Students learn about main ideas and supporting details by summarizing their own character traits and relationships, and analyzing characters in screenplays and stage scripts.
Materials
Books (Script or play)
Pencils
Sheets with the multiple choice questions
Notebook paper where they can write summaries
Activities
Give students a script/text/play, and assign each student a character. First, I will remind them that the main idea tells about the “overall idea” of the text and that we will identify it at the end of ACT 1/Scene 1 as well as the supporting details. I will also tell them that we will summarize our characters as well.
Have them read through the play aloud (their characters’ parts only). The play will have several scenes or acts.
Together, we will identify the main idea and supporting details of Act/Scene 1. I will provide a multiple choice style format so that they can choose the correct main idea from a choice of 4 (like the EOG). The choices will include supporting details so that they can differentiate between main idea and supporting details as they usually get confused with doing so.
Then, we will go through Act/Scene 2 the same way, except they will identify the main idea and supporting details in the multiple choice format independently as an informal assessment.
Next, I will model to them how to write a summary of their character by first writing a summary of myself by identifying traits and my relationships with my family and friends:
Mr. Waldrop: I’m tall and very athletic. I am a patient person when working with my students. I have great sense of humor, and I love to laugh. I have 1 brother, Dustin. My best friend’s name is Todd. My mom and dad’s name are Brenda and Dennis.
I will them have them practice writing a summary of themselves describing themselves with traits and relationships with their family and friends. I will provide feedback.
Then, they will write a summary of their character in the script/play as an informal assessment.
Differentiation Approaches
-On their reading level
-Assist with unfamiliar vocabulary words by having IPADs available to look up the picture/definition of the word using google
-Break up the lesson over a span of 2-3 days
-Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, for higher level thinking they will answer: Describe the actions of ______________.
-visual timer
Assessment
Together, we will identify the main idea and supporting details of Act/Scene 1. I will provide a multiple choice style format so that they can choose the correct main idea from a choice of 4 (like the EOG). The choices will include supporting details so that they can differentiate between main idea and supporting details as they usually get confused with doing so.
Then, we will go through Act/Scene 2 the same way, except they will identify the main idea and supporting details in the multiple choice format independently as an informal assessment.
Next, I will model to them how to write a summary of their character by first writing a summary of myself by identifying traits and my relationships with my family and friends:
Mr. Waldrop: I’m tall and very athletic. I am a patient person when working with my students. I have great sense of humor, and I love to laugh. I have 1 brother, Dustin. My best friend’s name is Todd. My mom and dad’s name are Brenda and Dennis.
I will them have them practice writing a summary of themselves describing themselves with traits and relationships with their family and friends. I will provide feedback.
Then, they will write a summary of their character in the script/play as an informal assessment.
Follow Up and Extension Ideas
Provide them books on plays or assist them in knowing where to look in the school library. I might have some future Oscar winners on my hands.
Additional Details
- Grade Level: Fourth
- Arts Content Area: Theatre Arts
- Non-Arts Content Area: English Language Arts
