No Longer at Ease Lesson Plan

Tragedy or Comedy?

Kind of Activity:

Collaborative Writing

Objective:

Students will be able to examine how timing and end result can alter the meaning or perception of an event.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5

Structure:

In his job interview, Obi says this about tragedy: "Real tragedy is never resolved. It goes on hopelessly forever. Conventional tragedy is too easy. The hero dies and we feel a purging of emotions."

Divide students into groups of 4-6. Assign each group one of the scenes below. Have them rewrite it so that it reads as comedy if it is tragic, or tragic if it is comedic. The original tone is noted next to...