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Section 2: Overview

Adapt-Enhance-Detract

We will be introduced to the skill of film analysis. We will view two film adaptations of Act 1 of Romeo and Juliet and analyze the choices that each director made. We will compare the theme development in Act 1 of the play with the theme development in Act 1 of the film adaptations and evaluate whether the directors’ choices enhance or detract from the themes developed in the play.

  • Lesson 1:

    We will draft a claim that determines a theme in Romeo and Juliet, explain how it is developed, and support the explanation with evidence. We will determine a theme about love, find two quotations to support our analyses, and use a paragraph template to draft our claims.

  • Lesson 2:

    We will be introduced to various film techniques that directors use to convey pacing, mood, characterization, and theme. We will view the prologue and Act 1, Scenes 1 and 2 of the film version of Romeo and Juliet by director Franco Zeffirelli, and we will use the Film-Theme Note-Taking Tool and capture how the thematic ideas of the scenes are developed through the director’s choices.

  • Lesson 3:

    We will view Act 1, Scenes 3–5 of the film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet by director Franco Zeffirelli, and we will use the Film-Theme Note-Taking Tool to capture how the thematic ideas of the scenes are developed by the director’s choices.

  • Lesson 4:

    We will view and analyze the prologue and Act 1, Scenes 1–4 of the film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet directed by director Baz Luhrmann, and we will use the Film-Theme Note-Taking Tool to capture how the thematic ideas of the scenes are developed by the director’s choices.

  • 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 6:

    We will participate in a series of partner discussions that analyze how directors’ choices enhance or detract from the thematic ideas in Romeo and Juliet, then capture the discussions on our Discussion Tools.

  • Lesson 7:

    We will review the teacher’s feedback on our Section Diagnostic and will use the feedback to make revisions to our work.

  • Lesson 8:

    We will share the understanding we have gained through our independent reading and continue reading our texts.