Bellwork Respond in your journal: what characteristics describe our town (College Station)? How is our town like other towns? How is it different? Please take the sheet over drama at the table. Have your personal narrative folder ready to turn in when class begins. If you are in need of a rubric, I have some printed and on the table.

Journal - Time Capsule In the play Our Town, the townspeople place a time capsule to be opened in 1,000 years in the cornerstone of the bank being built. In this time capsule, the townspeople place 6 items they believe to be representative of their society in 1900. Imagine we too are going to be creating a time capsule to be placed in the cornerstone of our school that will be opened in the year 3015. Like the time capsule in Our Town, you can only put 6 items in the capsule. What 6 items would you include? Discuss with the people in your group and reach a consensus on 6 items. In your journal, list the 6 items to be placed in your time capsule and be prepared to briefly explain to the class why your group chose each of the items.

The Drama Our Town

Bare Bones of Drama Drama is the oldest form of story-telling Characters in a desperate situation Conflict Suspense and foreshadowing Action and climax Change for a character

The Playwright Involves the audience Collaborates “Shows” the story: “We remember what we see even more than what we hear.”

Our Town: The Play First presented in 1938 Most widely-produced American play in the world No conflict or plot—just life in Grover’s Corners No sets—bare stage (not well received at first)

Our Town’s Playwright: Thornton Wilder 1897-1975 Won Pulitzer Prizes for Our Town, The Skin of Our Teeth, and The Bridge of San Luis Rey Unlike most playwrights --he liked to act --he was both a playwright & a novelist

“It is an attempt to find value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.”

Act I

Bellwork Respond to the following in your journal: Thus far, how does the play Our Town relate to your life in College Station, Texas? How is it different? Include at least two examples for each. Make sure to grab the sheets at the table.

Journal In your journal, make a family tree for the Gibbs and Webb families.

Change vs. Constancy

Bellwork Take both Pre-AP planning sheet and the strategies for timed writings sheet Review the strategies for success for timed writing.

Act II Performance Rehearse your lines so that you are very familiar with your part. You do not need to memorize the lines, and you may refer to notecards or paper. Stage your scene and speak as directed for your part. Bring appropriate props and/or costumes for extra credit.

Act II Performance Grading Grading will be based on the following: Familiarity with lines (no reading!) Creativity and expression Group involvement Extra credit may be earned for appropriate props and costumes. This activity will be worth a quiz grade (two academic practice grades).

Preparing Act II Read through your scene with your group. Stage your scene. Where will your characters stand? Will you use gestures? Will you move around? Plan and practice this! On your own, review your part several times and read over Act II for context of your scene.

Act I Discussion Questions Finish the Act I Discussion Questions with your group. We will discuss them towards the end of class.

Bellwork Practice your scene with your group right now! You will have 5 minutes before we begin the performances. Take a permission sheet from the table.

Bellwork Turn to the beginning of Act III. Read the stage directions at the beginning of the act. Using your smart device or a dictionary, define lugubriousness. What is the focus of this act?

Journal Writing – Timed Writing Practice Thornton Wilder said his play “is an attempt to find value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.” How does the play address this? Write a paragraph that includes two specific details from the play to support your position. You will have 10 minutes to respond.

Bellwork Have out the following sheets: Individual Review Questions Sheet Strategies for Success with Timed Writings Timed Writing Rubric After reviewing the papers on your desk, answer these questions in your journal: How many minutes should be used to plan your essay? Then, how much time will you have to write your essay? What elements should your essay include? What is one theme from Our Town?

Timed Writing Choice of three different prompts Two body paragraphs Each paragraph will contain two pieces of textual evidence At least four quotations Ideas to ponder: Theme, setting, Our Town’s lack of conventions, structure and organization, the use of the stage manager, use of repetition

Timed Writing Prompts How does Wilder’s use of setting (time and place) in his Our Town contribute to the development of a theme that while some aspects of life change with time, others remain the same? How does Wilder’s defiance of the conventions of dramatic form (no plot, no sets) in Our Town contribute to his communication of the theme that people never fully appreciate life while they live it? How does Thornton Wilder’s use of a stage manger as a character contribute to the development of the theme that life is part of a universal and eternal cycle?

Answer your assigned questions Discuss other questions Discuss individual review questions

Response Explain how the play includes the concept of both tradition and change. Support your explanation with specific examples from the play.

Bellwork When the bell rings, be seated with only these items on your desk: Your copy of Our Town Pencil(s) or pen(s) Paper Also, for those of you who have not turned in your permission sheet, please have it on your desk. I will come by and get it after you start your timed writing.