Lesson Name: Reading Drama Grade Level: Language Arts Grade 4 Grading Period: CRM2/Unit 4/Arc1Estimated timeframe: See Pacing Suggestions

This lesson is appropriate for both Dual Language and Monolingual teachers. Suggested Pacing

Monolingual Pacing: Day 1 – Engage and SE Focus Lesson. Shared Reading. Activity 1Day 2 – Finish Shared Reading. Activity 2

Dual Language Pacing: Day 1 – Engage and Beginning of SE Focus Lesson. Shared Reading. Activity 1Day 2 – Continue Shared Reading. Partners work on Activity 1. Day 3 – Continue Shared Reading. Begin Activity 2.

Day 4 – Finish Shared Reading. Finish Activity 2. Lesson Components

Lesson Objectives: The students will explore the structural elements of a drama and determine the purpose of each element. Students will construct a working definition for the genre of drama. Students will describe the changes in characters.

Language Objectives: The student will read a drama and speak using grade-level content area vocabulary in context to internalize new English words and build academic language proficiency.

Prior Learning: 2nd grade TEKS: 8(A) identify the elements of dialogue and use them in informal plays. 3rd grade TEKS: 7(A) explain the elements of plot and character as presented through dialogue in scripts that are read, viewed, written, or performed.

Understanding the elements of drama is a new skill in fourth grade. Students do not have much background knowledge in this SE.

Standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills):

4.5 Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Drama. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of drama and provide evidence from text to support their understanding.

5(A) describe the structural elements particular to dramatic literature RC2.

Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Fiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from text to support their understanding.

6(B) describe the interaction of characters including their relationships and the changes they undergo.

College and Career Readiness:

Reading: Analyze works of literature for what they suggest about the historical period and cultural contexts in which they were written.

Speaking: When speaking, observe audience reaction and adjust presentation (e.g. pace, tone, vocabulary, body language) to suit the audience.

Listening: Listen critically and respond appropriately to presentations.Essential Questions:

What is drama and what literary elements (i.e., plot, theme, character, setting, and point of view) are utilized in drama?

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How does understanding the unique features of drama help me make predictions and understand the underlying story?

How does drama differ from other literary genres? What features of drama help the reader learn about the characters and the changes

they undergo?

Vocabulary: Essential: characters, script, setting, plot, theme, stage directions, dialogue, narrator, acts, scenes, character, events (Spanish: personajes, ambiente, trama, tema, scenario, diálogo, narrador, actos, escenas, personajes, eventos)Supporting: prologue, body language, gesture, feelings, actions, thoughts (Spanish: prólogo, lenguaje corporal, gestos, sentimientos, acciones, pensamientos)

Lesson Preparation

Use a copy of one page of a script that has some elements of drama, such as: characters, stage directions, scenes (personajes, acotaciones, dirección de escena, escenas)http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/playhousehttp://www.elhuevodechocolate.com/teatro/teatro3.html

Make copies of “The Camera in the Attic” (Read Aloud Anthology) (“La Cámara en el Ático” – En voz alta, Antología de Lectura)

Recommended Texts in Englisho “Playing with plays” www.playingwithplays.como “Showtime at the Polk Street School,” by Patricia Reilly Giffo “Acting Out,” by Avi

Recommended Texts in Spanisho “Teatro del Gato Garabato,” by Alma Flor Adao “Teatro Don Crispin,” by Alma Flor Adao http://www.kidsinco.com/complete-list-of-playscripts-page-3/complete-

list-of-playscripts-in-spanish/o http://cuentosparachicos.com/BIL/teatro/index.htm o http://pacomova.eresmas.net/paginas/teatro%20infantil.htm

Pre-read text to plan stopping points and open ended question. Sticky notes or highlighters

Anchors of Support

You will create an anchor chart with the students as they explore and discover the key elements of drama. The Drama Study Module on the Language Arts website includes a complete list of dramatic elements and definitions for teachers. During this lesson, allow the children to construct their own list of elements and definitions as much as possible.

A second anchor chart about understanding characters will help guide the discussion in Activity 2.

Differentiation strategies

Special Education: Plays available on an appropriate reading level. Allow time for pre-reading of the play to be studied so that students are comfortable with the language;

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refer to the student’s IEP for other routinely offered accommodations.English Language Learners: Word bank with illustrated examples of drama vocabulary.Extension for Learning: Teacher assigns characters to different students. The rest of the group can work on creating the set and directing the play. Students present the play to other classes.

21st Century Skills

Creativity and Innovation: Develop, implement and communicate new ideas to others effectively.

Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback into the work.

English Language Proficiency Standards: Mandated by Texas Administrative Code (19 TAC §74.4), click on the link for English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) to support English Language Learners.

Lesson CycleEngage CREATIVE LEARNING STRATEGY: ART TALK

Use a copy of the picture below (or click on the picture to link to a site with a variety of similar photos.)

ART TALKBasic Directions

Describe : What do you see in this picture? How would describe the way the person is standing?Analyze: What does this image communicate? What do you see that makes you say that?

As a digital alternative or addition, have students view PBS LearningMedia One Minute Theatre Lesson to give a brief history on theatre/drama.

Lesson stages Day 1: Tell students that, over the next three weeks, they will be reading,

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exploring, analyzing and writing drama. Explain that, like other genres, drama has unique elements that set it apart from other genres. Although, like a narrative, it tells a story, it is not written in the same structure.

Discovery: Give students copies of the drama, “The Camera in the Attic” (pg. 203 of Treasures Read Aloud Anthology). Without actually reading the drama, have students explore the text, looking for features that stand out as being different from a narrative text. After discussing what they notice with one or two partners, have students share these with the class.

As students identify elements of drama, begin building the Drama Anchor Chart.

Shared Reading: “The Camera in the Attic”o Before reading, discuss the cast of characters with the students.

How is this different from other narrative stories you’ve read? Why might it be important to read the character list and the setting (including the dates)? Note that playwrights often explain relationships between the characters here as well.

o Ask students to pay close attention to each character as you share the drama. Invite them to pretend to be the characters in order to better visualize the settings.

o Tell them, “As we read, we should be focusing on what the characters are saying, feeling, and doing.” Have students use sticky notes and/or highlighters to mark evidence for these as they find them in the text.

o NOTE: Since this is the first time for many students to read a drama/script, it is a good idea to assign small groups of students to read different characters’ lines. For example, Group A reads the lines for Bibi, Group B reads lines for Jack, and so on…making sure all students are engaged in the actual reading.

o Begin working on Drama Chart by adding the title and features.

o Discuss what Jack is feeling, saying, and what character traits would accurately describe him at the beginning of the story.

Activity 1 Use a different drama from the recommended texts. Students work with a partner and, using sticky notes or highlighters,

locate and identify the elements of drama throughout the text. To hold both partners accountable in each pair, have the partners each

use a different color of sticky note or highlighter (give them about 8-10 min)

When students finish the task, bring them all together to discuss what they found.

Day 2 After shared reading, discuss the main characters. Ask students the

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following questions, “How did Jack change throughout the drama?” “What events in the drama led to these changes?” Split the class into two groups, one group will be Jack at the beginning of the story and the other Jack at the end of the story. Discuss how Jack felt at the beginning of the story. Ask students, “What event caused Jack to change?” Complete Drama chart using the information discussed.

Activity 2 During independent reading, have students read the play from Activity 1.

Students will complete Drama Chart with their own text. For readers who need extra support, provide text at independent reading levels.

Closure Activity Post the following question “What do you know about the Drama?” and students will answer on a Post-It.

For an engaging technology integration, create an Exit ticket using http://answergarden.ch/create/ with the following question “What do you know about the Drama?”

Check for Understanding (evaluation)

Formative: Closely monitor and confer with students as they do partner work to be sure they understand the elements of drama. Collect their annotated copies of the play to determine whether or not they correctly identified the elements of drama.

Summative: Activity 2 or students can draw a basic story map that addresses the same elements identified on the chart.

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Drama Chart

Title/Genre Features of the Genre Main character Interaction with other characters

How did they change?