Invite students to listen, read, orate, and perform with the help of Frederic Chopin, Oscar Wilde, and the stage. This lesson plan is applicable for English, Drama, and Music classes.
Materials
- The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde (class set or reproducible portions of the play);
- CD Player;
- Etude in A Flat Major, by Frederic Chopin (in song and sheet music);
- Contemporary song tracks;
- Overhead projector transparency of sheet music;
- Performance area
Teacher Preparation
- English - Prepare notes on plot, literary devices, themes, and character for The Importance of Being Earnest; activities for understanding inference; and plan reading strategies.
- Drama - Prepare notes on acting forms and techniques suitable for depicting the play; gather information on its historical contributions; and develop activities to impart the meaning of role
- Music - Detail notes regarding musical elements found in Frederic Chopin's Etude in A Flat Major.
The Lesson
- Introduce the play, The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde;
- Using a variety of literacy strategies, read and discuss the play;
- Engage students in a Think/Pair/Share activity that encourages understanding and interpretation of the play's major themes, historical setting, and social ideals;
- Organize a class discussion to complete the study of The Importance of Being Earnest;
- Play examples of contemporary music tracks while the class listens quietly;
- Discuss the social beliefs, values, ideals, stereotypes, misrepresentations, etc., expressed by the song lyrics regarding contemporary society;
- Play a recording of Chopin's Etude in A Flat Major to the class;
- Ask the class to brainstorm the features that the music may exhibit about the culture and time in history that it derives from;
- Use questioning and examples to guide the students to relate the music to the play;
- Through questioning and encouragement, discuss key concepts of the play that illustrate the Victorian society of which Wilde was writing; utilitarianism, social class, gender roles, social revolution, etc. Record content on the blackboard;
- Using the same approach, discuss key literary concepts within the play such as comedy, irony, word play, exaggeration, etc. Record content on the blackboard;
- Choose scenes from the play and use it to identify these concepts;
- Listen to Chopin's Etude in A Flat Major again and brainstorm how the music can be used to accentuate scenes in the play;
- Analyze the musical conventions heard in the piece;
- Hand out copies of the sheet music and divide the class into groups to discuss the musical conventions in depth;
- On the overhead projector, allow groups to present their findings;
- Play the music in the background, and practice individual readings from the play;
- Divide the class into different small groups to practice performing scenes;
- Allow groups to present performances using the music;
- Discuss the dramatic elements observed and identify how the characters' movements, tone of voice, costumes, etc., add to the impact of the literary conventions;
- Discuss typical experiences at the theatre (i.e., lights, sets, props, music) and how they influence the transmission of conventions, and of culture;
- Reflect on how all of the concepts work together to create atmosphere, exemplify culture, and influence meaning
Possible Extension Activities
- Perform The Importance of Being Earnest in its entirety as a formal school production;
- Have students gather more pieces of music that would be appropriate for both the era and the play, and explain their choices;
- Use the same activity for a different piece of writing, or modify into an Independent Study
Assessment
- Anecdotal note taking for Learning Skills;
- Presentation Rubric;
- Formal assessment can include modifying discussions into more quantifiable assignments
