{"id":4679,"date":"2016-02-29T18:45:03","date_gmt":"2016-02-29T18:45:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/?p=4679"},"modified":"2016-02-29T18:45:03","modified_gmt":"2016-02-29T18:45:03","slug":"memorization-lesson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tedb-old.byu.edu\/?p=4679","title":{"rendered":"Memorization Lesson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Memorization Lesson<\/strong><\/p>\n

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by Jana Wilhite<\/em><\/p>\n

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Objective:<\/p>\n

Students will demonstrate understanding of memorization by applying memorization techniques to their performance piece.<\/p>\n

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Materials needed:<\/p>\n

Access to computer\/screen for video, whiteboard, markers, memorization handout (included in lesson plan attachment), Emily Dickenson poem (included below)<\/p>\n

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Hook:<\/p>\n

Direction (1 minute): <\/em>Before starting the video clip, introduce it to the students.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been talking about performing for a while now, and today we\u2019re going to learn about one of the most important, but often most difficult, concepts in performing live theatre. I want to remind you that even though this concept is hard, it is crucial for theatre, and it has applications in \u201creal world\u201d scenarios. As we watch this video, look for a common thread in the different clips. What do you think connects these videos, and how could this apply to our performance pieces?<\/p>\n

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Modeling (3 minutes): <\/em>Play video \u201cremember, remember.\u201d\u00a0 https:\/\/youtu.be\/qt1fUUXh-2c<\/a><\/p>\n

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Discussion (4 minutes):<\/em> Are there any ideas about what we\u2019re learning today? To start off, what were the clips we saw? (List them on the board: \u201cHey Black Child,\u201d Mark Wahlberg, Animaniacs, \u201cSuits,\u201d \u201cFriends,\u201d \u201cRain Man,\u201d Periodic table) Did you see any common themes? {Remember, recite, lists, etc.} What could this possibly have to do with monologues? At this point, the students should realize we\u2019ll be talking about memorization. If not, help them out. Write the word up on the board.<\/p>\n

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Step 1:<\/p>\n

Transition (5 minutes):<\/em> Have students pull out a piece of paper and answer the questions \u201cWhat is memorization?\u201d and\u00a0 \u201cWhy is memorization important in theatre?\u201d {professionalism, believability} Discuss the answers to these questions.<\/p>\n

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Step 2:<\/p>\n

Discussion (7 minutes): <\/em>Ask about the memorization in the video. Were these scenarios specifically theatrical? What could be some reasons these people memorized the things they performed? {learn about history, school project, interested in the subject, party trick, means of remembering, etc.} Does memorization have application outside of theatre? {school, work, religion: Quaran boys}<\/p>\n

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Step 3:<\/p>\n

Guided Practice (3 minutes): <\/em>If memorization is important for more than just theatre, let\u2019s think about some things that are hard to forget. For example, my dad forgets my cousins\u2019 names, but he knows ever make and model of car since the Model T. Come up to the board and create a word cloud of some things that you always remember, no matter what.<\/p>\n

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Discussion (4 minutes):<\/em> Come back together and have students share some examples. {867-5309, jingles, my grandma\u2019s phone number, middle school locker combo, pledge of allegiance, high school fight song, dad and cars, first kiss, embarrassing moments} Why are these easy to remember or hard to forget? {we care about them, repetition, music, emotional connection, etc.} (This can be an informal assessment for the day)<\/p>\n

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Guided Practice (1 minute)<\/em>: Pull out your performance piece script. Are there places where you can have a strong physical or emotional connection? Is there something in the piece you really care about? Mark these places directly on your paper.<\/p>\n

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Discussion (3 minutes): <\/em>On the flipside, what are some things that are really hard to remember? {Periodic table of the elements, friends\u2019 phone numbers, cousin\u2019s birthdays, formulas for volume, how to spell Wednesday, quadratic formula, left and right} Do you have devices or methods that help you to remember these?<\/p>\n

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Guided Practice (1 minute):<\/em> Look at your script again. Are there sections in your piece that are really difficult to remember? Mark these places. Can you think of anything that could help you remember these?<\/p>\n

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Step 4:<\/p>\n

Transition: <\/em>(How can we apply those methods and devices from Step 3 to theatre?)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Small Group Discussion (7 minutes): <\/em>Now that we\u2019ve talked about these ideas as a class, get into groups of two or three students and talk about some tricks we can carry over from remembering <\/em>into script memorization. (Check for Understanding: call on a student to repeat the directions.)<\/p>\n

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Step 5:<\/p>\n

Instruction (7 minutes): <\/em>Bring it back together and talk about the memorization tricks students came up with. Fill in the gaps they missed with ideas from the memorization techniques list. Pass out the \u201cMemorization Techniques\u201d handout.<\/p>\n

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Step 6:<\/p>\n

Modeling (7 minutes): <\/em>Now that we\u2019ve talked about what memorization is, why it\u2019s important, and how to do it, we finally get to actually memorize! We\u2019ll do one final application together, and then we\u2019ll split up so you work on memorizing your own monologues.<\/p>\n

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Put \u201cHope is the Thing with Feathers\u201d up on the board.<\/p>\n

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Emily Dickenson poem:<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHope\u201d is the thing with feathers –<\/p>\n

That perches in the soul –<\/p>\n

And sings the tune without the words –<\/p>\n

And never stops – at all –<\/p>\n

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This is one of my favorite poems. It\u2019s not very long, and I think we could memorize it together today. What are some techniques we could apply? (Write these out) {First Letters, repetition, read it out loud, write it down, record it, memorize it backwards, music (this poem fits the rhythm of the Harry Potter theme song), etc.}<\/p>\n

Memorization Techniques Possible Answers<\/em><\/p>\n