Genre and Adaptation 3 Week Unit Exploration in Drama Grade 9 Katie McNamara Stage 1 - Desired Results Established Goal(s):

): Students will learn about different genres of theatre and adapting various works for the stage. Students will ultimately be responsible for creating a script based on a childrens book for elementary school students to perform. Students will also direct these pieces. State Standards: 1.14, 1.17, 1.18, 2.11, 3.8 National Standards: 1a, 1b, 2c, 3c, 4b, 4c, 7a Understandings:
Students will understand that there are a variety of genres used in theatre as well as what characteristics are unique to specific genres. Students will also that there are many aspects of adaptation and that various works of literature can be adapted for stage performance.

Essential Questions:
What are some differences between certain genres? What are the main characteristics of melodrama, pantomime, comedy/slapstick, commedia dellarte and other genres

What are some ways in which you can bring a

story to life? How do you take a text and turn it into something that is meant to be performed? Why is it important to consider genre when adapting a work?

Student Objectives (specific outcomes)

Students will know how to: Differentiate between genres Discuss different adaptations and techniques Write an adaptation for children Work with and direct elementary school students Students will be able to: Take specific works of literature and adapt them for the stage Take and give criticism from their peers Write a script based on a piece of childrens literature

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence Performance Tasks:

Throughout the unit, students will be creating small scenes and skits based on different genres Students will adapt a commonly known fairy tale in a variety of ways and be able to discuss and justify their choices for their adaptation Students will select a piece of childrens literature and adapt it for the stage.

Other Evidence:
Class discussion Participation (number of questions they ask, etc)

Stage 3 Learning Plan Learning Activities:

Lesson One (70 minutes)

Warm-Up (10 minutes) Game Haroogan Opening Discussion (10 minutes)

What is genre? Brainstorm different genres first have students create a list individually of genres. Then have everyone to collaborate to create a list on the board. Main Activity (25 minutes) Mill and Seethe Have students walk about the space and explain that you will call out a genre and a number of people, and they will have 5 counts to get into the appropriate groups and make a tableau of that specific genre. After each freeze, allow the groups to look around and see what the others have created. Store (improv game) 3 Students improv a scene where 1 person is a store employee and the other two people are looking for something. Each person gets an established character (mother/daughter, etc) and the class decides the type of store they are in as well as what they are looking for. Each character gets to say 2 lines. Once the scene is done, they do it once repeating it regularly, then repeat it 2 more times in different genres. Remote Actors create a scene in an audience given setting they play the scene as normal. Audience members yell Freeze! and can change the channel to a different genre but the scene continues from where it last left off.

Closing Discussion (5 minutes)

Ask students to comment on the different characteristics of genres what changed from on genre to another? How did things like physicality, voice, theme change?