Download - Fences by August Wilson.pdf

K.Pearsall/Theater:BringingPrimarySourcestoLifeThroughDrama

Lesson:ModernTragedy:FencesbyAugustWilson

Grade:12

Subject:English+LanguageArtsJuly14,2012

AspartofasemesterofstudyingtragedyfromtheGreekstotheModerns,twelfthgradeAPEnglishLiteratureandCompositionstudentswillreadAugustWilsonsFences.ResourcesfromtheLibraryofCongresswillhelpthestudentsdiscoverthemeaningofWilsonstext.Uponcompletionoftheplaythestudentswillhaveagreaterunderstandingoftragedyandthecommonman,asArthurMillersoeloquentlydescribesinanessayofthatname,andmakedirectcomparisonsofWilsonsFencestoMillersDeathofaSalesman.

OverviewStudentObjectivesListthebulletedgoals/objectivesbehindyourlessonplan

Studentswill: Useprimarysourcestobecomeacquaintedwiththecolorbarrierin

baseball Beabletoappreciatetheinternalconflictsfacingthemaincharacter

TroyMaxson IdentifytheclassictragicelementsinthisTwentiethCenturyplay Identifyissuesthatareuniversallytragic,notjustonesrelatedtorace ExplainthebaseballmetaphorsWilsonincorporatesinthedialogue Understandtheatreartistsuseprimarysourcestorealizeconceptual

interpretationsofdramatictext

Gradelevel 12thGradeAdvancedPlacementEnglishLiteratureandComposition

CurriculumareaExample:LanguageArts

English/LanguageArts

Materials 1.AugustWilson.Fences.2.SourceslistedonLibraryofCongressbibliographyendofthisdocument3.NegroLeaguesBaseballMuseum,KansasCity,MOwebmuseumvisitathttp://www.nlbm.com/s/index.cfm4.NYTimesarticleDodgersPurchaseRobinson,FirstNegroinModernMajorLeagueBaseball,Friday,April16,1947http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0410.html#article


5.TranscriptofLibraryofCongressinterviewwithBranchRickywhyandhowRickeybrokethecolorlineinbaseballhttp://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/robinson/davis.html6.SpeechbyBranchRickeyforthe"OneHundredPercentWrongClub"banquet,Atlanta,Georgia,January20,1956.BroadcastonWERD860AMradio.describestheproblemshefelthefacedinthe1940s,whenhedecidedtointegratemajorleaguebaseball.Healsodiscusseseventsthatinfluencedhisdecisionandfactorsthathethinkswillreduceracialprejudicehttp://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/robinson/branch.html


StandardsLearningStandardsbyStateExplaininbulletpointshoweachoftheObjectivesalignwithstatelearningstandards

Common Core Standards for Reading Literature, Reading Informational Text, Writing, Speaking and Listening Grades 11,12:

Integrateandevaluatemultiplesourcesofinformationpresentedindifferentmediaorformats(e.g.,visually,quantitatively)aswellasinwordsinordertoaddressaquestionorsolveaproblem.Objectiveusingprimarysources

Initiateandparticipateeffectivelyinarangeofcollaborativediscussions

(oneonone,ingroups,andteacherled)withdiversepartnersongrades1112topics,texts,andissues,buildingonothersideasandexpressingtheirownclearlyandpersuasively.Objectiveclassdiscussionsabouthowprimarysourcesinformunderstandingoftheplay

Analyzemultipleinterpretationsofastory,drama,orpoem(e.g.,

recordedorliveproductionofaplayorrecordednovelorpoetry),evaluatinghoweachversioninterpretsthesourcetext.Objectiveanalyzing/comparingtheYouTubeactingdemonstrationsoftheplay

Analyzetheimpactoftheauthorschoicesregardinghowtodevelopand

relateelementsofastoryordrama(e.g.,whereastoryisset,howtheactionisordered,howthecharactersareintroducedanddeveloped).Objectivestudentscreatetheirowninterpretationsofauthorscharactersandthemes

Determinetwoormorethemesorcentralideasofatextandanalyze

theirdevelopmentoverthecourseofthetext,includinghowtheyinteractandbuildononeanothertoproduceacomplexaccount;provideanobjectivesummaryofthetext.Objectivecompletedwhenreadingindependentlytheremainderoftheplay

Writeinformative/explanatorytextstoexamineandconveycomplex

ideas,concepts,andinformationclearlyandaccuratelythroughtheeffectiveselection,organization,andanalysisofcontent.Objectivecompletingwrittenassessment


Procedures/ResourcesRecommendedtimeframeoverviewExample:6sessions:130mingroupintro/530mincomputerbasedactivitysessions/130mingroupwrapup

Fortyfiveminuteinclasssessions

Listtheprocedureandresourcesforbulletpointswithresourcelinksforeachsessions:

SessionOne: BackgroundonAugustWilsonandhisplays McCarterTheatreteachingresourcehandoutsAboutAugustWilsonhttp://www.mccarter.org/Education/gemoftheocean/12.htmlAugustWilsonsCycleAfricanAmericansinthe20thCenturyhttp://www.mccarter.org/Education/gemoftheocean/14.htmlDVDfromschoollibrary

SessionTwo: EssentialQuestion toOpenUnit:Whataretheissuesofracialsegregationinbaseball?whatweretheNegroLeagues?whowasBranchRickey?whatcanwegleanfromoursourcesaboutthesignificanceoftheseissues?Teachingobjective:StudentswillanalyzeprimarysourcesinordertounderstandthebackgroundofTroysconflict.Procedure:Passoutlaptops.Studentsworkinpairstoreviewallprimarysources(photosandmanuscripts)listedundermaterialsinthelessonplan.Thetextoftheplaywillbereadaftersessionstwoandthree.Togetherstudentswillmakenotesinresponsetotheprimarysources:Guidingquestionsforphotonotes:Describewhatyousee.Whatshappening?Whatisthecontextandaudienceofthephoto?Whatdoyouwonderabout?Conclusions?Guidingquestionsformanuscripts,articles,andwebmuseumvisit:Whatdoesthetextsay?Whoistheintendedaudience?Whatdowelearnandwonderabout?


LibraryofCongressresourceforanalyzingprimarysources:http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/resources/Analyzing_Photographs_and_Prints.pdf

SessionThree:

Objective:Studentsbegintounderstandthesignificanceofthecolorbarrierinbaseball.StudentsdiscussfindingsfromtheprimarysourcesclassroomsharingHandinnotesforaclassworkgradejustacheckforcompletion.

SessionFour:

Objective:StudentswillobserveanactorsinterpretationofTroysconflictwithhissonandassessitsrelationshiptotheprimarysourcematerialtheyexamined.(Watchyoutubevideoclips)

1. HowComeYouAintNeverLikedMe?(fathersonconflictDenzelWashington2010)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBTXS42dj40

YouAintNeverLikedMe(samesceneJamesEarlJones1987)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_kGtQmvrVI&feature=related**Discussionofbothactorscreationofthecharacter,notingsimilaritiesanddifferencesandaudiencesreaction.2.FightingDeathDenzelWashington2010http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v4l36NTrsA

3. IDontWantHimtoBeLikeMeDenzelWashington2010(Troysbitternessaboutpastdiscrimination)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqIHzuBm2Gk

SessionFive:

Objective:Studentswillcreatetheirown interpretationsaboutTroyscharacterasinformedbytheirprimarysourceresearch.BeginreadingFencesaloudinclass.Studentstakeroles.TheydiscovercomplexityofTroysconflictbyreferringtowhattheyhavelearnedintheirreviewoftheprimarysources.Homework:Readrestofplayathomesuggestreadingaloudtoselforreadingwithsiblingorparents.


SessionSix:

Objective:Studentsdemonstrateunderstandingofboththethemesoftheplayandtheplaywrightscraftbyrespondingtoaninclassessay.Givenasetofquotationsbyfamoushistoriansandwriters,studentsselectoneandapplyittotheplayintermsofeither/boththeAfricanAmericanconditionor/andtheuniversalhumancondition.

EvaluationNotetherubricwhichwillhelpyouevaluate/gradeyourstudents

StudentswillbeevaluatedusingtherubricforgradingAPEnglishLiteratureandCompositionessays.

AdditionalResourcesListanyadditionalresources(example:websitesrelatedtolessonplantopic)thatstudentscanuseforadditionalinformationand/orafterclassexploration

1. AugustWilsonhomepagehttp://www.augustwilson.net/

2. AugustWilsonCenterforAfricanCulturehttp://www.augustwilsoncenter.org/

3. TheatreReviewofDenzelWashingtonandViolaDavisinFences2010http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/theater/reviews/27fences.html

4. TheatreReviewof1987productionwithJamesEarlJoneshttp://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9b0de7de1f3df934a15750c0a961948260

AccommodationsNoteanyaccessibilityoptionsthatmightbeappliedtoaddressstudentneed

Usuallynotnecessaryforthisclasslevel


Primary Sources from the Library of Congress

ImageThumbnail Description Citation URL

SatchelPaige,headandshouldersportrait,seatedinfrontofaportraitofhimselfinabaseballuniform

Gotfryd,Bernard.SatchelPaige.1970.LibraryofCongressPrintsandPhotogtraphsDivisionWashingtonD.C.20540

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2006689909/

AfricanAmericanbaseballplayersfromMorrisBrownCollege,withboyandanothermanstandingatdoor,Atlanta,Georgia

AfricanAmericanBaseballPlayersfromMorrisCollege.LibraryofCongressPrintsandPhotographsDivisionWashingtonD.C.20540http://www.loc.pnp.ppprintpublishedinBaseballAmericana:TreasuresfromTheLibraryofCongress/HarryKatz,et.al.NewYork:SmithsonianBooks,2009


ofthe200squaremileMarineBase,CampLejeune,atNewRiver,NorthCarolina.Evidenceofthelackofracialfrictionmaybeseeninthesportsprogramatthecamp.OnthebaseballteamNegroenlisteesandwhitenoncomofficersareteammates.