Page 106 - SpringBoard_ELA_CA_Smapler_Flipbook

Planning the unit
continued
4.13–4.14
4 class periods
To begin preparing for performing a comedic Shakespearean scene in Embedded Assessment 2, students conduct research to build background knowledge about Shakespeare and to establish context for the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Students conduct a close reading of quotes to practice making meaning of Shakespeare’s language, and they prepare and perform the quotes with attention to proper inflection, tone, gestures, and movement.
4.15–4.16
3 class periods
The next set of activities continues to develop effective collaborative groups. First, students collaborate as a class to read and make meaning of a specific scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream using summary and visualization. After creating group norms, students form acting companies. Each acting company engages
in a close reading of the specific scenes they will perform for the Embedded Assessment. Acting companies plan roles, discuss the humor to be exaggerated or created, analyze blocking, and begin rehearsal.
4.17–4.20
6 class periods
As students get close to the Embedded Assessment, they will respond to an informational text about performance challenges and begin memorization of
lines. Students will analyze aspects of their own role (character) and conduct a comparative analysis of different film adaptations and evaluate their own choices for performance. Acting companies participate in a dress rehearsal, and individuals reflect on and plan to address their strengths and challenges as performers.
Embedded Assessment 2 3 class periods
For the Embedded Assessment, students will have planned and conducted initial rehearsals for their performance that will demonstrate their understanding of Shakespeare’s text and its elements of comedy. After students finish the task, they will reflect on the successes and challenges of performing a comic scene.
Unit Resources at a Glance
Readings
Writing Tasks
Language Skills
“Made You Laugh,” by Marc Tyler Nobleman
“I’ve Got a Few Pet Peeves about Sea Creatures,” by Dave Barry
“Underfunded Schools Forced To Cut Past Tense from Language Programs,” from The Onion
“The Open Window,” by Saki
“A Day’s Work” from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain
“They Have Yarns,” by Carl Sandburg
“Mooses,” by T Hughes “El Chicle,” by Ana Castillo
Quickwrites: How is a comedian able to create laughter?; Reaction to humor in a story; Describe norms for working collaboratively; Challenges to performing?
Expository Writing Prompts
• Explain your sense of humor.
• Explain humor or a cartoon or comic strip.
• Explain humor the author creates.
• How does Barry use humor to
convey truth?
• How is satire used to expose folly?
Language and Writers Craft
Verbals Using Verbals
Grammar and Usage
Subject-Verb Agreement Active and Passive Voice Participial Phrases
Punctuation: Comma, Question Mark, Semicolon, Exclamation Point, Apostrophe
247d SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 8
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