{"id":1263,"date":"2015-03-16T20:05:03","date_gmt":"2015-03-16T20:05:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tedb-wp.byu.edu\/?page_id=1263"},"modified":"2015-05-15T19:28:04","modified_gmt":"2015-05-15T19:28:04","slug":"character-background-discovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/?p=1263","title":{"rendered":"Character Background Discovery"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4><strong>Objective<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Students will demonstrate an understanding of the methods of discovering character analysis by actively participating in the discussions and activities throughout the lesson.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>**This lesson is intended to give students experience discovering character analysis sources\/techniques and may be a couple class periods long.\u00a0 Then students can apply these principles to their own character work for a specific performance piece.**<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Materials Needed<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Copies of the\u00a0<em>Trifles<\/em>\u00a0scene \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Trifles-Scene.docx\">Trifles Scene<\/a><\/li>\n<li><em>Trifles\u00a0<\/em>script for each student (not included)<\/li>\n<li>White board &amp; markers<\/li>\n<li>History resource documents \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/History-Resource-Documents.docx\">History Resource Documents<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Lesson Directions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Get two volunteers, and have the students read the\u00a0<em>Trifles<\/em>\u00a0scene for the class<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 1:\u00a0<em>instruction<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Tell the students that we will be spending the class period getting to know these characters.\u00a0\u00a0Ask them what sources we have that help us get to know the characters.\u00a0\u00a0Lead them to the following sources (and write them on the board):<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>What we glean from the script<\/li>\n<li>What we learn from history and research<\/li>\n<li>What we discover from our own experience<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 2:\u00a0<em>discussion<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Ask students what they can discover from the script, and why that is important.\u00a0\u00a0Ensure that the following three sources are identified: 1- what the author says about the character, 2- what the character says about him or herself, 3- what others say about the character.\u00a0\u00a0(Write them on board)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 3:\u00a0<em>transition<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Tell the class that we will analyze Mrs. Hale as a class.\u00a0\u00a0Divide the class into three groups.\u00a0\u00a0Assign each group one of the sources for discovering information from a script.\u00a0\u00a0Each group will read the entire script (it should take about 25 minutes) and students will rotate roles in reading the script.\u00a0\u00a0Students who are not reading will act as scribes to write down the information that is gathered as the script is read.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 4:\u00a0<em>group practice<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In groups, proceed to read the script.\u00a0\u00a0Reassign readers every few pages.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 5:\u00a0<em>transition<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em>Create three columns on the board for each of the sources of finding information on the character.\u00a0\u00a0After reading the script, have each group list the information they discovered on the board.\u00a0\u00a0Briefly discuss what we already know, and ask students what else we might need to know to fully develop the character of Mrs. Hale.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 6:\u00a0<em>discussion<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Ask students to give examples of how history and culture can affect a character.\u00a0\u00a0Have them come up with several questions about Mrs. Hale that might be better answered by knowing about the history of the time.\u00a0\u00a0(i.e. What religion was she?\u00a0\u00a0What was her relationship like with her husband?\u00a0\u00a0What were her daily duties as a farmer&#8217;s wife?)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 7:\u00a0<em>instruction<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Using the notes from the supplemental material, talk to them briefly about the historical period of\u00a0<em>Trifles<\/em>, to help them understand how that can affect the characters.\u00a0Brainstorm a list of search words they could put into an internet search engine to lead them to learning about the history\/culture\/time period, etc.\u00a0 If they have access to them, have them use their phones or tablets or computers to immediately research and explore the history, etc.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This could also be put to them as homework: Assign them to come back to class next time with 2-3 facts about the time period that might affect Mrs. Hale and the story.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 8:\u00a0<em>group practice<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In groups of 2 or 3, have them look over their research and other history resource documents to see what they can discover, writing down what they find.\u00a0(This should be a\u00a0<em>taste<\/em>\u00a0of historical research, not a comprehensive experience.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 9:\u00a0<em>discussion<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Have students share findings with the class and discuss how further research could be helpful.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 10:\u00a0<em>instruction<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Remind students that there are still holes in our character&#8217;s history.\u00a0\u00a0To fill in those holes, we must discover who they are through what we can deduce (or guess) and through our own experiences.\u00a0\u00a0One way to do this is to ask ourselves what happened five minutes before the scene took place, and what the character will do five minutes after.\u00a0\u00a0Ask students to give examples of how what\u00a0<em>just\u00a0<\/em>happened might affect what is taking place, and how it takes place.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Step 11:\u00a0<em>guided practice<\/em><\/p>\n<p>As a class, come up with what may have happened to Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale five minutes before the scene and five minutes after.\u00a0\u00a0Write discoveries on the board.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Step 12:\u00a0transition<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Highlight how much information there is on the board now.\u00a0 There are some details that we may know or guess about a character.\u00a0\u00a0These details alone will not create an interesting character.\u00a0\u00a0We need to ask the big WHY.\u00a0\u00a0To access this information, we need to know ourselves first.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Step 13:\u00a0guided practice<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Have students list an interesting detail about themselves (other than a physical characteristic), i.e. \u201cMy favorite color is blue\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0Ask one or two students WHY that detail is so.\u00a0Continue to ask them to dig, until they hit on a real reason, ie \u201cI have blue eyes, and I think that blue makes me look the most beautiful\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0Have all the students write down the WHY behind the detail.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Step 14:\u00a0instruction<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Have students think about life-changing experiences &#8211; those things that are so painful or so tender that we don&#8217;t think about them on a regular basis.\u00a0\u00a0We don&#8217;t normally talk about them or think about them because they are either too dear to us, or too painful.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Step 15:\u00a0directions<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Have students think deeply about experiences they have had that have been life-changing and have had a part in shaping who they are.\u00a0\u00a0They are to write down this experience.\u00a0\u00a0It must be turned in to receive credit, but if they don&#8217;t want the teacher to read it, they should just staple it shut.\u00a0\u00a0As long as it is complete, they will receive credit.\u00a0Allow them to take time to think about this, and write down their experience.\u00a0By going deep into ourselves and remembering details about how this experience changed us can be carried over to a character and their world.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0Step 16: individual practice<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Now apply all the work they have just done to the character of Mrs. Hale \u2013 take the information gathered on the board through the three sources and create a life-changing experience that she has had in her life previous to the play\u2019s story.\u00a0 Students can work by themselves or with a partner.\u00a0 They should imagine in detail her experience \u2013 grounded in the research of the three sources \u2013 and write it out however they choose (monologue, journal entry, essay, newspaper reporter article in third person, etc.).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Step 17: group sharing<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Have the students share with each other the experiences of Mrs. Hale.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Step 18: application<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Students should take the ideas of the three sources and life-changing experience exploration and apply it to their own character in their next performance\/unit.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CLOSURE: Before class ends, remind students of the three ways that we gather information about our characters.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Assessment<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Through discussion and participation, check to see that students understand the three ways of finding information about a character.\u00a0\u00a0Collect the students\u2019 life-changing experiences for completion points.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Author&#8217;s Notes<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>ADAPTATIONS: Students who have difficulty writing may verbally describe to the teacher each of the methods of discovering character background, as well as participating in the group discussion.\u00a0\u00a0Pair students who have difficulty reading &amp; comprehending information with students who can assist them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Students will demonstrate an understanding of the methods of discovering character analysis by actively participating in the discussions and activities throughout the lesson.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[48,47],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1263"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1263"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3473,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1263\/revisions\/3473"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}