Verb Moods on Stage: An 8th Grade Play
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Verb Moods on Stage: An 8th Grade Play

Grade 8English1 days
In this 8th-grade English project, students explore verb moods through playwriting and performance. They begin by understanding the five verb moods (indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive) and then analyze script excerpts to see how verb moods affect tone and meaning. Students collaborate to write and perform their own play scenes, focusing on the intentional use of verb moods to enhance clarity and engagement. The project culminates in a performance and peer review, where students provide constructive feedback on verb mood usage, demonstrating their comprehension through acting and play production.
Verb MoodsPlaywritingDramatic PerformanceGrammar8th Grade EnglishCollaborative WritingScript Analysis
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we use verb moods to bring intention and perspective to life in a play?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • How do verb moods affect the tone and meaning of sentences?
  • How can we use different verb moods to express different intentions or perspectives in our writing?
  • What are the key characteristics of each verb mood (indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, subjunctive)?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Understand and apply the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive verb moods.
  • Write a play that effectively uses different verb moods to convey intended meanings and perspectives.
  • Perform a play demonstrating the correct usage of verb moods to enhance clarity and engagement.
  • Analyze the impact of verb moods on the tone and meaning of sentences.
  • Collaborate with peers to create a cohesive and grammatically sound play script.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of verb mood choices in their own and others' writing.
  • Demonstrate comprehension of verb moods through acting and play production

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

The Director's Dilemma

A famous director storms into class, declaring their lead actor is sick and a crucial scene needs rewriting to change the tone. Students must rewrite the scene using specific verb moods to achieve the director's vision, sparking immediate engagement with mood nuances.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Moods Unveiled: Grammar Foundation

Students will begin by reviewing and identifying the five verb moods: indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive. This activity ensures students have a solid foundation before applying these moods in their writing.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Research and define each of the five verb moods (indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive) using online resources or grammar textbooks.
2. Create two original example sentences for each verb mood, ensuring the sentences clearly demonstrate the mood's function.
3. Complete a worksheet that requires identifying the verb mood used in a variety of sentences.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA completed worksheet with definitions and examples of each verb mood.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goal: Understand and apply the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive verb moods.
Activity 2

Script Sleuth: Mood in Action

Students will analyze provided script excerpts, focusing on how verb moods influence tone and meaning. This activity bridges understanding to practical application by examining professional writing.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Read through several provided excerpts from existing plays.
2. Highlight instances of indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive verb moods within each excerpt.
3. For each highlighted instance, write a brief annotation explaining how the specific verb mood affects the tone and meaning of the sentence and scene.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityAnnotated script excerpts, highlighting and explaining the effect of each verb mood used.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goals: Write a play that effectively uses different verb moods to convey intended meanings and perspectives; Analyze the impact of verb moods on the tone and meaning of sentences.
Activity 3

Scene Architects: Mood Blueprint

Working in small groups, students will brainstorm and outline a short play scene, determining characters, setting, and plot. The outline should highlight opportunities to use a variety of verb moods to add depth and intention to dialogue.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Form small groups of 3-4 students.
2. Brainstorm ideas for a short play scene, focusing on creating opportunities to use different verb moods.
3. Develop an outline that includes character descriptions, setting notes, plot points, and specific instances where different verb moods will be used in the dialogue.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed scene outline with character descriptions, setting notes, plot points, and identified verb mood usages.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goals: Write a play that effectively uses different verb moods to convey intended meanings and perspectives; Collaborate with peers to create a cohesive and grammatically sound play script.
Activity 4

Mood in Words: Script to Stage

Building on the scene outline, students will write the script for their play scene, emphasizing the intentional use of verb moods to convey specific meanings and perspectives.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Using the detailed scene outline, write the script for the play scene, paying close attention to the dialogue.
2. Intentionally incorporate a variety of verb moods into the dialogue to enhance the meaning and tone of the scene.
3. Revise and edit the script to ensure grammatical accuracy and effective use of verb moods.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA complete script for a short play scene, showcasing the effective use of indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive verb moods.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goals: Write a play that effectively uses different verb moods to convey intended meanings and perspectives; Evaluate the effectiveness of verb mood choices in their own and others' writing.
Activity 5

Stage Presence: Mood Performance

Groups will rehearse and perform their play scenes for the class. After each performance, students will provide constructive feedback, focusing on the effectiveness of verb mood usage in conveying intended meanings and perspectives.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Rehearse the play scene with the group, focusing on clear delivery and character portrayal.
2. Perform the play scene for the class.
3. Participate in a peer review session, providing constructive feedback on the effectiveness of verb mood usage in conveying intended meanings and perspectives.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA live performance of the play scene, followed by a peer review session with constructive feedback on verb mood usage.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goals: Perform a play demonstrating the correct usage of verb moods to enhance clarity and engagement; Evaluate the effectiveness of verb mood choices in their own and others' writing; Demonstrate comprehension of verb moods through acting and play production.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Verb Moods Play Rubric

Category 1

Understanding Verb Moods

Demonstrates understanding of the five verb moods (indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive).
Criterion 1

Accuracy of Definitions and Examples

Accuracy of definitions and examples for each verb mood.

Exemplary
4 Points

Provides accurate and comprehensive definitions and examples for all five verb moods, demonstrating a deep understanding of their functions.

Proficient
3 Points

Provides mostly accurate definitions and examples for all five verb moods, demonstrating a good understanding of their functions.

Developing
2 Points

Provides partially accurate definitions and examples for some of the five verb moods, demonstrating a basic understanding of their functions.

Beginning
1 Points

Provides inaccurate or incomplete definitions and examples for the verb moods, demonstrating a limited understanding of their functions.

Criterion 2

Verb Mood Identification

Ability to correctly identify verb moods in provided sentences.

Exemplary
4 Points

Correctly identifies the verb mood in all provided sentences, demonstrating mastery of verb mood recognition.

Proficient
3 Points

Correctly identifies the verb mood in most provided sentences, demonstrating strong verb mood recognition skills.

Developing
2 Points

Correctly identifies the verb mood in some provided sentences, demonstrating developing verb mood recognition skills.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to correctly identify the verb mood in most provided sentences, demonstrating limited verb mood recognition skills.

Category 2

Analyzing Verb Moods in Scripts

Analyzes script excerpts, focusing on how verb moods influence tone and meaning.
Criterion 1

Verb Mood Identification

Identification of verb moods in script excerpts.

Exemplary
4 Points

Identifies and highlights nearly all instances of verb moods in the script excerpts with exceptional accuracy and insight.

Proficient
3 Points

Identifies and highlights most instances of verb moods in the script excerpts with strong accuracy.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies and highlights some instances of verb moods in the script excerpts with moderate accuracy.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify and highlight verb moods in the script excerpts with limited accuracy.

Criterion 2

Quality of Annotations

Quality of annotations explaining the effect of each verb mood on the tone and meaning.

Exemplary
4 Points

Provides insightful and thorough annotations that demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of how verb moods affect the tone and meaning of sentences and scenes.

Proficient
3 Points

Provides clear and accurate annotations that demonstrate a strong understanding of how verb moods affect the tone and meaning of sentences and scenes.

Developing
2 Points

Provides basic annotations that demonstrate a partial understanding of how verb moods affect the tone and meaning of sentences and scenes.

Beginning
1 Points

Provides limited or inaccurate annotations, demonstrating a minimal understanding of how verb moods affect the tone and meaning of sentences and scenes.

Category 3

Scene Outline and Planning

Collaboratively brainstorms and outlines a short play scene, determining characters, setting, and plot, with opportunities for verb mood usage.
Criterion 1

Scene Outline Detail and Clarity

Clarity and detail of the scene outline, including character descriptions, setting notes, and plot points.

Exemplary
4 Points

Creates a highly detailed and exceptionally clear scene outline with vivid character descriptions, comprehensive setting notes, and well-developed plot points, demonstrating sophisticated planning and foresight.

Proficient
3 Points

Creates a detailed and clear scene outline with strong character descriptions, setting notes, and plot points, demonstrating effective planning and organization.

Developing
2 Points

Creates a basic scene outline with adequate character descriptions, setting notes, and plot points, demonstrating some planning and organization.

Beginning
1 Points

Creates a minimal scene outline with limited character descriptions, setting notes, and plot points, demonstrating a lack of planning and organization.

Criterion 2

Verb Mood Integration

Effectiveness in identifying specific instances where different verb moods will be used in the dialogue.

Exemplary
4 Points

Identifies and strategically integrates numerous and diverse opportunities to use different verb moods throughout the dialogue, enhancing the scene's depth and impact.

Proficient
3 Points

Identifies and integrates several opportunities to use different verb moods in the dialogue, adding nuance to the scene.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies a few opportunities to use different verb moods in the dialogue, with some attempts to enhance the scene.

Beginning
1 Points

Shows limited ability to identify and integrate opportunities to use different verb moods in the dialogue.

Category 4

Script Writing

Writes the script for their play scene, emphasizing the intentional use of verb moods to convey specific meanings and perspectives.
Criterion 1

Verb Mood Creativity

Creative and intentional use of verb moods to enhance the meaning and tone of the scene.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates masterful and creative use of verb moods, enhancing the scene's meaning and tone in profound and innovative ways.

Proficient
3 Points

Demonstrates effective and intentional use of verb moods, clearly enhancing the scene's meaning and tone.

Developing
2 Points

Demonstrates some awareness of verb moods, with attempts to enhance the scene's meaning and tone.

Beginning
1 Points

Shows limited awareness of verb moods and minimal attempts to enhance the scene's meaning and tone.

Criterion 2

Script Quality

Grammatical accuracy and overall quality of the script.

Exemplary
4 Points

The script is exceptionally well-written with impeccable grammar, demonstrating a high level of polish and attention to detail.

Proficient
3 Points

The script is well-written with minimal grammatical errors, demonstrating a strong command of language conventions.

Developing
2 Points

The script contains some grammatical errors but is generally understandable, demonstrating a basic command of language conventions.

Beginning
1 Points

The script contains numerous grammatical errors that impede understanding, demonstrating a limited command of language conventions.

Category 5

Performance and Peer Review

Rehearses and performs their play scenes for the class, providing constructive feedback on the effectiveness of verb mood usage.
Criterion 1

Performance Delivery

Clarity and expressiveness of delivery during the performance.

Exemplary
4 Points

Delivers the performance with exceptional clarity, expressiveness, and engaging character portrayal, captivating the audience.

Proficient
3 Points

Delivers the performance with strong clarity, expressiveness, and believable character portrayal, engaging the audience effectively.

Developing
2 Points

Delivers the performance with moderate clarity and expressiveness, with some attempts at character portrayal.

Beginning
1 Points

Delivers the performance with limited clarity and expressiveness, struggling with character portrayal.

Criterion 2

Peer Review Feedback

Quality and constructiveness of feedback provided during the peer review session.

Exemplary
4 Points

Provides insightful, specific, and constructive feedback that demonstrates a deep understanding of verb mood usage and its impact on the scene's effectiveness.

Proficient
3 Points

Provides clear and constructive feedback that demonstrates a strong understanding of verb mood usage and its impact on the scene's effectiveness.

Developing
2 Points

Provides basic feedback that demonstrates some understanding of verb mood usage and its impact on the scene's effectiveness.

Beginning
1 Points

Provides limited or unhelpful feedback, demonstrating a minimal understanding of verb mood usage and its impact on the scene's effectiveness.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

How did your understanding of verb moods evolve throughout this project, from the initial grammar exercises to the final performance?

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Question 2

In what ways did using different verb moods impact the tone and meaning of your play? Provide specific examples.

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Question 3

How effective was your group's collaboration in incorporating verb moods into your play? What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

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Question 4

To what extent do you agree with the following statement: 'Using a variety of verb moods enhanced the clarity and engagement of our play.'

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Question 5

If you could rewrite your play scene, what is one verb mood you would use differently and why?

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