Objective: Students will demonstrate their in-depth knowledge of their historical characters by doing a research collection assignment.
Materials Needed: computers to research on, character choice papers that students wrote last time with the character you will be performing as written on them.
Hook: Hand out everyone’s character choices to research.
Step 1: Explain that today we will be doing some research on our historical characters. Ask. Why is it important to do research on your characters?
To get to know their background
To understand who they are so you can actually perform as them
To get ideas about what you could do as that character.
Why is it important to do this kind of research as an actor? In life?
You understand people and places so much better
You get all the hard stuff done now so that it gets easier later when you are trying to perform
It shows on stage when you are acting because you add depth to your character and reasoning behind your choices.
Step 2: Present research assignment for students up on the board. Students need:
Their name
Character’s name
Answer these questions:
where are they from,
what is their family life like,
what do they like to wear,
how do they interact with other people?
(add any other questions you might feel are important to know)
Four additional interesting and detailed facts about their characters that come from four different sources. None of those sources can be from Wikipedia, however, they can start there and search the links at the bottom.
They need to have a picture
Assessment: Have students print this research and turn it into the basket for points. Make sure it is filled out correctly and give them 15 points for having all the correct information.
