Playwriting Unit

Lesson Plan Four – Fairy Tale Monologue

Subject:Theatre Topic: Playwriting

Teacher: Mr. Kingsbury Date: April 29th 2009

NC Standard Course of Study Objective: COMPETENCY GOAL 1: The learner will write
based on personal experience and heritage, imagination, literature, and history.
 1.02 Understand and describe the form and structure of plays.
 1.05 Write a monologue.

1. Focus and Review (Establish prior knowledge)

(a) Description of Activities and Setting
i. Have students volunteer to read the letter they wrote in the previous class's
lesson.
ii. Review characterization
A. Ask - what should a monologue reveal?
(b) Materials and Time
i. Powerpoint slide one: fairy tale monologue
ii. Students will need the letters which they wrote for the previous lesson.
iii. 5 – 10 min.

2. Statement (Inform student of objectives)

(a) Description of Activities and Setting
i. Students will further develop skills in writing monologues, focusing on fantasy.
ii. Students should have come prepared with a fairy tale in mind to use as the
basis for their monologue.
iii. Students will write a monologue as a character in their fairy tale.
(b) Materials and Time
i. Powerpoint slide two: what to expect
ii. 2 – 3 min.

3. Teacher Input (Present tasks, information, and guidance)

(a) Description of Activities and Setting
i. Explain to students that they should choose a character from the fairy tale they
had in mind and write a brief biography of that character in their journal.
ii. Write on the board what students are expected to have in their biography
A. Name
B. Character traits and personality
C. Hobbies
D. Pet peeves
E. Worst enemy
F. Best friend
G. Favorite food
H. What type of “house” you live in
(b) Materials and Time
i. Students will need their journals.
 ii. White board or chalkboard and marker or chalk to write biography elements.
iii. 10 min.

4. Guided Practice (Elicit performance, provide assessment and feedback)

(a) Description of Activities and Setting
i. Instructor will number students off so that there are groups of three.
ii. Students will share their biographies with the students in their group.
iii. Encourage students to assist one another in building on their biographies.
(b) Materials and Time
i. Students need their biographies.
ii. 10 min.

5. Independent Practice -- Seatwork and Homework (Retention and transfer)

(a) Description of Activities and Setting
i. Students will return to their seats, and get out a sheet of paper.
ii. Students will be instructed to write a monologue from the perspective of the
character they created a biography for, addressing the conflict in the fairy tale.
iii. Explain to students that there is no length requirement, but they must include
the elements of an effective monologue, which reveals:
A. Character
B. Voice
C. Character traits/personality
D. Emotions, etc.
iv. For homework, students will take the suggestions made by the students in their
group and rewrite their monologue incorporating the suggestions and other
ideas they may have. They must bring their edited monologue to the next class
period.
(b) Materials and Time
i. Students will need paper to write their monologue on.
ii. 20 -25 min.

6. Closure (Plan for maintenance)

(a) Description of Activities and Setting
i. Students will return to the groups where they shared their biographies.
ii. Students will read each other's monologues and must provide written feedback.
(b) Materials and Time
i. Students will need their written monologues
ii. 5 – 10 min.
PowerPoint Outline
Slide 1: Fairy Tale Monologue
Slide 2: What to expect:
 Students will further develop skills in writing monologues, focusing on fantasy.
 Students should have come prepared with a fairy tale in mind to use as the basis for
their monologue.
 Students will write a monologue as a character in their fairy tale.