How Do I Love Thee: Patterning
Part 1
Existing Patterns that Exist as Applied to My Topic
The existing patterns to teach the key elements of drama and a play in my online American Literature course are represented through text (worksheets & ppt presentations), images, and diagrams.
The existing patterns begin with the key elements of a play written by Aristotle in 350 B.C.E. and published in his work, Poetics. The pattern (structure) he outlined is still being used today.
The pattern starts with the key elements of a play, which are:
- Spectacle (visual part)
- Sound (audible part)
- Diction (language used)
- Character (people in the play)
- Reasoning (ways in which speech are used)
- Plot (events and action)
The next step is to define the type of play. My topic is about the play, “The Crucible” which is a tragedy. The patterns in a tragedy are represented through the elements listed below.
- Hero/Protagonist (must have one)
- Catastrophe (has to end badly)
- Fate
- Reversal (peripety)
- Other Elements-revenge, anagnorisis
Plot
- Exposition
- Rising Action
- Climax
- Falling Action
- Resolution
In a play there is a pattern used to establish plot. Below is one example.
- Act 1, introduce the characters and the conflict.
- Act 2, the conflict is developed more fully and leading up to the climax.
- Act 3, the resolution-in a tragedy it ends with a catastrophe
In “The Crucible” the plot is established using four acts.
How do these patterns help you or your learners access your topic? / Do they help? /Do they hinder?
The pattern of plot and the key elements of a play are crucial to understanding drama. The patterns help students to fully see the structure and elements of a drama. Students also gain a greater knowledge of the history and importance of Aristotle’s work. Without an explanation of the key elements of a play and the knowledge of plot, students cannot gain a full understanding of the topic and how effectively Aristotle’s structure works. Plot diagrams are organizational tools that teachers can use to help students to visualize and recognize the elements of a story (play). I do not believe the patterns hinder my students, but a bit more variety when teaching the topic might help to make it more exciting for students.
Represented Images and Links
One way the pattern of the plot is represented is in the common plot diagram. The one below is similar to the one used in my online American Literature course. Due to copyright laws I cannot show the actual diagram.
Another well-known plot diagram is the one below created by Gustav Greytag. Greytag is known for adding rising and falling action to Aristotle’s original structure.
Free Powerpoint Presentation Outlining Aristotle’s Poetics/With Images
http://www.powershow.com/view/f0b65-MjBiZ/Aristotles_Poetics_flash_ppt_presentation
http://www.powershow.com/view/f0b65-MjBiZ/Aristotles_Poetics_flash_ppt_presentation
Free Text Explaining Aristotle and Plot
http://members.shaw.ca/sedlers/resource%20aristotle%20and%20plot%20line.htm
http://www.ehow.com/info_8394628_5-parts-plot-story.html
“The Crucible” Free plot Summary
http://www.bookrags.com/notes/cru/
http://members.shaw.ca/sedlers/resource%20aristotle%20and%20plot%20line.htm
http://www.ehow.com/info_8394628_5-parts-plot-story.html
“The Crucible” Free plot Summary
http://www.bookrags.com/notes/cru/
Part 2
How can you come up with new patterns that can be applied to the same content? May have to break down or take apart existing patterns.
I can come up with some new patterns that can be applied to the same content by understanding the patterns that are already available (Chapter 7, Sparks of Genius). I plan to research (Google) existing patterns to see how I can create new ones to teach my topic.
Explain how this would help your students better understand and handle your topic.
By taking apart existing patterns and creating new patterns my students will be able to see the material in a new way, which may give them more insight and a deeper understanding about the topic. Hopefully, my students will be able to learn to create their own patterns to help them study and learn the material.
My New Patterns & Images
Wordle-This pattern is to introduce students to the vocabulary within the lesson.
How can you come up with new patterns that can be applied to the same content? May have to break down or take apart existing patterns.
I can come up with some new patterns that can be applied to the same content by understanding the patterns that are already available (Chapter 7, Sparks of Genius). I plan to research (Google) existing patterns to see how I can create new ones to teach my topic.
Explain how this would help your students better understand and handle your topic.
By taking apart existing patterns and creating new patterns my students will be able to see the material in a new way, which may give them more insight and a deeper understanding about the topic. Hopefully, my students will be able to learn to create their own patterns to help them study and learn the material.
My New Patterns & Images
Wordle-This pattern is to introduce students to the vocabulary within the lesson.
Word Scramble Worksheet- The use of this pattern is also to help students recognize and think about the vocabulary and concepts within the lesson.
Create new plot diagrams using: bar, pie, and timeline diagrams-This will help students visual the elements of the play in a different way, which can help them to understand the concepts more clearly.
Create a cartoon-Here I am using a cartoon to create a new pattern using images to represent scenes in the play.
My understanding of the cognitive tool of patterning is that in order to create new patterns one needs to be able to recognize and understand that there are existing patterns all around us (many are familiar and some are very simple). One also needs to learn how to take apart or combine existing patterns to create new ones. In doing so, new ideas and patterns can be created.
As I stated in part one, the original patterns that teach the key elements of drama and a play in my online American Literature course are represented through text, images, and the use of diagrams. To teach my students with the existing patterns is to give them worksheets and reading material on the Aristotle’s Poetic; the study of plot; how plot is used in theatre (the play “The Crucible”); and to show them PowerPoint presentations that include text and images. Next, the traditional plot diagram is used to help students’ visual and recognize the parts of a story. The elements of plot have been used to teach drama for centuries and the pattern is well known by most high school students.
To present my topic, I broke down existing patterns to create four new patterns. My first new pattern to use with my lesson is the use of a Wordle. By using a Wordle, I am introducing my students to the new vocabulary words without using the traditional worksheet that supplies a list of the new words they are to learn; they will have to search for the words. The visual pattern of the Wordle will (hopefully) make my students really see and become interested in the words they are to learn. Also, along with the Wordle my student will use a word scramble worksheet (second pattern) to help them learn and recognize the new vocabulary for the lesson. The will be required to take apart the letters of the words and put them in the correct order to make the vocabulary words in the lesson. The next new pattern my students will use is to study the elements of plot through the use of new diagrams, such as a bar (timeline) columns, and a pie. This method breaks down the original plot diagram that has been used for thousands of years to create new diagrams. Students should benefit from visualizing plot through different diagrams, by seeing elements of a story (play) positioned in a new way. Finally, my last new pattern is to use a comic strip instead of a PowerPoint to use images and text combined to teach the topic in a new creative way to my students.
The new patterns I have created for my topic impact it in several ways. By forming new patterns it may help my students to see the topic in a new, exciting, challenging, and/or different way. Hopefully they will start to think about the material they are studying in a creative and enjoyable way. This may create the desire to make up their own patterns to help then learn and study the content. They may also start to look for patterns in their other courses as well.
Internet Resources
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091210202434AAb3P80
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.books4results.com%2Fsamples%2FSevenStoryPlotPatterns%2FSevenStoryPlotPatterns.pdf&ei=IJ5bULyUGIay8QSm94G4Dg&usg=AFQjCNG7ZhwEKKue9C_GTy1Km_8Gok5vEQ&sig2=k_IM_SBr0pwkKLNizsunyw
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheSevenBasicPlots
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2366/what-are-the-seven-basic-literary-plots
http://litera1no4.tripod.com/drama.html
http://performingarts.wikispaces.com/file/view/Structure+of+Drama.pdf
http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/rsherbert-82852-structure-drama-education-ppt-powerpoint/
http://www.dramaresource.com/games/game-of-the-week
http://www.powershow.com/view/f0b65-MjBiZ/Aristotles_Poetics_flash_ppt_presentation
http://performingarts.wikispaces.com/file/view/Structure+of+Drama.pdf
http://home-school.lovetoknow.com/Teaching_Plot
http://www.slideshare.net/leecountylanguagearts/plot-structure-powerpoint
http://www.slideshare.net/leecountylanguagearts/plot-structure-powerpoint
http://www.dramaresource.com
http://members.shaw.ca/sedlers/resource%20aristotle%20and%20plot%20line.htm
http://staff.fcps.net/tcarr/shortstory/cinderella.htm
http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/book/politics-by-aristotle
http://chartmaker.mathwarehouse.com/create-pie-chart/the-chart.php?&leg=side&d0=20&n0=Exposition=20&d1=20&n1=Rising%20Action=20&d2=20&n2=Climax=20&d3=20&n3=Falling%20Action=20&d4=20&n4=Resolution=20&number=5&threeD=1&colorScheme=2&chartTitle=Plot&transparent=1&exploded=-1&percentOnPie=-1
http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/classic/bar_pie_chart.asp?temp=4101005
http://www.softschools.com/teacher_resources/timeline_maker/
http://www.wordle.net/create
http://www.armoredpenguin.com/jumble/
http://www.toondoo.com
http://www.novelguide.com/Aristotle%27s-Poetics/toptenquotes.html