CLIL THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS FOUND IN ANCIENT GREEK THEATRE, ELIZABETHAN THEATRE AND MODERN GREEK POETRY

CLIL COURSE MATERIALS

THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS FOUND IN ANCIENT GREEK THEATRE,

ELIZABETHAN THEATRE AND MODERN GREEK POETRY

Demetra Dertili

October 2013

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Content: The historical associations found in Ancient Greek Theatre, Elizabethan theatre and Modern Greek Poetry.

Communication: Students will communicate in both English and Greek, especially regarding drama terminology and translations.

Cognition: Discerning associations between historical periods and genres.

Culture: Focusing on cultural aspects that influenced each period.

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Lesson Plan, Unit 1

Level: B2+

Timing: 5 sessions

AIM OF LESSON

To introduce the basic structure and elements of Ancient Greek Theatre. To give a brief description of Euripides’ life before introducing students to his tragicomedy “Helen”.

THINKING AND LEARNING SKILLS

Students should be able to:

• identify the origins and structure of Ancient Greek Theatre in both Greek and English.
• be familiar with Ancient Greek Theatre terms.
• Appreciate the ideas of Ancient Greek dramatists and playwrights, and in particular Euripides.
• draw conclusions about the Ancient Greek culture of the 6^th and 5^th century B.C.

ACTIVITIES

• revise prior knowledge from their Ancient Greek Drama lessons.
• work on two powerpoint presentations that elaborate on visual structures, content and language key points. The first presentation gives information and visual aid on Ancient Greek Theatre development and the second presentation provides a short biography of Euripides. My colleague and teacher of Ancient Greek Drama is present during these presentations. She comments in Greek to stress the importance of certain aspects and events.
• answer questions with reference to the presentations.
• express in detail the notions and attributes of tragedy.
• take notes of terms and meanings in both languages.
• identify terms and definitions of the history and structure of Ancient Greek Theatre and Euripides’ life in English through online quiz flashcards.

RESOURCES

• two powerpoint presentations.

• a video-clip. One with respect to the changes taking place in Ancient Greek Theatre from being a ritual to becoming a theatre. Students take notes and comment on the events.
• visuals of the structure of the Ancient Greek Theatre.
• online flashcards of terms and definitions in the form of a quiz.

LANGUAGE LEARNING

Using the three forms of the past: the Simple Past, used to, and the Past Perfect in order to relate past events in a historical context.

CULTURE

Ancient Greek Theatre and Culture of 6^th and 5^th century B.C.

ASSESSMENT

Students should be able to produce terms and definitions in both target language and source language. They should be able to remember the historical linearity of events and express their thoughts on them. Vocabulary review and a writing activity worksheet with respect to the Ancient Greek Theatre.

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Lesson Plan, Unit 2

Level: B2+

Timing: 5 sessions

AIM OF LESSON

To introduce the basic structure and elements of Elizabethan Theatre. To give a detailed description of Shakespeare’s life and time. To delineate the differences and similarities of the Ancient Greek and the Elizabethan Theatre. To determine the influence of the classics on Shakespeare.

THINKING AND LEARNING SKILLS

Students should be able to:

• understand the main aspects of the Elizabethan era in comparison to those of the Dark Ages.

• learn about the popular form of entertainment of the 1ate 16^th and early 17^th century Elizabethan England.
• recognise the history and the structural framework of the early Shakespearian Theatre called the Globe Theatre and the Modern Globe Theatre reconstructed in 1997.
• become familiar with Elizabethan Theatre terminology.
• comment on the forceful closing down of all theatres by the puritans during the civil war.
• identify the influence of the Classics on Shakespeare by comparing both theatres and outlining similarities and differences. Understand the different cultural forces that define art but also shape society. Evaluate historical events and associations.

ACTIVITIES

• introduce major historical aspects of the Elizabethan era during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) that promoted the Elizabethan Theatre through a powerpoint presentation.
• read and listen to the life of William Shakespeare and the story of the original Globe's construction and demolition.
• identify and learn Elizabethan language terms by matching them to their contemporary counterpart. A chart is provided with terms in both the Elizabethan and Modern English Language.
• compare the Ancient Greek Theatre to the Globe Theatre. Take notes of the similarities, differences. Discuss the influence of the Classics on Shakespeare.
• answer questions that attest to the students’ understanding of the presentation.
• play the Shakespeare definition match puzzle online at http://www.myvocabulary.com

RESOURCES

• a powerpoint presentation.
• two video-clips. The first one displaying a performance of a play by Shakespeare that focuses on audience behaviour interacting with actors on stage. The second  clip on the development of the Shakespearian Theatre up the construction of the modern Globe Theatre.

LANGUAGE LEARNING

• Focus on vocabulary:  to interpret Elizabethan terms in Modern English.

CULTURE

The culture of the era of Elizabethan England also considered as the Golden Age in English history.

ASSESSMENT

Students are expected to incorporate both modern and Elizabethan terms. They should be able to synthesize and communicate historical information. Vocabulary review and test.

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Lesson Plan, Unit 3

Level: B2+

Timing: 3 sessions

AIM OF LESSON

To identify the influence of the classics on modern Greek poets and in particular George Seferis.

THINKING AND LEARNING SKILLS

Students should be able to:

• extract the influence of Euripides’s Helen on George Seferis’ poem Helen.
• identify the monstrosity and futility of war in a historical context.
• evaluate translations from source language to target language.

ACTIVITIES

• read two extracts from Euripides tragicomedy Helen and the poem Helen by G. Seferis.
• determine the lines where the anti-war stance is obvious in both poems.
• comment on translations and underline the verbs in source language and target language. Evaluate the suitability of the corresponding tenses used in Greek and translations.

RESOURCES

• Third Grade Coursebook on “Damatic Poetry: Euripides’ Helen”.
• Handout of Seferis’ poem with translation and Euripides’ translation of lines 780-781 and 1270-1285.
• Worksheet/exercises.

LANGUAGE LEARNING

Defining the suitability of either exact tense transition or free translation from Greek to English of Seferis’ poem Helen.

CULTURE

Ancient and Modern Greek culture.

ASSESSMENT

Students are expected to elaborate on the intertextuality of ancient Greek drama and modern Greek poetry.

FINAL PROJECT

Sketching of a theatre whose structure is 50% Ancient Greek and 50% Elizabethan Theatre. All parts are named in each case.