Revisiting Life Experiences and Learning Goals <== Lesson Plan <== Extension Activity

Extension Activity

English 6
Boys and Girls High School
Ms. Carlisle
Spring 2009

Assignment: Original A Raisin in the Sun“Conflict” Scenes

Directions: Use your knowledge of characterization to write an original (creative) scene about one of the conflict situations listed below.

• Your goal is to use all three methods of characterization studied in class: description by the narrator (of characters’ appearance and thoughts), dialogue and character actions.

• Use your copy of the play as a guide for how to combine narrative description with dialogue.

• Students will have the option of working independently or in pairs.

 Possible “Conflict” Situations

• Walter Lee comes home from work with a huge bouquet of roses for Ruth. Midway through their conversation, he confesses he was fired from his job earlier that morning.

• The Younger family is sitting down to dinner when the phone rings. The caller is Travis’s teacher, contacting Ruth and Walter Lee to tell them that she caught Travis stealing money from her desk during lunch.

• The Younger family gets snowed into their apartment due to a terrible blizzard. Unfortunately, the electricity goes out just as it begins to get dark.

• While Walter Lee and Travis are out, Ruth gets a notice from their landlord explaining that rent has just gone up by $200! Write the scene beginning with Walter Lee’s return home from work.

Follow-Up: Once you have completed your first draft, ask a classmate(s) to “perform” it for you. This will help you evaluate the clarity of your stage directions (narrative description) and the strength of your dialogue. Where necessary make revisions to improve your script.

Revisiting Life Experiences and Learning Goals <== Lesson Plan <== Extension Activity