Introduction
What if Shakespeare had written Romeo and Juliet in the Digital Age? In this lesson we will explore the historical and cultural significance in Shakespeare's theatre and analyze how modern-technology can affect interpretation and presentation. A question to consider is: "if Shakespeare had written this in the Digital Age what kind of differences would there be and how would it affect the meaning?"
To answer this question we will create our own interpretations based on research conducted about 16th century theatre and modern-day technology. We will be using our understanding about modern culture, audience, environment, and technology to make meaningful interpretations about older texts.
The essential questions in this lesson include:
How does understanding a poet’s life and historical context help us understand a poem?
How does setting and time-period affect the meaning of the play?
How can we employ visual and aesthetic effects to create a meaningful visual aid to enhance our oral presentation?
How does a speaker’s delivery impact our understanding and appreciation of a text?
Task
Our task is to explore how historical context affects the meaning and interpretation of Romeo and Juliet and create different scenarios based on modern-day cultural aspects and technology. We will be exploring literary elements of character, conflict, resolution, setting, and compose original reactions to the text through various mediums.
The final product will be a group scene from Romeo and Juliet set in a modern setting that will be presented with Web resources, audio presentations, and visual demonstrations.
Students will build an understanding of print and non-print texts including those from many periods to build an understanding of human experience and culture.
The students will also use a variety of technological and information resources to research and present their understanding of historical and modern significance in literature and comprehension.
Process
First day
1. First you will break into groups of three.
2. You will then research the Globe Theatre website's "Fact Sheet" and highlight key elements in 16th century theatre (William Shakespeare's life, audience, playhouses, etc.). Next you and your group will explore the Globe Theatre via the Virtual Field Trip activity on the Globe Theatre website.
3. As a class we will compare/constrast the differences in technology and media between 16th century and today.
4. We will then analyze how certain aspects or situations in Romeo and Juliet may have been portrayed differently had there been modern-day technology available.
Questions to consider: Would the meaning or interpretation of the play change based on how it was presented? Examples: What if the conversation had been through texting? Social media? Would people in the play have reacted differently?
5. In your groups decide on a scene(s) from Romeo and Juliet that you are interested in recreating using modern technology.
6. As a group discuss aspects of the scene that would be different today. Would this situation be treated differently based on today's cultural aspects or how it was presented? Examples: What if the conversation had been through texting? Social media?
7. You and your group will decide on how to interpret this play using modern technology. Some ideas include creating a fake newspaper or tabloid page that follows the events of the scene(s), cell-phone conversations, a soap-opera or documentary style scene, radio/television interviews, blog entires, or any other technological representations of the scene.
8. During the last few minutes of class I will hand out the rubric, guidelines, and resources for online tools.
Some online tools include Printing Press, FakeiPhoneText, Fake Tweet Builder, FakeBook, TwHistory, News Jack, Simitator, etc.
Second day
1. We will explore the different online tools together as a class and brainstorm ideas on how these different forms of technology affect the way the play is presented.
2. You will break into your groups and have the rest of the session to work on presentations, collaborate with peers, and rehearse. Rough concept drafts are to be handed in at the end of the session.
Third day
1. We will spend this session presenting our projects in group critique sessions. Please bring your rubrics and guidelines.
2. I would like you to explain why you chose to change certain elements and how this affected the presentation and interpretation of your scene(s).
Fourth day
1. Project presentations
2. For the last ten minutes we will have a wrap-up discussion on how historical context and modern day technology and media makes a difference in interpreting older texts.
Evaluation
|
| CATEGORY | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Rough Draft | Rough draft brought on due date. Student shares with peer and extensively edits based on peer feedback. | Rough draft brought on due date. Student shares with peer and peer makes edits. | Provides feedback and/or edits for peer, but own rough draft was not ready for editing. | Rough draft not ready for editing and did not participate in reviewing draft of peer. |
| Workload | The workload is divided and shared equally by all team members. | The workload is divided and shared fairly by all team members, though workloads may vary from person to person. | The workload was divided, but one person in the group is viewed as not doing his/her fair share of the work. | The workload was not divided OR several people in the group are viewed as not doing their fair share of the work. |
| Content | Covers topic in-depth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent. | Includes essential knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge appears to be good. | Includes essential information about the topic but there are 1-2 factual errors. | Content is minimal OR there are several factual errors. |
| Originality | Product shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive. | Product shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights. | Uses other people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original thinking. | Uses other people's ideas, but does not give them credit. |
| Presentation | Well-rehearsed with smooth delivery that holds audience attention. | Rehearsed with fairly smooth delivery that holds audience attention most of the time. | Delivery not smooth, but able to maintain interest of the audience most of the time. | Delivery not smooth and audience attention often lost. |
| Sources | Source information collected for all graphics, facts and quotes. All documented in desired format. | Source information collected for all graphics, facts and quotes. Most documented in desired format. | Source information collected for graphics, facts and quotes, but not documented in desired format. | Very little or no source information was collected. |
Conclusion
By the end of the lessons and activities you will have researched and analyzed the effects of historical context and modern technology on literature and presentation. You will have discussed and utilized various technological resources in order to deepen your understanding of the material.
With this new understanding, do you think technology affects the way situations are presented? Did Romeo and Juliet seem more/less dramatic or impressive when it was presented through [insert modern-day technology]? How does technology affect the way you interact with others and with literature?
Teacher Page
Shakespeare in the Digital Age
A WebQuest for 9th Grade English
Designed by Becca McWilliams
[img_assist|nid=22504|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=302]