Unit Title_ Playwriting:DYPF Workshop

• Delaware Recommended Curriculum Unit Template • Preface:  This unit has been created as a model for teachers in their designing or redesigning of course curricula.  It is by no means 

intended to be inclusive; rather it is meant to be a springboard for a teacher’s thoughts and creativity.  The information we have included represents one possibility for developing a unit based on the Delaware content standards and the Understanding by Design framework and philosophy.

• Subject/Topic Area: Theatre Arts Grade Level(s): 9-12 • Searchable Key Words: playwrights, theme, script format, elements of a good play, title, setting, characters, conflict, action, climax,

beginning, middle. end • Designed By: C.J. Conway District: Capital• Mary Ann Love and David Stradley• Adapted By: Ginger Angstadt • Time Frame: 4-6 weeks • Reviewed by: Date: • Brief Summary of Unit (This should include a brief unit summary including a description of unit goals, rationale for the approach taken,

and where it appears in the course of study.) • This unit will review and incorporate the elements of playwriting (through• individual or group development [2-4 students]) for a one act play. Theme will be discussed through a presentation from the

education staff of the Delaware Theatre Company. Students will develop a 2-5 character one act play (defined by the DTC’s chosen theme). The play will need to be no fewer than 10 pages, no longer than 20 pages. Sets and costumes will be described by the playwright/s, but should be minimalist in nature. Professional script format will be followed in order to cement the proper writing format as opposed to regular textbook publishing formats.

Stage 1: Desired Results(Determine What Students Will Know, Do and

Understand)• DE Content Standards (This should include a list of the DE Content Standards for which instruction is provided in this unit and which

are ultimately assessed in the unit.)• Standard 1 Improvising and writing scenes, scenarios, and/or plays.• Identify the basic elements of a play ( characters, setting, plot, theme, action)• Write an original one-act play with clearly developed characters, setting, conflict and resolution• Explore human issues and various outcomes in order to devise a performance piece that is linear in presentation form• • Standard 4 Directing by envisioning and realizing improvised or scripted scenes. • Create a concept that conveys meaning for a scripted scene (be it linear, episodic, abstract) through the use of metaphor, mood or

theme.• Analyze the meaning of scripted scenes, scenarios, and/or plays• • Standard 7 Responding to, describing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating theatre works and performances• Explain how dramatic elements (plot, character, action, diction, music, spectacle [Aristotle’s Poetics]) combine to make a whole • Big Idea (This should include transferable core concepts, principles, theories, and processes that should serve as the focal point of

curricula, instruction, and assessment. Ex: Manifest Destiny, fighting for peace.)• • Playwriting communicates a human experience• • (e.g.; thematic content ; One of the many reasons a person might not feel respected is their age. With that in mind, write a play in

which the ideas, beliefs, feelings and/or contributions of a character are not taken)

Stage 1: Desired Results(Determine What Students Will

Know, Do and Understand)• Unit Enduring Understandings (This should include important ideas or core processes that are

central to the unit and transferable to new situations beyond the classroom. Stated as full-sentence statements, the understandings specify what we want students to understand about the Big Ideas Ex: Inverse operations are helpful in understanding and solving problems.)

Students will understand that… • Every play has a point of view• Theatre is a form of expression that employs dramatic elements• To become a skilled writer requires persistence • Unit Essential Question(s) (This should include open-ended questions designed to guide student

inquiry and focus instruction for “uncovering” the important ideas of the content. Ex: What is healthful eating? What is the relationship between fiction and truth?)

• What form is necessary for a beginning, middle and end play?• What elements are found in a linear play?• Why is writing an encompassing and unfolding process?

Stage 1: Desired Results(Determine What Students Will

Know, Do and Understand)• Knowledge & Skills (This should include key knowledge and skills that students will acquire as a result of this unit? Ex: Factors

affecting climate, The causes of World War II.) • It should also include what students will eventually be able to do as a result of such knowledge and skill Ex: take notes, complete

a bent-arm pull, compare fiction to nonfiction.)Students will know….

• The six dramatic elements ( plot, character, action, diction, music, spectacle)• Linear dramatic form (beginning, middle, end)• Point of view (theme)

Students will be able to…• Write a scenario that will be developed into 10 -20 page play• Explore that scenario as an individual or in groups of 2-4• Develop a scene from the written scenario• Create a one act play with 2-5 characters, developed from the first scenario • Edit the play according to DTC rubric• Apply DTC rubric to the revision of the script • Publish an original draft• Revise original draft according to DTC rubric and critique• Publish draft 2 for review and critique

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence(Design Assessments To Guide

Instruction)• (This should include evidence that will be collected to determine whether or not the Desired Results identified in Stage One have been achieved?

[Anchor the unit in performance tasks that require transfer, supplemented as needed by other evidence –quizzes, worksheets, observations, etc.] • Suggested Performance Task(s) (This should include suggested authentic tasks and projects used as evidence of student competency in the skills and

knowledge deemed important in the unit. Ex: a written composition, speeches, works of art, musical performances, open-ended math problems.)• • Consider the following set of stem statements as you construct a scenario for a performance task:• G – Goal—Ex: Reflect character’s motivation and predict his actions• R – Role—Ex: A character in Of Mice and Men• A – Audience—Ex: A family member or close friend• S – Situation—Ex: Creating a scrapbook chronicling a character’s life, real and inferred• P – Product, Performance, and Purpose—Ex: Scrapbook• S – Standards and Criteria for Success—Ex: Your scrapbook should include all components on included rubric • Goal—Students will create a 10 -20 page play relating to a specified theme. Role—Students will work individually or in groups of 2-4 to create a script related to the assigned theme Audience—The education staff of Delaware Theatre Company, the student’s teacher, the student’s peers, the student’s school community Situation—Creating an individual or group script for Delaware Young Playwright’s Festival and the student’s school community Product—Draft I and Draft II scripts with rubric suggestions and edited revisions Production of scenes for school visual and performing arts

workshop Standards and Criteria for Success—Delaware Young Playwrights Festival Rubric

Rubrics/checklists for Performance Tasks (This should include holistic or analytic-trait rubrics used as a scoring guide to

evaluate student products or performances.) Excellent Good Shows Potential Needs Work

Setting Setting creative and vital to the plot; adds to story on an emotional level. Very theatrical or done with the limitations of the theatre in mind

Setting somewhat interesting and necessary to plot. Could be created in a stage space.

Setting could be made interesting. Needs adjustment for it to be staged.

Setting cannot be staged and not integral to the plot.Too many changes of location.

Action of Play Events realistic within the world of the play; stageable and creative. Clear cause and effect.Action will captivate audience.

Events somewhat realistic; can be staged. Cause and effect mostly credible; action interesting

Events somewhat unrealistic and hard to stage. Cause and effect lacks credibility at times; action lags

Events unrealistic;Can’t be staged. Cause and effect absent. Too little action. Too many short scenes.

Conflict Conflict quickly and clearly introduced, drives play along. Challenges to characters are intense, unique, and believable.

Conflict central to play. Challenges to characters are believable but could affect characters in a deeper, more profound way.

Conflict could be made more central to the play. Challenges to characters appear superficial at times or are not explored in depth.

Conflict uninteresting. Audience won’t care about characters’ problems.

Climax Conflict directly and dramatically confronted. Climax explodes from the action; will rivet audience.

Conflict confronted in believable manner, but climax does not mine full potential. Will interest audience.

Climax could be made to be more interesting and believable. Find way to drive action to more of a breaking point.

Climax uninteresting; does not flow from action. The play just stops.

Resolution Resolution flows directly from action and climax, yet is not predictable. Radically changes the life of the characters in a deep and meaningful way.

Resolution results from action and climax, is believable but somewhat predictable. Affects some important aspect of characters’ lives.

Resolution needs to flow more from the action; forced or predictable. Characters lives are changed, but not in a fundamental way.

Resolution too easy.Characters unchanged.

Characters Characteristics revealed in dialogue and action. .Behavior believable and compelling. Fully developed, unique individuals. Bold, clear objectives. All necessary to plot.

Behavior believable in context of playDeveloped individuals. Clear objectives, but could be strengthened. Some characters could be made more essential to plot.

Behavior could be made more believable. Characters need further development Objectives sometimes unclear. Some characters unnecessary.

Stereotypical;Unbelievable; flat.Characters lacking clear objectives.Too many unnecessary characters.

Other Evidence (This could include tests, quizzes, prompts, student

work samples, and observations used to collect diverse evidence of student understanding.)

• Scenario for the one-act play based on suggested theme. (formative)• Scenes I and II [writing the play] (formative)• Read Through [informal class reading of sc i & ii] (summative for scenario and sc i & ii)• Scene III and IV [writing the play](formative)• Read Through [informal class reading of sc iii & iv](summative for sc iii & iv)• Scene V [writing the conclusion of the play](formative)• Read throughs [formal staged reading of one-acts] (summative for one-act)• Draft one [submit to Delaware Theatre Company for review](formative for writing process)• Auditions [in class audition processes] (formative for production process)• Scene Study [design of set and blocking plan](formative for acting/directing process)• Draft II [review rubric comments and edit Draft I] (summative for writing process)• Rehearsal [in class rehearsals for each play](formative for acting & production process)• Production of Script/Play [ workshop performance of selected scenes] (summative for all

processes)

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection (This should include opportunities for students to monitor their own learning. Ex: reflection journals, learning logs, pre- and

post-tests, editing own work.)

• In class read throughs of each script allow the students to hear the voice of their play and make necessary edits. This can be simple typos or the need to rework the message they hear from the interpretation of their words by the actors.

• Designing a minimalist set encourages them to envision the world they have created.

• Blocking ask them to reflect on the actual physical movement of that world and bring their words from the paper to the stage.

• Rubric feed back from DTC provides a professional view of their work and asks the student to consider possible changes to the world they have created, bringing the focus back to revision and self-reflection in order to enhance the script they have created.

Stage 3: Learning Plan(Design Learning Activities To Align

with Goals and Assessments)• Key learning events needed to achieve unit goals• (This should include instructional activities and learning experiences needed to achieve the desired

results (Stage 1) as reflected in the assessment evidence to be gathered (Stage 2). • • The acronym WHERETO summarizes key elements to consider when designing an effective and

engaging learning plan. • W – Help the students know Where the unit is going and What is expected? Help the teachers

know . Where the students are coming from (prior knowledge, interests)• H – Hook all students and Hold their interest?• E – Equip students, help them Experience the key ideas and Explore the issues?• R – Provide opportunities to Rethink and Revise their understandings and work?• E – Allow students to Evaluate their work and its implications?• T – Be Tailored (personalized) to the different needs, interests, and abilities of learners?• O – Be Organized to maximize initial and sustained engagement as well as effective learning?

Stage 3: Learning Plan(Design Learning Activities To Align

with Goals and Assessments)• Where/What: The unit will focus on creating and producing a one-act play • Hook: Scenes from these plays will be produced for a school workshop each play has the possibility of being selected for the state-wide festival • Experience: Each student will create a 10 – 20 page one act play and rehearse that

play in a classroom, with the possibility of scene production at the school level and festival presentation at the state level

• Rethink/Revise: The rubric feedback from DTC provides critical commentary for

rethinking problems and revising the script. • Evaluate: Reading and critique by the DTC, the instructor and peers are helpful

tools for hearing the script, acknowledging the necessary edits and motivating the students to see the writing process as an on-going process.

Stage 3: Learning Plan(Design Learning Activities To Align with Goals and

Assessments)Tailored to Differentiated Instruction: The guiding focus is the theme. Each student may bring their

own experience to this writing and dialect is acceptable and adds more human communication to the process. All students can chose to work alone, or in groups of 2- 4 to create these plays.

Organized to sustain engagement :• Scenario for the one-act play based on suggested theme. (formative)• Scenes I and II [writing the play] (formative)• Read Through [informal class reading of sc i & ii] (summative for scenario and sc i & ii)• Scene III and IV [writing the play](formative)• Read Through [informal class reading of sc iii & iv](summative for sc iii & iv)• Scene V [writing the conclusion of the play](formative)• Read Throughs [formal staged reading of one-acts] (summative for one-act)• Draft one [submit to Delaware Theatre Company for review](formative for writing process)• Auditions [in class audition processes] (formative for production process)• Scene Study [design of set and blocking plan](formative for acting/directing process)• Draft II [review rubric comments and edit Draft I] (summative for writing process)• Rehearsal [in class rehearsals for each play](formative for acting & production process)• Production of Script/Play [ workshop performance of selected scenes] (summative for all

processes)

Resources & Teaching Tips (Consider the two questions below when

completing this section.)• What text/print/media/kit/web resources best support this unit? • The Delaware Young Playwright’s Festival Teacher Workshophttp://sites.google.com/a/delawaretheatre.org/dypf-teachers

The Delaware Young Playwright’s Festival Student Guidehttp://sites.google.com/a/delawaretheatre.org/dypf-students • http://soungle.com (for sound effects support)

Resources & Teaching Tips (Consider the two questions below when

completing this section.)• What tips to teachers of the unit can you offer about likely rough spots/student

misunderstandings and performance weaknesses, and how to troubleshoot those issues?• Initially students may balk at the task of writing a play.• Some will be hesitant to work alone, some will be hesitant to work with a group.• Reflection on the theme and workshops from DTC workshop leaders give the theme focus and

motivate the students to complete their plays.• Scheduled writing time in the library or a computer lab allows the student writing process to

develop.• The website includes templates for title and character pages and a template for the correct script

format. This enables the student to complete the task with a • focus on their thematic and human communication skills as opposed to struggling with

formatting problems.• Response from theatre professionals validates the student work process, motivating the editing

and production process.• Each student must be honored for the contribution they are to this process.• It is an on-going and risky task. That is what makes it a rich learning environment

Accommodation/Differentiation ideas and tips

• This should include a list or description of ways that you will differentiate instruction according to students' needs. This can include any curricular adaptations that are needed to meet special needs students. Ex: using reading materials at varying readability levels, putting text materials on tape, using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels of students, meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of advanced learners.

Accommodation/Differentiation ideas and tips

• This task is completely flexible for all students. • Non-readers can contribute through working on production aspects.• Those not normally engaged by writing take this project on because it allows them

to speak in their own voice, dialect and through their own experience.• Writing process is not limited to a 5 paragraph essay and specific topic. This allows

each individual or group to develop as necessary.• Writing time is a reflective process that requires thought time, writing time and

reflection. You must set aside time daily for individual or group reflection time.• Intersperse the writing time with activities that will engage the students in the

production process { Acting and monologue opportunities, set design for their play,

• read throughs and casting of the plays, rehearsal and production of the one acts}• Each of these tasks engage students of varying capabilities.