Willow Cabin Speeches...Build me a...

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Objective

SWBAT navigate the meaning of the Willow Cabin speech in Act I, Sc 5 and develop their own versions of the love poem

Big Idea

Love poetry in the spring season...perfect timing!

Lesson Author

Devon O'Brien

Leonardtown, MD

Grade Level

Eighth grade

Subjects

English / Language Arts

Shakespeare

Standards

RL.8.1

Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.8.3

Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

RL.8.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

RL.8.7

Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.

RL.8.10

By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

W.8.1

Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

W.8.2

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

SL.8.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.8.2

Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

L.8.4

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Close Reading in Partners: The Willow Cabin speech

20 minutes

I wish we had discussed...

Willow Cabin picture that I show my students, because they have no idea what a willow cabin is.

Today's lesson revolves around a close reading of the Willow Cabin speech, followed by the students writing their own versions of the love poem. At this point, we have already read the speech and the students have seen the scene from the Trevor Nunn film. So, while they understand the gist of the speech as a whole, they need to dig deeper. (They don't want to, because it feels unnecessary. But, they will get over it.)

Crafting our own Speeches

20 minutes

After they have thoroughly unpacked the original speech, then I tell them to adopt a persona of a famous, familiar or imaginary person and to write a "Willow Cabin" speech to that person's love.

Some examples:

From Edward to Bella (Twilight)
From Peeta to Katniss (Hunger Games)
From one 7th Grader to Another [since 8th graders love to comment on their younger counterparts.)

After they choose their characters, they are supposed to create a love speech in the style of the Willow Cabin speech, but substituting other elements and terminology, as appropriate.

We conducted this as a writing workshop, with students sharing ideas and helping each other.

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