1. Journal Writing - Match the word with the definition. 1 Writing that is intended to be performed by actors for an audience 2 Written form of the drama 3 A division in a drama when the setting changes 4 Usually located at the beginning of a drama; provides background information about each character 5 The conversation between characters; follows after the character's name in a script; given without quotation marks in the script 6 The time and place of the action 7 The problem in the story; a struggle between opposing forces 8 The person who writes a script for a play 9 The main events in the drama; the action; revolves around a conflict 10 The “voice” or teller, of the story 11 Area within a theater upon which actors perform a play 12 Objects that actors use in the scene 13 A division in a drama made up of a group of scenes 14 Words, often in brackets and italics, that tell the actor how to say the lines and how to move about the stage drama script setting cast of characters conflict dialogue stage directions stage scene playwright narrator plot prop act

2. Drama Writing that is intended to be performed by actors for an audience Script Written form of the drama Scene A division in a drama when the setting changes Cast of characters Usually located at the beginning of a drama; provides background information about each character Dialogue The conversation between characters; follows after the character's name in a script; given without quotation marks in the script Setting The time and place of the action Conflict The problem in the story; a struggle between opposing forces Playwright The person who writes a script for a play Plot The main events in the drama; the action; revolves around a conflict Narrator The “voice” or teller, of the story Stage Area within a theater upon which actors perform a play prop Objects that actors use in the scene Act A division in a drama made up of a group of scenes Stage directions Words, often in brackets and italics, that tell the actor how to say the lines and how to move about the stage Crafting the Lesson These are the elements of drama:

3. Purpose What are you learning? The elements of drama Why are you learning this? To understand how plays are developed and written.

4. Crafting the Lesson Drama: A script is written by a playwright It is intended to be performed on a stage using props and a cast of characters It is broken into scenes and acts with a particular setting, plot, stage directions, and conflict. Some plays have a narrator, and other plays have both a narrator and dialogue between the characters. Drama is performed before an audience.

5. Drama (we) AT CURTAIN RISE: CURTIS strides out among the rocks at right. He is sixteen, and comfortable being alone. He stumbles on a stone and pushes out of the trail with a slender branch he is using as a staff. A truck door slams. He stiffens. A few minutes later VALERIE appears, dressed like him in jeans and sweatshirt, raking her tangled hair... VALERIE: Curtis, don’t do stuff like this to me. I woke up and there I was, parked all by myself in the middle of nowhere, with my feet out the window. CURTIS (pointing up the slope): There’s a trail up there that makes a loop. So I walked around it, to get the kinks out. VALERIE: Yeah, tell me about kinks. I feel like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. How long did I sleep? CURTIS: About six hours. VALERIE: You’re kidding. Nobody can sleep six hours in the cab of a pickup truck and live to tell about it. CURTIS: Well, I guess you just made medical history. VALERIE: Where is this? Are we still in Oregon? CURTIS (taking a pebble out of his shoe): No, we’ve crossed back into California. After you didn’t wake up, I thought, What am I supposed to be doing? So I pulled off the highway and stopped here. 1.What characters are introduced in the excerpt from “Holding Out”? 2.What do you learn about the characters and the setting from the opening stage directions? 3.How many scenes does the excerpt include? How do you know?

6. Drama (two) Read the excerpt from “The Hitch- Hiker,” by Lucille Fletcher on worksheet 30a Heath Middle Level. With a partner, use the elements of drama to label the excerpt. 1.In the list of the play’s cast, how many characters are identified by name? 2.How many characters in the excerpt have dialogue? What do you learn about these characters from their dialogue? 3.How many scenes does the excerpt include? If there are any changes in scene, identify where they take place? 4.Why are the stage directions at the beginning of the first scene important?

7. Composing Meaning Read the “Enormous Nose” by Mark, 8 th grader. Use the chart on worksheet 31 from Heath Middle Level 8 to find examples of the characteristics of drama in the play. Narrator Stage Directions Scene Cast of characters Dialogue Setting Conflict Playwright

8. Reflection What are the elements of drama?