M. Butterfly Lesson Plan

Putting on our Acting Hats

Kind of Activity:

Performance

Objective:

to practice making directorial choices; to see the play come to life on stage; to practice close-reading of a short passage

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4

Structure:

Reading a play's script only gives us half the full picture of the play as an art form; the play truly comes to life on the stage rather than on the page. For this activity, divide students randomly into groups of three. Explain that one student should play Song, another Gallimard, and the third will be the director.

Give students 10 minutes to choose a short passage from Act One, decide who will initially play which part,...