1 Wolmer s Boys School 5 th Form Literature: CSEC English B Unit Topic: Drama Primary Text: Ti- Secondary Text: A World of Poetry Supplementary Text: CSEC English Syllabus May/June 2017 Christmas Term 2018 RATIONALE The fifth form year of the secondary education programme marks a critical time in the development of students. It is therefore imperative for educators to effectively reinforce and solidify the beauty of reading and analyzing literature in its various genres as well as to reiterate the aims and objectives of the CSEC English Syllabus. This unit is developed with the intention that students to maintain a keen interest in literature, hone their literary and analytical skills while applying those skills and knowledge in studying Drama as a discrete genre. Incidentally, this unit will allow students to appreciate the availability of knowledge about humanity- our experiences, differences, similarities, religious and philosophical beliefs, assumptions, shared/dissimilar psychological and social realities and our general interactions with various individuals within society. It is our hope that students will be cognizant and appreciative of the purpose of literature in delineating issues within a Caribbean context by studying the text Ti-Jean and His Brothers and will show willingness to communicate informed opinions and judgements in wellstructured, analytical responses in both oral and written formats using the vocabulary of literary criticism (in a formalist approach). Additionally, this unit will create the opportunity for students to focus on the analysis of poetry as a discrete literary mode by reading and analyzing selected poems. Students will be taught how to interpret poems beyond the literal level through analyzing how the elements of the genre and poetic techniques help to create meaning. The approach will be interdisciplinary, uniting historical and cultural perspectives to explore the relationship between experience and poetry. Students can expect, therefore, to gain not only a knowledge of the nature, history, and variety of poetry, but also greater skill, insight, and pleasure as readers, writers, critical thinkers and literary analysts. DATES TOPICS STUDENTS ASSIGNMENTS Week 1 3 WELCOME, EXPECTATIONS OF STUDENTS, STUDENTS WEAKNESSESS AND STRENGTHS GENRE OF FOCUS: POETRY. Quick revision of elements of Poetry Focus Poems: Ol Higue - Mark McWatt & Mirror - Sylvia Plath Discussion and analysis Conduct a research on general folklores and supernatural beliefs in the Caribbean. Create a skit that shows your interpretation of each poem (should be prerecorded in video format) Read: Birdshooting Season Olive Senior & An African Thunderstorm David Rubadiri
2 Poem 1: The supernatural, death, women in society, gender identity/construct, superstition. Poem 2: Women and femininity, gender identity, Appearance and reality... Week 2 10 Structure Lineation (poem 1) Tone/Mood Diction Theme Poetic devices Focus Poems: Birdshooting Season Olive Senior & An African Thunderstorm David Rubadiri Reading and discussion Complete Fact or fiction sheet Persona s analysis Week 3 17 Poem 1: Childhood innocence, Masculinity, gender roles... Poem 2: Nature, hardships, dislocation... Structure Lineation (poem 2) Tone/Mood Rhythm/Rhyme Diction Theme Poetic devices Focus Poems: Little Boy Crying Mervyn Morris & My Parents Stephen Spender Poem 1: Childhood experiences, child/parent relationship Poem 2: Childhood experiences, childhood innocence, parental influence, child world vs. adult world GRADED WORK #1 CLASS PRESENTATION Read: Little Boy Crying Mervyn Morris & My Parents Stephen Spender Group Presentations Assessing literary devices. Discussion on childhood experience. Read: It is the Constant Image of your Face Dennis Brutus & Orchids Hazel Simmons- McDonald Structure Tone/Mood Rhythm/Rhyme Diction Theme Poetic devices GRADED PIECE #2 ESSAY 1 Week 4 24 Focus Poems: It is the Constant Image of your Face Dennis Brutus & Orchids Hazel Simmons-McDonald Group Presentation Quiz Debates
3 Poem 1: Race and gender constructs, love and admiration, desires/dreams, patriotism, guilt Poem 2: Love, admiration, nature Read: Test Match Sabina Park Stewart Brown & West Indies, U.S.A. Stewart Brown Week 5 1 Structure Tone/Mood Diction Theme Poetic devices Focus Poems: Test Match Sabina Park Stewart Brown & West Indies, U.S.A. Stewart Brown Active discussion Discuss the importance of location in creating a specific mood. Comparative analysis. Poem 1: Alienation, Race and racism Poem 2: Appearance vs. reality, colonial influence GRADED PIECE #3 Class presentation Key Elements: Structure Lineation (poem 2) Tone/Mood Diction Theme Poetic devices Week 6 8 6 th WEEKLY TEST 6 th WEEKLY TEST Week 7 15 GENRE OF FOCUS: DRAMA Introduction to Ti-Jean and His Brothers Read the Prologue of Ti- Class discussion 1. Examination of the elements of drama: Dialogue, Characters, Plot, Props, Staging (Stage directions), Setting. 2. Background of the playwright. 3. Context of Ti-Jean and His Brothers 4. Prologue GRADED WORK # 4: Short answer questions on the Prologue of Ti- Read Act I Week 8 22 Ti-: Act 1 Element of Focus 1. Cultural and Historical Setting Technique of Focus Comprehension Questions on Ti- Debate
4 Stage Directions GRADED WORK #5 *SUBMISSION OF TERM S PROJECT* Week 9 29 Ti-: Act 2 Elements of Focus 1. Props/Characterization Read Act 11 Oral Presentation on Elements/ Dramatic Techniques in Ti-Jean and His Brothers Week 10 5 2. Disguise/ Musicality (Sound) Ti-: Act 3 Element of Focus 1. Language/Orality 2. Use of Song (The Chorus), Use of Dance GRADED WORK #6 ESSAY 2 Read Act III Comprehension Questions on Ti- Role-play activities Week 11 12 Ti- (Entire Play) Element of Focus: 1. Themes: Innocence, Arrogance/Self-Assuredness, Colonialism, Hope, Resistance, 2. Symbolism (3 brothers, 3 scenes, allusion to the Holy Trinity), Symbolism of the Bolom - Magical Realism Class presentation Debate Week 12 19 Week 13 26 ESSAY WRITING AND RECAP Class discussions Writing workshop exercises Week 14 Week of December 3
5 Week 15 Week of December 10 GRADED ESSAYS ESSAY #1: EITHER OR A. In the poems It is the Constant Image of your Face and Mirror, the speakers experience conflict/struggle. Write an essay in which you describe the type of conflict/struggle the speakers experience in BOTH poems. In this essay, you MUST also discuss the speakers reactions to their conflict/struggle in BOTH poems and examine ONE device used in BOTH poems to explore the conflict/struggle presented. B. Choose TWO poems from the prescribed list in which a social issue is presented. Write an essay in which you identify and describe a major social issue in EACH poem. In this essay, you MUST also discuss how the title is used to present the major social issue and identify and discuss ONE device used in BOTH poems to present this issue effectively. ESSAY #2: TI -JEAN AND HIS BROTHERS Derek Walcott A dominant theme in Ti is good versus evil. Write an essay in which you describe TWO incidents in which the conflict between good and evil is presented. In this essay, you must also discuss how TWO MAIN characters are affected in ONE of the incidents, and examine ONE technique that Walcott uses to present the theme of good versus evil in the play.