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Author(s): Kristin Russo, Lauren Toker

School: City Arts and Tech High School

Brief Summary: After students read and analyzed Othello through discussion and a written debate, they demonstrated that they deeply understood the literary elements (characters, theme, setting, plot, etc.), the language, and the historical significance of Shakespeare and Othello by creating a production notebook and performing a monologue.

There is a group component and an individual component to this project.

Groups create an original production notebook that shows their understanding of a specific act from Othello. (There were a total of five groups, each responsible for one of the five acts in Othello). Group production notebooks contain all of the components that professional dramaturgy and production teams would include to ensure that the play was produced to appropriately convey the message of Shakespeare’s play. (Historical Research, Contextualizing the Setting, etc).

For the individual component, students are responsible for two tasks: (1) analyzing a character for the specific act and scene and (2) memorizing and performing a 15-line (minimum) monologue to the class. As a class, through the monologues, students retell the story of Othello as they understand it.

Driving Question: How do authors and performers use the resources of language to impact an audience?

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Keywords: production notebook, monologue, script, drama, Shakespeare, Othello,

Subject Areas: Language Arts

Teaching Days to Complete: 3 weeks

Select 21st Century Leadership Skills:

Communicate Effectively and Persuasively

• Students communicate in an organized and precise manner.
• Students listen for understanding and request clarification as necessary.
• Students produce work that is accurate and conveys well-developed ideas to the target audience.

Express Creatively

• Students apply artistic processes and skills to communicate their meaning and intent.
• Students develop and express points of view, concepts and ideas in varied ways.

Manage Projects Effectively

• Students establish goals and develop strategies to meet them.
• Students evaluate the effectiveness of their approach.
• Students understand and apply project-planning skills.
• Students use information and resources to implement strategies.

Select Graduation Portfolio Tasks:

Literary/Textual Analysis

• Analysis and Interpretation: Demonstrates an understanding of how the texts are situated within their genre, historical context, culture, personal lives/experience, etc
• Analysis and Interpretation: Examines the ideas presented in the texts and the language used to convey those ideas (e.g. figurative language, literary elements, rhetorical devices, etc.)

History/Social Science Investigation

• Research Skills: Poses researchable questions/inquiry
• Using Evidence: Explains the core issues and information necessary to understand the topic and perspective.
• Logical Reasoning: Situates evidence and topic in relevant (historical/political/social/ economic/cultural) context.
• Communication: Demonstrates awareness of audience in language use

Creative Expression

• Technique: Demonstrates a command of the craft of the artistic discipline: creates a piece that reflects substantial craftsmanship,
• Technique: Demonstrates a command of the craft of the artistic discipline: identifies and apply the tools, materials, and artistic conventions of the specific arts discipline (e.g. drama, dance, 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional visual art) to create a work of art.
• Process: Envisions, explores and persists with an aesthetic idea: sets goals and trajectory of the process of creating the work of art,
• Context and Connections: Draws connections between the work of art and artistic, historical, contemporary and cultural traditions: demonstrates how relevant events, ideas, and experiences from historical and contemporary times inform the work of art,
• Reflection: Questions, discusses and evaluates one’s own work: describes and analyzes the process of making the work of art as well as the work of art itself,

Grade Level: 12th

Outcomes:
There are many parts to this project. Students are responsible and will be held accountable for equally dividing responsibility for the group components.
o Individual Monologue - ESGP Dramatic Performance (Application of Knowledge)
o Group Production Notebook (Application of Knowledge)
o ES Leadership Skills – Express Ourselves Creatively; Manage Projects Effectively (Leadership Skills)

 

Othello
We used this film starring Lawrence Fishburne to launch the project and to clarify plot.
http://www.amazon.com/Othello-Laurence-F...

 

Shakespeare Set Free
An AMAZING resource filled with useful activities to use while reading the play.
http://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Set-Fr...

 

Next Step: Add Author Reflections

 

What challenges did you face in implementing this project? What suggestions would you make to help ensure the success of this project?