Twelfth Night 1 - Act I Small Group Reading Aloud (An Alternate Lesson)
Twelfth Night 1B - Act 1- Small Group Reading Aloud (An Alternate Lesson): You really want to begin the play with a whole-class reading and discussion. However, there are reasons to do it in small groups too. In my case, the students would be putting on their Macbeth Scenes in just a few weeks and this allows them to work together in groups. There were also times when I couldn't be in class and I didn't want our progress on the play to stop. This lesson is designed to cover Act 1 when the teacher is not present - or even if he is and you want the students to have total control and remove yourself from the reading. Unlike with small group readings in Macbeth, these group sizes may be very different as they are based on their Macbeth Scene Groups. For very small groups (2-3) you should advise them to combine with other group(s) to try to have a minimum of 5 students in a group. If the group is over 8 - you may want them to split into two (but keep next to each other).
Otherwise, students will read the play aloud just as we do as a class. There is a Group Leader for each set of students - and they will keep everyone on track as well as asking essential questions when they get to them. Ideally, the teacher picks out the Group Leaders at least a day before to give them time to look over the instructions and the questions. There were times I did this kind of Small Group Reading with me being there - but usually not so early in the process. You want the students to have a feel for the class readings before doing these.
Lesson Overview - How Quick and Fresh Thou Art - Twelfth Night - Small Group Reading
If the teacher is not there - even with a sub - I don't like giving a quiz. The opportunity for cheating is just too big. Better to wait till the next day when you are there. If you are there - I'd hand the quiz to the students as they enter the classroom and tell them when they finish - they can get into their small groups (you should mention this the class before - and pick Group Leaders that same day - handing them the general directions and the specific questions for that reading so they can look it over beforehand.
This lesson has two parts . The first part is a set of instructions for a Group Leader. Essentially, the Group Leader plays the part that the teacher usually does. You give the instructions out ideally the day before (along with the questions) so the Group Leader can look them over as well as looking at the Instructions for Group Leaders (tell them not to spend more than 20 minutes at home on this - they don't have to answer the questions beforehand - just look them over).
For the first few times that we do this - it's important to pick Group Leaders who you feel are up to the task. If you've already done this with Macbeth or another play - then don't worry about picking your top students (unless you think they've all forgotten everything) . As time goes on - everyone will get a chance to be a Group Leader - which I think is an important thing. There is no better way to learn a subject than by teaching it - and it also gives students a chance to look at the "other side". What teachers do (and hopefully they will appreciate it a bit "differently").
Some of the instructions from the handout (found below) for Group Leaders
It's important that during the Reading Aloud - which should be just like in class - only the Group Leader has the questions. When the students get to the appropriate spot in the script, the Group Leader will have everyone pause - and ask the question which is then open to everyone in the Group (except the Group Leader - here's where the teacher part really comes in. The questions have the scene - the line # - and the Group Leaders have looked them over the night before. Here is an example (the complete questions can be found below). Students should continue until the bell rings. They should also takes notes in their own books as normal - except for the Group Leader as they will be far too busy to take notes, and they are encouraged to copy the notes from one of their Group Members when they finish. The Group Leaders also have enough copies of the Questions to give out AFTER they are done - if the Group Members have the questions while they are doing the reading - it is a terrible distraction and makes this process undoable. Remember - they will be reading the play aloud - just as you do in a full class.
Some General Questions
I've also included (found on the Question Handout below) some General Questions for the students to ponder if they have time. These are designed to specifically have the students link what they did today with "Twelfth Night" with the process they are going through with their Macbeth plays, the Acting Circle scene, and Twelfth Night Celebrations.
Group Leader Instructions and Questions
See the actual handout and the above Lesson Overview for more directions on the use of these Handouts. You will need to print out enough Group Leader Instructions for how many Group Leaders you will have in the class - which for this play is determined by their Macbeth Scene Grups - and enough Questions for everyone - though you need to REMEMBER - make sure Group Leaders know they shouldn't give their members the questions until they are completely done.
Most Recent Test for the Reading - Act I
I call these tests (rather than quizzes) because they require more time (and with notetaking - effort) than the usual reading assignment - so I want to reward that effort with more points. It's so important to quiz (see my page on Quizzing) - if the class doesn't read first - a great opportunity is lost - for the students to discover on their own - to question on their own - before it is talked about in the entire class. Remember if you're not going to be here the day the small group reading is done - best to wait to give these tests when you see your students.
The Folger Script for today's reading.
Please note that the Folger Online Edition of Twelfth Night will have the same corresponding page & line numbers that I reference. Also, the script is available to download from them as a PDF, Microsoft Doc, and with or without line numbers. My students had their own copies (which I strongly recommend) that they could take notes directly in - and which have so many valuable footnotes on the left side of the page. See my handout on Reading Shakespeare in my opening Macbeth Lesson.
Of course this can be done in Small Groups Remotely if you've set your class up appropriately and students know how to get into Groups remotely. It is also a great way for students who have missed the class to get together and make it up.
Here is the description from Amazon: The authoritative edition of Twelfth Night from The Folger Shakespeare Library, the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes:-Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play, Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play, Scene-by-scene plot summaries, A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases, An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language, An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play, Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books, An annotated guide to further reading, Essay by Catherine Belsey.
Twelfth Night 3 - Act 2 - Small Group Reading: This time, I have never done Act 2 of this play as anything other than these small group readings. It is short enough (with a few skips here and there) to get done in one period. Remember - it is important that the students do this just like we do as a class at large - only smaller. Make sure they actually read the play aloud and that only the Group Leader has the questions (till it's over - then there should be copies of the questions for everyone). Students should take notes just like they do when we do a whole-class reading of the play.
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
Thoughts on the Lesson
Normally there would not even be a choice here - of course, you want to do this as a whole class - it is the opening reading and discussion of the play. However, by making it in small groups (and we go through the play so quickly so there aren't a lot of oppornities) you let the groups that are preparing their Macbeth Plays (in a few short weeks they will go on) work together. It reiterates the kind of critical thinking that is hopefully going on as they figure out, plan, and produce their own scenes.