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Lesson 5

We will view Act 1, Scenes 4 and 5 of the Luhrmann film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. We will prepare for the next lesson’s Section Diagnostic by examining the discussion task.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I recognize and interpret the film techniques and director’s choices to deepen my understanding of visual texts?

  • Can I use connections among details, elements, and effects to make logical deductions about purpose and meaning in the Luhrmann film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet?

  • Can I recognize points of connection among the play Romeo and Juliet and the film adaptations to make logical, objective comparisons?

  • Can I evaluate the effects of the director’s choices in the Romeo and Juliet film adaptation?

Texts

Core

  • Multimedia
    • Romeo + Juliet, Baz Luhrmann, Twentieth Century Fox, 1996

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Discuss – View – Write

We will view Act 1, Scene 4 of Luhrmann’s film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and capture our analysis in the Film-Theme Note-Taking Tool.

Step 1

As you view the Act 1, Scene 4, pay close attention to the following director’s choices:

  • setting

  • acting (facial expressions, body language, and gestures)

  • camera shots

Reference Lines 113–120 from Act 1, Scene 4. Pay particular attention to the director’s choices when adapting these lines for film.

View Act 1, Scene 4 of Luhrmann’s film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Write down your notes in your Learning Log.

Reference the thematic ideas captured in your Text-Theme Note-Taking Tool.

Step 2

Respond to the following questions about the Luhrmann film adaptation of Act 1, Scene 4 in your Learning Log and discuss your answers with a partner:

  1. How does the director transform the source material in this scene?

  2. What thematic ideas from the text are emphasized in the film scene? Which, if any, are not?

  3. How did the director’s choices emphasize the thematic ideas? What evidence from the film supports your claim? Be sure to cite specific details from the film.

Discuss your answers as a class. Capture the discussion in your Film-Theme Note-Taking Tool.

Activity 2: View – Write

We will view Act 1, Scene 5 of Luhrmann’s film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and capture our analysis on the Film-Theme Note-Taking Tool.

As you view Act 1, Scene 5, pay close attention to the following director choices:

  • costume

  • spacing

  • music

  • imagery

Reference Lines 59–60 and Lines 104–122 from Act 1, Scene 5. Pay particular attention to how the director transforms the source material of the play for film.

View Act 1, Scene 5 of Luhrmann’s film version of Romeo and Juliet. Write down your notes in your Learning Log.

Independently, complete your Film-Theme Note-Taking Tool for the Luhrmann film adaptation of Act 1, Scene 5.

Activity 3: Read – Discuss

We will prepare for the next lesson’s Section Diagnostic by examining a model claim.

Examine the prompt for the Section Diagnostic on the Section 2 Diagnostic Checklist.

To prepare for the Section Diagnostic, read and annotate the Model Claim analyzing Act 1, Scene 4 on the Model Claim 2 Handout. Respond to the following questions with a partner:

  1. What is the theme being analyzed?

  2. Underline the selected theme. Is it explained accurately?

  3. What claim is being made about Zeffirelli’s choices?

  4. Underline the claim. What evidence is provided?

  5. What claim is being made about Luhrmann’s choices?

  6. Underline the claim. What evidence is provided?

  7. How does the model connect the two films?

  8. How does the model integrate a quotation from the play?

  9. How does the model integrate evidence from the films?

Activity 4: Write

We will prepare for the Section Diagnostic by completing Section 1 of the Discussion Tool.

Use your notes from the Film-Theme Note-Taking Tool to select a theme to analyze. Draft a claim for Section 1 of the Discussion Tool.

Be sure your claim incorporates the following:

  • explains a theme in the play

  • connects the theme to directors’ choices in the films

  • includes a specific claim about how the choices in the Zeffirelli film adaptation enhance or detract from the theme found in the play

  • includes a specific claim about how the choices in the Luhrmann film adaptation enhance or detract from the theme found in the play

  • supports claims with evidence from the text and films

  • uses significant words from your Vocabulary Journal

Note: The Section Diagnostic is focused only on Act 1, Scene 5.