WIXLIB

Compare and Contrast PaperDirections:Throughout the unit we have been taking notes over the Zeffirelli and the Luhrmann adaptations of Romeo andJuliet. Your task is to go through your observation notes and use them to write a comparison and contrast paper where youmake an argument for which adaptation is the best adaptation. The paper should be, at minimum, two pages long, singlespace, front-side only.You will have time to write a rough draft as well as to have a peer conference (with the same person that you arepartners with in the reflective journal) and to make revisions before writing your final draft to turn in to me.Remember the stages of comparing and contrasting: identify, characterize,prioritize, compare and contrast, and make a value judgment.Rubric:X6Comparison andContrastEvaluation/ 605The writersuccessfully usesseveralreasons/appeals to tryto show why thereader should care orwant to know moreabout the topic.The paper statessufficient facts toshow similarities.The paper statessufficient facts toshow differences.The writer makes aclear and wellsupported judgmentabout the adaptations.The writer includesplenty of relevantdetails and facts tosupport their position.They think of possiblecounter-argumentsand effectively rebutthem.Content4The writersuccessfully uses oneor tworeasons/appeals to tryto show why thereader should care orwant to know moreabout the topic.The paper states somefacts to showsimilarities.The paper states somefacts to showdifferences.The writer makes aclear and reasonedjudgment about theadaptations. Thewriter includes somedetails and facts tosupport their decision,but some points areleft withoutjustification. Thewriter has thoughtabout possiblecounter-arguments,but does noteffectively rebutthem.3The writer attempts tomake the reader careabout the topic, but isnot really successful.The paper only statesone similarity.The paper only statesone difference.2The writer made noattempt to make thereader care about thetopic.The paper states nosimilarities.The paper states nodifferences.The writer makes ajudgment about theadaptation withsupporting details andfacts. However, thejudgment isinconsistent. Thewriter makes noindication that theythought about anyopposing arguments.The writer gives anopinion, not aninformed judgment.There are little to nosupporting details orfacts .

X4Conventionsand WordChoice5Writer may have madesome surface errors,but they do not hinderthe reader fromunderstanding thecontent. Writer usesvivid words andphrases that linger ordraw pictures in thereader's mind, and thechoice and placementof the words seemsaccurate, natural andnot forced.Style and Process43Writer not only hasWriter makes surfacesurface errors, but they errors and many errorsalso have some errorsthat are serious enoughthat are serious enough to distract the readerto hinder the readerfrom the content of thefrom understanding the piece. This piece wouldpoint being made.have benefited fromWriter uses vividmore careful revisionwords and phrases that and editing.linger or draw pictures Writer uses words thatin the reader's mind,communicate clearly,but occasionally thebut the writing lackswords are usedvariety, punch or flair.inaccurately or seemoverdone.OrganizationPaper follows aconsistent order; breaksinformation intointroduction,compare/contrast,evaluation, andconclusion.Paper follows a fairlyconsistent order; breaksinformation intointroduction,compare/contrast,evaluation, andconclusion.Paper order isinconsistent; Somedetails are not in theexpected order.Rough DraftThe rough draft iscomplete. Evidence ofthorough editing andrevision is present.The rough draft ismostly complete and itis clear that there hasbeen editing andrevisionThe rough draft iseither incomplete orshows a lack of editingand revision./ 60Total Points / 120Comments:2Writer makes so manyserious errors that thereader has troublefollowing the train ofthought through mostof the piece. It is clearthat there was norevision or editing.Writer uses a limitedvocabulary that doesnot communicatestrongly or capture thereader's interest. Jargonor clichés may bepresent and detractfrom the meaning.Many details are not ina logical or expectedorder. There is littlesense of organization.The paper is confusing.There is no rough draft.

III. Student Adaptation ProjectNow that students have had the chance to evaluate two different adaptations of the play, they now have the task ofmaking their own adaptation with other students. Students will break into groups of four to five. Each group will beresponsible for putting on a puppet show for the class. In addition to putting on the puppet show, each group will be askedquestions about their adaptation choices by their instructor and by their classmates. Between the performance and thequestion and answer session, each group will have about 10 minutes. This next part will not be graded, but every studentwill be given a pack of index cards. They are to write a 2-3 sentence ‘review’ of each performance that they see, givingthe reviews to me. I will compile the commentary for each group and give them to the group members with their grades.

Puppet ShowDirections:As a group, you will be putting on a puppet show adaptation of Romeo and Juliet for your classmates. You areencouraged to use your collective imaginations to expand the vision of your play beyond a traditional transcription of theplay. You are expected to write your own dialogue in your own language (meaning non-Elizabethan English).Everyone will have 3 and ½ class periods to complete the project.You have a lot of creative freedom for your adaptation, but you must be prepared to answer questions fromyour teacher and your classmates to explain and support your adaptation decisions.Rubric:X55Comprehension The adaptation and theresponse to questionsreflect understandingthe plot features of theoriginal play or scene,including nuances.Adaptation reflectsunderstanding ofcharacterization,themes, motifs andother literary featuresof the original scene.OriginalityProject is unique, doesnot look like theothers. Showscreativity that works, itis not just weird butexciting and fresh.Project displaysinventiveness, oftenwith unexpected twistsor surprises. Uniquepersonalities of authorsare highly reflected.DialogueDialogue developscharacter, advancesplot, and providesinformation in regardsto past, present, andfuture. Dialoguecontains both text andsubtext.Play and Script4The adaptation and theresponse to questionsreflect understandingof major events in theoriginal play or scene.Adaptation reflectssolid understanding ofcharacterization andthemes of the originalscene.Project is nice andworks, but is notunique. It has similarcomponents as otherpresentations. Thepersonalities of theauthors are present inthe work.Dialogue developscharacter, advancesplot, and providesinformation.3The adaptation and theresponse to questionsreflect understandingof most events in theoriginal play.Adaptation reflectssome understanding ofcharacterization andthemes but few otherliterary aspects of theoriginal play or scene.2The adaptation andresponse to questionsreflects minimalunderstanding of plotfeatures of the originalplay or scene.Adaptation reflectsminimal understandingof characterization andthemes in the originalscene.Project appears forced,hard to follow. Has toomany parts that arestrange and do notserve any purpose.Tried to be creative butdoes not work. Theproject was so focusedon including uniquethings that it does notinclude thepersonalities of theauthors.Dialogue does not doenough. Either doesnot develop character,advance plot, orprovide information.There are minorinconsistencies.Project shows noattempts at creativityor originality. It isbland and does notillicit any excitementfrom the audience.There is no personalityof the authors present.Dialogue hurts theplay. It is off topic andpointless. There is noconsistency.

Conventionsand WordChoiceWriter may have madesome surface errors,but they do not hinderthe reader fromunderstanding thecontent. Writer usesvivid words andphrases that linger ordraw pictures in thereader's mind, and thechoice and placementof the words seemsaccurate, natural andnot forced.Writer not only hassurface errors, but theyalso have some errorsthat are serious enoughto hinder the readerfrom understanding thepoint being made.Writer uses vividwords and phrases thatlinger or draw picturesin the reader's mind,but occasionally thewords are usedinaccurately or seemoverdone.Writer makes surfaceerrors and many errorsthat are serious enoughto distract the readerfrom the content of thepiece. This piecewould have benefitedfrom more carefulrevision and editing.Writer uses words thatcommunicate clearly,but the writing lacksvariety, punch or flair.Writer makes so manyserious errors that thereader has troublefollowing the train ofthought through mostof the piece. It is clearthat there was norevision or editing.Writer uses a limitedvocabulary that doesnot communicatestrongly or capture thereader's interest.Jargon or clichés maybe present and detractfrom the meaning./ 100PerformanceX5Puppets5Puppets are creativeand well constructed.It appears that thestudents spent time onpuppets and tookpride in their work.4Puppets are wellconstructed and readyon time, but theycould have been morecreative.FluencyStudents are clearlyfamiliar with the playand their lines. Theystay in character anddo not stumble.Students haverehearsed.Students are familiarwith most of the playand their lines. Theystay in character butstumble over some oftheir lines.EnthusiasmThe student displaysenergy and creativityin all elements of theperformance and isvery enthusiastic allof the time.The student displaysenergy and creativityin most elements ofthe performance andis enthusiastic most ofthe time./ 753Puppets are ready ontime, but the studentscould have spent moretime making thepuppet. They are notneat, well constructed,or creative.Students are not wellprepared for theperformance. Theyhave trouble stayingin character andsaying their lines.They might goof offand go off script.The student displaysenergy and creativityin some elements ofthe performance anddisplays enthusiasmsome of the time.2Puppets are not readywhen class starts andis thrown together atthe last minute.Students clearly didnot put effort intocreating the puppets.Students are clearlyreading their linesduring theperformance for thefirst time. Theystumble and do notstay in character.They are off taskduring the play.The student displaysenergy and creativityin a few elements ofthe performance andis rarely enthusiastic.

Group DynamicsFor this portion of the project, you will receive three grades that will total up to 25 possible pts.InstructorPeerSelfExpectations13 points6 points6 pointsThe student isessential for thesuccess of the group.They stay positive andconstructive with theirgroup members. Theycomplete their workon time and well andhelp others.9 points4 points4 pointsThe student has apositive impact on thegroup. Theyparticipate with groupwork and discussions.They complete theirwork on time andwell.5 points2 points2 pointsThe student does notparticipate in anygroup discussions orgroup work, but theycomplete their ownwork for the group ontime. They neitherhelp nor hurt thegroup much.2 points***1 point1 pointThe student harms thegroup overall withtheir negativity. Theydo not cooperate withtheir group membersand they do notcomplete their workon time./ 25Total Points / 200***Anyone whose peers score them with 1 point will receive a failing grade. For the sake of fairness, they will notbenefit from the hard work of their peers if they do not contribute anything to the group product.Comments:

Group SheetTake a look at the Group Dynamics section on your rubric sheet. Think about how you and your group membersindividually contributed to the project and under which column you and your group members would fall.Please score yourself (5, 4, 2, or 1). and describe here in detail what you individually contributed to the project.Name:Score:Contributions:Please list here the names of you group members and the score that you would give them (5, 4, 2, 1).Please also give a brief (2-3 sentence) explanation as to why you are giving them that score. If you need more space, writeon the back of this nName:Name:Score:Score:Explanation:Explanation

IV. Class ParticipationStudents will have a variety of opportunities to participate actively in class. Most days, for example, the class willstart with a short engagement activity, often a drama exercise. Students can also volunteer for read-alouds or to presenttheir group’s work for the class. Their participation requirement can also be fulfilled through asking good questionsduring class discussion. The students will not be required to do all of these things in order to fulfill the class participationrequirement, but they are responsible for finding ways to actively contribute at least once a week. There is no rubric forclass participation. However, I will keep a running log of simple check marks.

Participation LogDates: toActivity and DateStudentName

Rationale

Classroom RealitiesWhile developing this unit, I had to negotiate between two different desires: the desire to create a unit that I coulduse while I am student teaching at Apalachee High School and the desire to create a unit that is not so contextualized inmy current situation that I would not be able to use it after moving on. In other words, I wished to take into account therealities of my current situation without becoming completely restrained by them. For example: my mentor teacher placesa strong emphasis on developing vocabulary, and she works towards that goal through giving a weekly list that shereviews daily with students using different teaching strategies and quizzing them at the end of the week. So I wished toaddress and respect my mentor teacher’s focus on vocabulary development, but I also wanted to explore other methods ofaddressing that focus (see the vocabulary log part of the Unit Notebook project for more information).The other realities of my teaching environment that I needed to take into account while developing this unit are: The students I am student-teaching are 9th grade, on-level learners, whose reading abilities cross a wide spectrumfrom 4th grade reading levels to 12th grade reading levels. Assigning homework or out-of-class reading is discouraged at the high school I am student-teaching in. Thusmost of the text of Romeo and Juliet must be read in class, and class time must be dedicated towards any of themajor projects in the unit. Apalachee High School runs on a block schedule. Each period that I will be planning for is 90-minutes long.Overarching Beliefs and Learning GoalsI have five overarching beliefs about learning and teaching that drastically impacts this unit, and they are: Shakespeare is worth teaching to high-school students. Furthermore, Shakespeare's works are meant to beobserved and performed, not read. Reading is an essential first step to this process, but not the final one. Not all knowledge in the classroom should be prescribed from teacher to student. On the whole, knowledgeshould be constructed through a collaborative process. A text is not static. Every student has a unique combination of skills, abilities, and funds of knowledge thatinfluence their understandings of a text. There are multiple intelligences (or ways of knowing and expressing what one knows) that should be valued inthe classroom. Students not only deserve but need to have a hand in their own learning. They need to learn how to assess theirown and their peers’ skills and abilities (not just know how teachers assess them).

There are compelling arguments against teaching Shakespeare to high school students. The most oft-citedargument is that the language and the worlds in Shakespeare’s plays are too far removed from the experiences ofcontemporary high school students. Indeed, I will not argue that some aspects of Shakespeare’s language and culture areirrelevant to (or at least very removed from) us as a current society. There are entire passages, for example, filled withjokes and puns that only the most scholarly of Shakespeare’s enthusiasts can chuckle at. Yet I cannot fully endorse theargument, even though I recognize the difficulties inherent in teaching Shakespeare (especially since we can simply skipthose aforementioned passages if we believe them to be inessential). If we look at Shakespeare’s works thematically, if wetry to look beyond the language barriers, we can see many issues that are still salient to us and to our students today.Romeo and Juliet is particularly relevant to adolescents: you have a young woman (Juliet) maturing rapidly before oureyes, gang violence, young love, testing boundaries of friendship, clashing with one’s parents and with society, andquestions of fate vs. free will. Also, if you provide students with enough time and scaffolding, Shakespeare’s languagecan seem less intimidating (especially if you approach learning the language through play rather than through filling inworksheets!).So I believe that many of the themes in Romeo and Juliet are timeless, and that if we can help students over thelanguage wall that we will have a treasure-trove of learning opportunities in the classroom. Yet there is more tountangling the language and purpose of Shakespeare’s writing than decoding the words. Shakespeare’s works are plays,not books, and Shakespeare was a dramatist, not a novelist. His works are meant to be adapted (and Shakespeare himselfwould cut and add scenes to his performances not in the original drafts) and performed for an audience. Meaning isconveyed in these works not just through words but through body language and voice inflection. So for students to trulywork with Romeo and Juliet, they must perform and see others’ adaptations of Romeo and Juliet. As an example: Juliet’sline “You kiss by the book” can mean two different things, depending on how the actress says that line. She can say itwith awe in her voice, meaning that Romeo’s kissing is spot-on. Or she can say the same line with a wry inflection, andsuddenly we understand the line as Juliet teasing Romeo for kissing as if he read about how from a book but never hadpracticed it on an actual person.When I say that students will be performing Shakespeare, I do not mean that students will be putting on a fullfledged production of the play nor do I mean that they will be sitting in rows doing read-alouds all class period (thoughthose are viable options). Instead, they will have different activities that allow them to first read the work, then drawconclusions from their reading, and then translate those conclusions into a method of performance. Essentially, I am

employing the definition of performance-based teaching created by the Folger Shakespeare Library, which is: aninteractive approach to the study of literature, particularly Shakespeare's plays and poems, in which students participatein a close reading of text through intellectual, physical, and vocal engagement. They might mime a scene, using theirbodies to reflect their interpretations of a character, or work on reading lines with subtext. Moreover, students must beprepared to justify their choices and to explain their interpretations. The students will also engage in critical thinking skillsby analyzing the choices made by others (specifically, the choices made by those involv

1 Adaptations of Romeo and Juliet: A Unit Rachel Winne Lilly University of Georgia, Fall 2009 1 This picture is a doodle drawn by Ian McKellan, a noted Shakespeare thespian. All credit goes to him. I just though