Lesson Overview:
In this lesson, students will choose a famous person who was born in their state, research the person's contributions to history, write a monologue, and perform their monologue with a costume and/or a prop.
Length of Lesson:
Four 45-minute periods
Notes:
This lesson is particularly suitable for grade 4.
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- analyze historical examples in which individuals and groups brought about civic improvement.
- analyze the characteristics and contributions of various cultures in the development of their state and the United States, in general.
- analyze the impact of social institutions and the media on the behavior of individuals and groups.
- demonstrate the ability to explore the creative process through theatrical activities and to apply theatrical knowledge, principles, and practices to collaborative theatre presentations.
- demonstrate an understanding of the historical development and current status of principles, institutions, and processes of political systems in their state and the United States, in general.
- demonstrate an understanding of the history, diversity, and commonality of the peoples of the nation and world, the reality of human interdependence, the need for global cooperation, and a multicultural perspective.
- demonstrate the attainment of a positive self-concept and empathy toward others in order to improve interaction among individuals and groups in our democratic society.
- investigate the life a famous person born in their state.
- observe, record, and discuss ways that people communicate through words and actions.
- perform the monologue in costume.
- practice at home.
- write a monologue.
Supplies:
- Book containing historical biographies
- VCR or DVD Player
- Video Camera
- Students must supply some type of costume or prop that relates to their character.
Instructional Plan:
Discuss the different ways one can find out about a famous person. Record this information on a graphic organizer. Show a small segment of actor Hal Holbrook performing Abraham Lincoln in North and South. Discuss and record what makes his performance so effective. Make a list of the reasons why the performance kept the class' attention.
Tell students that they are going to do a similar presentation, and refer to a list of famous people of your choosing. Explore the following sites to come up with a list of your own:
The list of historical figures can also be compiled from historical figures the class has studied during the school year. Some examples from the state of Maryland are: the Calverts, Margaret Brent, Samuel Chase, Charles, Carroll, John E. Howard, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Banneker, Francis Scott Key, Mary Pickersgill, Thurgood Marshall, and Babe Ruth. To view examples of important figures born in different states, visit 50states.com Web site.
Model the writing of a monologue. Have the students list a number of facts they know about Abraham Lincoln. Pass out a short Lincoln Biography. Based on this information, show the students how to write a brief monologue in the first person. Perform this short monologue for the class.
Have students take some time to pick a famous person they would like to study and allow them to list some of the details they want to share about this person. Have books available for students to use to get more details. Some might go to the library or use the Internet. Allow the students a few days to finish gathering information.
In class, students should begin to write their monologue. Conference with students about which aspects of the famous person's life might be more interesting to tell in a short, five-minute monologue. Students may have to complete the writing of the monologue at home; they should aslo practice their performance at home. Instruct students to bring at least one costume element (hat, scarf, jacket, shawl, beard, etc.) for their presentation.
Students should perform their monologues in front of the rest of the class. Assign five or six students a day to present their monologues. You may wish to videotape these performances for use in assessing students' work.
Assessment:
After all students have presented, discuss the aspects of a monologue that make it strong and effective. Record these aspects on the board. Use a rubric to assess each presentation. If necessary, review the videotaped performances of the monologues to keep track of each student's performance.
Sources:
Media:
- Heffron, Richard T. North and South 720 min. Warner Studios, 1995. Videocassette.
Web:
Authors:
-
Mary Ann Fox, Teacher
Thomas Pullen Arts Magnet School
Landover, MD
