Embedded Assessment 1

Creating and Presenting a Monologue

Assignment

Your assignment is to write, revise, rehearse, and present an original 2-minute monologue that demonstrates your knowledge of pantomime, inflection, word emphasis, ways to show emotion, and the monologue form. You will select your topic, tone, and audience.

Number each element of the assignment.

Monologue Assignments“Snob”

“Roommate”

“Mr. Perfect”

“Family Addition”

“Too Young for…”

“Party”

Step 1

Review the texts and your personal reflections from this unit that address the concept of choice and the consequences of choices. You will write a monologue about a time when you made an important choice or decision. The speaker of the monologue, however, does not have to be you; you may want to adopt a persona. It could be someone who is affected by your choice or even a bystander who happens to observe the choice.

Step 2Plan your monologue using the chart, then share with a partner before you write your first draft.

Describe a time when you made a significant choice, and explain the results of that choice.Who will be the speaker of the monologue? Why?

Who is your intended audience? How will this audience affect what you write?What is the setting, and what descriptive words will you use to help your listeners visualize it?What is the purpose you are trying to communicate?What is the tone of the message? (tone=attitude)

What words and phrases might help to illustrate the tone?

Step 3

Revisit the monologues we used in the last lesson to review the structure and format of this genre. Draft your monologue in the correct format, and incorporate your ideas from the graphic organizer. Consult the Scoring Guide to ensure that you are meeting the specific criteria. When your draft is complete, read it and clarify your ideas before sharing it within your writing group.

Step 4

Share your monologue with your writing group, and use the feedback to revise the following:Clarity and coherence of ideas presentedPurpose and target audienceConsistent tone with appropriate word choice

and language use

Step 5

• After you have revised your draft, work with a partner to review and edit each other’s work for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Step 6

Mark your text to identify places where you want to include infrection, gestures, movements, facial expressions and various tones. Use the marks we have been using in class.

Step 7

Describe any props and costumes or (or props to pantomime) you plan to use at specific points in your presentation:Props to useProps to pantomimeCostume

Step 8

Rehearse with a partner: Practice your monologues several times using appropriate facial expressions, gestures, and movements. Give each other suggestions and constructive feedback regarding the performance. Use the feedback to make necessary revisions. Inflections to consider: Gestures/Facial Expression/Movement to consider: To clarify the choice of words (diction) you use, try: To achieve your purpose, try:

Feedback Rubric for PartnersExemplary Proficient Emerging

Inflection Inflection changes to make the purpose clear and interesting.

Inflection changes when appropriate.

The inflection is sometimes unclear or flat.

Gestures/Facial Expression/Move-ment

Gestures, facial expression, and movement are appropriate to the monologue and enhance the performance.

Gestures, facial expression, and movement usually occur in the monologue when appropriate.

Gestures, facial expression, and movement is inconsistent or does not vary enough to make the performance effective.

Clarity of words The diction fits the tone of the situation and makes the performance powerful for the audience.

The diction makes the purpose clear to the audience.

The diction needs more descriptive words to convey the emotion of the monologue.

Achievement of Purpose

The performer is able to elicit the emotional response desired from the audience.

The performer elicits a response from the audience.

The intended purpose of the monologue is unclear.

Post-Presentation Reflection

Reread your monologue and think about your performance. Then, write a reflection, discussing the choices you made in creating your monologue, including the topic, tone, and revisions. In another paragraph discuss the elements of performance, including rehearsal, and your thoughts about how your performance affected your audience. In each paragraph, include a discussion of the most successful aspects and those aspects you might change if you had a chance to do it again.

Scoring Criteria

Exemplary Proficient Emerging

Ideas

Organization

Use of Language

The original monologue skillfully reveals the relationship between a choice and the consequence(s) of that choice by:• Coherently communicating

with a clear purpose to an intended audience

• Accurately using monologue structure and format

• Skillfully using language to convey tone

The original monologue reveals a choice and the consequence(s) of that choice by:• Communicating with a

purpose to an intended audience

• Following monologue structure and format

• Using language to convey tone.

The original monologue fails to sufficiently reveal a choice and the consequence(s) of that choice. It may not include one or more of the following:• A purpose or intended

audience• Monologue structure or

format• Language to convey tone.

Performance The performance includes the purposeful use of inflection and volume to emphasize and reinforce key words and ideas effectively in the monologue.

The performance includes appropriate use of inflection and volume to bring attention to key words and ideas in the monologue.

The performance includes limited use of inflection and volume to reinforce key words or ideas in the monologue.

Presentation The performance includes extensive use of effective gestures, facial expressions, movements, props, and/or costumes to enhance the ideas presented in the monologue.

The performance includes adequate use of gestures, facial expressions, movements, props, and/or costumes to demonstrate the ideas presented in the monologue.

The performance includes minimal use of gestures, facial expressions, movements,, props, and/or costumes to reinforce the ideas presented in the monologue.

Scoring Guide ContinuedScoring Criteria Exemplary Proficient Emerging

Reflection The reflection clearly and descriptively explains:• Choices on the topic,

tone, and revisions during the creation and the monologue

• Perspective on the most successful aspects of the performance and those aspects he/she wishes to improve

The reflection explains:• Choices on the topic,

tone, and revisions during the creation of the monologue

• Perspective on the most successful aspects of the performance and those aspects he/she wishes to improve

The reflection gives a minimal response to the writer’s choices during the creation of the monologue or his/her perspective on the aspects of performance.

Additional Criteria

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