To make the point that there are many forms of language, each with its own purpose, class members select 10 lines from Doescher's play, translate these lines first into contemporary English and then into "SMS/Tweet." 

Concepts

william shakespeare, iambic pentameter, iambic verse, dramatic plays, literary analysis, characterization

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

english language arts

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• Tweets could be displayed in the classroom instead of online
• Rather than rush the lesson, save the portion on language as a characterization tool for the following day

Classroom Considerations

• Requires individual copies of Ian Doescher's William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope
• Third lesson in a series of 10
• Presumes class members have prior knowledge of such dramatic devices such as asides, soliloquies, and dramatic irony
• Be sure to check your school's policy on tweeting

Pros

• Provides a template for the Transforming Language exercise
• Includes the author's post-lesson reflections on how to improve the lesson

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.7 RL.9-10.9