by Jess Plewe
Objective: Students will apply script analysis techniques by discussing and scribing their reactions and observations to a first read-through of The Glass Menagerie.
Standard(s):
TH:Pr4.1.I.a. Examine how character relationships assist in telling the story of a drama/theatre work.
TH: Re7.1.Ia. Respond to what is seen, felt, and heard in a drama/theatre work to develop criteria for artistic choices.
Essential Questions
- How does analysis improve understanding?
- Why is background information important?
- Why do people do what they do?
Enduring Understanding(s)
- Subtext improves characterization
- Analysis deepens understanding
- People’s actions are influenced by their past and their desires
Materials:
- The Student Spotlight Response Sheet
- Copies of The Glass Menagerie for each student
- First Reading of The Glass Menagerie Assignment (on Canvas, but attached below for convenience)
Spotlight
- Pull up the Student Spotlight Responses Sheet and choose a student who has not been spotlighted yet.
- Without reading their name, go through all of their answers. After reading all their answers, have students guess which student is the spotlight for today.
- Once correctly guessed, allow the class to ask a few questions of the student spotlight to get to know them better.
Warm-Up
- Have all the students stand in a circle.
- Have all the students do 8 jumping jacks.
Have all the students warm-up their voices through lip trills, sirens, massaging their jaw/cheeks, and completing some tongue twisters:
- Twixt this and six thick thistle sticks
- High roller, low roller, lower roller
- Red leather, yellow leather
Transition
- Have the students get into small groups and review the first four scenes of The Glass Menagerie.
Read-Through of The Glass Menagerie
Instruction
- Explain that we start class by breaking into smaller groups to read through the next two scenes, then come all together for the final scene read through.
- Have the students split into groups of 4-5 people each
- Instruct them to follow the same structure we’ve been using: read a few pages, then switch readers, reading a few more pages, and switching again. Because of the smaller groups, everyone should have a chance to read for each character and the stage directions in these rotations.
- Instruct them that at the end of Scene 5, I will have questions written on the board for them to discuss as a group.
Exploration
In their groups, the students should continue on to Scene 5, with their assigned readers.
- Keep in mind, Scene Five mostly only involves Amanda and Tom, as Laura only shows up in the last few pages.
- Allow the students autonomy in when they choose to switch readers, and in how they lead their small group discussions after finishing Scene 5.
Discussion
While the students are reading through Scene 5 in their groups, write the following questions on the board:
- What do you think about Amanda’s character? Is she justified in her actions?
- What do you think about Tom’s character? Is he justified in his actions/behavior?
- What more do you know about the Wingfields?
- What questions do you have?
- What do you think is going to happen?
- When you notice groups who have finished Scene 5, remind them to answer the discussion questions on the board in their groups.
Transition
- When you notice most groups are finished with discussing Scene 5, instruct students to switch into new groups of 4-5 people.
- Once settled with their new group, instruct them to summarize the main points of their discussion with their previous group. This allows students to hear insights from others in the class, and see who thinks similarly to them or different from them.
Instruction
Call back the students' attention and explain that they will be reading through scene 6 with their new group, following the same format as before, switching periodically and discussing together at the end of the scene.
- Scene 6 has all of the characters in it, so five readers should be assigned.
Exploration
- Students read Scene 6 in their groups, switching periodically.
Discussion
As student read, write the following questions on the board:
- What more do you know about the Wingfields?
- Who is your favorite character thus far?
- What does Amanda want? What does Tom want? What does Laura want? What does Jim want
- What questions do you have?
- What do you think is going to happen?
- When you notice groups who have finished reading Scene 6, remind them to answer the discussion questions on the board in their groups.
When you notice most groups are finished with discussing Scene 6, call back the students' attention and ask:
- What are your overall thoughts about the play so far?
- What do you think is going to happen next?
- Who is your favorite character?
- Who do you relate to?
- Why do you think this play is an American classic?
Transition
- Explain that we will come back together as a class to read the final scene of The Glass Menagerie.
Instruction
Instruct students to arrange chairs into a circle, open to Scene 7, and assign readers for each character.
- There is a long stretch of pages where the only characters speaking are Jim and Laura, so keep that in mind when switching up readers.
- Read to the end of Scene 7, continuing to switch readers every so often.
Discussion
- What surprised you?
- What was disappointing?
- What was this play about? Its overall message?
- Why is this play an American classic?
- What character was your favorite?
- Who got what they wanted in the end? What did they get?
Assessment
Have students complete the online assessment about the First Read-through of The Glass Menagerie.