ELA 2012 G8:M2A:U3:L5

Performance Task: Readers Theater Performance

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Long Term Learning Targets

I can determine a theme or the central ideas of literary text. (RL.8.2)
I can analyze the development of a theme or central idea throughout the text (including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot). (RL.8.2)
I can objectively summarize literary text. (RL.8.2)
I can analyze how specific dialogue or incidents in a plot propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. (RL.8.3)
I can produce clear and coherent writing that is appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (W.8.4)
I can create poetry, stories, and other literary forms. (W.8.11b)

Supporting Targets

I can speak clearly and with expression for a performance.
I can perform my Readers Theater script for an audience.
I can ask questions that ask the audience to connect all of the individual scripts to understand the whole thing.
I can respond to questions about Readers Theater performances, providing evidence from my observations.

Ongoing Assessment

Group Narrative Script
Readers Theater performance
Self-assessment

Agenda

Agenda	Teaching Notes
1. Opening A. Unpacking Learning Targets (2 minutes) 2. Work Time A. Performance Task: Readers Theater Performance for an Audience (30 minutes) 3. Closing and Assessment A. Self-Assessment (5–10 minutes)	Before students perform their Readers Theaters in this lesson, they have time to practice with the props they have gathered for homework. Remind groups that the props should help the audience better understand their interpretation of the novel and the message (key quote) they are trying to communicate. Ensure that students understand the props should not be distracting, as that would take the audience focus away from the message they are trying to communicate. Students perform their Readers Theaters in this lesson. Due to the time this will take and to hold student attention, you may choose to spread this over a couple of days. Assess each student using the rubric in the supporting materials of this lesson. Use the top part of the rubric to give students an individual score for their contribution and use the lower half of the rubric to give each group an overall grade for their group work.

Teaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Unpacking Learning Targets (2 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Performance Task: Readers Theater Performance for an Audience (30 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Self-Assessment (5–10 minutes)

Before students perform their Readers Theaters in this lesson, they have time to practice with the props they have gathered for homework. Remind groups that the props should help the audience better understand their interpretation of the novel and the message (key quote) they are trying to communicate. Ensure that students understand the props should not be distracting, as that would take the audience focus away from the message they are trying to communicate.
Students perform their Readers Theaters in this lesson. Due to the time this will take and to hold student attention, you may choose to spread this over a couple of days.
Assess each student using the rubric in the supporting materials of this lesson. Use the top part of the rubric to give students an individual score for their contribution and use the lower half of the rubric to give each group an overall grade for their group work.

Materials

Readers Theater Rubric (two per student—one for teacher assessment and one for student self-assessment)
Readers Theater Rubric Self-Assessment (one per student)

Opening

Opening	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Unpacking Learning Target (2 minutes) Invite students to read the learning targets with you: * “I can speak clearly and with expression for a performance.” * “I can perform my Readers Theater script for an audience.” * “I can ask questions that ask the audience to connect all of the individual scripts to understand the whole thing.” * “I can respond to questions about Readers Theater performances, providing evidence from my observations.” Tell students that in this lesson, they will perform their Readers Theaters for the whole group and host a question-and-answer session afterward.	Posting learning targets allows students to reference them throughout the lesson to check their understanding. The learning targets also provide a reminder to students and teachers about the intended learning behind a given lesson or activity. Discussing and clarifying the language of learning targets helps build academic vocabulary.

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Unpacking Learning Target (2 minutes)

Invite students to read the learning targets with you:

* “I can speak clearly and with expression for a performance.”

* “I can perform my Readers Theater script for an audience.”

* “I can ask questions that ask the audience to connect all of the individual scripts to understand the whole thing.”

* “I can respond to questions about Readers Theater performances, providing evidence from my observations.”

Tell students that in this lesson, they will perform their Readers Theaters for the whole group and host a question-and-answer session afterward.

Posting learning targets allows students to reference them throughout the lesson to check their understanding. The learning targets also provide a reminder to students and teachers about the intended learning behind a given lesson or activity.
Discussing and clarifying the language of learning targets helps build academic vocabulary.

Work Time

Work Time
A. Performance Task: Readers Theater Performance for an Audience (30 minutes) Give groups 5 minutes to practice their performance with the props and visuals they gathered for homework. Remind them that the purpose of the props and visuals is to help their audience better understand their interpretation of the novel and the message (key quote) they are trying to communicate, so the props should not be distracting, but should blend in with the scenes. Cold call groups to perform, giving them approximately 1 minute to set up for their performance. As each group performs, score them using the Readers Theater rubric. Use the top part of the rubric to give students an individual score for their contribution and use the lower half of the rubric to give each group an overall grade for their group work.

A. Performance Task: Readers Theater Performance for an Audience (30 minutes)

Give groups 5 minutes to practice their performance with the props and visuals they gathered for homework. Remind them that the purpose of the props and visuals is to help their audience better understand their interpretation of the novel and the message (key quote) they are trying to communicate, so the props should not be distracting, but should blend in with the scenes.
Cold call groups to perform, giving them approximately 1 minute to set up for their performance.
As each group performs, score them using the Readers Theater rubric. Use the top part of the rubric to give students an individual score for their contribution and use the lower half of the rubric to give each group an overall grade for their group work.

Closing & Assessments

Closing	Meeting Students' Needs
A. Self-Assessment (5–10 minutes) Distribute a copy of the Readers Theater rubric and a Readers Theater Rubric Self-Assessment to each student.Have each student fill out the rubric as a self-assessment of her/his performance today. Students will also need to write a short statement explaining why they scored themselves the way they did. Model if necessary. Collect student scripts and self-assessments.	Developing self-assessment and reflection supports all learners, but research shows it supports struggling learners most.

Closing

Meeting Students' Needs

A. Self-Assessment (5–10 minutes)

Distribute a copy of the Readers Theater rubric and a Readers Theater Rubric Self-Assessment to each student.Have each student fill out the rubric as a self-assessment of her/his performance today. Students will also need to write a short statement explaining why they scored themselves the way they did. Model if necessary.
Collect student scripts and self-assessments.

Developing self-assessment and reflection supports all learners, but research shows it supports struggling learners most.

Homework

Homework
None

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