GREEKS GO MODERN

STOP! Say, "Ancient Greek Theatre." Suppress a yawn...

Now say these words:
DIONYSUS
AESCHYLUS
APHRODITE
PEISISTRATUS

Say, "It all sounds like Greek to me!"

Say, "Hey, Dr. Forte, what do all those words mean? I want to know!"

THE OVERVIEW:

Now, think about these questions:
- Can we learn anything about our own time from ancient cultures & theatre?
- Are we at all influenced by ancient theatre?
- Where do our cultural values and beliefs come from?

It might occur to you now, that ancient cultures and their forms are still with us
today in many ways, influencing and shaping our own culture and beliefs. This is
demonstrated in the theatre of Ancient Greece:

- Ancient Greek culture and theatre still exerts a major influence on Western
cultural forms and values today.
- Masks have special functions and can enhance theatrical styles.
- The Greek chorus survives in different theatrical forms today.

THE TASK:

Here's what you will be doing, with classmates, over the next three weeks:

- You will go on a Greek Theatre Scavenger Hunt, using a variety of media,
and organize the information gathered into a lively and engaging group report.

- You will complete a Mask Webquest, searching the web for masks from
various theatre styles and cultures, and create original masks of your own.

- With your group, you will write and perform an original script based on
Ancient Greek myths and theatre style, using chorus, masks, costumes,
props, and music.

HOW WILL YOU KNOW YOU'VE SUCCEEDED?
You will evaluate other groups' reports and performances both in writing
and discussion, using rubrics provided (See Evaluation).

You will also engage in self-reflection along the way, and complete a
questionnaire at the end of the unit about your new-found knowledge.