On one side of the chalkboard (or whiteboard) the instructor writes: AGREE. On the other side, the instructor writes: DISAGREE. In the middle of the board, the instructor writes an opinion based statement about the characters or ideas within the play.
Example: Abigail Williams (the antagonist of The Crucible) is a sympathetic character.
The students individually decide if they agree or disagree with this statement. They move to either the AGREE SIDE of the room, or the DISAGREE SIDE. Then, the debate begins. Students express their opinions, and state specific examples from the text to support their argument. Here are some interesting topics for debate:
Hamlet truly goes insane. (He’s not just pretending).
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman accurately criticizes the American Dream.
Anton Chekhov’s plays are more tragic than comic.
In a standing debate, the students should feel free to change their minds. If someone comes up with a good point, the fellow classmates might decide to move to the other side. The instructor’s goal is not to sway the class one way or another. Instead the teacher should keep the debate on track, occasionally playing devil’s advocate to keep the students thinking critically.
Character Myspace Pages:
Internet-addicted students love this activity. It’s an ideal out-of-class project, but it’s also useful if your classroom has access to computers and the web.
After the students have read and analyzed the play, they can create a Myspace page showcasing one of the fictional characters. Encourage them to choose the perfect profile photos, backgrounds, themes – all of which should suit the character’s personality. Imagine what the characters would say about the following:
- Favorite foods
- Books
- Movies
- Hobbies
- Music
Perhaps have the students post a few blog entries, writing from the character’s point of view. Use the “add friends” option to gather characters together so that later on students can easily view the different character profiles. My students amazed me at their ability to quickly create some humorous Myspace pages based upon George Bernard Shaw’s play.
Generate Your Own Creative Analysis Activities: Whether you are an English teacher, a home school parent, or you are just looking for an imaginative way to respond to literature, these creative activities are just a few of the endless possibilities.
Try out your own ideas, and let us know about it in the Plays / Drama Forum.
