A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively
engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.
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Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:
After investigating Stanislavski's acting method and selecting a monologue, students will explore characterization using the attached chart.
First, students will divide their monologue into "beats," or dramatic shifts in emotion, intention, or power.
After determining the beats of their monologue, students will cut and paste (or write) each beat into a row on the chart.
For each beat, students will answer questions related to each column title. Remind students that there are no right or wrong answers, but that each choice should be supported by the text. Remind them also that as they rehearse, they can change their answers to explore the character further until they discover the choices that they find most effective.
Assessment Strategies:
Students may self-assess using the following criteria:
Believability: Do the choices make the character believable?
Authenticity: Do the choices make the character authentic, or add unique dimension to the character?
Students may perform their monologue and reflect on the choices they made using Stanislavski's method.
Students may reflect on whether Stanislavski's method was effective for their own personal acting style.
The teacher may quick-assess to see that the students are marking their scripts to indicate the beats. Ask each student to explain their rationale for the location of each beat. Listen for their understanding of the character based on textual evidence from the script and context for the scene.
Advanced Preparation:
Discuss the major components of Stanislavski's acting method. Without some knowledge of the terminology and approach, students will struggle with applying them to their monologue.
Variation Tips (optional):
Put students into small groups. Each group is assigned (or allowed to choose) one monologue that they will analyze together.
After the group analysis, students may be ready to analyze their own monologues individually.