Group Study Guide

Hints and tips for writing discussions and activities.

Format for guides

Heading with group members names, play title and grade group choice 5 pre-show discussions 5 pre-show activities 5 post-show discussions 5 post-show activities Attachments, handouts and articles

Required VAPA Standard Elements

Standard 1 (TA 1) 2 Theatre Vocabulary Elements Standard 2 (TA 2) 6 Creative Drama / Acting Elements Standard 3 (TA 3) 2 Theatre History and/or World Drama elements

Standard 4 (TA 4) 4 Aesthetic Evaluation or Production Analysis Elements

Standard 5 (TA 5) 2 that connect to history, science or math 2 that connect to art, music, dance or creative writing

2 Elements of your choice

Ideas are graded on five points

Is the idea appropriate for its placement as preshow or post-show? Does it correctly meet the standard it cites? Is it a unique element and not repeated in other discussions or activities? Is the idea explained in the second or third person? (one can, you can, not I will) Does the idea show specific use of the play?

Ideas must also be teacher friendly

The activity or discussion does not require the teacher to do independent research or acquire books and stories to enact it. The idea does not assume special knowledge but provides the teacher with resources including historical facts, timelines, etc. The teacher is provided with handouts, articles, photos and other information they will need to enact your ideas. These items should be included in your guides as attachments and referenced in the activity/discussion. Example: For this activity use handout A found at the back of the guide

Activity Example without standard or use evident

Have students reflect upon the play and write paragraphs about their favorite scenes. Once the scenes have been collected have students work in groups to place the scenes in the correct order. Do you know what play this activity is for? Do you know what standard it meets?

Activity without use evident

Remind students that plot means the sequence of events in a play. Have students reflect upon the play and write paragraphs about their favorite scenes. Once the scenes have been collected have students work in groups to place the scenes in the correct order so that they have re-created the plays plot. Do you know what play this activity is for?

Activity showing use and standard

Remind students that plot means the sequence of events in a play. Have students reflect upon the play and write paragraphs about their favorite scenes. These may include when Ellen Jean met Tam, or when Margaret returned to the sea. Once the scenes have been collected have students work in groups to place the scenes in the correct order so that they have re-created the plays plot. (TA 1)

An activity that is NOT Teacher Friendly

Find a collection of stories about various folktales like Selkie. Encourage kids to read them and compare those stories with Selkie. This is not teacher friendly because: It assumes the teacher knows what the play is about. It does not provide the teacher with the resources to do the activity on the spot.

Example of an activity that is Teacher Friendly

Explain to students that the play Selkie is about a mythological creature that lives in the sea. Have students read the attached articles about the selkie and mermaids. Allow students to break into groups where they discuss the similarities and differences between the two creatures. Can they now compile a list of other mythological creatures they have heard of or read about? Create lists and then have groups share with the class their findings. (TA 3) For this activity you would find two articles to attach for the teacher to use.

Underdeveloped discussions
Consist of only one or two questions. Do not have a logical flow from one idea to the next. Do not include specific examples from the play they are created for.

Poor Discussion Questions

Talk about the characters of the play. Did you like their costumes? How did you feel about what they did?

The above discussion is confusing and does not use the play. What is the focus of the discussion?

 Have students reflect upon the characters of the play and in particular their favorites. What was it that made that character their favorite? Was it what the character did, or the performance of the actor? Would they have still enjoyed the character if the actor hadnt been as good a performer?
The above discussion does not use the play. This could refer to any play.

Discussion showing use and standard

Have students reflect upon the characters of the play and in particular either Tam or Ellen Jean. What was it that made that character their favorite? Was it what the character did, or the performance of the actor? Did they especially like Ellen Jean's dialect or Tams personality? Would they have still enjoyed the character if the actor hadnt been as good a performer? (TA 4)

Questions to ask each other before handing in the guide.

Are the ideas teacher friendly or do they require the teacher to prepare materials? Are the materials needed for the activity included and referenced in the activity or discussion? Is the play actively used/described in the ideas or is it general? Do we know when we read the question the play that it is connected to? If I remove the play title from the idea do I still know what play it belongs to?

 Are the ideas correct terms used have the correct definitions; the characters, plot and scenes of the play are correct.
Does the guide look like one document? Does it use correct spelling and grammar? Are the content standards used correctly and referenced at the end in parenthesis? Is the guide in the correct order?