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The English-language production of Franz Lehár's popular operetta "The Merry Widow," from the San Francisco Opera, allows the viewer to appreciate the composer's humor about 19th-century culture and the mores of the day. This lesson explores the plot of the opera and addresses 19th-century themes and the meaning and usefulness of stereotype as a plot device.
Time Allotment:
Six class periods plus homework time, not including time viewing the video.
Subject Matter:
Literature, History, Writing, Technology
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. Synthesize information from a variety of sources.
2. Express an understanding of the plot of the opera and the conflicts characters face.
3. Understand the use of stereotype as a plot device in the opera.
4. Create a song, poem, and/or dance to describe a problem, and perform it.
5. Create a story written from the point of view of one of the main characters in the opera.
6. Create a model of a 19th-century opera set, design a unique 19th-century costume, or create a concrete example of something related to their research.
STANDARDS:
Writing
Standard 4; Benchmarks 1, 2, and 4
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=4
Gathers and uses information for research purposes, uses appropriate research methodology, uses a variety of print and electronic sources to gather information for research topics, and uses a variety of criteria to evaluate the validity and reliability of primary and secondary source information.
Reading
Standard 6; Benchmarks 8 and 9
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=6
Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts; understands relationships between literature and its historical period, culture, and society; and makes connections between his or her own life and the characters, events, motives, and causes of conflict in texts.
Listening and Speaking
Standard 8; Benchmarks 5, 6, and 8
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=8
Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes; makes formal presentations to the class; makes multimedia presentations using text, images, and sound; and responds to questions and feedback about own presentations.
Viewing
Standard 9; Benchmarks 1 and 5
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=9
Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media, uses a range of strategies to interpret visual media, and uses strategies to analyze stereotypes in visual media.
English
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Standards 7, 8, and 12
http://www.ncte.org/standards/standards.shtml
Conducts research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems; uses a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge; and uses spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
This lesson was prepared by Courtenay Carmody.
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