Writing Using Character Analysis

Creative Writing Using Character Analysis in Romeo and Juliet

9th grade

Language Arts, Visual Arts

Students will respond in many ways to a variety of literary texts and relate them to their own life and the lives of others. Students will create an original narrative poem based on one of the characters in Romeo and Juliet. The poem should have at least twenty couplets and contain the meter of Shakespeare's iambic pentameter.

Computer with word processing software, such as Microsoft Word
Video Camera
VCR/TV

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Theater 5-8 #1, #2
Visual Art 5-8 #3, #4, #6

Other Standards addressed by this lesson:

Language Arts
Writing 6-8 #1, #2, #3, #4
Reading 6-8 #6
Listening and Speaking 6-8 #8

Students will be able to:

• identify couplets
• discuss the concept of narration and narrative poetry
• analize a character from the play
• recognize and use iambic pentameter and meter

They will do this through the creation of a two line rap about themselves, by writing a short one-paragraph description about a character from the play, and then using the character description and the rap to create a couplet.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

1. Students will be able to identify couplets through a two-line rap they create about themselves. The concept of narration and narrative poetry will be discussed.

2. Students will choose one of their favorite characters from the play, Romeo and Juliet, and write a short one-paragraph description about that character.

3. Students will then take the paragraph and write the description in couplets, having every two lines end with a rhyming word.

4. As students write, they will make certain through examples in the works by Shakespeare, that they use the meter, iambic pentameter, with five strong beats per line.

5. Students will continue with this process throughout the class period.

GUIDED, INDEPENDENT PRACTICE & FEEDBACK:

Students will share their poetry in an oral presentation in class. They will listen and critique the writing of their peers. Each class will compile their creative narrative poems in a class scrapbook to be displayed on "THE (insert your school name) BARDS" table in the classroom. Each student can also be video taped giving his/her presentation and be evaluated according to content, dramatization, use of meter and rhyme, neatness, and originality. All work will be typed using Microsoft Word on the computer.

Students will have a mini Bards' Fair to display their creative writing scrapbooks and to play their videotapes while others students and staff tour the classroom and see other works. Parents may also be present to see the display on a parent night conference.

Those who are artistic can draw pictures of their favorite characters to accompany the scrapbooks. These may also be displayed during the fair.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

© Author & ARTSEDGE, 2000