YEAR 10 ENGLISH

MS CASHA & MS THOM

ROMEO & JULIET: AN

3 weeks / 4 classes per week

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The entire unit will be delivered and explored using ICT Focusing on sustainability cross-curriculum priority Discipline-based learning: Level 10 AusVELS, links with English and the Arts (Media / Drama) Intercultural Understanding: setting up an open environment in the classroom, an online blog that sensitively maps student thoughts, ideas and key skills learnt

ROMEO & JULIET: AN

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ISSUE / BIG QUESTIONS EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE: Romeo and Juliet transcending the period

Key Terms: Interpretation Digital Evolution Print Preserved Sustain Contemporary Language Early Modern Poetic

Possible Questions: How does this play speak to a modern generation? Does its issues and themes become more apparent if placed in a contemporary context? Is the move toward digital technology damaging our connection to the past? What are the benefits of using ICT over printed media?

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Moving into the 21st century, R&J is a reflection of another century. The language is denotative of radical changes in the evolution of lexicon and terminology, as is often apparent in the idioms and phraseology that we use today. In order for students to understand the play and its language, they will be assigned to modernise the play as a group, using a range of ICT programs. Furthermore, the issue of sustainability will allow students to explore the opportunities that are now offered to schools. Students will examine the history of printed media and discuss the importance of modern technology as a learning tool.

ROMEO & JULIET: AN

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OVER THE HOLIDAYS: Read the play document a short summary of each act. What happens? Who is introduced? What is the purpose of these scenes? Watch Romeo & Juliet (1968) Watch Romeo & Juliet (1996)

Note some key differences between the 1968 film and the 1996 film 4 specific scenes: the balcony, the wedding, Mercutios death, the suicide
Identify, describe, and discuss similarities and differences between texts, including those by the same author or illustrator, and evaluate characteristics that define an authors individual style (ACELT1616)

ASSESSING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Mind maps / Wordle / Class discussion / Thoughts put forward in journal writing
Select, navigate and read texts for a range of purposes, applying appropriate text processing strategies and interpreting structural features, for example table of contents, glossary, chapters, headings and subheadings (ACELY1712)

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WEEK 1: Introduction Students will spend time investigating the history behind the writer, and the context of the play, the themes and the characters.
Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences in texts on similar topics, themes or plots (ACELT1614)

As a class, they will explore the language that has been used, focusing on the effect of iambic pentameter and its purpose as a poetic form.
Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

Students will enact certain scenes to demonstrate their understanding of the plays content.

TYPES OF ACTIVITIES: Whoosh exercise Think. Pair. Share Viewing film scenes online research
ICT LINK: electronic version of Romeo & Juliet on iPad or Kindle students interacting with computers

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WEEK 2: Assessment Development - The assignment will draw on ICT and media for students to demonstrate their interpretive skills. Students will reconstruct a scene from R&J in a contemporary setting, with contemporary dialogue, characters, costumes and props. They may use inspiration from any of the cinematic or theatrical examples.
Use interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken interactions such as voice volume, tone, pitch and pace, according to group size, formality of interaction and needs and expertise of the audience (ACELY1816)

No two groups will do the same scene. TYPES OF ACTIVITIES: interacting with apps and software that allows students to explore different elements of the play (themes, characters, language) students will group up and work on a modern interpretation of the play

ICT LINK: Celtx

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WEEK 3: Evolution of Language To complete their unit, students will write a personal piece regarding their views on the evolution of the play this will take the form of one or multiple journal entries.
Compare texts including media texts that represent ideas and events in different ways, explaining the effects of the different approaches (ACELY1708) Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714) Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)

They will showcase/perform their group assignments from week 2.

TYPES OF ACTIVITIES: journal writing class discussion class debate further work on assignments performances

ICT LINK: Celtx Video recording To support performances

ROMEO & JULIET: AN

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MAJOR ASSESSMENT: Students will reinterpret a scene, using a contemporary angle. Celtx: a program that students can use to write novels, screenplays, storyboards, and comic books.

Journals: students will keep reflective journals to map progress of their assignment, homework tasks and understanding of the play; journals will be read by the teacher over the course of the unit; there will be a list of questions that the students can ask regarding anything they dont understand etc. Wiki or a blog. Criteria: Students will be judged on their interpretative skills: the changes theyve made from original text to modern text, conversion of scenes, settings, characters etc. Their performance how theyve chosen to showcase their scene Journal pieces: their understanding of language evolution, the move toward ICT

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Structured debate:
Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709) Use interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken interactions such as voice volume, tone, pitch and pace, according to group size, formality of interaction and needs and expertise of the audience (ACELY1816) Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710)

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DOMAINS / DISCIPLINES: English / The Arts STRANDS Reading and viewing: Language Texts are influenced by context, purpose and mode of communication Literature Text structures, language features in context may influence audience Literacy People, cultures, places, events, objects are represented differently by context Writing: Language Vocabulary choices to draw particular attention to elements of the story for the audience

Drama: Students devise, rehearse an ensemble piece using props, sets, costumes etc. Reflecting on their experiences and observations, consider what they have learned