JULIA GUICHARD INTRODUCTION FOR FACULTY TO THIS SEQUENCED GROUP WRITING ASSIGNMENT THE 101 (Introduction to Theatre: Drama Analysis) is a Miami Plan Foundation Course. It is a requirement for Theatre majors and fulfills the MP Fine Arts requirement. Typically, a section of THE 101 will contain a mix of majors and students from a wide variety of other disciplines—although this is not always the case. The Group Project is given to students on the second day of class. They work in groups of five for most of the semester and this project serves as the “final” for the class. This project on which I worked in the Center for Writing Excellence/CELT Workshop on Improving Student Writing requires students to apply knowledge and principles gained through class: mini-lecture, discussions, short writing assignments, and a production lab class. Because students work in small groups on a complex task (taking one play from “page to stage”), they must engage with each other and the material in a meaningful way. This assignment serves both a stated goal of the Miami Plan (engaging with other learners) and a fundamental goal of our discipline (collaborate with other artists to create a theatrical event). Along the way, students complete a variety of steps that engage them in critical thinking (literary analysis [step 8], theme statement [steps 5,6]), understanding context (manifesto [step 7], annotated bibliography [step 4]), and reflecting and acting (production concept, rehearsal, performance, and teaching [steps 9-12]). Theatre is, by nature, a discipline that “begs, borrows and steals” from all other disciplines. Because we deal with the human condition in its entirety (is that too grandiose?!), no subject, methodology, or approach is irrelevant. By providing students with a “stepped” assignment, they can better understand the eclectic nature of our field.
JULIA GUICHARD SEQUENCED GROUP WRITING ASSIGNMENT FOR STUDENTS
GROUP PROJECT ASSIGNMENT THE 101 – Introduction to Theatre: Drama and Analysis Julia Guichard Congratulations! You are invited to join a hot new theatre company and help stage their latest production. As the artistic director of this company, I will provide you with a script and give you a set of guidelines to help you in your creative process. Should you accept my invitation, you will become one of five members on my creative team, chosen to represent a wide range of strengths and abilities. I look forward to working with you! This project is designed to give you an opportunity to collaborate with others in taking one particular play from “page to stage.” In doing so, you will apply all of the concepts, principles and experiences from the semester, enabling you, as a group, to develop a well-informed and creative interpretation of your play to present to the class. This project has multiple steps that will culminate in a final two-day presentation. Hopefully, you will discover two things about the creative process:
Expectations:
analysis) that I am interested in. Evaluation: Group Process 10 pts. Steps 1-9 will be graded on a credit/no credit basis. All materials must be submitted on time. Failure to turn in any ONE step will result in a loss of ALL 10 points for ALL members of the group. Group Presentation 10 pts. Your group will receive one common grade for the overall effectiveness of your presentation. Individual Work Literary Analysis 10 pts. You will receive an individual grade for your analysis paper. Presentation 15 pts. This grade includes your individual performance during the group presentation as well as your supporting materials (paper, outline, bibliography, visual aids). Summary Chart of Steps for Group Assignment*THE 101 – Introduction to Theatre: Drama and Analysis
*The creative process is recursive; it has structure but is not linear.
JULIA GUICHARD SEQUENCED GROUP WRITING ASSIGNMENT FOR STUDENTS
GROUP PROJECT ASSIGNMENT THE 101 – Introduction to Theatre: Drama and Analysis Julia Guichard Congratulations! You are invited to join a hot new theatre company and help stage their latest production. As the artistic director of this company, I will provide you with a script and give you a set of guidelines to help you in your creative process. Should you accept my invitation, you will become one of five members on my creative team, chosen to represent a wide range of strengths and abilities. I look forward to working with you! This project is designed to give you an opportunity to collaborate with others in taking one particular play from “page to stage.” In doing so, you will apply all of the concepts, principles and experiences from the semester, enabling you, as a group, to develop a well-informed and creative interpretation of your play to present to the class. This project has multiple steps that will culminate in a final two-day presentation. Hopefully, you will discover two things about the creative process:
Expectations:
analysis) that I am interested in. Evaluation: Group Process 10 pts. Steps 1-9 will be graded on a credit/no credit basis. All materials must be submitted on time. Failure to turn in any ONE step will result in a loss of ALL 10 points for ALL members of the group. Group Presentation 10 pts. Your group will receive one common grade for the overall effectiveness of your presentation. Individual Work Literary Analysis 10 pts. You will receive an individual grade for your analysis paper. Presentation 15 pts. This grade includes your individual performance during the group presentation as well as your supporting materials (paper, outline, bibliography, visual aids). Summary Chart of Steps for Group Assignment*THE 101 – Introduction to Theatre: Drama and Analysis
*The creative process is recursive; it has structure but is not linear. |