Drama Syllabus
CCGPS Standards
Reading Standards for Literature
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the
text.
2. Determine a theme or central idea of text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it
3. Analyze how complex characters (those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interace with
I can…
1. Identify various types of drama
2. tell the difference between a comedy and a tragedy
3. describe a Shakesperean drama.
4. describe how characters are developed in a drama
5. Identify themes in drama
6. discuss the structure of a drama.
7. define and give examples of each of the following: exposition, rising action, climax, denouement, dialogue, monologue, soliloquy, aside,
dramatic irony
8. explain how the structure and elements of drama enhance reading/understanding of the story, using appropriate dramatic literary terms.
Teacher Expectations
I can…
9. complete ALL assignments, activities, essays and/or projects.
10. follow directions for ALL assignments, activities, essays and/or projects
11. put all work in order as it appears on the syllabus.
Task 1. Drama Defined
1. Get a Passing the CCGPS Georgia End of Course Test 9th grade Literature and Composition workbook.
a. Read pgs. 45-46, then answer the following questions on your own paper.
1. What is drama?
2. What are the two main types of drama?
3. Describe "tragedy"
4. Describe "comedy."
5. There is a long tradition that a comedy ends with the _____ of one or more main _____.
6. What are the other types of drama listed (there are FIVE of them).
Define the following terms:
7. dialogue
8. monologue
9. soliloquy
10. aside
11. On a piece of copy paper or small construction paper, compare "tragedy" to "comedy" in a
VENN diagram or a chart of some kind. Make it NEAT and EASY TO READ!!
Task 2. Some drama definitions
2. In the same workbook, read the indicated pages and answer the following questions.
p. 50 - 51. Plot.
1. Define plot.
2. Name AND DEFINE the SIX parts of plot
introduction
climax
rising action
falling action
conflict
resolution
3. What are the three steps to summarizing the plot?
p. 53-54, 56. Theme.
4. Define theme.
5. How is theme different from the central idea?
6. The book says that "sometimes you have to make inferences based on what you know and have read in
the story" to determin the theme. What does "inferences" mean?
7. P. 56. Describe the four steps on How to Find the Theme.
p. 60-61. Character.
8. Define character.
9. LIST and EXPLAIn the 6 ways characters can be developed
p. 62. Point of View
10. Define point of view.
11. It may help to think of point of view as a "____" from which the author shows you the story.
12. Define the following four points of view
First person
Third Person Omniscient
Second person
Third Person Limited
For the following questions, click on each link OR use the provided document named "Drama/Short Story Terms" to
help you answer them.
Conflict.
http://literary-devices.com/content/conflict
Four Types of Conflict
http://classroom.synonym.com/4-types-external-internal-conflict-literature-10224.html
13. Define conflict.
14. Name and define the FOUR types of conflict.
15. Which of the FOUR types of conflict is INTERNAL?
http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/glossary/g/protagonist.htm
Protagonist
16. Define protagonist.
Antagonist
http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/glossary/g/antagonist.htm
17. Define antagonist.
Round Character
http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/glossary/g/RoundCharacter.htm
18. What is a round character?
19. Round characters tend to be more fully _____ than flat, or static, characters.
Static Character
http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/glossary/g/static.htm
20. Define static character.
21. Also referred to as "___-_____ characters", they play a ____ role to the ____ character.
Structure of a Play
http://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/education/literature/five-act-play
22. Describe each part of the FIVE ACT STRUCTURE
Act 1-Exposition
Act 4-Falling Action
Act 2-Rising Action
Act 5-Resolution
Act 3-Climax
23. Look at the diagram of the plot structure. Where does the CLIMAX occur?
24. How does Aristotle's play structure differ from the 5 Act Structure?
Task 3. Read a Play
1. Choose a play from the list below.
1 The Miracle Worker- pg 635 in the gold literature book
2 Midsummer night’s Dream- No Fear Shakespeare book
3 Hamlet - No Fear Shakespeare book
4 MacBeth - Read the No Fear Shakespeare book OR the hardback graphic novel version
5 Monster - a novel written as a screenplay
6 12 Angry Men
2. BEFORE reading the play, look at TASK 4 below named "Questions on the Play" and read over ALL of the
questions.
You will answer these questions AFTER you have read the play but you should look at them first to help
you with reading the play format.
3. Read the play.
Task 4. Questions on the Play
After (or while) reading the play, answer the following EIGHT questions ON YOUR OWN PAPER.
Your answers should include complete sentences with correct spelling and punctucation.
Your answers should be more than one sentence.
Be sure to answer ALL parts of each question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Genre of the play
1. Can you tell what the genre is: comedy, tragedy, romance, etc.? Give examples from the play that proves
your answer.
2. Based on the genre, does the play end the way it's supposed to? Explain your answer, using details (and
page #s) from the play itself.
Setting
3. How does the setting affect various plot events? Follow the below directions to answer this question.
Select one scene from the play and discuss in detail. Give specific examples, include Act number,
Scene number and Page numbers!
Characters
4. Which character is the protagonist? How do you know?
5. Which character is the antagonist? How do you know?
6. What influences each character (for example, what influences the decisions each character makes)?
7. How does each character react to conflict (or problems they face)?
Conflict
8. What is the main conflict?
9. Is the main conflict internal or external?
10. Which of the four types of conflict is the main conflict? How do you know?
Stage Directions (Stage directions appear before and after dialogue - and sometimes within dialogue. They help you
figure out the setting, tells the actors where to stand and move, etc.)
11. How detailed is the staging?
12. Do the stage directions give you a sense of what the play is about and what is happening? Explain.
13. How hard would the play be to read without the stage directions? Explain.
Theme
14. What is the main theme (message, moral or idea) of the play?
Task 5. Plot Diagram
Create a plot diagram of the action of the play.
Use the attached blank diagram OR CREATE YOUR OWN on a small poster.
Exposition
Rising Action (include AT LEAST FOUR events leading to climax)
Climax
Falling Action (try to include AT LEAST TWO events)
Resolution
If you have forgotten what a plot diagram should look like, check out the following link to help you out.
http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/weltys/502/conceptmap.html#top
http://vashonsd.org/hello/images/plot_diagram.pdf
Task 6. Final Exam Project
1. The Final Exam Project is your final exam in this course and counts as a final exam grade.
It is a Power Point presentation, in which you will reflect upon what you learned in each unit you
complete in your English class, you will reflect upon what you did, what standards were addressed and what
you learned in each task.
Instead of waiting until the end of the semester to complete this final exam, you will work on it as you
complete each unit. That way your final exam will be finished when you complete your last unit for this
course.
2. Get the instructions for the Final Exam Project from your teacher.
Task 6. Grade yourself
1. Get a blank standards-based rubric from your teacher
2. Write each "I Can…" statement from the Standards chart in a separate box.
3. Then rate yourself as to how well you mastered each "I Can…" statement.
4. Bring all your work and the completed rubric to your teacher to discuss your work and your grade.