Talk Show Lesson Plan Romeo and Juliet

Subject Area: English Grade Level: 9th Standards: Speaking: 2.3 Apply appropriate interviewing techniques: a. Prepare and ask relevant questions. b. Make notes of responses. c. Use language that conveys maturity, sensitivity, and respect. d. Respond correctly and effectively to questions. e. Demonstrate knowledge of the subject or organization. f. Compile and report responses. g. Evaluate the effectiveness of the interview. Reading: 3.3 Analyze interactions between main and subordinate characters in a literary text (e.g., internal and external conflicts, motivations, relationships, influences) and explain the way those interactions affect the plot. Reading 3.4 Determine characters traits by what the characters say about themselves in narration in narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue, and soliloquy. Objective: Students will practice public speaking and listening skills while working in a team by creating a mock interview of a literary character from their readings. Students will also solidify their thoughts on the reading through a graphic representation. Long Term Objectives: Students will develop interview skills that will allow them to be prepared for when they are in a job/college interview and careers that require communication skills. Materials needed: Romeo and Juliet, Pencils, paper for each group member, Talk Show instructions handout, Strips of paper with character names on them. Duration: 2-3 days; 1 day for forming/working in groups and another day(s) for presenting. Input and Modeling: Tell students that they have already had some practice trying to understand their characters. A lot of what they have done can be called characterization, which an author uses to develop their characters. Tell students that they will now be taking characterization to a new level, by creating their own talk show on a character from Romeo and Juliet. Remind students that talk shows are often focused on a host speaker interviewing an important person that society wants to know more about. Tell students that you want them to get into groups of 3 and to find a partner. Depending on the class they may be a group of 4 and that is fine.

Guided Practice: Once students are in groups, give students the activity instructions handout and read the instructions to the class: This activity involves three students working together to create an interview in which one plays the talk show host(hostess), one plays the person being interviewed, and the third provides a silent interpretation through illustrating, visually symbolizing, or acting out the interview responses. Students will form groups and choose roles based on the description above. There should be one person for each role (2 interviewers if the group has 4). Each group will have a different person of interest from the play assigned to them which will act as the person being interviewed. Groups will formulate questions and answers for these people, and then the group will perform a talk show as a skit in front of the class. Questions should allow for responses greater than oneword in length, and should connect to relevant content information from the play. Students will be given time to practice their skits before going up to perform. Have 3 student volunteers get up and visually demonstrate the activity so groups know what they are doing. Have one representative from the group come up and randomly draw a character from the hat and whatever character they pick that is who they will do their interview on. Independent practice: Students are to then spend remaining class time creating questions and answers for their character using their books or notes. Check for Understanding: Teacher will walk around to check if students have any questions and to monitor student progress. Closure: After lesson is done students will do a reflective write-up where they will think about how the activity went and their fellow classmates character representations. We will then discuss their thoughts in class.