Lesson Objective:
Students will display an ability to read and understand through applying their previous knowledge of Ancient Greek Theatre by reading Medea as a class.
Materials Needed:
Classroom set of Medea, paper and pencil (if they don’t have it)
Hook: (5-8 min)
Have the students take out their notebooks and turn to a clean, empty piece of paper. Instruct them to write all of the elements we learned that is specific to Euripides. There should be about 3. After 2-3 min, instruct them to write…Now you should write at least two elements of tragedies.
As they are writing pass out the scripts. After they have had sufficient time to write ask the students to raise their hands and share what they put down.
Step 1:
Transition – I had you write these elements down because as we read through the play you need be taking note of where you can see these elements being exemplified.
Step 2:
Modeling - For example, if you read something in the script that refers to the main characters hubris you would want to note where in the script you could see it. You will be able to use these notes and your script on the test so make sure and do a good job.
Step 3:
Instruction – Assign the parts to the class, ask who would like to have a part to read. Instruct the rest of class that they will need to read the part of the Chorus together.
Step 4:
Guided Practice – As we read, make sure everyone is on task, focused, and participating. Occasionally as we read stop and discuss what we read, especially in the beginning, and explain how it applies to Greek tragedies and/or Euripides. Also stop periodically and ask for a summary of what has happened to check that they are understanding the story.
Closure:
About 5 min left of class or when you are done reading and have a little discussion. Ask them first if they can summarize what we have read, then ask them to share some of the things they wrote down as evidence of Euripides writing or Greek Tragedies. Instruct them that next time we will be working in groups to choose scenes that we want to perform for our own festival and knowing how this play is particularly “Greek” will help them to fulfill the assignment.
Inform them that they will be taking a quiz in class next period on the information we learned about Ancient Greece and Greek Theatre. Stress the importance of them studying the Game Show quiz questions they took notes on.
Assessment:
This will be an informal assessment of participation in reading and taking notes. They will be more formally assessed in taking the test at the end of the unit and writing a short essay on the plays following the rules of Greek tragedy/Euripides plays.