INTRODUCTION
In writing the play Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare borrowed from the classical myth "Pyramus and Thisbe" and Arthur Brooke's long poem "The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet." In turn, Leonard Bernstein adapted the play into a musical about two star-cross'd young lovers enmeshed in 1950's-style New York City gang warfare, Zeffirelli transformed it into a movie that returned a sense of romance to the jaded 1960's, and Baz Luhrmann recast it in the futuristic setting of Verona Beach. Now you, too, can take your place in this long line of inspired writers, borrowing from them to create something unique, stamped with your own personal voice!
DESIGNED BY SARAH M. BRAIK
FOR MR. LAWSON'S NINTH-GRADE CLASSES
You are to take on a real-life role as a letter-writer, a journalist, a television script writer, or a great playwright (your choice), and write a two- to four-page piece responding to and/or transforming the story of Romeo and Juliet. You will share your masterpieces with the class at an Elizabethan feast and writers' circle on the last day of this unit, April 6.
The purpose of this task is to use the writing process to create a polished, creative piece with your own distinctive voice. After each stage of the writing process (prewriting/planning, rough draft, second draft, and final draft) you will meet in your small groups to share your work and get feedback from one another, just like many published writers do. Each draft must be double-spaced, to leave room for revision. The final polished copy must be typed, double-spaced and in 12 point font.
REVISED SCHEDULE OF DUE DATES!
March 14/15/17: Get approval from me of your choice of topic
March 21/22: Prewriting
March 28/29: Draft # 1 for peer review
March 31/April 1: Draft # 2 for peer review
April 4/5: Bring in Final Draft for peer-editing (spelling, punctuation, etc.)
April 6: Polished work due for sharing at Elizabethan feast and writer's circle
Your first step will be to choose one of the following topics. They are organized by level of complexity, #1 being the least complex and #4 the most complex. I have listed the skills required for each topic, and will help you select a topic that will appropriately challenge you. I will be handing out a form for you to fill out indicating your choice of topic. You must get approval from me before starting work on the project. To choose a topic and get more detailed instructions, click on the icon beneath it.
1. You have just seen the first production of Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theater. You write a letter to your great-great-great-great-great-great- grandchildren describing your experience. (knowledge/description/comprehension)
2. You are a journalist writing a newspaper article comparing and contrasting the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets with the feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys. You conclude with your assessment of the relationship, if any, between feuds, street/school violence, war, or another contemporary form of fighting. (comprehension/analysis/application)
3. You are a television scriptwriter with a terrific idea for adapting the story of Romeo and Juliet to the setting of one of your favorite TV shows. You write a persuasive proposal to the producer outlining your ideas. (application/synthesis)
4. You are a playwright and have just been commissioned to rewrite the ending of Romeo and Juliet. (application/synthesis)
Evaluation of your written piece will focus on your writing process.This means that you must complete and hand in your prewriting/planning, your first and second drafts, and your final piece.If you normally do not use prewriting strategies, but jump into a first draft, you will consider that first draft a prewrite, and hand in three drafts altogether, in addition to the finished piece.You will be graded on how well you used feedback from peers and teachers to improve your piece.There should be a noticeable difference between drafts.
Click hereto view the rubric by which you will be graded.
Click here to view the a list of what the peer revision groups will be looking for in each project.
Congratulations!You have joined the ranks of creative people through the ages, including the Bard himself, who have taken their inspiration from the writings of others and created something new, stamped with their own personal voice.Who will you inspire?
Globe: Interior View
http://www.tmla.org/globe16.jpg
Letter
http://www3.shropshire-cc.gov.uk/roots/packages/wri/wri_c03.htm
Simpsons Script
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/7333/mem.html
Theater Script
http://www.flickeringimage.com/images/script.gif
Devil Anse
http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~dmcco01/McCoy/LIFE/
South Park
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000CABL2.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Tragedy/Comedy
