Monday, May 24, 2010
Exam Revision! Join in and help each other!
_______________________________________________
Exam time is approaching, so here is an optional, ungraded small writing assignment that might help you in focusing on the sorts of issues that will be addressed in your exam. My suggestion is that you try to approach each as a timed writing (in order to further accustom yourself to this mode) and then post it here so that your classmates can read and benefit from your ideas. Good luck everyone!
_______________________________________________
Question 1 (30-40 minutes)
Imagine that you have been given the job of directing a full production of The Winslow Boy at our school that the entire school community (students, parents, teachers) will attend. Describe your production of this play in as much detail as possible. The questions below are some of the things you may like to discuss. You don't have to answer them all and you may want to discuss other aspects of your production too.
Who will you cast in which roles? Why? Where will you place your stage? Why? What will it look like? What costumes and makeup will you use? What lighting? Set? Props? What advice will you give to actors playing different roles? How will you block Act 1 (the scene we worked with in class)? etc.
Question 2 (30-40 minutes)
Imagine that you have been given the job of directing one short scene as part of a drama night at our school that the entire school community (students, parents, teachers) will attend and that your scene will need to be based on one of your three small group scenes based on IGCSE Drama exam pre-release stimuli. In other words, you will have to present either your group's "A Night on the Mountain" or your group's "All the World's a Stage I'm Going Through" or your group's "The Hitman". Describe your production of this scene in as much detail as possible. The questions below are some of the things you may like to discuss. You don't have to answer them all and you may want to discuss other aspects of your scene too.
Which scene will you choose? Why? Which aspects of the scene will you change? What will remain the same? Will you keep the same actors in the same roles? Why? Why not? Who will you cast in which roles? Why? What costumes and makeup will you use? What lighting? Set? Props? What advice will you give to actors playing different roles? etc.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Reflection - Monday, April 19
Friday, April 16, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Reflection, Monday, April 12
Absent: Isabella, Desiree, Matilda, Ema, Beatrice, Ashlie, Denis,
Friday, March 26, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Reflection - Thursday, March 25
Please submit your reflection on the work of today's class here.
NOTE: Please remember that "Picture Scenes" in particular need to be ready for performance soon after our return from break.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Change of Plans (Don't worry. It's nothing to get upset about!) (...And Thursday's Reflection!)
And yes...Please put your reflections here!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Quarter 4 - A Fresh Start!
I don't think that the date to which Grade 10 attends classes has yet been determined exactly. For our purposes, let's assume that we will continue having class-meetings through Thursday, May 6. (We will have to make further changes if it turns out that we don't have so much time.)
Assessments:
- Reflections (EVERY class meeting day)
Let's assume that every performance will take place BOTH in the class meeting of the listed date AND for an audience at Lunchtime on the same date.
- "Picture Scene" - April 27
- The Winslow Boy, Act 1 - April 28
- "A Night on the Mountain" - April 29
- "All the World's a Stage I'm Going Through" - May 5
- "The Hitman" - May 6
All work for coursework beyond the picture scene will take place outside class-time. Lunchtime recording can be scheduled one week in advance for any day other than Day 6.
Schedule of Remaining Class Meetings
Day 2 (Thursday, March 18) - Talk about quarter plan, rehearse The Winslow Boy
_____
Day 6 (Thursday, March 25) - Rehearse all five scenes
Day 1 (Friday, March 26) - Rehearse all five scenes
- - - - -
BREAK
- - - - -
Day 2 (Monday, April 12) Rehearse The Winslow Boy (Everyone off-book on everything from here on!)
_____
Day 6 (Friday, April 16) - Rehearse all five scenes
Day 1 (Monday, April 19) - Rehearse all five scenes
Day 2 (Tuesday, April 20) -Rehearse The Winslow Boy
_____
Day 6 (Tuesday, April 27) -Perform Picture Scene
Day 1 (Wednesday, April 28) - Perform The Winslow Boy
Day 2 (Thursday, April 29) - Perform "A Night on the Mountain"
_____
Day 6 (Wednesday, May 5) - Perform "All the World's a Stage I'm Going Through"
Day 1 (Thursday, May 6) - Perform "The Hitman"
Day 2 (Friday, May 7) - ?
My Coursework (I think)!
1. What monologue, so far, do you think is your strongest?
2. Might you want to make a new monologue recording? What monologue?
3. What group scene, so far, that you have written do you think is your strongest? (This cannot be from one of the exam stimuli.)
4. Might you want to make a new devised scene (one that you have written) recording? What scene? With whom? (This cannot be from one of the exam stimuli.)
5. What group scene, so far, from the repertoire of dramatic literature (someone's published script) do you think is your strongest?
6. Might you want to make a new repertoire scene recording? What scene? With whom? (This cannot be from one of the exam stimuli.)
Reflection - Wednesday, March 17
Today we discussed the requirement of writing reflections after every class, rehearsed picture scenes, rehearsed "A Night on the Mountain", developed "All the World's a Stage I'm Going Through" and developed "The Hitman".
Please put today's reflection here.
___________________________________
Groups for "All the World's a Stage I'm Going Through"
- Megan, Rebecca, Matilda and Sam
- Blue, Astrid, Isabella and Ashlie
- Desiree, Beatrice, Patrick, Denis and Ema
Groups for "The Hitman"
- Ema, Denis, Desiree, Patrick and Beatrice
- Isabella, Ashlie, Megan and Astrid
- Sam, Matilda, Rebecca and Blue
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Reflection - Tuesday, March 16
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Reflection - Wednesday, March 10
In this single period, we worked on group projects of "A Night on the Mountain". Please put your reflection here. (Copy and paste it here if you have already put it somewhere else, please.)
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Reflection - Tuesday, March 9
Today we worked further on picture scenes. Submit your reflection here.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Reflection - Monday, March 8
We then discussed whether any of the picture scenes would be re-performed for an improved grade during a lunch period this week and made a schedule for these performances.
We then performed and discussed our scripts for "A Night on the Mountain" to determine that all players were off-book as scheduled.
Finally, we spent our remaining time rehearsing our scene from The Winslow Boy.
Please submit your reflection as a comment here.
Please remember that tomorrow (Tuesday) we will be rehearsing "All The World's A Stage" and The Winslow Boy, that on Wednesday we will be rehearsing "A Night on the Mountain" and that next Tuesday (DAY 6), March 16 we will be performing "A Night on the Mountain" for a grade.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Reflection - Tuesday, March 2
(Ashlie, Ema and Matilda also put on a great performance of their repertoire scene at lunch today, so they can write about that if they like.)
Absent today: Izzy, Beatrice, Astrid (I'll try doing it this way from now on, but please leave a comment indicating that you were absent if I miss you.)
Monday, March 1, 2010
Reflection - Monday, March 1
Friday, February 19, 2010
"Picture Scenes" FINAL DRAFTS
The FINAL PERFORMANCE of this scene will still take place NEXT FRIDAY, so be sure to communicate and rehearse with your partner if she was absent.
Revised Schedule - Upcoming Class Meetings
DAY 2, Monday, Feb 22 - Quiz - The Winslow Boy
DAY 6, Friday, Feb 26 - PERFORM (Final) "Picture Scenes" AND "Repertoire Scenes"
DAY 1, Monday, Mar 1 - OFF-BOOK on The Winslow Boy (We will rehearse for a double period.)
DAY 2, Tuesday, Mar 2 - Rehearse "A Night on the Mountain"
DAY 6 Monday, Mar 8 -"A Night on the Mountain" OFF-BOOK (We will rehearse this scene and The Winslow Boy.)
DAY 1, March 9 - We will rehearse "All the World's a Stage I'm Going Through" and The Winslow Boy.
DAY 2 Wednesday, Mar 10 - Rehearse "A Night on the Mountain"
DAY 6 Tuesday, Mar 16 - PERFORM (Final) "A Night on the Mountain"
We will, of course, be working on much other stuff after this, but let's just concentrate on this work for now.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
On-line Quiz - The Winslow Boy
1. (12) Summarize as best you can the story of The Winslow Boy in exactly twelve sentences.
2 - 10. (18) If you were directing a production of The Winslow Boy and were allowed to give each actor exactly three sentences description so that that actor could under stand his/her character what would your three sentences be for each of these characters?
2. Arthur
3. Catherine
4. Ronnie
5. Dickie
6. Grace
7. Violet
8. John
9. Desmond
10. Sir Robert
11. (10) What do you think is the climax of this film? Why?
12. (20) Though we had only read Act One of the play before seeing the film, there are bound to have been some differences, however small, between the film's interpretation of the story and yours. What were some of the decisions made by the screenwriter, director, editor, actors in this film that differed from the way you had imagined The Winslow Boy? Is there anything that you would have done differently if you had been making this film? What? Why?
13. (10) Which character in The Winslow Boy do you think would be the most challenging for an (appropriately cast) actor to play? Why?
14. (20) Describe one relationship between characters in The Winslow Boy. How do we know about this relationship through the text? What extra-textual aspects of a dramatic production could enhance our understanding of this relationship?
15. (20) Describe a second relationship between characters in The Winslow Boy. How do we know about this relationship through the text? What extra-textual aspects of a dramatic production could enhance our understanding of this relationship?
Reflection - Friday, February 19
Please remember that on Monday you will be given a quiz on The Winslow Boy! If you missed viewing part of the film in class, be sure to view the portion you missed. Consider how you would summarize the story to one who was unfamiliar with it. Consider how you would describe the characters. Consider how you would produce the play if you were a director. Consider which of the roles might be challenging and how. Consider how, as an audience, we understand the relationships between these characters based on the script but also on other dramatic elements.
Reflection, Thursday, February 18
Please write your reflection on what we watched today here. (Remember that reflective writing is meant to go beyond summary and that these posts are meant to represent ten minutes of thinking and writing.)
Please remember also that by tomorrow (the original deadline was today) ALL students are meant to have a full "picture scene" script written and are meant to be "off-book" on lines from this "picture scene". We need to have these to work on tomorrow, so if you need to put in extra work tonight, please do it.
Please also remember that on Monday we will be having a quiz on The Winslow Boy. In preparation for this quiz, please be sure to watch the remainder of this film thoughtfully. Consider how you would summarize the story to one who was unfamiliar with it. Consider how you would describe the characters. Consider how you would produce the play if you were a director. Consider which of the roles might be challenging and how. Consider how, as an audience, we understand the relationships between these characters based on the script but also on other dramatic elements.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Reflection, Tuesday, February 9
PLEASE NOTE: ALL THIRTEEN students agreed today to submit a ten-minute reflection EVERY CLASS DAY with the understanding that ALL THESE REFLECTIONS will be GRADED. Please REMEMBER THIS AGREEMENT and submit your reflections!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Reflection - Monday, February 8
PLEASE ALSO NOTE:
1. Tomorrow (Tuesday, DAY 2), we will be working on "Picture Scenes". These scenes are particularly important to those taking the IGCSE, as your picture scene will almost certainly serve as a piece of your coursework and, as such, account for 20% of your course grade. Please take these seriously and have them reflect your best ideas.
2. I have sent a large set of monologues to those students taking the IGCSE. If you feel as though you would be well served by performing another monologue to serve as your IGCSE coursework monologue, please look through these and choose one you would like to work with. If you don't find any here, I have others. Ask me!
3. I have also sent out to those taking the IGCSE the scene from The Queen Must Die with which a set of students have been having success. Please consider learning one of these roles in order to have another potential piece of strong coursework.
4. TOO MANY STUDENTS ARE NEGLECTING THESE REFLECTIONS! Please start participating in this NOW! If you do not, it will negatively affect your grade.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Reflection - Friday, February 8
Monday, February 1, 2010
The Winslow Boy - Roles
By the way, we still seem to be having a problem with students submitting a reflection for each class day. These reflections (or their absence) will affect grades. Please be sure to submit one for today and for all future days. This is not something on which you can submit late "catch-up" work. Those students who were absent today (Isabella and Rebecca) please just submit a comment indicating that you were absent.
Violet - Sam
Ronnie - Isabella, Beatrice
Arthur - Ashlie, Blue
Grace - Ema, Desiree
Catherine - Matilda, Astrid
Dickie - Megan
John - Denis, Rebecca
Desmond - Patrick
Start learning your lines now!
Reflection - Monday, February 1
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Reflection - Thursday, January 28
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
"A Night on the Mountain" - Script
Reflection - Wednesday, January 27
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU SHOULD SUBMIT A COMMENT FOR ALL REFLECTIONS EVEN IF IT ONLY SAYS "I WAS ABSENT FOR TODAY'S CLASS."
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Reflection - Wednesday, January 20
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Reflection,- Tuesday, January 19
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Reflection - Tuesday, January 12
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Script - "All the World's a Stage I'm Going Through"
Reflection - Wednesday, January 13
Monday, January 11, 2010
Pictures!
Ashlie, Beatrice and Patrick - To be determined
Picture Scene Scripts!
Monday, January 11 - Reflection
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Picture Scenes
Tuesday, January 5 - Reflection
"The Queen Must Die"
Matilda, Ashlie, Ema (absent)
"Daddy Long Legs"
Desiree, Astrid, Rebecca, Isabella, Beatrice (absent)
"Shelter"
Patrick, Blue, Denis, Sam, Megan
Please submit your reflection on today's work as a comment here.
Monday, January 4, 2010
"A Night on the Mountain"
Group 1
Ema, Isabella, Matilda
Group 2
Desiree, Patrick, Astrid
Group 3
Denis, Rebecca, Megan
Group 4
Beatrice, Ashlie, Blue, Sam
"All the World's a Stage I'm Going Through"
Group 1
Ema, Ashlie, Patrick
Group 2
Desiree, Megan, Matilda
Group 3
Denis, Astrid, Sam
Group 4
Beatrice, Rebecca
Group 5
Blue, Isabella
After School Movies - The Winslow Boy
Tentative Schedule
(This is the planned schedule as of January 4. It remains subject to change. You will be notified of any changes.)
From now on there will be homework on every Day 1, Day 2 and Day 6. This homework will be fifteen minutes of reflective writing on that day's class(es) submitted to the class blog. For the purpose of our class, fifteen minutes of reflective writing means fifteen minutes of your best writing and ideas that in some way go beyond just summary.
Day 1 - Mon, Jan 4
Period 3 - "All the World's A Stage..." - Grouping, Planning, Script Writing
Period 4 - "A Night on the Mountain" - Grouping, Planning, Script Writing
Day 2 - Tues, Jan 5 - Repertoire Scene - Rehearsal
Day 6 - Tues, Jan 12 - HW (By Day 6) = Plan 3 possible scenes from the pictures in facebook photo album at http://www.facebook.com/album.
Period 7 - Picture Scene - Grouping, Planning, Script Writing
Period 8 - The Winslow Boy - Reading and Casting
Quarter 3, Cycle 1
Day 1 - Wed, Jan 13
Period 3, Period 4 - Repertoire Scene Rehearsal (Everyone MUST BE OFF-BOOK)
Day 2 - Thurs - Jan 14 "All the World's a Stage" - Script Writing and Rehearsal
Day 6 - Tues, Jan 19
Period 7, Period 8 - Repertoire Scene Rehearsal
Quarter 3, Cycle 2
Day 1 - Wed, Jan 20
Period 3 -"A Night on the Mountain" - Script Writing and Rehearsal
Period 4 - Picture Scene - Script Writing and Rehearsal
Day 2 - Thurs, Jan 21 - The Winslow Boy - Rehearsal
Day 6 - Wed, Jan 27
Period 7, Period 8 - Repertoire Scene - FINAL PERFORMANCE
Quarter 3, Cycle 3
Day 1 - Thurs, Jan 28
Period 3, Period 4 - Picture Scene Rehearsal
Day 2 - Monday - Feb 1 - "All the World's a Stage" - Rehearsal
Day 6 - Friday, Feb 6
Period 7, Period 8 - Picture Scene Rehearsal (Everyone MUST BE OFF-BOOK)
Quarter 3, Cycle 4
Day 1 - Monday, Feb 8
Period 3 - "All the World's a Stage" - Rehearsal
Period 4 - "A Night on the Mountain" - Rehearsal
Day 2 - Tues, Feb 9 - The Winslow Boy - Rehearsal
Day 6 - Thursday, Feb 18
Period 7, Period 8 - Picture Scene - Rehearsal
Quarter 3, Cycle 5
Day 1 - Friday, Feb 19
Period 3 - "All the World's a Stage" - Rehearsal (Everyone MUST BE OFF-BOOK)
Period 4 - "A Night on the Mountain" - Rehearsal (Everyone MUST BE OFF-BOOK)
Day 2 - Monday, Feb 22 - Picture Scene Rehearsal
Day 6 - Friday , Feb 26
Period 7, Period 8 - Picture Scene - Rehearsal
Quarter 3, Cycle 6
Day 1 - Monday, Mar 1
Period 3, Period 4 - The Winslow Boy - Rehearsal (Everyone MUST BE OFF-BOOK)
Day 2 - Tuesday, Mar 2 - Picture Scene- Rehearsal
Day 6 - Monday, Mar 8
Period 7, Period 8 - Picture Scene - FINAL PERFORMANCE
Quarter 4, Cycle 1
Day 1 - Tuesday, Mar 9
Period 3, Period 4 - "All the World's A Stage" - Rehearsal
Day 2 - Wednesday, Mar 10 - "The Hit Man" - Grouping, Planning, Script Writing
Day 6 - Tuesday, Mar 16
Period 7, Period 8 - "All the World's A Stage" - FINAL PERFORMANCE
Quarter 4, Cycle 2
Day 1 - Wednesday, Mar 17
Period 3, Period 4 - "A Night on the Mountain" - Rehearsal
Day 2 - Thursday, Mar 18 - "The Hit Man" - Script Writing and Rehearsal
Day 6 - Thursday, Mar 25
Period 7, Period 8 - "A Night on the Mountain" - FINAL PERFORMANCE
Quarter 4, Cycle 3
Day 1 - Friday, Mar 26
Period 3, Period 4 - The Winslow Boy - Rehearsal
Day 2 - Mon, Apr 12 - "The Hit Man" - Rehearsal
Day 6 - Friday, Apr 16
Period 7, Period 8 - The Winslow Boy - Rehearsal
Quarter 4, Cycle 4
Day 1 - Mon, Apr 19
Period 3, Period 4 - "The Hit Man" - Rehearsal (Everyone MUST BE OFF-BOOK)
Day 2 - Tues, Apr 20 - The Winslow Boy - Rehearsal
Day 6 - Tues, Apr 27
Period 7, Period 8 - The Winslow Boy - FINAL PERFORMANCE
Quarter 4, Cycle 5
Day 1 - Wednesday, Apr 28
Period 3, Period 4 - "The Hit Man" - FINAL PERFORMANCE
Day 2 - Thurs, Apr 29 - EXAM REVISION (ALL REMAINING CLASSES will be devoted to revision.)
PLEASE NOTE: For the purposes of our class, "OFF-BOOK" means knowing ALL LINES and not needing a script at all. It DOES NOT mean knowing some or most or even almost all lines. Rehearsal on ALL DAYS after which students are meant to be OFF-BOOK will be assessed. Students who are not OFF-BOOK at rehearsals by which they need to be will fail that day's assessment. This means that not being OFF-BOOK by the set date on several occasions will seriously bring down a quarter grade. Please make sure that this doesn't happen. Everyone has demonstrated that they can learn lines. Knowing all lines by a set date just means getting a certain part of the work out of the way early. Having time to rehearse without worrying about lines any more will greatly improve everyone's work.