The Piano Lesson Lesson Plan

Debate: Berniece vs. Boy Willie

Kind of Activity:

Performance

Objective:

to practice debate skills; to explore the motivations between two major characters

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1

Structure:

Tensions between Boy Willie and Berniece are becoming more and more heated as the play progresses. Both sides can be seen has having reasonable arguments for what to do with the piano. In today’s activity, the class will debate each side of this central argument.

Divide the class randomly into two groups. Flip a coin and assign one group to argue for selling the piano in order to buy land (Pro - Boy Willie’s position) and the other group to argue for keeping...