve , p l a y o n ;

Gi ve m e e x c e ss o f i t , t h a t , su r fe i t i n g,

T h e a p p e t i te m a y si c k e n , a n d so d i e .

T h a t st r a i n a ga i n ! i t h a d a d yi n g fa l l :

O, i t c a m e o 'e r m y e a r l i k e t h e sw e e t so u n d ,

T h a t b r e a t h e s u p o n a b a n k o f vi o l e t s,

St e a l i n g a n d gi vi n g o d o u r ! E n o u gh ; n o m o r e :

' T i s n o t so sw e e t n o w a s i t w a s b e fo r e .

Accommodations:

-teacher assistance for ELL and I.E.P. students

-increased time to complete the independent work

-scriber for I.E.P. students

-I.E.P. students may also complete the independent work on a computer

Notes on the Lesson: This lesson is adapted from a Think Literacy strategy (see works cited page for reference) and is designed to reach visual and kinesthetic learners

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Alexis Cheddesingh Subtask #2

Course: ENG1D

Strand : Writing

Unit: Drama

Overall Expectations

Using Knowledge of Form and Style: Draft and revise their writing, using a variety of literary, informational, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience.

Specific Expectations

2.1

Form: creating a comic strip based on a scene from a play.

Lesson 2

Hook: Show YOUTUBE clip: How to Write Comics & Graphic Novels: Types Of Layouts For

Comic Books: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXMhqPvEDKI

Announcement: Notify the class that today they will be given time to learn strategies of how to creatively adapt font, create the most effective camera angles as well as master the process of selecting the most logical and relevant strips

Groups : Put them in groups of four or five and have them create three strips to tell a story about a homeless man who was kicked out of his home

As class : Take up each groups drawings and discuss the thinking processes that were required to determine the most important pictures and how they chose the camera angles

Model : explain the effect that different camera angles can convey; show YOUTUBE clip “Core Value Comics Responsibility”


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRlukQZWHu8

Think Pair Share: have them determine the strengths and weaknesses of the different styles of fonts

Class discussion : Take up answers and as a class create an effective criteria for marking fonts and pictures

Groups : Give them an opportunity to create a five strip graphic comic with dialogue based on any section of the play that was read for homework (The Hysterical History of Troy)

As class mark each Comic based on criteria we created

Closure: Review what is necessary to receive a level four compared to a level one and let them know that in tomorrow’s class we will begin learning strategies required to perform an effective play

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Strand : Oral Communication

Overall Expectations

Speaking to Communicate: Use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

Specific Expectations

2.3

Clarity and Coherence: Organize a presentation using a chronological order in a clear and coherent manner

2.6 Non-Verbal Cues: control gestures while making a presentation

Lesson 3

Hook: Students enter the classroom to the sound of the X-Men theme song which compliments the decorations at the front of the classroom (teacher dressed up as Wolverine)

Explanation: Teacher notifies students that they will be learning the conventions of how to effectively perform a play (explain why set up setting in this fashion to enhance setting of play making it real so viewer can step out of reality for a moment)

Explain that next class they will each individually practice how to successfully perform a successful play and if they are able to follow the presentational conventions they could all receive an A when given the chance to perform their culminating activity

Show YOUTUBE clip of Madea Goes To Jail http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iggHnObk0ZY and have students determine how strategies such as non-verbal cues, audio-visual aids, Diction, vocal strategies, clarity and coherence were used effectively

Model: Present presentational criteria showing students the expectations of each level from 1-4, allow students to add to or adjust the criteria in a democratic fashion

Think-Pair share: Have them determine the necessary strategies that they need in order to attain a level 4 grade

Groups (4-5): Have them rehearse different sections of the "THE HYSTERICAL HISTORY

OF THE TROJAN WAR" BY D. M. BOCAZ-LARSON play and let them know that today one group will be called upon to perform their play while the rest of the class will judge their presentation based on the presentation criteria we created

Perform: One group performs a three minute section of the play

Critically analyze: In groups of 4-5 allow students to critically analyze the strengths and weakness of the play

Take up as a class and record good answers on the board

Closure: as a class in a community circle reflect on the effective strategies that we have learned today/

ACCOMODATIONS

Dictionary provided

Check with students for understanding

ELL students are paired with stronger students

Adjust pace to allow all students to keep up

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Lessons 4-5: Instant Drama Subtask #3

Course: ENG1D

Strand : Reading and Literature Studies

Unit: Drama

Overall Expectations

Reading for Meaning: read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning.

Specific Expectations

1.1

Variety of Texts: read student- and teacher-selected texts from diverse cultures and historical periods, identifying specific purposes for reading.

Strand: Oral Communication

Overall Expectations

Speaking to Communicate: use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

Specific Expectations

2.3 Clarity and Coherence: communicate in a clear, coherent manner appropriate to the purpose, subject matter, and intended audience.

Lesson Four

Hook: Students will brainstorm about some of their favorite comics and how they compare to a play or drama. (Think/Pair/Share)

Using a 2 Circle Venn diagram on chalk board, the teacher writes in the characteristics of comics and plays and then connects their similarities in the centre of the diagram.

Students are put into groups of 4 or 5(arranged by teacher to accommodate ELL and DLL) and given a section of the play "Big Nose: A Modern Cyrano," by D. M. Bocaz-Larson.

Students are instructed to read their portion and be ready to perform or tell the story of their section however way they want within a half hour. Students are told that all must take part in the performance/story and each section will perform in sequence of the play.

Each group will then give their presentations so the rest of the class can see the whole play.

At the end of the performances, students are asked why or why not this is a good way to learn drama.

Reflect on who they thought was the most important character and why?

Groups will self assess their own performance.

Instruct students that next class they will be involved in a practice graphic work of this same play.

Lesson Five

Teacher expresses their favorite part of the play in text and asks students to do likewise to reintroduce the last lesson’s play.

 Students are asked if they can visualize last lesson’s play as a comic strip or in a graphic style. What part of their section would they make into a graphic?

Students are then asked to partner up or individually pick a particular character or scene to draw a mini graphic block with one or more bubbles with written text from the play.

Teacher draws on chalkboard a generic model of graphic block.

Students will also explain briefly to the teacher why they picked this particular character or scene. Pencils and paper are to be provided.

The mini graphics are peer assessed with verbal constructive instructions for improvement.

This is a formative assignment to practice for the final culminating task.

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Subtask 3 Accommodations for ELL:

Peer tutor within group

Language dictionary provided

Group proximity to teacher

Check with student for understanding

 Guide group in using student appropriately for presentation (lesson five)

These are good lessons for ELL students because they are able to get to know their classmates, problem solve (performance of choice), oral practice, and draw a graphic to express a point of comprehension of the play as well as connecting a single caption of words.

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Lesson 6: Developing Character Dialogue

Course : ENG1D

Strand : Oral Communication

Unit:

Subtask#4

Drama

Overall Expectations :

Listening To Understand: listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of purposes.

Speaking To Communicate: Use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

Specific Expectations :

1.2 Using Active Listening Strategies Lesson Summary-identify and use several different active listening strategies when participating in a variety of classroom interactions.

1.5 Interpreting Texts: Develop and explain interpretations of both simple and complex oral texts, using evidence from the text and the oral and visual cues used in it to support their interpretations.

2.1 Purpose- communicate orally for several different purposes using language suitable for the intended audience.

 2.3 Clarity and Coherence- Communicate in a clear, coherent manner appropriate to the purpose, subject matter, and intended audience.

Strand: Writing

Overall Expectations

Developing and Organizing Content: generate, gather and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience.

Using Knowledge of Form and Style: draft and revise their writing, using a variety of literary, informational and graphic forms, and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience.

Specific Expectations

1.1 Identifying Topic, Purpose, and Audience: Identifying the topic, purpose, and audience for several different types of writing tasks.

2.1 Form: Write for different purposes and audiences using several different purposes and audience using several different literary, informational, and graphic forms.

2.2 Voice- establish an identifiable voice in their writing, modifying language and tone to suit the form, audience, and purpose for writing.

2.4 Sentence Craft and Fluency- write complete sentences that communicate their meaning clearly and accurately, varying sentence type, structure, and length for different purposes and making logical transitions.

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Time Frame: 75 mins x 2 classes (150)

Lesson Organization:

Day 1

Hook: (10 mins)

Teacher plays a guessing game called What Am I? Teacher begins by asking students to guess what she is based off of the sentences she is saying. Sentences will be associated to the definitions and conventions of a monologue. For example: “I am a long speech by one person, what am I?”, “ I am a story-telling technique employed by a solo performer to directly address the audience that provides information, what am I?”

After students guess teacher will write down all the definitions of a monologue on the board ask students to copy them down.

Teacher will then ask students to make connections with the technique of monologues by providing examples of where they have seen examples of monologues in the world around them

(on TV, movies, radio etc).

Lesson (20 mins)

 Teacher will read aloud the play called “The Party” by Nigel Gray (Appendix E).

The play will be placed on an overhead allowing students to follow along. At the end of the reading teacher will ask students “Is this play a monologue? Why or why not?”

The character of the play is very ambiguous so to help resolve this issue teacher will conduct a role on the wall- activity. Teacher will ask for a volunteer to come up to the board and be the drawer/write (make sure to ask for a volunteer who is comfortable writing on the board and is confident in their drawing. If no one feels comfortable to volunteer then teacher will take on the task). Ask volunteer to draw an outlined image of a person (no gender). Then as a class collectively discuss what we think the age, gender, and class (social and financial) status of the character in “The Party” is and also create a name. (volunteer will write this information on the board). Teacher will then ask “what do we think our character is feeling on the inside based on the monologue?” Examples may include: isolated, lonely, sad etc. (teacher will also ask further prompting questions). Volunteer will draw these suggestions on the inside of the image. Teacher will then ask “what do we think the character is surrounded by on the outside?” Examples: poverty, mean people, neglectful mother etc. Volunteer will write these suggestions surrounding the outside of the image.

Activity (30 mins)

Place students into 4 small groups. In these groups students will be asked to continue the monologue from where it left off. Instructions: Be sure to include feelings the character would have felt after attending the party in which they were not invited to, or describing what happened after the mother returned home. Remember that this is a collective monologue that you are writing in groups and that every opinion and idea is valued, respected and should be included.

The monologue should not be longer then 10 sentences. You will have 15 minutes to collaborate then each group will present their monologues to the class. Groups will be able to discuss how they want to present their monologue whether as a group collectively or saying individual lines, or one individual representing the whole group, etc. (all the notes that were written on the board during class will be left on the board)

At the end of presentations teacher will ask students to peer evaluate the groups answering these following questions: 1. What did you like about the group monologue? 2. How did the groups monologue comply to the definitions/conventions of a monologue? 3. What could the group do to improve their monologue or monologue presentation?

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Closing (15 mins.)

Assign homework due for next class. Homework assignment: using the same play that was read in class “The Party” write a monologue (10 -12 sentences long) expressing the feelings of the characters’ mother after she came home from work to find out that her child disobeyed her by attending the party. You may want to think about how the mother feels based on neglecting her child, going to work all the time, financial responsibility, being a single parent and other factors.

Be ready to present the monologue in class individually. Be prepared to hand in a good copy of monologue in order to receive feedback from teacher in written format.

Allow 5 minutes at the end of the period for questions, clarifications, and extra time to finish copying anything off of the board.

Lesson Organization

Day 2: Presentation day

Students will have 10 minutes before class to ask questions, review their monologues silently, and make a list on the board for the order of presentations.

10 minutes will be left at the end of presentations in order to discuss feelings surrounding their individual monologues, what they liked? What they didn’t like? What worked for other students’ monologues? How did they feel presenting alone? What did they learn?

Suggested Accommodations for ELL learners and students with IEP’s

Pairing stronger students with ELL/IEP students (group work)

Allow scribing for these students

Allow students to go to resource room or computer lab

Allow students to write less sentences

 Do not mark grammar on independent assignment

Make a copy of the play for them to have in order to circle words they do not know or are unfamiliar with

Be available for teacher assistance (check ins)

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Appendix A

William Shakespeare,

Twelfth Night

Act I, scene i

Duke Orsino:

If music be the food of love, play on;

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die.

That strain again! it had a dying fall:

O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound,

That breathes upon a bank of violets,

Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more:

'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.

O spirit of love! how quick and fresh art thou,

That, notwithstanding thy capacity

Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there,

Of what validity and pitch soe'er,

But falls into abatement and low price,

Even in a minute: so full of shapes is fancy

That it alone is high fantastical. (I.i.1-15)

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Appendix B

12 Angry Pigs by Wade Bradford, Copyright 2009 http://plays.about.com/od/oneactplaysandscenes/a/12angrypigs.htm

This play may be used free of charge for educational purposes and for amateur theater productions.

Setting: A table and twelve chairs are all that is needed to establish the jury's room.

The pigs walk to a table. They walk around, shy and uncomfortable at first.

PIG #1: (Fanning himself.) Boy, I tell you, it’s hot.

PIG #2: I thought it was hot in the courtroom, but this room is like an oven.

PIG #3: Do I smell bacon? Oh wait – that’s just me.

PIG #4: So what are we supposed to do?

PIG #5: Weren’t you listening to the judge? We vote.

PIG #4: Vote?

PIG #5: We decide whether or not that Wolf is guilty or not guilty.

PIG #6: He looks guilty to me.

PIG #7: Me too.

PIG #8: What do you mean he looks guilty?

PIG #9: Did you see those teeth?

PIG #10: Those wolves have sharp teeth.

PIG #11: The better to gobble you up! Right? Am I right?

PIG #12: But the wolf isn’t on trial for biting someone. The trial is about him blowing down those two houses.

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PIG #4: I thought there were three houses.

PIG #6: Only two houses got knocked down.

PIG #5: (To #4) Don’t you listen?

PIG #3: He huffed and puffed and blew down the houses of those innocent little pigs.

PIG #11: Those poor swine.

PIG #6: Why those two little pigs are lucky to be alive!

PIG #10: I tell you, those wolves are dangerous!

PIG #2: I wish it wasn’t so hot in here. Isn’t there a fan or something?

PIG #7: We should get the Big Bad Wolf in here to huff and puff and blow us a cool breeze! (The other pigs laugh.)

PIG #!: All right, let’s get down to business. Now, since I am the foreman—

PIG #7: Don’t you mean forepig?

PIG #4: What’s a foreman?

PIG #1: It means that I am the spokesperson of the jury here. When we go back into court, I’ll be the one doing the talking.

PIG #3: So that makes you the head hog?

PIG #1: No, but I do get to read the verdict.

PIG #4: Oh. What’s a verdict?

PIG #1: It’s the decision that we make as a jury.

PIG #4: Oh. What’s a jury?

PIG #5: (Not happy being next to #4) Can I trade seats with somebody?

PIG #12: Can we just get on with this?

PIG #1: Very well. We have heard the trial. Now we need to determine whether the Big Bad Wolf is guilty or not guilty.

PIG #8: I don’t think we should call him “big bad.” He hasn’t been convicted yet.

PIG #1: All right, just “wolf” then.

PIG #5: So let’s vote.

PIG #1: All those who believe the wolf is guilty say “oink.”

ALL EXCEPT #8: OINK!

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PIG #1: Anyone else?

PIG #8: Not oinking.

PIG #7: What’s that?

PIG #8: I’m not oinking because I’m voting not guilty.

Everyone else groans.

PIG #3: You think that Big Bad Wolf is innocent?

PIG #8: Well, I haven’t made up my mind yet. There have been so many stories about wolves doing terrible things.

Maybe we’ve paid more attention to those fairy tales, and not enough attention to the evidence?

PIG #4: What’s evidence?

PIG #5: Did you sleep through the trial? Evidence is the stuff that proves whether or not somebody is guilty!

PIG #8: And there should be enough evidence to convince us all of the wolf’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

PIG #3: There’s plenty of evidence!

PIG #8: Well, I’d like to hear what all of you think.

PIG #1: Okay, that sounds fine. Let’s take turns and explain to our fellow pig why we think the wolf is guilty. Why don’t you go first?

PIG #2: Me? Oh, well, I guess I just think he looks awful scary. I can just picture him huffing and puffing and blowing down those houses.

PIG #8: But you didn’t see him do it.

PIG #3: But you didn’t see him not do it.

PIG #9: (Standing up for #8) But you didn’t see him not not do it.

PIG #3: Huh? Look, the facts of the case are this: (Looks at notes.) These three little pigs, just like you and me, they move away from home. They were brothers, so they decided to build their houses nearby. One pig built his house out of straw.

The other built his house out of sticks, and the other brother built his house out of brick. And then what happens? This wolf comes along, pretending to be selling cookies or something, and when the pig won’t open up the door – WHOOSH!

Down goes the house of straw. The little pig runs to his brother’s house made out of sticks. The wolf follows and

WHOOSH – down goes house number two! Clear case of destruction of property. And it’s a good thing their brother pig made a house out of bricks, because it was strong enough to protect them from being eaten up by that evil wolf!

PIG #1: Thank you for sharing. (To #4) What about you?

PIG #4: Me? Oh I guess since everyone else thinks he’s guilty he must be.

PIG #8: You shouldn’t just agree with someone just because that’s what a person wants.

PIG #4: Hey, you’re right. I agree with you!

PIG #3: I don’t want you to agree with him.

PIG #4: Okay.

PIG #5: I believe the wolf is guilty because there was an eye witness. A local village boy saw the whole crime take place.

And since I’m sure he wouldn’t lie, I am certain that the wolf must be guilty.

(Little Boy Blue skips across the stage.)

PIG #6: Theres the little fella now!

BOY: Hi Piggies! I’m off to guard my flock of sheep!

PIG #7: What a nice young man. That’s why I voted to convict that big bad wolf!

PIG #12: Me too. Everything points to the wolf as a criminal. Who else could have done it?

PIG #9: I am afraid that seems to be the only explanation, unless your snout smells something we don’t.

PIG #10: Besides, he’s a wolf. If he’s not guilty of this crime, I’m sure he’s guilty of something.

PIG #9: You shouldn’t say that. It’s not nice.

PIG #11: Look, nice or not, the facts clearly show that our wolf friend is guilty. But he sure tried to act all innocent.

PIG #3: Yeah, did you see him wearing that sheep’s clothing during the trial? Well, I saw right through that!

16

PIG #12: Well, I thought Little Boy Blue’s testimony was convincing. But more than anything, I just didn’t trust that wolf. He claimed that he was a Wolf Scout, selling Wolf Scout Cookies door to door. But there’s no such thing as a Wolf

Scout!

PIG #9: Oh but there is. There are cub scouts and wolf scouts and trout scouts, and all sorts of scouts. And they are nice sorts of folks. Say, maybe I voted guilty too quickly.

PIG #3: What do you mean?! (To #8: ) Look “Mr. No Oink,”, I want to know why you voted not guilty. You’re keeping us cooped up in here like chickens, when we should be at home, rolling around in mud like pigs!

PIG #7: And if the wolf didn’t demolish those houses, then who did?

PIG #8: I’ve been wondering about that myself. Why would a wolf want to knock down a pig’s house to begin with?

PIG #12: Well, he wanted to eat.

PIG #11: So he blew the house down so that he could gobble up the first little pig.

PIG #8: But why wouldn’t he just wait for the pig to leave his straw house and then grab him? Why spend all of that energy blowing down the house?

PIG #5: He couldn’t wait. He was too hungry.

PIG #8: If he was too hungry, then why didn’t he just eat the cookies he was selling?

PIG #10: Because wolves don’t eat cookies!

PIG #4: Yeah!

PIG #10: they eat pork chops!

PIG #4: Yeah!

PIG #10: And ham hocks!

PIG #4: Yeah!

PIG #10: (To #4: ) And stop agreeing with everything I say.

PIG #4: Yeah!

PIG #2: All this talk about food is making me hungry.

PIG #7: Me too!

PIG #1: I wish we had some lunch or something.

BOY: (Entering, carrying a bucket.) Yoohoo! Piggies! It’s chow time! Want some pig slop?

PIGS: Yes please!

BOY: Come and get it!

The pigs run up to the boy. Then, the boy shows them that the bucket is empty.

BOY: Ha ha! I was just joking. It’s empty.

PIG #3: Ha, well, you sure fooled us, young man.

PIG #1: Now run along, little Boy Blue. We pigs have work to do.

PIG #8: Now as I was saying, I don’t think the wolf huffed and puffed at all.

PIG #3: Then how did the house fall down?

PIG #8: Think about it. Of the three little pigs, only one knew how to build houses well. And that little pig built his house out of brick. The houses of straw and sticks were so frail they could have fallen down when the wolf politely knocked on the door.

PIG #3: Politely knocked?! Do you believe this swine?

PIG #8: I’m just saying it’s possible. And since when do wolves blow air with the force of a hurricane?

PIG #9: That’s a very good point. I watched a documentary on wolves, and it didn’t mention a thing about huffing or puffing.

PIG #8: Which reminds me of something else the defense forgot to mention.

PIG #12: What’s that?

PIG #8: (Calls to a Bailiff, who could be dressed as a duck or some other animal.) Oh Bailiff, we’d like to examine a piece of evidence.

BAILIFF: Which one?

17

PIG #8: The wolf’s pack, please.

BAILIFF: Just a moment.

PIG #8: Thank you, Bailiff.

PIG #4: What’s a bailiff?

PIG #8: He’s like a policeman for the courtroom. Throughout the trial process, he keeps things in order.

PIG #7: Order? I’d like to order a large extra cheese pizza. Hold the pepperoni.

PIG #5: Not that kind of order!

PIG #2: Gee, I’m awful hungry.

The Boy enters, carrying a pizza box.

BOY: Free cheese pizza! Fresh from the oven! Absolutely delicious! Who wants a slice?

PIGS: Me! Me! I do! I do!

BOY: Ha, ha! Fooled you again!

PIG #2: Say, that’s not very nice.

PIG #6: Little Boy Blue, that joke is not funny anymore.

PIG #1: We’re trying to work here.

The boy leaves. The bailiff enters.

BAILIFF: Here’s the wolf’s pack. (Hands the pigs the pack.)

PIG #8: Let’s see. (Takes out items from the pack.) Here are the wolf scout cookies. And his wolf scout badge.

PIG #3: That doesn’t prove anything.

PIG #8: What about this? (Pulls out an asthma device.)

PIG#3: So what?

PIG #8: How could the so-called Big Bad Wolf huff and puff when he has asthma?!

Everyone gasps at this realization.

PIG #2: Oh my goodness.

PIG #3: So he’s got asthma medicine in his wolf pack.

PIG #10: He probably stole it. Wolves will do that.

PIG #9: Not all wolves are like that and you know it. I think we should have another vote.

PIG #1: Very well. Let’s go around the table. All those who think the defendant is guilty say oink. I’ll go first. I say

“oink.”

PIG #2: Uh, oink.

PIG #3: Oink!

PIG #4: Not oinking.

PIG #5: Oh, what do you know? I still say “oink!”

PIG #6: Not oinking.

PIG #7: Oink.

PIG #8: Not oinking.

PIG #9: Not oinking.

PIG #10: Oink.

PIG #11: Oink.

PIG #12: Not oinking.

PIG #1: That’s seven oinks, and five not oinking.

PIG #3: You piggies call yourself a jury? You wanna let that Big Bad Wolf go free? What’s with you? (He points to the other pigs.) This little piggy is forgetful. And this little piggy is regretful. This little piggy’s brain went to the market. And this little piggy should have stayed home. And this little piggy (points to Pig #8)… This little piggy went went wee-weewee all over the justice system!

PIG #8: But there’s reasonable doubt. We don’t have enough evidence—

18

PIG #3: There’s a witness. The boy saw everything. And he heard that Big Bad Wolf say, “Little Pig, Little Pig, let me in.

Or I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down!” What more proof do you need to convict this canine? There was a reliable witness!

Little Boy Blue enters with the bucket again.

BOY: Pig slop! Pizza! Pig slop and pizza! Come and get it!

PIG #3: Get out of here, kid we know you’re trying to trick us!

He and the other pigs gasp at this realization.

PIG #8: I guess that means your witness isn’t so reliable.

PIG #1: I’m changing my vote to not guilty.

PIG #2: Me too. That kid is a liar!

PIG #5: Looks like there’s reasonable doubt. I change my vote too.

PIG #12: Maybe we were wrong about this wolf.

PIG #10: I knew he was innocent all along.

PIG #3: Are you serious?

PIG #1: Raise your hand if you vote not guilty.

Everyone but #3 raises their hand.

PIG #1: Any votes for guilty?

PIG #3: Oink! I know I’m right and you’ll never change my mind.

PIG #7: We may have to declare a hung jury.

PIG #5: What’s a hung jury?

PIG #4: When a jury is unable or unwilling to come to a unanimous decision resulting in a mistrial. I thought everyone knew that.

PIG #5: Wow.

PIG #3: Fine, then it’s a mistrial.

PIG #8: (To #3) We aren’t giving up. Let’s keep talking. Convince us.

PIG #3: He’s guilty.

PIG #8: NO he’s not.

PIG #3: Yes he is.

PIG #8: No he’s not.

PIG #3: Yes he is.

PIG #8: Isn’t.

PIG #3: Is!

PIG #8: Prove it!

PIG #3: Why can’t you pigs see things the way I do?! The facts are plain! Charlotte is guilty!

PIG #2: Charlotte? Who’s Charlotte?

PIG #3: Uh, a spider – I mean a wolf! I’m talking about the big bad wolf!

PIG #8: But that’s not what you said. You said Charlotte. Who is she?

PIG #3: (Breaking down.) She was a spider named Charlotte. And she was my best friend!!! But then she broke my heart and left me. And I promised myself I’d never trust another non-pig again. (He cries into his hands.) I vote not guilty!

PIG #8: (To #1) Fore pig, I think we’re ready.

The bailiff brings in the wolf. The jury of pigs stands and forms two lines.

JUDGE: Have you reached a verdict?

PIG #1: We have your honour.

JUDGE: And what is it?

PIG #1: We the jury find the defendant not guilty.

JUDGE: Very well. Bailiff, you may release the defendant.

The wolf approaches the jury.

WOLF: Thank you so much. I didn’t think anyone would believe me.

JURY #8: Well, we were just doing our job. I’m sure it’s not always easy when people think you’re a big bad wolf.

Little Red Riding Hood rushes in. She points at the wolf.

LITTLE RED: Police! Arrest that Big Bad Wolf!

WOLF: Here we go again.

The end.

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20

Appendix C

“Big Nose: A Modern Cyrano”

Author contact information: D. M. Bocaz-Larson/422 Deanna Lee St. /Grants, NM 87020 pocolocoplayers@yahoo.com

Cast of Characters

CYRIL (MAN): A local man who has a rather large nose.

CAPTAIN: A bad actor who makes William Shatner look good.

SOLDIER: Another equally bad actor.

FRIEND(S): A friend of CYRIL’S in the audience who can be played by one or more actors of either gender.

ROXY: An actress in the CAPTAIN’s play who catches CYRIL’S eye.

KELLY: CYRIL’S friend who runs the theatre.

Time and Place: A modern day community theatre in small town USA.

Scene 1

(Lights come up on a poorly constructed set. There is a balcony with odd colored cloth hanging down and a backdrop that is supposed to be a castle. Two men enter in Shakespearean type dress. They are very bad actors who think they are very good)

CAPTAIN: Look at yonder window, friend. She awaits me, she does.

SOLDIER: Doth she?

CAPTAIN: She does.

SOLDIER: But doth she love thee?

CAPTAIN: She does.

SOLDIER: So good for you.

MAN (From audience):So bad for us!(He and FRIENDS laugh. The two actors take a quick glance out in surprise then quickly get back in character)

CAPTAIN: Uh... yes. She loveth me. She wroteth a letter. (Takes it out. Sniffs lovingly) Ah, doth though smelleth her fragrance? Doth thou find it heavenly?

SOLDIER (Excited): I smell. I smell.

MAN: You can say that again.(He and friends laugh. The two actors try to hide their anger, but they don't do it well)

CAPTAIN: Tonight, I shall go to her. Tonight. Tonight!

MAN: When?!

CAPTAIN (Angry. Trying to be more dramatic): Tonight!

MAN (Mocking): I can't hear you.

CAPTAIN (Turns to run off the stage): Now look here!

(SOLDIER grabs him)

SOLDIERI cannot let you go to her.

CAPTAIN (One more look at MAN then gets back to play): Why doth thou stopeth me?

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SOLDIER: Because she is to be mine.

CAPTAIN: Then we must fight to our deaths.

MAN: We can only hope.

SOLDIER (They pull swords):We fight for love!(They dual. MAN sings "Love Boat Theme." He gets FRIENDS to join in. CAPTAIN is stabbed)

CAPTAIN: Oh, my heart. My loving heart. My heart is stabbed. I can love no more.

SOLDIER: Oh, my captain. I have slain thee. But how?

MAN: What do you mean "how"? What's that in your hand, a swizzle stick?

CAPTAIN: I die now. I die. I leave thee to love for I can love no more. My heart is worn. My blood will pour this night no more. I leave my sword, my rank, my love. You have it all now. You have everything I desire. (Cough)I die and leave thee. I die and leave thee these words.

MAN: Will you just die already?!

CAPTAIN (Jumps up): I've had it with you!

MAN: It's a miracle. He's alive.

CAPTAIN (Picks up his sword): Come on, whoever you are. I've had it with you. One night is bad enough but three in a row!

MAN (Leaps up onto the stage): Do you not know me? (The man is CYRIL DE BURG, local jokester. He is well known for his big nose)

CAPTAIN: Oh, yeah. I know you now. I've heard about you. You're the one with the big nose. (Gasp from CYRIL'S

FRIENDS)

FRIEND (From audience): You shouldn't have said that.

CYRIL: You're offended by my nose?

CAPTAIN: It is no stranger than a dog with two tails.(He laughs but no one laughs with him)

CYRIL: There was a poem a read once. It goes something like this (Picking up a sword)"Roses are red. Violets are fuchsia. What you dish out, comes right back to you (And CYRIL quickly unarms the CAPTAIN with a twist of his sword)

CAPTAIN (Looks at empty hand): How did you? (Backs away) No hard feeling, huh?

CYRIL: None at all. (CAPTAIN starts to go)

CYRIL: I look forward to seeing your performance tomorrow night.

CAPTAIN: Oh, no.

CYRIL: Oh, yes.

CAPTAIN: Oh, golly. (Exits)

ROXY (Comes out on balcony): What's going on out here?

CYRIL (To audience): Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for. The farewell. When we last left our hero, he was flat on the floor, bleeding and giving some terribly boring speech. But his fair lady comes out and sees him dying. She calls out to him(He points to her)

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ROXY (She gives him a dirty look): What is this?

CYRIL: And she says...

ROXY (Sighs. Speaks flatly): Oh, but I must have one good-bye kiss.

CYRIL: And so our hero, though he is bleeding to death, uses his last bit of strength to climb up to her. (He does actions.

The ROXY looks very annoyed. He is almost to her)He wants that one last kiss. The kiss he has been dreaming of. But before he can reach her he tosses the mortal coil. UHHH! (He dies and falls. Looks out at audience) And dies. (Stands up)

Finally.

ROXY: That isn't how it ends.

CYRIL: It isn't?

ROXY: No.(She looks at him): It ends with a kiss.

CYRIL: It does?

ROXY: Yes.

CYRIL: Really? (He climbs up again)Could you perhaps... show me?

ROXY (She looks at him critically and then smiles. She leans to almost kiss him): In your dreams.(She pushes him off.

KELLY rushes out and faces audience)

KELLY: Well, folks. That was an interesting twist in tonight’s show. We will now have a ten minute intermission

CAPTAI N: (Storms onto the stage. Rips up a contract in front of KELLY) I quit! (Exits)

KELLY Lets make that a twenty minute intermission and we’ll be back with something.

(Angrily calls to CYRIL under her breath) Get over here.

CYRIL: Something wrong?

KELLY: Thanks to you, the theatre group canceled the rest of tonight’s performance. Now what am I going to do?

CYRIL: Hey! Let’s have a community talent show.

KELLY: You mean right now?

CYRIL: Give a prize. That will make them happy.

KELLY: (Sighs) I guess. What else can I do?

KELLY: (ROXY exits as CYRIL enters. He watches her go) You ready?

CYRIL: Of course. (To audience) Everyone? Can I have your attention please? Due to a sudden attack of stupidity, we will not be showing our regularly scheduled play. Instead I present to you a talent show where you, the audience, can be a part of it. First prize is $100.

KELLY: $100?

CYRIL (Aside): Just play along.

KELLY: Easy for you to say. It’s not your $100.

CYRIL: I’ll start things off by reciting some of my poetry.

CAPTAIN (Appears out of audience): I thought you said this was a talent show. It can’t be one with you in it.

CYRIL: You’re still here? Did the rest of the theatre group leave without you?

CAPTAIN: Aren't you being a little nosey? (Referring to CYRIL'S nose) I guess you're probably always nosing around.

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(CYRIL is mad. ROXY, SOLDIER, KELLY reappear on stage) What's wrong? I guess nobody nose!

CYRIL: Is that all you can think up?

CAPTAIN: I'm sure I could come up with a few more.

CYRIL: I bet you can't.

CAPTAIN: Wanna bet?

CYRIL: Gladly.

KELLY: Cyril. What are you doing? (CYRIL waves her down)

CYRIL: I challenge you to a dual of jokes. Whoever tells the most nose jokes...

(CAPTAIN is up on stage)

CAPTAIN: Yes?

CYRIL: (Thinks. CYRIL motions to ROXY) Gets a kiss from the lovely lady.

KELLY: Cyril!

ROXY: No, it's okay.

CAPTAIN: (Comes onstage. Eyeing ROXY) I'll gladly accept as long as it’s a real kiss, not one of those stage kisses.

ROXY: (Winks at CYRIL) It depends who wins. (FRIENDS cat call from audience)

CYRIL: Shall we begin?

CAPTAIN: Okay, big nose. (Laughs) There's one.

CYRIL: That's it? I guess I shouldn't expect much from someone who must use his nose to count to eleven.

FRIEND (From audience) One - one!

CYRIL: No, no. We are insulting my nose, not his. Let's see. Oh, yes. Aggressive: Sir, if I had such a nose, I would cut it off to please, not spite, my face. (Looks at audience) One - one.

CAPTAIN: Your nose is so big you must use a box of tissues a day. (A few boos from FRIENDS)

CYRIL: Oh, let's give it to him. Two - one. (Thinks) Hmmm. Ah, here's one: Hey, that thing's nearly a house... and wow, what a view!

FRIEND: Two - two!

CAPTAIN: (Frustrated. Then smiles) I've seen a bigger nose. On an elephant.

CYRIL: Very good. Three - two.(Thinks. Smiles)

On exercise: I've heard of people developing their muscles, but developing your nose? It’s the noseflex exercise challenge.

FRIEND: Three all!

CAPTAIN: (Annoyed) Uh, your nose is so big you... you...

CYRIL: See the snot before you hear the sneeze?

FRIEND: That point goes to Cyril.

CAPTAIN: He didn't let me finish.

CYRIL: Go ahead.

CAPTAIN: It's so big... you're always nosing around. (Boos)

CYRIL: No point. (CAPTAIN scowls) Gracious: How kind of you! How many people put a bird perch on his face?

CAPTAIN: Now look here...

CYRIL: When you have a cigarette and blow out your nose, do the neighbors cry, "Look out! A chimney's on fire!"

CAPTAIN: Forget it... I'm through...

CYRIL: (Stops him) But I'm just getting started. When you go to the movies, do they charge you twice?

FRIEND: Seven to three!

CAPTAIN: It is not!

CYRIL: (CAPTAIN is really ticked) And for my final insult: Musical. Sing with me now:

(FRIENDS sing):Nobody NOSE the trouble I've seen. Nobody NOSE my sorrow.

(FRIENDS give wild applause)

CAPTAIN: I'm out of here.

CYRIL: Don't forget to write.

ROXY: It’s about time somebody put that guy in his place. (Smiles at CYRIL who suddenly becomes shy)

And for your prize…a kiss (LIGHTS FADE TO BLACK)

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Appendix D

Group-self Assessment

Three things we did really well (performance or group organization):

1) _____________________________________________________________

2) _____________________________________________________________

3) _____________________________________________________________

Things that need improvement (performance or group organization):

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Overall our performance was:

“Awesome, “We are not “we think we

great work sure?” could have everyone!” done better”

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26

Appendix E

The Party by Nigel Gray

I live with my mum. My mum goes to work. She won’t let me play out. She says the street is dirty. She says the kids are rough. She thinks I’ll get in trouble. When it’s holidays, she makes me stay in. I have to stay in all day.

If I get out - she beats me. When she goes to work, she locks the doors.

I live with my mum. We live in two rooms. The rooms are upstairs. Miss Benece lives downstairs. Miss

Benece is old. She’s so old she just sits by the fire, and doesn’t speak. When I grow up, I’m not going to be old like Miss Benece. When I grow up, I’m not going to be poor like my mum. When I grow up, I’m going to be a workman, and make lots of money.

This week it’s holidays. This week it’s Janet Smith’s birthday. Janet Smith is in my class. Her dad’s got a shop.

He’s a greengrocer. Smith’s the Greengrocer’s on the corner. He sells fruit and veg. I go to Smith’s on

Saturdays, when my mum’s at work. I go there to buy seven pounds of potatoes, and I smell the lovely smell of fruit and veg. When I grow up, I think I’ll be a greengrocer like Mr. Smith. Then I won’t be hungry anymore.

Today is Janet Smith’s party. She talked about it at school the day we broke up. She invited all her friends. She didn’t invite me. (Even though I’ve played with her behind the cycle sheds.)

Today it’s raining. My mum went to work and locked the doors. It’s rained all day. This afternoon I sat by the window. I sat staring out. There weren’t even any cats about. Too wet for cats. The rain poured down. It bounced on the kitchen roof. It bounced on the lavatory roof. It bounced in the back yard and made black puddles by the bin.

It got to three o’clock. I knew Janet Smith was having her party. I knew all the kids were having fun. I opened the window. Rain spat in my face. I climbed over the sill. The rain gave me stinging slaps behind my legs. I lowered myself onto the sloping kitchen roof. It was wet, shining and slippery like a winter playground slide. I crept along the cold roof like a cat. I climbed down onto the lavatory roof. I sat on the wet tiles and did a slithery crab-like walk down the roof on my hands and feet and bum. Then I jumped.

I landed in a puddle in the yard. The water splashed up my socks. My legs stung. My feet burned like bonfires.

I tried to wipe my hands on my trousers, but my trousers were soggy like a sponge. I went out of the yard and down the road. Janet Smith lives at number three. I slowed down outside her house. I sauntered past. I peeped in the front window. I saw kids sitting at the table. I carried on walking, to the corner. And still the cold rain poured down. I turned round and walked back. The kids were eating tea. They were wearing paper hats. The table was wearing a white cloth, balloons hung down from the ceiling. I passed on. And still it rained. I turned round and walked back again. I saw jellies, and sandwiches, and cakes, and ice cream.

I wandered up and down the street in the rain. My shirt was like a dishcloth. Rain ran from my hair, dripped down my neck, and dribbled down my back. I put my hands in my pockets to keep them warm. My knees were cold as ice lollies. Each time I passed number three, I peered inside. The kids were playing by the fire, laughing and having fun.

Then the front door opened. Mrs. Smith came out. “Whatever are you doing, child,” she said, “in the rain without a coat?”

27

“Nothing,” I said.

“Well you’d better come in,” she said, “and do nothing in the dry.”

She took my hand. We went inside. I was going to the party after all. The hall was warm, and bright, and dry. I heard chattering and laugher. She led me into the front room. The chatter and laughter stopped. All these kids stared. No-one liked me. Mrs. Smith toweled my hair, and sat me in an armchair. She brought me left-overs from the tea.

The cakes clogged up my mouth. The jelly tasted sour. The kids played together. No-one spoke to me. I got down from the chair. “I’ve got to go,” I said.

“Stay,” said Mrs. Smith. “Stay and play”.

“My mum says I have to be home by four,” I said.

I could feel the kids throwing faces at my back. I came out into the cold rain that spits and stings and slaps. The day’s gloom will soon deepen into night. I can’t get in our house. The door is locked. Miss Bence is deaf.

I’m waiting for my mum.

Graphic Drama Assignment

Individually or with a partner, students must:

Choose any scene in any of the short plays we have covered in class and re-create it in a graphic form.

Create a new adaptation of the story by changing the setting (where, when and context), the genre (tragedy, musical, comedy, satire, soap opera, romance, action, anime, science fiction).

Keep the plot as it is!

Create a 5-10 minute oral presentation to perform the graphic scene and explain the adaptation.

28

Your graphic drama scene must include:

A title

A description of your adaptation that describes the setting, genre and theme and why you chose to adapt the short play (2-3 paragraphs)

A scene introduction summary/caption (1-3 sentences)

Minimum of 10 panels for your scene

Images, captions, a variation in fonts, font sizes and spacing, speech/thought/action bubbles, a variation in paneling (this may be done by hand or using a computer program)

 An accompanying oral presentation and explanation

Things to consider:

 Lettering/

Font

(captions/speech) can convey the tone/mood and emphasize important ideas. The

SIZE and style can indicate the intensity of a thought or emotion. The use of punctuation can also be used to express meaning/convey meaning (i.e. “SHUT UP!”, “Wow” or “Really?”). See the

“IT TAKES A VILLAGE” example below.

 Caption/text boxes and Speech/Thought/Action bubbles: the size and shape can convey the sound of the speech or the intensity/ importance of the thought/emotion or action. Examples:

 Paneling: the shape, size, border and placement can be used to compare, contrast, emphasize, convey meaning or portray a certain mood. Examples:

29

30

Total /50

Requirements:

Level 4 (80-100)

All requirements

Includes a thoughtful title, scene summary, a minimum of

10 panels that vary in size and shape, images that compliment have been thoroughly met the scene, a variation in fonts, font sizes and text spacing, thought bubbles, speech bubbles and action bubbles

Level 3 (65-79) are met

All requirements

Level 2 (50-64)

Some requirements met

Level 1 (0-50)

None of or very few of the requirements were met

/5

Application:

The new title, setting and genre are well thought out and logically connected to the text.

/10

The adaptation maintains a similar plot line and includes

/10

The written explanation and graphic display have clear connections to the original text. The adaptation remains the exploration of themes is logical and well thought out.

The written explanation and graphic display are true to the plot and the connections are evident. The adaptation includes key themes from the original text.

The written explanation and graphic display have few connections to the original text. The adaptation is vaguely related, connections are unclear.

There were very little to no connections to the original text made.

The adaptation is unclear. The explanation is unclear.

Graphics and conventions

 Panels

 Bubbles

 Images

 Captions

 Spelling, grammar, punctuation

/15

-Graphics are done with a high degree of clarity and accuracy to the topic/content

-Highly effective use of images, paneling and bubbles

-captions are used

-Graphics are neatly done, clear and accurate to the topic/content.

-Effective use of images, paneling and bubbles

-captions are used to explain the scene

-Graphics are somewhat accurate to the topic/content.

-the use of images, paneling and bubbles is somewhat effective

-there are some

-Graphics are inaccurate to the topic/content.

-the use of images, paneling and bubbles is ineffective

-no captions present

-many errors in effectively to explain the scene

-Spelling, grammar and punctuation is flawless

-Few errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation spelling, grammar and punctuation

Oral communication:

 Confidence

 Clarity

 Relevance

 Volume

 Pacing

/10

The presenter displayed a high degree of confidence and seemed familiar and comfortable with the material.

The material was presented in a clear, articulate manner with an appropriate use of pace and volume

The presenter displayed confidence and the material was clear and relevant.

The presenter was audible and the presentation was well paced.

captions are used to explain the scene

-several errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation

The presenter showed a fair degree of confidence. The material was somewhat clear and relevant. The presenter was fairly audible. The pacing of the presentation was fair.

The presenter lacked confidence.

The material was unclear and/or irrelevant. The presenter was inaudible. The pace of the presentation was far too fast/slow for the audience.

Works Cited

Bocaz-Larson, D. M. “Big Nose: A Modern Cyrano” 422 Deanna Lee St. /Grants, NM 87020 pocolocoplayers@yahoo.com < http://freedrama.net/>

Bocaz-Larson, D. M., "THE HYSTERICAL HISTORY OF THE TROJAN WAR" 422 Deanna

Lee St. /Grants, NM 87020 http://freedrama.net/troy.html

Bradford, Wade. 12 Angry Pigs . 2009. 15 Feb. 2010

<http://plays.about.com/od/oneactplaysandscenes/a/12angrypigs.htm> .

“Core Value Comics Responsibility” 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRlukQZWHu8

Gibbs, Jean. Discovering Gifts in Middle School: TRIBES . Windsor, California: Center Source

Systems, LLC, 2001

Gray, Nigel. The Party.

How to Write Comics & Graphic Novels: Types Of Layouts For Comic Books: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXMhqPvEDKI

Medea Goes To Jail http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iggHnObk0ZY

“Reading Strategies”

Think Literacy Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7-12 , 2003. p.24.

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