copyright 2000   		 
Script Analysis




Background

Students are beginning a Drama unit and will be reading and responding to a variety of plays and dramatic forms (radio plays, stage plays, screenplays, teleplays). Students will also be writing an original dramatic dialogue and must be able to identify elements of a script and use these elements properly.

Brief Description of the Lesson

Students will determine the elements of a script (dialogue, stage directions) inductively by first comparing dramatic dialogue to prose, then by comparing two samples of dramatic dialogue, and finally by completing an unfinished "Drama Rulebook," putting dramatic conventions they discover in the form of rules.

Learning Objectives/Goal

Students will analyze examples of drama and prose and identify the unique characteristics of dramatic dialogue (script form).

Intended Grade Level or Audience

Grade 8 students (or middle school)

Concepts Covered in the Lesson

  • content area: Language Arts
  • teaching method: inductive; cooperative learning

Materials or Equipment List

  • class set of copy of page from Anne Frank: Diary of a 
    Young Girl (autobiography)
  • class set of copy of page from The Diary of Anne Frank 
    (play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett)
  • class set of copy of page from Heartfield script (the Heartfield script and Anne Frank material are suggested due to the nature of this site, but in practice, any play scripts may be used)
  • class set of Drama Rulebook worksheet
  • class set of "Venn Diagram" sheet
  • overhead projector
  • overhead marker
  • transparency of Venn Diagram
  • blank transparency
  • class set of "Error-filled Script"

Procedures

  • Students read excerpt from Anne Frank's diary and 
    dramatized version of the same scene (such as Peter 
    and Anne's kiss at end of Act II, scene 2 and the same 
    event described in Anne's diary).

  • Students in pairs complete Venn Diagram describing 
    the similarities and differences between the script and 
    the prose form of the scene (students are directed to 
    find at least one similarity and three differences).

  • Teacher (emphasizing differences) leads class in 
    discussion and records student responses on Venn 
    Diagram transparency using overhead marker and 
    projector.

  • Teacher distributes second example of dramatic 
    dialogue; students in (different) pairs examine the two
    script pages and determine commonalties 
    (Think-Pair-Share).

  • Teacher elicits responses from students and records 
    on blank transparency on overhead.

    expected responses: 
    "neither uses quotation marks when characters speak"
    "both have stage directions, but some are long, some short"
    "character's name is either written in all caps or boldfaced with a colon after it and is put before his/her dialogue"
    "stage directions are in italics"
    "stage directions are in parentheses"

  • Teacher informs students that they have just determined
    the rules for writing a script; teacher distributes copies
    of Drama Rulebook worksheet and students complete it 
    individually.

    note: The Drama Rulebook worksheet contains two 
    sections (dialogue and stage directions) of unfinished 
    rules regarding dramatic dialogue. Answers to Drama Rulebook worksheet: 1. characters 2. spoken 3. quotation 4. on the same line 5. capitalized 6. colon 7. period 8. movements or actions 9. action or setting 10. italicized 11. parentheses

  • Students share and discuss responses.

  • Students correct error-filled script individually.

Assessment Activities

Students must correct an error-filled script, applying the rules they discovered. Students will also later use their "Drama Rulebooks" during the structured writing of an original dramatic dialogue. Venn Diagrams and "Drama Rulebooks" may also be collected and assessed by the teacher.
 
 
 

Created by: David Hillenburg