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| Overview |
 Digital technology surrounds us—in fact, it can be hard to find
a place where there is no computer-based technology. As citizens of a highly
technological culture, our students see (and often use) technologies as a daily
experience. Whether computers, cell phones, or barcode readers in the grocery
store, students have a wide range of experience with digital technologies.
This
lesson invites students to use their understanding of modern experiences with
these technologies to make active meaning of an older text, such as Shakespeare’s Romeo
and Juliet, by asking students to create their own modern interpretation
of specific events from the drama. The lesson provides a range of possible projects
that students can complete, including writing headline news stories, rewriting
dialogue or monologues to include one form of interactive technology, and creating
digital artifacts for modern-day versions of the characters from the play.
This lesson
focuses on Romeo and Juliet, but any piece
of literature could be used for the basis of students’ modern-day interpretations.
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| From Theory to Practice |
In “Dialogue with a Text,” Robert Probst explains, “If we accept
the idea that literature ought to be significant, that readers have to assimilate
it and work with it, that transforming it into knowledge is more significant
than memorizing the definitions of technical terms, then we need to find some
ways of bringing readers and text together, and of forcing upon readers the responsibility
for making meaning of text.” The best activities, then, encourage students
to make their own meaning out of what they read and to discover for themselves
the beauty of great literature. But achieving this goal consistently is easier
said than done, especially with Shakespearean texts where students struggle with
language and cultural details in the text that are quite different from those
that they encounter in their day-to-day experiences.
At first, it may seem that
the easiest solution is to ask students to learn a range of facts and details
about the time period, the text, and the author’s language. Probst argues
that authentic meaning-making cannot be achieved in this manner. Rather, students
must engage with the text and make their own meaning.
Probst continues, “...if meaning is
a human act rather than a footlocker full of dusty facts, then we must focus
attention on the act of making meaning rather than simply on the accumulation
of data.” To move from Probst’s “footlocker
full of dusty facts” to active meaning making allows students to unlock
the mysteries of a text on their own and at their own pace. In practice, this
lesson allows students to explore the text in relationship to their own understanding
of the world and their own experiences. As a result, students not only identify
underlying meaning in the play itself but also find echoes of the drama’s
theme and subject in the modern world.
This lesson plan was adapted from Gaylynn
A. Parker’s “Antigone in Cyberspace” from Ideas
Plus: Book 17 (NCTE, 1999).
Further Reading
Robert E. Probst. “Dialogue with a Text.” English Journal 77.1
(1988): 32–38.
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| Student Objectives |
Students will
- explore the literary elements of character, conflict, resolution, and setting.
- analyze a piece of fiction for highlights and significant passages.
- compose original reactions to text.
- participate in active learning, taking the responsibility for making meaning
of text.
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| Instructional Plan |
Resources
Preparation
Instruction and Activities
Session One
- Explain that you are about to begin an exploration of digital technology.
- Ask students to brainstorm a list of technologies that they use, see, or
know about in their notebooks, in order to give students a few minutes to
gather their thoughts.
- After everyone has collected a short list of ideas, invite students to
share the technologies and write all the responses on the board, chart paper,
or an overhead. This list will be used as a resource for students’ projects,
so be sure to save it for use in later sessions.
- If students begin running out of suggestions, encourage to think about
the technology available in specific locations and situations, such as the
following:
What technology do you
- have in your backpack or locker?
- see in the classroom and locations in the
school?
- see in the workplace (yours, a family member’s,
or someone else’s)?
- see on your way from home to school, in the
mall or grocery store?
- After you have collected a list of terms, be sure that students can define
or provide examples of all the technologies that have been listed. The simplest
option is to review the list and ask a student volunteer to explain and provide
examples. The process should involve most of the students in the class.
- As students generate details and explore the technologies, encourage them
to make connections to the ways that humans are involved with the technologies.
Establish that no matter how efficient technology becomes, its use requires
humans who can write, speak, read, listen, and understand.
- Return to the text that the class is exploring (in this lesson, Romeo
and Juliet).
- Ask students to imagine what would happen if the play were set in a modern-day
world and technology was available to the characters.
- Students might freewrite
for several minutes to gather their ideas and then discuss them with the
class.
- After several minutes of discussion, arrange students in small groups and
assign each group a character from the play, using as many of the following
as possible: Montague, Capulet, Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio, Tybalt, Friar
Laurence, the Apothecary, Lady Montague, Lady Capulet, Juliet, Juliet’s Nurse.
Include additional characters as desired. You might assign each group one
primary character and one secondary character to cover all the characters
in the play. If the remaining class time is short, concentrate on covering
only the primary characters from the text.
- With group members, ask students to create a technology profile for
the character(s) they have been assigned.
- If students need an example, choose a minor character and work through
the questions for that character. For instance, the apothecary would probably
be a pharmacist in a modern drugstore. He probably uses a wide range of technology
in his daily work. Ask students to brainstorm a list of technologies that
the pharmacist might work with and work from there as a class to create an
example profile as a model for the group work.
- Once you're certain that students understand the process, ask them
to work in their groups to profile the characters that they have been assigned.
- Ask students to prepare their profiles
to present to the class. If desired, hand out chart paper and markers for
students to gather their profile details on; or ask students to write their
details
on a section of the board.
- Provide feedback and assistance as students work.
- Once groups have completed their profiles, gather the class and ask each
group to present the profile for their characters. If possible, post the information
in the classroom so that students can return to the profiles during later sessions.
- For homework, ask students to reflect on the technology profiles in their
journals. If you prefer giving students a prompt for their journal entry,
ask them to respond to the following questions: “What surprised you
the most about the modern-day interpretations of the characters from Romeo
and Juliet? Why? Share any observations that you made as other groups
in class shared their characters’ profiles. Be sure to indicate whether
you agreed with their profile, and reflect on any details that you would
have changed if you were profiling the characters.”
Session Two
- Ask students to share reflections from their journals and make any adjustments
that the class desires to the posted profiles.
- Pass out copies of the Modern-Day Interpretation
Projects handout and the Rubric for Modern-Day Interpretation Projects.
- Read through the list of options, and explain that students can also propose
their own projects using one of the technologies
that the
class brainstormed.
Indicate whether students will complete the projects independently or in small
groups.
- Go over the Rubric, and discuss the goals and assessment
of the projects.
- Work through the Project handout as a class, and ask students to share
possible modern-day interpretations. If desired, share some of the following
examples to get students’ brainstorming
process started:
- Headline News Story: Describe the masked ball as a modern-day dance or social
event. Describe Mercutio’s murder (and if desired, investigation of the
crime) as it would appear on the front page.
- Instant Messages: Romeo and
Juliet use Instant Messages to communicate the feelings they share during
the balcony scene (Act II, scene ii).
Mercutio delivers his Queen Mab speech (Act
I, scene iv) in a chatroom where Romeo and the others are present.
- Blogging: Rewrite Romeo’s or Juliet’s soliloquies as
a series of blog entries. Write the nurse’s comments and feelings as
a series of blog entries.
- Playlist: Create the playlist that Romeo would make to share with
Juliet. Create a playlist that would be played at the Capulets’ masked
ball.
- Once students’ brainstorm indicates that they understand the projects,
explain that students
can choose one of the examples from the brainstormed list or create their
own.
Explain any system
for reviewing student-proposed projects that you desire (e.g., do students
need to share their alternative ideas with you before beginning work?).
- Explain that students will have the rest of the session as well as the
next two sessions to work on their projects. They will present their final
work during the fifth session.
- If students will work on the project in groups, arrange them in small groups
and allow them time to discuss the project before the session ends. If
students are working individually, ask them to freewrite about the projects
they are
most interested in trying during the remaining time or for homework.
Sessions Three and Four
- Review the Modern-Day Interpretation Projects handout, and remind
students that they can also propose their own projects.
Answer any questions that students have.
- Allow students to work freely on their projects during the class sessions,
sharing their work with partners or classmates as they need feedback or
suggestions.
- As students work, point individuals or groups to relevant
interactives that they can use as they prepare their projects:
- Students creating Headline News sites can use the newspaper layout in the ReadWriteThink
Printing Press to gather ideas. If students are unable to create their
final project as a series of HTML pages, offer the option of publishing
the stories using the Printing Press.
- Students rewriting monologues, dialogues, or scenes with a persuasive message
can use the Persuasion
Map as a prewriting tool to sketch out their messages.
- Students working on a series of linked messages or Web pages can use the
ReadWriteThink
Webbing Tool to plan the arrangement and relationship between
the parts of the project.
- Students rewriting monologues, dialogues, or scenes can use the Drama
Map to identify the key elements from the portion of the text they have
chosen.
- Students writing technology product endorsements can use the Letter
Generator to draft and publish their letters.
- Point out any additional online tools that students can use as they work
on their projects. Possible resources are listed in the Web Resources below.
- Remind students of the assessment criteria included in the Rubric for
Modern-Day Interpretation Projects. Provide any additional guidelines
to specific students (e.g., talk with students who are writing endorsement
letters about the features of a letter, talk with students creating PowerPoint
presentations about the features of an effective PowerPoint presentation).
- Allow a range of options for students, including creating digital files
or paper-based or poster-based projects. Provide a variety of supplies for
students to use as they work on their presentations.
- Circulate among students as they work, providing support and feedback. If
students are using student interactives to prepare or draft parts of their
display, be prepared to help them with any tools they are unfamiliar with.
Session Five
- Give students several minutes at the beginning of the session to set up
their projects and complete finishing touches.
- As students deliver their presentations to the class, prompt them to discuss
why they chose the particular scenes and interpretations that they did.
- As the students are presenting, the teacher can assess their work
using the rubric.
- For homework, ask students to freewrite in their journals about their projects
and the ways that the themes and subjects from the older text compare to
modern-day equivalents.
Extensions
- After this activity, read Sharon M. Draper's Romiette and Julio with
the class (or encourage students to read the book independently). In this updated
version of Romeo and Juliet, the protagonists turn to chatrooms, private
messages, and e-mail to communicate their forbidden love messages.
Web Resources
Choose the Web pages that fit the projects that your students are working on
for this activity:
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| Student Assessment/Reflections |
- Focus on observation and anecdotal note taking as students work on their
projects to provide ongoing assessment of their progress.
- Use the Rubric for Modern-Day Interpretation Projects to
assess the electronic scrapbook and the oral presentation.
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1 - Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
2 - Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
3 - Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4 - Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5 - Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6 - Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
8 - Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
12 - Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
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