Annotated+Bibliography

 ** Annotated Bibliography: ** ****Below are the sources we used to create our Analogy Strategy: ** **  
 * 1. Deblase, G. (2005). Teaching literature and language through guided discovery and informal classroom drama. The English Journal, 95(1), 29-32. Retrieved January 26, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/30047394 .**

Deblase describes how two teachers used informal drama in their classrooms to help students build their own perspectives and understand the perspectives of others, learn about elements of fiction, and build a deeper understanding of the text. The teachers accomplished this through a variety of tableaux and soundscape activities. In doing these activities, the students were able to understand the language of the text, and subsequently, interpret the text.


 * 2. Hett, D., & Haring, D. (1998). Shake Up Your Shakespeare: Creative Drama Activities for Romeo and Juliet. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED420894).**

Hett and Haring describe a variety of creative drama activities – such as improvisation, pantomime, reader’s theater, and interior monologues -- used for Romeo and Juliet. Each drama activity is in the form of a handout that clearly explains the directions and process for each activity and can be distributed to students as is.


 * 3. Maples, J. (2007). English class at the improv: Using improvisation to teach middle school students confidence, community, and content. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 80(6), 273 - 277.**

This article discusses the benefits students receive when drama is incorporated in the classroom. Maples also explains how drama activities, specifically those dealing with improvisation, can be scaffolded in the classroom so students can gradually become more comfortable and confident with drama. Maples details the progression of improvisational drama activities, as well as provides several examples of activities that have worked in her classroom.


 * 4. Robinson, R. (1988). Unlocking shakespeare’s language: Help for the teacher and the student. ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills and the National Council of Teachers of English.**

This book includes both theory / research and practice of teaching Shakespeare in high school or undergraduate classes. In the research section, Robinson describes why students typically have a difficult time understanding Shakespeare. In the practice section, Robinson includes eight different worksheets designed to help students understand the language used in Shakespeare’s plays. A few of his worksheets on centered on difficult Shakespearean passages (from various plays) that students often have trouble interpreting.


 * 5. Toepfer, M. M., Haas, K. H., (2003). Imaginative departures with two Shakespearean plays. English Journal, 92(5), 30 - 34.**

In this article, the authors describe how they transformed Shakespearean plays into contemporary issues to which their students could connect and make personal connections with. In doing so, the students learned why they should care about the issues in Shakespearean plays. The authors used a combination of journal writing about students’ personal experiences and tableaux to connect the students’ lives to the characters’ lives in Shakespeare’s plays.


 * 6. Weltsek, G. (2005). Using process drama to deconstruct “a midsummer night’s dream.” The English Journal, 95(1), 75-81. Retrieved January 26, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/30047402**

Weltset describes his experiences incorporating process drama in the classroom to deconstruct A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He utilized a variety of strategies, such as questioning, problem posing and solving, and teacher in role to help students make personal connections to the text. As a class, they explored themes and issues that were relevant to the students’ lives, but also paralleled the characters’ lives in the text. As a result, the students were able to build their understanding of their own world and also see the relevance in Shakespeare’s play.