Lesson 1: Plot Structure________________________________________
Objective
The students will demonstrate their knowledge of plot by participating in a group presentation of plot structure.
Materials Needed•
Selection from Poetics by Aristotle (available on-line at http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics.2.2.html)• Lecture notes for Aristotle and Poetics Lecture Notes & Six Elements Handout.Lesson One• Hand out of Six Elements• Copies of well-known children stories: (ex. Little Red Riding Hood, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf, Cinderella)
Lesson Directions
Anticipatory Set/HookAs students enter the classroom, pass out the copies of the Poetics. Begin class by asking for volunteers to read the first couple of paragraphs. Question the class for comprehension—most likely the question will go unanswered or a brave student or two will venture a guess. Pose another question: What would he know anyway, he lived like two thousand years ago? The Greek’s couldn’t possibly have contributed to our society, or have they? Discuss Greek contributions—ex. Architecture, democracy, art, etc. Pose a final question: So is it possible that the Poetics might be relevant today?InstructionSTEP 1: Instruction: Short lecture on Aristotle and the Poetics. See attached notes. Avoid simply telling the information as much as possible. Ask “who is Aristotle?” or “can anyone guess what Aristotle’s six elements might be?” Pass out the Six-element hand out. Invite the students to read Aristotle’s Poetics but assure them all the information is simplified and summarized on the hand-out.STEP 2: Transition/instruction/discussion: “Let’s just focus on one aspect of the Poetics today.” Have a student volunteer read aloud the section on plot. Then, through a process of asking and lecturing, draw, label, and define the plot structure. Identify the plot points of a popular story or a popular movie.STEP 3: Guided Practice: Play the plot structure game. Invite the students to leave their desk, circle-up, and assume a crouched position. Invite them to then repeat what you say and how you say it. Say “exposition” with normal inflection and at a normal speaking level. Next say, “inciting incident” with a greater intensity. Next say, “rising action” with a rising volume and an upward inflection. Also slowly begin rising to a standing position. Once you and your students are standing up, lift up your arms and yell “climax.” Slowly, lower your hands as you say “falling action” with decreasing intensity. Then, still standing say “resolution.” Repeat this until, your students can do it on their own. Then let them play for a few minutes.STEP 4: Group Practice: The students will then split up into groups and each group will select a story from a short list of classic children’s tales: Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, The Tortoise and the Hare, the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. The stories can only be used once. Have copies available of each story if the groups want to review their stories by using reading them. As a group have them pick out the plot points in the story. They will need to summarize these points into short sentences or words.AssessmentThe students will, as a group, present the plot structure saying the summaries with the appropriate vocal inflection. Students will be graded as based on the attached rubric.Lesson 1: Plot Structure________________________________________ObjectiveThe students will demonstrate their knowledge of plot by participating in a group presentation of plot structure.Materials Needed• Selection from Poetics by Aristotle (available on-line at http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics.2.2.html)• Lecture notes for Aristotle and Poetics• Hand out of Six Elements• Copies of well-known children stories: (ex. Little Red Riding Hood, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf, Cinderella)Lesson DirectionsAnticipatory Set/HookAs students enter the classroom, pass out the copies of the Poetics. Begin class by asking for volunteers to read the first couple of paragraphs. Question the class for comprehension—most likely the question will go unanswered or a brave student or two will venture a guess. Pose another question: What would he know anyway, he lived like two thousand years ago? The Greek’s couldn’t possibly have contributed to our society, or have they? Discuss Greek contributions—ex. Architecture, democracy, art, etc. Pose a final question: So is it possible that the Poetics might be relevant today?InstructionSTEP 1: Instruction: Short lecture on Aristotle and the Poetics. See attached notes. Avoid simply telling the information as much as possible. Ask “who is Aristotle?” or “can anyone guess what Aristotle’s six elements might be?” Pass out the Six-element hand out. Invite the students to read Aristotle’s Poetics but assure them all the information is simplified and summarized on the hand-out.STEP 2: Transition/instruction/discussion: “Let’s just focus on one aspect of the Poetics today.” Have a student volunteer read aloud the section on plot. Then, through a process of asking and lecturing, draw, label, and define the plot structure. Identify the plot points of a popular story or a popular movie.STEP 3: Guided Practice: Play the plot structure game. Invite the students to leave their desk, circle-up, and assume a crouched position. Invite them to then repeat what you say and how you say it. Say “exposition” with normal inflection and at a normal speaking level. Next say, “inciting incident” with a greater intensity. Next say, “rising action” with a rising volume and an upward inflection. Also slowly begin rising to a standing position. Once you and your students are standing up, lift up your arms and yell “climax.” Slowly, lower your hands as you say “falling action” with decreasing intensity. Then, still standing say “resolution.” Repeat this until, your students can do it on their own. Then let them play for a few minutes.STEP 4: Group Practice: The students will then split up into groups and each group will select a story from a short list of classic children’s tales: Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, The Tortoise and the Hare, the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. The stories can only be used once. Have copies available of each story if the groups want to review their stories by using reading them. As a group have them pick out the plot points in the story. They will need to summarize these points into short sentences or words.AssessmentThe students will, as a group, present the plot structure saying the summaries with the appropriate vocal inflection. Students will be graded as based on the attached rubric.Childrens Tales Grading Rubric.Lesson One