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acTIVITY 4.10 continued
a Search the Internet to find the text of the skit “Who’s on First?” by Abbott and Costello. Provide copies for your students or have them view it online. Depending on time, you may also find the radio broadcast of Abbott and Costello performing the skit and play part of it for students. In addition, Youtube includes several videos of the duo performing the skit. Use the title of the skit as the search term.
b Before reading, watching, or listening to Abbot and Costello, ask students to pair-share to explore any prior knowledge they have about this skit. If possible, listen to a recording of the skit before reading the skit aloud as a class. During reading, role playing will help students see how the lines of dialogue play off each other for comic effect. After students read the skit, have them answer the analysis questions and compare responses with a peer.
aCTIVITy 4.10
continued
9. Sketch a baseball diamond on a separate piece of paper. As you read the skit, try to fill in the names of each of the players mentioned.
10. Write answers to the following questions about “Who’s on First?” and compare them with a peer.
• Why are Abbott and Costello having difficulty understanding each other?
• How does the wordplay create humor at a high level of comedy ?
11. Add your notes about comic language (hyperbole and wordplay) to the Elements of Humor graphic organizer in Activity 4.11.
Check Your Understanding
WRITING to SOURCES Expository Writing Prompt
Choose one of the texts from this or the previous activity. Explain how the writer uses comic language (hyperbole and/or wordplay) to convey a universal truth. Be sure to:
• Establish a controlling idea and support it with textual evidence (quotes from the text) and commentary explaining the humor.
• Use transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
• Use verbals and precise diction, including the correct use of humorous elements.
my Notes
aSSeSS
The writing prompt gives students an opportunity to practice writing analysis. Be sure to remind them about effective topic sentences and incorporating quotations smoothly and effectively into their own sentences. Commentary on textual evidence needs to be relevant
and precise. Students should independently complete this writing either as an in-class writing prompt or as homework. It can later be used as part of the evidence for their Embedded Assessment analysis.
aDaPT
M 9781457304644_TCB_LA_SE_L8_U4.indd 307
Unit 4 • The Challenge of Comedy 307 15/04/15
Challenge students to write an in-class analysis of the comic characters, situation, and wordplay of any of the previous texts that might be appropriate (Twain, Barry, Abbott and Costello) as practice for timed writing and as a draft for the
1:48 AM Embedded Assessment.
Unit 4 • The Challenge of Comedy 307
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.