Lesson plan

Literature, Theatre and Opera

The “Love for Three Oranges” is a famous opera written by Sergei Prokofiev and has been illustrated beautifully by Polish illustrator, Elzbieta Gaudaskinska. This book gives the reader the opportunity to visualize the story with more than just Prokofiev’s words. It allows the reader to create the synthesis of literature, theatre, and opera in their own minds.

It is important for the teacher to highlight that this book comes from an Opera and have the students listen to the parts of the opera.

Objectives

-          Students will open their minds to theatre and opera as a form of entertainment, expression, and storytelling.

-          Students will explore the intricacies of character development.

-          Students will identify important components of theatre.

-          Students will be exposed to music, theatre, and literature.

Keywords

            -Theatre

            - Opera

            - Plot

            - Character

            - Summary

            - Playbill

Lesson

1.       Read “The Love of Three Oranges” to students.

2.       Play part of Prokofiev’s opera for students. Explain how the vibrant illustrations are used to give our minds a picture to what the opera is telling us. 

3.       Discuss with students the different art forms of media. (Examples movies, books, poetry, opera, television, music, etc.)

4.       Discuss with students how the traditional forms of storytelling have been replaced by the new, popular forms. (Example- theatre/television, opera/radio).

5.       Discuss how each of these outlets are used to tell stories.

Activity

I.                    Translating Their Own Music to Illustration

This activity will allow students to use their own imaginations and create their own illustrations to a story in a song.  It will emphasize the idea that stories can be told in many different ways.

1.       Choose a lyrical song that tells a story.

2.       Have the students collectively listen to the song.

3.       Ask the students to interpret the song.

4.       Tell the students that the song is a modern day opera. Ask them to formulate an idea of what the story is in the song.

5.       Pretend with the students that the local theatre is going to be putting on a play that is all about this song and it is the class’s job to create a poster that explains what the play is about.

6.       Have each student create their own poster, illustrating this story in the song.

7.       If more time is available, have students create their own illustrated story books to the song, complete with words and pictures.

II.                 A Playbill for the Play

This activity will teach students the important components of a play and or story. They will identify the characters, summarize the story, exercise their knowledge of adjective sand use their own creativity express these ideas.

1.       Highlight the different components of a story and/or play. Have students brainstorm what a story needs to be able to be successful. ( characters, a problem, a resolution, a plot)

2.       Discuss the importance of a clear description of characters and the use of adjectives.

3.       Introduce the idea of a playbill with students. Show examples of playbills from existing plays.

4.       Have students create their own playbills for “The Love of Three Oranges”

5.       Have students fold a piece of paper in half.

6.       On one side of the inside of the paper, have students create their own summary of the story.

7.       On the other side, have the students list the characters in the story and describe them.

8.       Have students decorate the cover and the inside of the playbill with illustrations that have to do with “The Love of Three Oranges”

III.               Adjectives and Character Development

This activity will allow students to investigate the intricacies of character development in storytelling. Students will learn and exercise adjective use.

1.       After reading “The Love of Three Oranges” to the students, discuss the different characters that are in the book.

2.       Make a web-chart for one of the characters and encourage the students to use lots of different adjectives.

3.       Assign each student a character from the book. Have each student create their own web-chart of the character’s characteristics.

4.       Then ask the students to a web-chart of themselves and use different adjectives that accurately describe themselves.

IV.                Creating your Classroom Theatre

This is an activity that would extend for a longer amount of time but would allow students to become very interactive with the book.

1.       Divide the book into segments that would be a good number in regards to the number of students in your classroom.

2.       Give each students a character or part of a character from the book.

3.       Create your own theatrical production to “The Love of Three Oranges”.

4.       Have students perform for parents and other classes.