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.

 

Subject Area(s): Language Arts

 

Teaching Days to Complete: 3 weeks

 

Keywords  What's this?

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

 

Outcomes  What's this?

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)

 

21st Century Leadership Skills  What's this?

 

Graduation Portfolio Tasks  What's this?

 

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

 

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