Characters The characters are named and clearly described in the character description. The characters are also well developed within the scene with clear emotions and objectives. The characters are not described in a character description. The characters have character development, emotion and objectives but they all lack clarity. The characters have one of the following: development, emotion, objectives. The characters were not clearly thought out and it is hard to keep track of them. Presentation Your presentation contains all of the required elements and you present a convincing argument for why your fellow classmates should read/watch your play. Your presentation contains all of the required elements and you tell your classmates why they should read/watch your play. Your presentation contains most of the required elements. Your presentation is unorganized and unconvincing. Creativity The scene contains many creative details and descriptions that contribute to the audience's enjoyment. The playwright has really taken time to think about his/her script to make it unique. The scene contains creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the audience's enjoyment. The playwright took some time to think about his/her script. The scene contains a few creative details and/or descriptions. The playwright thought a little bit about their script before writing it. is little evidence of creativity in the scene and the playwright did not take time to think before writing. LESSON 2 TITLE Playwriting Inspiration EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE Students will demonstrate their understanding of how inspirations for plays are found by thinking of personal experiences in their lives that could inspire their plays. MATERIALS NEEDED Scripts or cuttings of scripts for each group (not included), laptops or access to a computer lab HOOK Invite the students to sit in a circle on the floor for “story time.” Read or tell them a story from your childhood. Invite others to share stories from their childhood but don’t let story time go longer than 10 or 15 minutes.
Have the numbers 1 through 30 written on the board and tell the students that they will all come up and put their name by a number and that is the order they will be presenting their plays in. INSTRUCTION Go over the elements that their presentation must contain. Ask them to bring up their final draft to hold as they present. After they are done, they will hand their script to you. PRESENTATION Students will present plays and turn them in. CATEGORY Superior Excellent Good Fair Format Script is formatted correctly, including setting and character descriptions. Script is mostly formatted correctly with a few errors and does not include setting and character descriptions. Script has many errors in the way it is formatted and does not include setting and character descriptions. Script has so many errors that it makes it very difficult to read and follow. Plot Structure The scene follows the proper Aristotelian Plot Structure where you can clearly see the five elements. The scene follows the Plot Structure but it is hard to find where the five elements are. The scene vaguely follows the Plot Structure correctly and is missing some elements. The does not follow the Plot Structure and is missing many elements. Characters The characters are named and clearly described in the character description. The characters are also well developed within the scene with clear emotions and objectives. The characters are not described in a character description. The characters have character development, emotion and objectives but they all lack clarity. The characters have one of the following: development, emotion, objectives. The characters were not clearly thought out and it is hard to keep track of them. Presentation Your presentation contains all of the required elements and you present a convincing argument for why your fellow classmates should your play. Your presentation contains all of the required elements and you tell your classmates why they should read/watch your play. Your presentation contains most of the required elements. Your presentation is unorganized and unconvincing.
Creativity The scene contains many creative details and descriptions that contribute to the audience’s enjoyment. The playwright has really taken time to think about his/her script to make it unique. The contains creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the audience’s enjoyment. The playwright took some time to think about his/her script. The scene contains a few creative details and/or descriptions. The playwright thought a little bit about their script before writing it. There is little evidence of creativity in the scene and the playwright did not take time to think before writing.