Title: Break It Down - Monologues

Focus Questions:
How do we breakdown a monologue?
Why do we need to analyze monologues before we begin rehearsing?

Goals: Students will be able to Assessment: Teacher will
1) Summarize a story, identifying key
components of the plot while eliminating
details that do not contribute to the action.
- informally assess students descriptions of the
beginning, middle, and end sections during
group storytelling. Successful students will
provide short summaries that include only the
necessary details.
- examine step one and two on students
worksheets looking to see that students
understood what is happening in their
monologue. Successful students will have
looked up words they do not know and will
write a one sentence summary of monologue.
2) Understand concept of beginning, middle,
and end.
- By writing down students ideas and
suggestions for how we know it is the
beginning, middle, or end of a story, teacher
will informally assess students knowledge of
the beginning, middle, and end concept.
- informally assess students ability to
distinguish between each stage by hi-lighting
each section on the groups story outline based
on the classes decision. Also, teacher will
write down brief notes on how students came
to this decision.
3) Apply concept of beginning, middle, and
end to individual monologues.
- examine students monologues, noting where
students distinguished between the beginning,
middle, and end.
- examine step three of students monologue
worksheets to see that students are able to
explain how they chose which parts were the
beginning, middle, and end. A successful
student will be able to distinguish what is
different about each section and how these
differences make it the beginning, middle, or
end.


NYCDOE Learning Strands:
NYCDOE Theatre Strand 1: Theatre Making: Acting, Playwriting/Play Making, Designing and Technical Theatre, and Directing
NYCDOE Theatre Strand 2: Developing Theatre Literacy
NYCDOE Theatre Strand 3: Making Connections

NYS Learning Standards:
NYS Theatre Standard 1: Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts
NYS Theatre Standard 3: Responding to and Analyzing Works of Arts

NYS English Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
NYS English Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

Audience/Development Considerations:
This lesson is for the three 2nd grade theatre arts classes at PS 10 in Brooklyn. On average,
classes have about 25 students with an even mix between boys and girls. For two of the classes,
there is only one teacher for the 25 students. In the last class, which is inclusion, there is an
additional assistant teacher. The students have varying ability levels and have both physical and
emotional special needs. Each class period is 50 minutes.

Previous Knowledge:
Students have chosen monologues and read through it a few times.

Materials Needed:
Students Monologues
Pencils
Over-sized post-it paper
Markers
Monologue Worksheets
Childrens dictionaries

Spatial Organization:
Typically, the auditorium and stage are cleared off and can be adjusted to meet the needs of each
class. For this lesson, anything on the stage needs to be moved into the wings so that students
can spread out as much as possible.

Classroom Management Strategies/Signals:
1-2-3- eyes on me / 1-2- eyes on you
If you can hear my voice, clap once
Show me who is focused and ready
Rhythm clapping

Opening Activity: (10 minutes)
Once all students are in the auditorium, teacher will ask students to sit, focused and ready ( ).
Teacher will call on focused students in groups of three and ask students to take a seat on the
stage, forming a circle. Once all students are on stage, teacher will join students in the circle.
Teacher will already have placed the oversized post-it paper and marker on stage. Teacher will
ask students what they know about the beginning, middle, and end of stories, specifically how
do we know it is the beginning of a story?, repeating question for middle, and end. Teacher will
write their responses on the post-it paper.

Teacher will tell students that they are going to try to create a story as a group and that the goal is
to make sure the story has a very clear beginning, middle and end. Teacher will ask students to
stand where they are sitting. With the student to the teachers left beginning, students will make
up a story, each saying only one word. The story can be about anything, but must make sense in
terms of grammar and sentence construction. Students continue adding on sentences until it
returns back the teacher. Once it returns to the teacher, the teacher will ask all students to sit
down in the circle again. Teacher will ask students if they were successful at creating a story
with a beginning, middle, and end. Teacher will ask students to summarize story; as students
summarize the story, teacher will write it down on post-it paper. Teacher will ask students to
raise their hand and share what parts of the story they thought would be considered the
beginning, middle, and end. Teacher will ask students to explain how they made these decisions.
Teacher will hi-light the different sections of the story.

Main Activity: (35 minutes)
Teacher will ask for two volunteers, one to hand out pencils and one to hand out hi-lighters while
teacher hands out monologues and worksheets. Teacher will review the worksheet with students
and the three steps; students will raise their hand to ask any questions. After reviewing the
worksheet, teacher will ask students why they think it is important to do these things before
getting on their feet to rehearse. When a student raises their hand to share, teacher will ask
student to write their idea down on the post-it paper. Individually, teacher will ask students to
find a place in the auditorium where they can work alone, but still be seen. As students work,
teacher will circulate around the auditorium, answering questions.

Reflection/Debrief/Close of Class: (5 minutes)
Teacher will walk around auditorium, hand each student a post-it note, and ask students
individually to return to the auditorium seats. Students will walk quickly and quietly to the seats.
Teacher will ask students to silently think of something interesting they realized today either
about their monologue or about the process of breaking down monologues and write it down on
their post-it note. Teacher will encourage students to share their reflections; students will raise
their hand to respond.

Modifications/Plans for Re-teaching:
TBD :)